About Us
What We’re Up To
The relationship between horses and people can change the lives of both
Located on the beautiful banks of the Skagit River, we welcome visitors both human and equine alike! Our training and boarding facility in Mt Vernon WA is surrounded by miles of horse trails, only an hour north of Seattle.
Top West Ranch is community minded and encourages collaboration to host like minded events and organized outreach.
Our Mission
Our Mission:
Our mission is to facilitate space that encourages growth, while creating a culture of respect, safety and ethical treatment of people and horses engaged in equine assisted activities..
We believe that this work is critical, and we provide our community with tools and resources to help people find and build connection. Connection to art, to music, to what we eat, and connection to our animals’ challenges and improves our connection to self. We ask that you stay open minded, kind, honest and available to experience the movement that is Top West Ranch.
Our Philosophy:
We are a therapeutic riding facility and we welcome everyone. We want to create a safe healthy environment for people and horses by horse lessons, boarding, and cultivating lasting relationships with everyone who visits the ranch.
How We Got Here:
Our Journey:
The story begins with recognizing the need for movement. In 1918 two immigrants from Yugoslavia experienced such duress in their home country that they loaded what they could carry along with two children under the age of two, said goodbye to everything they knew to make the big move to Skagit Valley Washington. Four proud generations later, the great granddaughter of those two immigrants is Jo Alice Cheek, our group founder and organizer.
Jo Alice is a chef, hair stylist, psychologist, and an educator. She has her own captivating story of movement, connection, and triumph. Jo’s mother, Helen, passed from cancer in 2019 at the young age of 66. Death became a blanket of grief, shame, anger, and fear that consumed Jo’s entire existence; the life that she knew was forever changed. The only relief found during those dark days, was caring for the two horses her mom had unintentionally left.
The two horses, Cosmo and Ruby got her moving, working, and reconnecting. The all-consuming darkness and grief turned into gratitude and soon Jo had room in her heart and home to two foster two teenagers; this is where the story truly begins.
The catalyst of Top West ranch happened when Jo stepped up, reached out, and decided to give back. In this work, she found the immeasurable power of healing that comes from connection. Connecting to horses, to art, to food heals the mind and body and provides the groundwork for connection and intentional movement. This movement has momentum, and like the jewelry box that when opened sings, it has its own heart song. Thanks for listening.
The Ranch
Life on the river…
We always knew this land has had great potential and we always wanted to turn it into an amazing environment for everyone and create a community of happy people and animals.
Much like the beautiful Skagit River, life on the ranch ebbs and flows. Ranch life isn’t always easy with all the chores and responsibility that comes with it, but we consider ourselves blessed to have the property that has been in the family for generations of horse lovers.
Located one mile off I-5 in Mount Vernon Washington is little oasis we call Top West Ranch. Sitting just beside the Skagit river, there are miles of trails to ride or walk in either direction.