Broken Oak Ranch

The oak tree that gave the ranch its name dominates the landscape around the Broken Oak Ranch. It's beauty can be appreciated during all seasons.

Horses feeding on a quality round bale of hay in one of the spacious pastures.

 Welcome to Broken Oak Ranch

At Broken Oak Ranch, home of Judy and Larry Murfitt,  horses and riders of all disciplines are welcome.  We provide many services which include boarding, riding instruction, show preparation, training, transporting, breeding, and sales.   The Broken Oak Ranch invites you to visit us soon!  We enjoy visiting with people who have a passion for horses. 

 Judy & her horse Will Ya Fancy Me doing GREAT in Tobiano color class competition.  Won 1st in the Indiana Paint Horse Association 2009 show season.  Me Me is double registered in the Paint and Pinto Associations.   

How it all started

Horses come first

The site of our beautiful ranch was purchased in the spring of 2001. The property consisted of a large cornfield and a oak tree.  We built the barn and quickly moved in our family horses.  THEN we began construction on our ranch house. We had our priorities in order then and we have the same priorities now - the horses come first!

When the oak broke

 "A mighty wind blew night and day.

It stole the oak tree's leaves away.

                             Then snapped its boughs

                             and pulled its bark

                             until the oak was tired and stark.

But still the oak tree held its ground

                             while other trees fell all around... 

 The weary wind gave up and spoke,

  "How can you still be standing, Oak?"

The oak tree said, "I know that you

     can break each branch of mine in two,

                             carry every leaf away,

 shake my limbs, and make me sway.

     But I have roots stretched in the earth,

                            growing stronger since my birth.

                            You'll never touch them,  for you see,

                            they are the deepest part of me.

                            Until today, I wasn't sure

                            of just how much I could endure.

    But now I've found, with thanks to you,

 I'm stronger than                               

  I ever knew"                      

" The Oak Tree"  By: Hallmark

While working at the property one day, a terrible storm with whirling winds moved in.  We quickly gathered our tools and fled for safety.  We thought a tornado was about to hit.  When we returned, we saw no damage to our construction site.  A few days later, on a bright and sunny summer day, we were working on the house when we heard a thunderous boom. We thought it might have been a car crash and went toward the road to check.  That's when we noticed the tree.

A large middle limb of the huge oak in the cornfield had broken and fallen to the ground, creating the tremendous crash. The limb was the size of most trees found in Indiana. The strong winds of the storm the weekend before had weakened the branch that finally gave way under its own weight.

A third of the tree was gone, and it was uncertain if the tree would survive.  People passing by who were familiar with the old oak tree stopped to ask about it.  They said it was an area landmark.  It was so beautiful and majestic standing alone in the middle of the corn field.  Thankfully, the oak - though broken - survived and is alive and well to this day almost a decade later.

A testament to endurance

The tree is a testimony to the resiliency of nature and an inspiration for the human spirit.

Judy & Larry Murfitt

April 2010