I was at TBR in 2002, between January and December. The drama that has surrounded this place seems to me to be politicized and blown out of proportion. It's crazy how lives can be upended over the word of spoilt children and liberal moms. At times it may have been tough, but being able to go through it and realize that what we thought was horrible really wasn't that bad helped build character. It's all character building as Kaye used to say. When it came time for me to leave Tbr I didn't want to, I literally wanted to stay and be a cowboy. I learned to ride, barrel race, shoes horses, and got in the best shape of my life up until then. Most of all I learned to work.. and the work ethic and positive attitude fostered in me there has done great things in my life. I had the kind of experiences that I never would have been able to have anywhere else, what suburban kid can say he hiked and camped deep in the Rocky mountains and built fences with his bare hands, bucked crazy amounts of hay and saw the kind of sunsets I saw? I am grateful for being able to be there when I was and meet the people I did while there. I highly doubt that this abuse the kids speak of actually happened because while it wasn't a cush summer camp, it wasn't what they're portraying. Counseling alone can't do the same thing as living the life we did. Kids can fake whatever they want for short periods of time, but after about 3-5 weeks their real personalities come out and only then can you actually work on changing. The only things I hated about it after I left was that the boys weren't allowed to talk to the girls so I felt extra weird coming back to society at 14 y.o. All in all though I've got love for the Chandlers as well as Emily, Brian, Ansel, and everyone I was at the ranch with. read more

I am the ex-wife of the Steve Cowen (negative post) above, and we don't agree about TBR, or most things for that matter. And if I myself, had another minor son who was living out of control (and I thank God that I don't), I would MOST DEFINITELY consider TBR again in my pursuit of finding the best fit to match my individual teens needs. read more

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I personally recommend that you stay as far away from this facility as possible - like another planet. With my son having been sent there by his mother; and his subsequent 27 month stay at "The Ranch", I can personally attest he returned to us in 2006 with a serious medical issue that we are still dealing with today: an issue, (Tierra Blanca Ranch knew about and) did not report to us, (his family) upon its onset of the medical problem, and something my son, (during his stay there) had to endure, (without medication) for at least one year before we discovered it; which ultimately revealed itself the day after his return to us - with a grand-mal seizure. TBR, (Tierra Blanca Ranch) is currently under investigation by the New Mexico State authorities. It is my hope that TBR and or Scott Chandler and or those connected to him for alleged crimes be brought to trial; convicted and sentenced to the maximum the Federal and State law provides for any alleged crimes. Parasites. read more

I too sent my son to TBR with the hopes that he would get the help he needed so that he would make wiser choices in life. Well that did not happen after going thru the heart ache of having to make this choice for my child and paying quite a bit of money to send him there as well. Bottom line they have no clue how to deal with drug and alcohol issues. At least that is my take on it and I have been sober for well over 22yrs. and still going to meetings and still open minded and teachable and willing to grow and learn. The relationship now with my son is more strained than ever he is so angry at me for sending him there for a year because of what went on there and that he didn't get the help he needed. Funny thing is he knew he needed the help was willing to get it now he is just angry and upset all the time. I really thought I was getting him the help he needed only to find out a year later since he has been home it was not. As the other parent wrote the access to your child is limited many times I was left to feel as though I was the one being punished and that I was a bad parent. Unlike the other parent I am a Christian and wanted a Christian based program for my child however it does not seem like my son grasped that concept there either. My son has been home over a year now only to harbor great anger and from what I can surmise at these point Post Traumatic issues. Over and over again it was suggested that I not take him out and that I should listen only to their guidance. Well I am not a foolish person and I do remain open minded and teachable however many times their tactics were to make me feel incompetent as a parent so I would just do as they say. I am not that insecure and feel I have to have someone hold my hand to the point of not being able to think things thru as well as make wise choices for my children. I truly believe they prey on the parents that are like that. Even as a parent who tends to lean towards being a conservative in nature and a who has been in recovery with long term sobriety I now see that this place does NOT address addictions and DOES NOT address the troubled kids issues. They just put them to work on the ranch. That is their form of therapy. There was absolutely no counseling there for the kids. Your child ends up just doing a geographical move of their issues not addressing them. Anyone who has half a brain knows that does not work as the issues will come up again. The other main issue is the schooling I was told over and over again how great he was doing and how great their education system was only for my son to come home and not be able to transfer any of his credits and to be repeating the whole grade again. The credits he got there did not transfer one bit. As far as Scott Chandler he was very good at communicating while getting him in after that I was always given to the leader of the house and always felt like I was being talked down to. Prior to making a major decision such as sending your child away do extensive research do not wait like I did till it got so out of hand I took the 1st place that someone suggested. If you would like to speak to me more about his place you can contact me at bholler305@aol.com. read more

