Happiness has a smell; it has a feel, and it has a touch! It's the smell of a barn in the early morning, that heady perfume, it's the velvety nose of a happy horse looking for kisses and it's the soft hand to guide, direct and teach a new rider to embrace the world through the gait of a horse. Those words describe the heart experience of The Sugar and Spice Ranch in Bandera, TX headed up by a very special boss-lady and cowboy-girl, Ms. Leigh McCourt.

One of the most touching experiences at the ranch has to be the mother and daughter camp experience. There isn't anything better than the bonding that occurs between mother and daughter when they work together to care for horses and learn basic ranch duties. Relying on each other, learning together, sharing work and when the day comes to a close, sharing a beautiful sunset.
Whether it's a time for mom and child to open their heart to each other in the dark of night or a quiet time spent in watching each other, moms gain a keen understanding of their child's ability and daughters learn a new respect for their parent.
Bonding with a child is a continuous process of a lifetime and one that reaps the highest rewards, the love that glues family. Horses open up the heart space for that to happen; they are a kind of impetus for building a relationship, for confidence in oneself and each other. Caring for a horse, even for a short time, making sure the horses needs are taken care of builds nurturing skills and discipline. Horses teach humans to trust themselves by trusting in the human. When people work together as a team to care for horses, they learn about each other and most importantly, themselves. They begin to see themselves in a different light.
I don't know that anyone could put a price tag on a lifetime relationship as important as that of a child and their parent or the experience of building that relationship. I don't know that anyone would.
But I do know the experience that mothers and daughters leave "The Sugar and Spice Ranch" with is indeed priceless.