Our mission

Building a foundation of lifemanship skills through the use of horsemanship, to develop a prepared and driven individual with knowledge they can use to succeed in everyday life.

Overview

JT Ranch is an all discipline training and instruction facility located in Chattaroy, North of Spokane, Washington Owned by Jim and Tereesa Wentland, having been in operation since March 2000. Tereesa has been a CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) certified Master Clinic Instructor for over 25 years. She certifies riding instructors nationwide. The staff of JT Ranch are CHA certified as well. For more information on CHA, please visit cha-ashse.org. At JT Ranch, we strive to develop people as well as riders, which is what we will accomplish through our internship program. Four applicants, ages 12 and up, (under 12 may be eligible for Internship Orientation Camp) will be selected for participation for each of our 3 summer sessions available, and all interns are required to attend orientation over Spring break April 7th-11th, 2025. All interns will get hands-on experience with horse care, lesson horse schooling, riding instruction, training, colt starting, ranch maintenance, operations, business and budgeting, and more. Each day will consist of daily ranch operations including chores, training horses, teaching lessons, etc. All interns will be a part of daily life in the horse industry, learning responsibility, independence, critical thinking skills, and lifemanship tools.

Incentives

JT Ranch is part of CHA, meaning we believe in bringing equestrians up from the grass roots. Investing in our youth keeps the horse industry thriving, so that future generations may enjoy this timeless pastime. Students will be working towards achieving their own CHA certification at one of our Standards Clinics, and earning their badges for each riding level 1-4. JT Ranch is unique in our sense of progressive horsemanship and lifemanship. We develop people, as well as riders, meaning we meet our community members where they are at with compassion, and with a heart for development. Interns will also be given the opportunity to bring their own horse. Those without a personal horse may have the opportunity to care lease a ranch horse. In addition, interns may attend structured lessons, horse shows, trail rides, and more.

Weekly:

Students will arrive Monday-Thursday at 8:00 am ready to assist with morning feed and opening the Ranch. They will assist with our full schedule of training horses (according to ability) and schooling lesson horses under guidance. They will jump right into our bustling daily routine of lessons in the afternoon, acting as assistant instructors as their knowledge increases, and keeping the flow of lessons. Each day will consist of these activities, including a lesson or workshop  taught by one of our CHA certified instructors. Our interns will embark on a path towards individual confidence, ready to tackle the challenges ahead. 

Living Arrangements:

Interns will attend from 8:00am-6:00pm. Any dates for Intern Overnights will be announced at the beginning of each session.  Those under 12 who attend Intern Orientation Camp are invited to partake in any Intern Overnights!

Cost:

Each session will be roughly one month long, and interns are required to attend the entirety of the session. Note: Taking time off if needed is permitted, absolutely! We understand families each have lives. Please note that make up times are not offered if an intern misses a portion of their session, and that it may influence what/when opportunities/responsibilities are available to them. This is due to the intern may have missed training that created said opportunity or the safety skills to partake. We value the skills and safety of our riders. 

Summer session dates are as follows: 

Spring Break Orientation: April 7-11, 2025, Cost is $750 for the week, includes room and board in the ranch house.

**3rd year interns: You get to attend orientation camp as staff, where the camp fee will be waived and will only be charged for room and board at $125.

Session 1: June 17th- July 25th, 2025 (On school days, interns may come after school)

Session 2: July 28th-August 30th, 2025

*Interns may do 1 or both sessions. The intern's first Summer session is $960, any additional sessions attended are discounted to $850/each. Orientation is required to attend any summer sessions. Those interns wishing to attend additional hours after school during spring/fall, contact Dani. This is absolutely encouraged! Payment plans are available upon request, and must be completed before the students session/camp.

Training philosophy 

We created this program with an intent on investing in our culture and our future. We sought to design a program tailored to the individual, that could mold with them as they grew, and could meet them where they were at. Something missing in our world today is the desire to seek and do. Instead, students are held by the hand and spoon fed, rather than instilled with critical thinking skills. Horses are a fabulous tool to teach a person who they are now, and who they can become. Each intern will receive the tools they need to dream, set a goal, create a plan of action, and accomplish. 

With the horses, we follow our own tried and tested training philosophies, mirrored by our intern, lesson, and training programs. Overall, we know that good communication creates harmony with our horse and a successful team. We are passionate about teaching people who want to better their horsemanship skills, as these are the foundation of all riding disciplines.