This isnt a review but why would Yelp have 3 one star reviews showing and then 19 five star and 1 four star reviews "filtered" . Why would anyone even trust Yelp anymore? read more

CHECK OUT THE (13) FILTERED REVIEWS TOO!!!!!!! I love Scott Chandler and his family. I was at the Tierra Blanca Ranch for 3 years. It was a tough experience, but not "abusive" like what the other 2 people are saying. That inflatable word gets thrown around carelessly on things that are clearly exaggerated these days, especially to the people who were actually involved with the program. Of course, big news there with the wave of "entitlement syndrome" much of my generation suffers from. It's a clever tactic now engraved in our society. I would like to point out that the kids who brought up the charges that they speak of are selling a great story I'm sure. The ones who hated authority at the Ranch, really want to just get back at the Chandlers for making them go hiking and NOT allowing them to play on their smart phones following unintelligible twitter feeds, every second of every day. NOT THAT IT'S BAD, just something most kids get upset about when you take away. Clearly this isn't the first time exaggerated he-said-she said cases have cluttered our media. Thank's Yelp for filtering my review. High Five to you. read more

Hi everyone, I wanted to put a good word in for people I consider my family! I was a teen who was involved in numerous unhealthy activities and I was sent to the ranch. Like most kids at the beggining I DID NOT WANT TO STOP THE BAD CHOICES I WAS CHOOSING! I was in the program for 13 months. The program helped me realize alot about myself. I learned good work ethics, honesty, listening to others, i got help with anger issues and my addictions. These people changed my life! I have been sober now for a very long time, I am a mother and I work for DHS as a caseworker, before that I was an addiction counselor. If I had not gone to the ranch when I did I would not be here today to express my love and gratitude to the people who have reached out and cared for some many troubled kids. I think what SOME people do understand is the fact they think the ranch has a magic wand that will change their child...the fact is your child has to WANT to change. people choose the ranch because it is differant and in the middle of the mountians, and like all places there are rules. If you do not follow the rules you get into trouble, just like in the real world. I think TBR is a gift from GOD to help people who need it. The people who run the ranch truley care for people with their whole gearts, they do not half- ass care. The people they have helped (including myself) view them as family and have kept in touch. Why do people keep in touch, because they have helped and loved then through thick and thin. Now I have read the previous post and I do not know either of you whom seem to have nothing better to do in your life than bashing a program and people that have helped numerous kids have a better life and have shown love and care for children. I suggest that you stop blaming others for your child not wanting to make better decisions in their life. I understand yes, it is frustrating that your child still chooses to make poor decisions, however that is THEIR choice. Blaming someone else is not going to magically make your issues and problems that you have with your families go away. So I woulld appreciate it if you could start turning your attention into something more improtant...mmm say like your child who needs you..instaed of sitting bashing a family who tried to help. get a life and realize it is not the ranch making the poor decisions for your child...it is the child! read more

