Who We Are

Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a safe and healing environment where Veterans, First Responders, other trauma survivors, and members of our community can reconnect, rebuild, and restore their sense of self with the powerful partnership with horses. Through equine-assisted learning, we cultivate leadership skills, resilience, trust, teamwork, and personal growth—empowering participants to foster hope, build confidence, and develop the skills needed to navigate life’s challenges and move toward wholeness.

Vision Statement

We envision a world where Veterans, First Responders, trauma survivors, and others seeking personal growth find strength, healing, and renewed purpose through transformative connections with horses. We strive to cultivate a supportive community that fosters resilience, restores trust, and empowers each individual to thrive beyond their experiences with trauma.

Meet Our Board

Meet Our Board

Our board members bring leadership, experience, and a shared commitment to guiding the mission and future of Spirit Ridge Farm.

Sabra Rockwell
Founder and President
Sabra Rockwell is the founder of The Ranch at Spirit Ridge and brings a lifelong connection to horses into her leadership and program design. She develops and facilitates unmounted equine-assisted programs that focus on trust, communication, emotional awareness, and leadership development. Guided by trauma-informed principles, Sabra creates safe and meaningful experiences that support healing, growth, and connection for individuals and families in the community. Through her work, she continues to build a supportive environment where both people and horses can thrive.
Board Member
Von Anderson
Vice President and Farm Manager
Von is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with two tours of duty, including combat service in Southwest Asia, and has dedicated over 30 years to law enforcement. He is a certified P.O.S.T. instructor with extensive experience in leadership training, tactical operations, and emergency response, and has trained military and law enforcement professionals at local, state, and international levels. At The Ranch at Spirit Ridge, Von supports equine-assisted programs that strengthen leadership, communication, and emotional resilience, drawing on his firsthand experience in service and peer support.
Greg Maddox
Greg Maddox
Board Member
Greg Maddox is a lifelong Athens resident and University of Georgia graduate with extensive experience in military service, law enforcement, and public leadership. He served eight years in the U.S. Navy, including service during the Gulf War, and later worked as a police officer and police academy instructor in Northeast Georgia. Greg currently serves as a City Councilman in Bogart, Oconee County, and is proud to serve on the Board of The Ranch at Spirit Ridge, where he supports its mission and believes strongly in its positive impact on the community.
Michael “Jay” Ragsdalel
Board Member
Jay received his Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1994. He spent several years serving on staff at churches in Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia. Jay also has experience serving as a hospice chaplain in Indiana and Georgia. He joined the Athens-Clarke County Police Department in 2001 and served as a patrol officer, detective, patrol sergeant, patrol lieutenant, and retired in December 2021 as the lieutenant of the Special Victim’s Unit. Jay served as a reserve officer with ACCPD and currently serves as the Chaplain and Peer Support Coordinator for the department.

The Idea was Born

We imagined a world where, through the utilization of horses, every veteran, first responder, and individuals in need, could have the tools, resources, and support to live an empowered life and make positive contributions to their family and community.