Our Children
Our children suffer primarily from social, emotional and
physical challenges; however, some are facing terminal illness. On any given day
we may encounter children dealing with autism, severe depression, social
problems or terminal illness.
Some of our children are mentally challenged, teased, and
ridiculed in school. Others come because their family life is unstable due to
divorce, alcoholism, or abuse. We also work with orphans and children placed in
foster homes.
Relationships are personally tailored to accommodate the
special needs of each child. Some children will never ride independently while
others will develop to very high levels of horsemanship. Regardless of
individual needs, each of the SonRise children finds a loving and accepting
community through SonRise.
The SonRise staff nurtures each child through challenges and
victories. The staff guides the children as they develop skills in relationship
building, problem solving, confidence, improved learning skills, essential life
skills, physical fitness; as well as trust, patience and integrity. All of this
is offered free of charge.
Miniature horses visit children
The SonRise miniature horses have brought great comfort to
terminally ill children and their families as they make personal visits to the
local hospice facility. The terminally ill children, who are strong enough to
leave home or hospice, do come out to the ranch to ride.
Who we serve
SonRise helps with a wide variety of problems that children
face. A partial list of those problems includes:
- ADD/ ADHD
- Autism
- Bipolar Disorder
- Blindness
- Brain Injury
- Cancer
- Cerebral Palsy
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Depression
- Developmental Delays
- Down syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Learning Disabilities
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Scoliosis
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Tourette syndrome
- Youth "At-Risk"
Benefits of our program
The major benefits a child may receive as a result of
participating in the SonRise Horsemanship program include:
Enhanced self-esteem
- Sense of empowerment
- Feelings of accomplishment
- Ability to generate internal rewards
- Sense of competence
- Ability to meet mental and physical challenges
- Feelings of confidence and poise
- Appreciation of self
Improved learning skills
- Direction following
- Sequencing ability
- Task organization
- Fine and gross motor skill development
- Increased attention span
- Tolerance of constructive criticism
- Ability to focus/concentrate
- Self-initiative
- Self-control
- Recognition of what is expected
- Ability to follow through
- Ability to work both independently and within a group setting
Enhanced essential life skills
- Self-discipline
- Empathy
- Honesty
- Patience
- Work ethic
- Impulse and anxiety control
- Independence
- Frustration tolerance
- Emotional control
- Acceptance of responsibility for actions
- Decision-making
- Trust
- Feelings expression
- Appropriate risk-taking
Improved interpersonal relationship skills
- Respect for authority figures
- Observation of limits/boundaries
- Receptivity to positive reinforcement for appropriate behaviors
- Development of capacity for trust, love and commitment
- Practice of new/different roles within group, family, classroom and other
settings
- Involvement in age-appropriate activities
Strengthened leisure skills
- Opportunity for fresh air and exercise
- Opportunity to connect with friends/make new friends
- Potential to develop a lifelong interest
- Opportunity to interact with/care for animals
- Capacity for release of endorphins stemming from exercise
- Identification of alternatives to sedentary activities such as television
and video games
- Opportunity for relaxation and stress reduction
Physical strength and fitness
- Development of body awareness
- Improvement of movement/athletic skills
- Development of balance, coordination and good posture
- Enhancement of capacity to model appropriate behavior
- Balance of right and left hemispheres of brain
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