As a former Tierra Blanca Ranch (TBR) Mom, I would like to share the story of how grateful I am that I made the decision to take my 14 year old son to TBR, and through working in close partnership with the Chandlers, just how that decision literally saved my son's life. The transformation of my son happened very rapidly. He went from a fun loving, snowboarding, wakeboarding, extreme sports kid who was an above average student.....to a very dark, introverted, manipulative person who started smoking, drinking, experimenting with many different drugs and getting failing grades.......within a period of 6 months. (This was do to him changing the friends he was hanging out with.) As a single Mom, needless to say I was terrified and utilized every resource available to me to try to turn the situation around, but absolutely nothing worked. I felt helpless and knew in my heart that I was going to lose my son. After much research, the Tierra Blanca Ranch, At Risk Teen Program was brought to my attention. Not only did I talk to the Chandlers for hours and hours about how their program worked, I also called all the police stations in the area as well as neighboring towns to check into their credibility. Every person I spoke to spoke very highly of the Chandlers and could not recommend the TBR program enough! My son's first month at TBR was not a productive one. He continued with his dark, sullen attitude, did not follow any of the rules....in fact he broke as many as he possibly could. The Chandlers and I talked daily and worked together with patience, waiting for him to change his behavior. It was a very difficult time for me because I could not talk to him, he had not earned the points he needed to have phone privileges, but because I spoke daily to the Chandlers I understood why I could not talk to him. Then one day I received a phone call from the Ranch and they told me, "We put your son on a horse and that boy just rode like the wind"! (He had never been on a horse.) The change in his environment, away from the city and the people he was hanging out with was the turning point in my son's life. The Chandlers kept telling me that this was the key to their program, along with him learning the value of hard work, and having self-respect and direction in his life......all of which he learned at TBR. He started to embrace all that the TBR program had to offer and turned into one of the hardest working "cowboys" on the ranch. He began to follow all the rules and worked hard to earn trust every day. He learned not only to "ride like the wind", but also how to shoe horses, weld, brand cattle, and even break wild horses! My son grew to be a young man of respect and integrity, not only to others, but most importantly to himself. He chose to stay at TBR for school and graduated a year early. He is now a Medical Specialist in the Army Reserves, manager of a very large Urgent Care Unit, and is going to College full-time to get a degree in Health Care Management! He was recently married and yes the Chandlers flew to the state he is now living in to be at his wedding.....which meant the world to us! Throughout all of this, we've stayed very close to the Chandlers and they have played a huge role in our lives.....they are in fact our extended family. They have been there for us through every phase of my son's growth, along with mine! IF YOUR CHILD IS HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU CALL SCOTT CHANDLER AT TIERRA BLANCA RANCH.......YOU WILL FIND THE HELP YOU ARE LOOKING FOR!!! read more

My Son was recently admited to TBR and it was for a reason. I think that most parents would agree that to reach this point we have failed our children in some way or another. Face it if we were ideal parents and our kids were ideal kids, we wouldn't be looking for help in the first place. The method the Ranch claims to practice is the same as our military. I know this is exactally what my Son needs. At some point kids need to be held accountable. When they start driving, working, doing drugs, ripping off cars, etc..., they have to held accountable. I have seen other posts that slam this sytem and I think the underlying problem was pretty obvious. Anger does not help our children. BTW they learn many things from our actions. If a parent suspects that your childrens issues are mental then by all means they should be seen by a professional. Divorce is hard on kids. I have raised my kids for the last 13 years with limited or no contact with their Mother for the last 4 years. Somewhere I have failed my Son and have gotten the help needed. I will not blame others nor will I beat myself up any more. What I will do is look forward to the day I can have my Son l;ook me in the eye and say "Thank you Dad. I know you did your best and I love you". One bad apple can't ruin the barrel if you take it out. David H Tucson, AZ read more

