Mercy Spring Ranch Information

MSR serves children between the ages of 6 and 18. Most of the children that participate in the program are hurting in some way. To MSR, the word "hurting" takes on many shapes and forms: mentally, physically, emotionally, and functionally. This hurting is sometimes the result of abuse and/or neglect, while other times it is not. A much smaller percentage of the children we work with simply don't have access to horses through any other means. It has been the experience of MSR's founders that as "healthy" children play and grow beside "broken" ones, they are both encouraged to have a greater appreciation and understanding of others. It also brings hope to the spirit of wounded children to believe they too can have the same hope for the future. Our horses are paired with one leader and one child for a 90 minute session. These sessions are flexible, allowing that time to best serve the unique needs of the individual child. The first 30 minutes consists of completing a ranch chore, since we believe that one of the ways God designed dignity to be found is through work. The remaining hour is the primary ranch activity for the day. Instead of being lost in a group, each child is nurtured by a leader who shares in his or her individual tears and victories. All of this is done free of charge. There may be times when the children will not ride during their session. According to the MSR staff member's discretion or the child's wishes, they may take part in any number of alternate activities during their session, including additional ranch chores, crafts, games, etc. MSR aims to offer mentorship, ranch-style activities, healthy friendships, and knowledge in horse husbandry to youth in our community. The riding lessons are a conduit towards these goals. Although we aspire to help these children become safe riders who understand and care for horses, our main goal is not to produce "accomplished" riders. Our season runs from April through October each year, and sessions are scheduled in two month blocks. Session blocks begin ...