The Beginning
The Founder's Background
Growing up in a small agricultural community and participating in 4-H and FFA, founder Nicole Marlin has always had a love for agriculture and being outdoors. She has fond memories of starting her first garden, building a chicken coop, starting a dairy goat herd and working at a horse barn. These experiences not only taught her her hard work, compassion, and a variety of other life lessons; they also fueled her desire to pursue Animal Science and Agriculture Technology, Management, and Education at the University of Arizona. During this time she was privileged to work a variety of incredible livestock industry jobs, including teaching agriculture at schools through the Arizona Farm Bureau's Ag in the Classroom program, as well as volunteering with her registered therapy dog Lilly. It was here that she discovered she could combine her love for horses with helping people: the field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. After two incredible experiences running an equine program in Tucson and then Prescott Valley, she decided to focus her attention on growing her family, and her own ranch: a place where she could continue her work connecting people with agriculture, and finding growth through the healing power of horses.
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At Faith and Fire Ranch, we look forward to giving youth and families these same opportunities, to cultivate the wonder, joy, and character development that comes with animal husbandry and gardening in the lives of youth within our community. Additionally, we strive to create and share an environment of peace and self-reflection, providing access to horses, animals, and nature for those who wish to find grounding and refreshment, leaving behind the struggles and burdens of their daily lives and trading them for peace and rejuvenation of the soul.
The Why
We believe that horses are truly a gift, and offer an outlet and avenue for self-reflection, healing, and growth. We believe in the tranquility of being out in nature, away from screens and the rush of every day life, and submerged in the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of rural life. We believe that children were meant to learn outside, through play and hands-on activities, engaging all of the senses in a loving and supportive atmosphere. We believe that people are meant to live in community, and that especially high risk jobs including those held by first responders need supportive, positive outlets for themselves and their families, ideally in nature where families can play, explore, and grow together. As we held these beliefs and released our plans to God, we found ourselves here, at Faith and Fire Ranch, ready to share our beautiful ranch with others.