wide open spaces By Claudette Ortiz / For the Sun-News POSTED: 04/01/2012 12:38:48 AM MDT On Highway 27 outside of Hatch, past the sea of solar panels and just before the whirly-gig wind turbines, is a road that snakes, dips and climbs the Geronimo Trail to where 22 teenage boys are housed at Tierra Blanca Ranch. Some of them made bad choices, and some of them had bad choices made for them but out on this working ranch, at-risk or troubled teens can unplug from all that in order to focus on who they are. It's a place to stop merely surviving and begin thriving. Pictures on the refrigerator say it all ... there is a new kid around the campfire looking down at his feet, but a later picture of him has him looking straight into the camera. Now he is seeing his surroundings and feeling connected to them. And whether he will be at the ranch for one year or more, whether his parents paid his tuition or he is here on a scholarship ... he will learn life skills, he will receive an education as well as love, and he will find he can respect himself and others when he discovers what relationships are all about. What they are accomplishing out here takes people like Scott Chandler, director of the Tierra Blanca Ranch High Country Youth Program; it takes people like June and Bill Halsell who sponsor its team in the Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands; it takes the families trying to heal who can pay tuition for their sons ... but it is staff members like Emily Campbell who make it work. Building relationships is the key to feeling loved and connected, and Emily happily lives and works and listens to the boys. As she explained to one boy recently at midnight, "We don't not want to be some white-walled institution; we want to meet you where you are at, so you can be productive in this society." As I walk through the house with Emily, there are boys studying together at the table. In home-bound schooling through Deming Public Schools, two teachers come out twice a week for individual tutoring. Otherwise the kids take their textbooks along with them whether they are branding at cow camp, moving hay, moving cattle or mending fences. It is hard to imagine any of these students as sullen or combative as some were when they first arrived. Nor does it feel like a white-walled institution: Some of the kids have their own dog, and the ones who join Deming High School's football team or baseball team get carted back and forth for practice. None of these kids want to be here when they first come. It was certainly not their idea to leave their friends, fast food and the Internet behind. Some feel angry or in shock when first taken to a camp into the middle of the woods. But like Emily says, these are kids with bad choices, not kids with bad hearts. The first thing everyone does at camp is take a really long hike. And they camp until the new arrival is finally ready to go to his new home. For a few boys, it is their first real home. Dmytro came to the ranch when he was 12. He was adopted from a Russian orphanage and then given up by his adopted family. Emily tells Dmytro it was they who missed out on knowing him; she and Dmytro grew close during the six years he was at the ranch and she recently saw him in Arizona, where he is working full-time while taking a break from college. It was Emily who taught him to read. They sat on the back porch as they read from the Bible, "Like how people learned to read in the old days," she says. On May 18 at Deming High School four more kids graduate this year and one of them is in the top 10 percent of his class. I asked Emily how she and the ranch found each other since they seem such a perfect fit. She said she interned here 11 years ago. Majoring in Forest Recreation Resources, she was told she could intern anywhere in her junior year, as long as it was outdoors, and found the Tierra Blanca Ranch advertisement for parents with troubled children in Sunset Magazine. Her internship was mentoring 12-year-olds in week-long summer camps coordinated with NMSU, and the goal was to see how outdoor activities affect future choices toward drugs and alcohol. Emily said that "loving on the kids seemed far more necessary than the last year of school" at Oregon State University but that it left her eager to return after she graduated in order to work for the Chandlers in their faith-based program. The afternoon I left, Emily and the 16 boys who volunteered to march in the Bataan Memorial were preparing to put in the last of their 180 miles of training (it is "Team ZX," named for Scott and Colette Chandler's ZX Land and Cattle Company). And they train knowing they have sponsors, staff and parents to cheer them on. Claudette Ortiz is a monthly columnist for the Sun-News and lives in Hatch. She can be reached at claudyo@q.com and her online readings of past columns may be heard at www.krwg.org by clicking on the "Local Viewpoints" tab under the "News" menu.) read more

Our son stayed at the ranch for almost a year. He was always a good kid but had trouble processing all of the trauma our family had been through over the years before the events that left us with no option but to send him to this program. We understand this program cannot be the end all be all and the rest of our family received counseling while he was away. He has purpose, direction and we have hope. All of his school credits transferred and he will graduate on time. Words will never be enough to express our gratitude to Tierra Blanca Ranch for being the village that has helped in the growth and development of our son. Sincerely a parent who will remain anonymous at this juncture, but whose gratitude is unending. He has no PTSD and was well fed during his stay at the ranch. read more