As riders, we are guided in the knowledge of CHA standards, emphasizing independent and personal growth. These are the stepping stones we have each used to be accomplished in our field. 

Intern Progression:

Our intern team will jump right into Ranch operations. We will adhere to the CHA handbook, filling knowledge gaps as needed to help each student progress through CHA standard riding levels 1-4. As interns progress, they will be able to help with training horses and school lesson horses.

We are building them up to become intentional, useful members of the Equine Industry and society. After completing a minimum of 1 full, consecutive year of interning, interns will have the opportunity to attend a CHA Standards clinic if ages 16 and older. Here, they can earn their instructors certification, or assistant instructors certification if under 18.

***3rd year interns: You get to attend orientation camp as staff, where the camp fee will be waived and will only be charged for room and board at $125. In the months following, lessons will be available for you in the CHA certification format, essentially “supervised instruction.” You will attend these until you are signed off to instruct independently and hold a paid staff position. Safety and quality of instruction are crucial to our program. 

Opportunities: What does their future hold?

Interns educated at JT Ranch are a part of a three year structured internship, with the opportunity to rise from Junior and Intermediate intern to Senior Intern. Each class increases responsibility according to ability, with the potential for further positions and abilities according to age and skill level. These include paid staff positions here or at another facility, the skillset to work anywhere, and they can use this experience/reference on resumes for college applications. After year three and a level of riding 3 or 4 is earned, students are eligible for ranch staff positions. This is on a case by case basis, factoring things like intern age, training level, etc. 

Intern and Parent Testimonials:

Kolbie- This summer I learned a lot. I grew in horseback riding skills, but I also grew as a person. One thing I took away from the internship was how to be a better person. I learned that even though you might not succeed the first time, you don't give up, meaning that even if you have tried to do something 10000 times and you still haven't gotten it  right, don't quit. This summer I wanted to canter bareback. It took me a while to finally do it,  but when I did it felt awesome because I didn't give up. I also enjoyed how JT ranch became my second family.

Dani-I started at JT Ranch as an intern in 2016. I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the equine industry, but I had no idea how to do so, the skills necessary, or the confidence needed to step out. I was looking at various equestrian colleges, but I knew I would receive the most valuable education here, and I did. They not only taught me to ride, train, and teach, but to do so in a progressive manner that would succeed. They pushed me to earn my CHA instructors certification and Equine Facility Manager certification. Most of all, they taught me to have courage, and believe in myself. I never thought I could do this from the ground up, and give  them a foundation so they can thrive. Here, everyone is striving to be their best self, the best rider they can be, the best instructor, you name it. They truly develop people, as well as riders. 

Tiata- When I started at JT Ranch I knew very little about horses. Being at this ranch was an incredible opportunity that has stayed with me my entire life. Under the mentoring eyes of Tereesa Wentland and Jim Bob, I learned how to care for horses, become a better rider and a better person. I now own my own ranch and horse program, and doubt I would've had the confidence to do that without the guidance I received in my early days at JT Ranch.

Lynnea-“ Interning at JT Ranch over the summer was a great experience. Stepping into a role of responsibility around the ranch helped me realize the importance of professionalism in a work environment. As a freshman in high school, my newfound work ethic has served me well throughout the school year.”

Hallee-”Hi, I’m Hallee and I was an intern last summer, and I can't wait to do it again. Not only have I grown as a rider, but I have grown as a person. I have loved being a part of the JT Ranch community. When I'm there it feels like I'm at home with the people who will love and support me, not only with riding but even outside horses. They want me to succeed in life and being at the ranch has really shown me how to be respectful, responsible, and professional, not just in how I act but with how I look. I have learned to be organized and on time, ready to start the day even outside the ranch. I have learned so much. I have made new friends on the journey, and hope to make more. The girls are so amazing, even the interns before me. I love the support and the smile on my face when I'm around them, and I can't wait for fun to begin this summer.”

Jessica- “My daughter was an intern this past summer . Hallee started at JT and she said from the beginning, ‘I'm going to do that. I'm going to earn my intern spot.’ Her internship was so much more than she ever expected. She worked hard, learned a bazillion things, built confidence and grew as a person. Most of all, she made relationships that not only encouraged her to be her best self, but also her best rider on and off her horse. JT is home for Hallee, and we can't wait for all the opportunities this ranch will continue to offer her.”