My son was at the Tierra Blanca Ranch (TBR) from 9/11- 7/12. Space is limited, so I will get right to the point. I can be reached at cowen.steve@secowenlaw.com to discuss. TBR APPEARS TO OPERATE WITHOUT ANY ACCOUNTABILITY. TBR is authoritarian in nature in my opinion. What Scott Chandler says, goes. It does not appear to be licensed or insured, and operates way off the beaten path, figuratively and literally in its remote New Mexico mountain location. I don't believe that there is any external, or even internal, accountability system in place--something that every well run organization insists upon--from Billy Graham to your local hospital and school boards to your church and its internal group of elders and external hierarchy. As discussed below, parental contact is highly controlled so actual parental oversight is basically nonexistent. History tells us two things about the TBR "rogue" types of organizational structures: they always redirect you to selected "results" when you ask "what is going on behind the curtain." And, second, since the structure is inherently unstable, they tend to fail in great numbers and when they do fail they tend to do so in horrific fashion. Do you want your child to be there if (when?) it does? LIMITED AND HIGHLY CONTROLLED CONTACT WITH YOUR CHILD. You don't have the right to see, e-mail or speak with your child. TBR decides when and on what terms. If you're divorced, you can't get your child out without both parents agreeing. QUESTIONABLE CHILD LABOR PRACTICES. My son spent, from what I can gather, a substantial amount of his time working at least all day, for free, in rural New Mexico in the cattle business which makes up the other part of the TBR enterprise. At night when working, I'm told, he and the other boys are locked in two-man tents. They are not allowed to leave even to go to the bathroom. They are given a jar to piss in. HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE DISCIPLINARY TACTICS. They practice collective punishment. One child breaks a rule, all are punished. Punishment, I'm told, can include: food rations reduced to rice and beans, sleep deprivation, middle of the night to dawn forced physical activities, additional work, revocation of all opportunity to communicate with family, getting sent to "camp". For serious infractions, a child is "firewalled". "Firewalling" is the process whereby they take a teenager, who is already scared, in the middle of nowhere, miles away from home, homesick, and lonely and prohibit anyone from talking with them, except TBR staff. How strict is the discipline? My son, in a moment where our visit was not being monitored by a staff-member, told me he's so intimidated that "if there was a pile of dog crap over there and they told me to eat it, I would." RELIGIOUS COERCION. It appears as though one of their main goals is converting your child to Christianity. If one parent is a Christian and the other is not, the non-believer can expect very limited contact with their child. That's what happened in my case. My sons and I, "unbelievers"- limited contact. My ex-wife, a "Christian" much freer access. GET ALL THE FACTS. When I realized how TBR operated in January of 2012, I wanted to do two things: get my son out, and, second, go on-line to provide my input to others considering TBR. I couldn't get my son out because my ex-wife would not agree. I didn't go on-line for two reasons. First, Scott Chandler, as I surmised correctly, can be extremely vindictive if you challenge him. I asked questions, he curtly revoked my visitation rights. Second, I was concerned that my son's living conditions would worsen. Within days of my son's release, I went on-line. LACK OF ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. At TBR, they don't believe in psychologists, and none are on staff. Before sending your child, I would strongly recommend that you consult with psychological professionals to determine if TBR presents acceptable treatment techniques. THEIR METHODS CAN BE BAFFELING IF NOT DOWNRIGHT HYPOCRITICAL. The kids can listen to country music but not rock and roll. They won't deliver a letter from my oldest son because in it he says "let's go get a beer when you turn 18." But they'll allow my son to listen to the Ronnie Dunn song "Let the Cowboy Rock" which glorifies alcohol abuse. CONCLUSION. Can TBR's "methods" cause a child to get off drugs? Maybe. But these techniques, in my opinion, can also just as likely cause a child to commit suicide or suffer later from post-traumatic stress disorder. Or, should (and I have no knowledge that any pedophile has ever worked at TBR) a pedophile slip through what appears to be an extremely loose hiring filter employed at TBR, do whatever that pedophile wants your child to do--in exchange for more food, someone to talk to, a bed to sleep in or contact with family. read more

My sister, a single mom, sent my nephew to Tierra Blanca Ranch for his last year of high school. He was using drugs, rebellious, and failing school and so hard for my sister to help. He was at Tierra Blanca Ranch about a year and now, from what I hear, he is doing so much better. He is at college and has sworn off drugs and has new direction for his life. Tierra Blanca Ranch was great place for him, and also so good for my sister. I would recommend it for others and for my own kids too if needed. read more

I have been a visitor to the Tierra Blanca Ranch (TBR) and found the staff efficient and quite capable of assisting the students at the ranch to become wiser and better people. The students are there for a variety of reasons, mainly the choices they have made which have not been in their own best interest. Students have teachers who come to the ranch to keep them up to date with their schooling, staff who works with them to learn how capable they can be - in a positive way, and the support of the community who know the good works that TBR provides in helping these students. Students come from all over the US to this ranch. I applaud TBR for being a safe place for students to learn, to grow and to become better young people. read more

I sent my son here for two years and it was an excellent experience. They took excellent care of the 15 or so kids there. My son was allowed to have motocross bike. I would call and he would be out camping for days at a time. They went to church on Sunday. They have something like 50,000 acres of beautiful mountains, with 300 cattle. read more

My son attended Tierra Blanca Ranch for 19 months. Prior to going to the ranch my son was belligerent, had dropped out of high school and even threatened me with a knife! As a parent making the choice to send you child away is one of the most heart wrenching decisions one can make. I remember well the day the counselor we were seeing with our son suggested we may be out of options as his behavior was not improving as he was just as belligerent with the counselor and months of work had shown no progress. It is my belief that God sent us the answer to our prayers in helping me to find Tierra Blanca Ranch. I did NOT want an institutional setting for my son and I did NOT want a place that provided medications. as a parent those were my choices and there certainly are plenty of places that provide doctors and counselors if a parent thinks those are necessary. I knew BEFORE my son went that none of these things were available and for the parents (the 2 complaining here) if they wanted those things they should have chosen a place that provided them. My son learned to respect authority, the value of hard work and found God. He learned to work on the ranch, ride horses, cook and went from having 2.5 high school credits to graduating with 10 more then he needed and two college classes to boot! My son LOVED his teacher Miss Ally and to this day speaks fondly of her. My son went from weighing 95 pounds upon his arrival (just 10 days after turning 16) to weighing 127 pounds 19 months later - hardly starving! My son had a medical diagnosis that resulted in his low weight and picky eating - Emily and the Chandlers worked hard with my son and upon coming home I was THRILLED to see how much his world has expanded as to what he now will eat!! My son had never participated in any sports and while at TBR voluntarily trained to run the Batton Memorial Death March - finishing 21st out of 409 men of all ages running this race!! A few of the other boys running finished in the top 5!! I trained at home here in Tucson and travelled to Las Cruces to run the race with the boys - they were SO proud of themselves and their accomplishments and we all celebrated after having a meal out and seeing a movie. My son was also offered the opportunity to play football while there with the Deming High School team. He was injured while playing and the staff made sure he saw as many doctors as necessary to ensure he healed properly. I visited the ranch multiple times during my sons stay and always had a positive experience. My son has been back twice to visit since coming home and was disappointed and heartbroken to see what is going on now. He was excited about talking with the Chandlers about the possibility of working there - he is that passionate about his experience that he would willingly give up the comforts of home to go back out to the wilderness! Now, was he happy when he got there - NO! He had just been taken from a plush life and the comforts of home to a life he had never experienced before. Scott, Emily and all the Chandlers were patient and loving and my son will never forget the positive experience he had while there. read more

This is not the place to send your child. Be a grown up and raise your child yourself. Grow a pair and figure out how to discipline your teen. Tierra Blanca if anything is the number one place you should not be sending your child with the record it has. Your child will get beaten and mistreated every minute they are there. You want to better your child's life and have them do good? Don't send them there, cause when they get home they'll be more messed up than they were before they left. My ex went there and the stories he would tell me about this place when he got back were so sickening. Those people have no idea how to discipline any ones teen. I can't believe Scott and his family got away with what they were doing for so long. Yeah I'll agree that some teens who came out of that "program" were more responsible and got it together but honestly that's because they were sick of being beaten for stupid reasons. If you're planning on sending your teen here, don't waste your money. These people are worthless and deserve nothing more than prison time. The worst part about it is half of the teens parents don't even know they're there. They don't require both parents consent. That's KIDNAPPING. It just sickens me that people would pay money for their teen to even go to a disciplinary program. If you can't handle your child you shouldn't of had one. There's other ways of dealing with troubled teens, not sending them to the middle of nowhere so some a**hole can beat the s**t out of your teen. Unfortunately a teen had to die for investigators and police officers to finally figure out was what truly going on at this ranch. Everyone knew it but no one had the balls to do anything about it. Please don't send your teen here. As hard as it gets to have a troubled teen I'm sure you'd rather ground them than see them in the ground because they were neglected & mistreated at Tierra Blanca. read more