SonRise Horses

Many of the horses helped by SonRise are rescued from neglect or abuse. Others are offered as in-kind donations to help support the SonRise Foundation.

Click to see the horses available for adoption from SonRise!

Physical needs

All horses that come to SonRise are first evaluated for proper health, including, as needed, the attention of a veterinarian, equine dentist, and qualified farrier to make them comfortable and ensure that there are no medical issues.

Emotional testing

Once their physical needs have been comfortably and suitably addressed, they are given emotional testing by the staff and staff consultants to determine their basic temperament, their level of training, their willingness to work with children, and their acceptance of animals on the ranch.

Qualified horses

Horses that pass the emotional testing join the Participant team and begin specialized training designed to enhance their suitability for the SonRise program.

Unqualified horses

Horses that do not pass the testing are moved onto our Performance and Adoption team. With gentle understanding and knowledgeable handling, the skills and talents of horses on this team are improved.

When a Performance and Adoption team horse is ready, it is offered for long term adoption. Any adoption fees that are collected are used to help support SonRise.

Current participant team horses

The following horses are currently on the Participant Team and working with children.

Joe

Joe is a 22 year old quarter horse gelding who lost his owners in a plane crash. When his owners died, their remaining family was grief stricken and overwhelmed. Joe and his brother Chevy were forgotten and neglected. SonRise retrieved Joe and Chevy.

Joe quickly became a Participant Team horse, and even more quickly become a favorite of the children. He is gentle, sweet and very forward. He loves to go, but is very careful with his rider. We love Joe and are blessed to have him in the family.

After SonRise worked with Joe's brother, Chevy, he also proved to be a great horse, but too much for the Participant Team. He was placed on the Performance and Adoption team and is now at a great home.

Maggie

Maggie is a 12 year old half-arab, half-quarter horse, pinto mare. She is a perfect lady! Maggie has never suffered any sort of abuse or neglect, however she found her way to SonRise because of the desire that both she and her owner have for her to work with children.

Maggie is beautiful, gentle, tolerant, and always willing to make a child's day. Maggie has been with us since the very beginning and is a cornerstone of our program. The children love her very much.

Moose

Moose, a big bold, beautiful quarter horse paint gelding. He is approximately 10 years old. He is big and strong and able to accomodate our larger children. He is a very sweet boy with a calm, gentle demeanor.

Moose does not come from a background of abuse. His family loved him very much. However, they felt they were not able to give him the time or attention he deserved. Because he is such a good natured guy and loves children, when they heard about the SonRise program, they were motivated to give us a call.

We loaded up the truck and trailer and headed to Merced to see him. After an examination of him physically and emotionally, the SonRise team was in agreement that he had great potential for the program. We loaded him in our trailer and took him home for a 30 day trial to determine if our first impressions were correct. So far so good.

He has had some retraining by both us and Charles Wilhelm and we are happy to say, we are feeling very pleased with him and are looking forward to his service on the team.

Vifill

Vifill, also know by the children of SonRise as Villie, is a very special Icelandic horse all the way from Iceland.

Villie came from no background of abuse. He came to use due to his sheer love of children. He has previous experience working with a handicap riding program in Martinez. He is 13 years old and always a joy to ride.

Though anyone can ride him, his specialty is children with special physical needs. His short size, approximately 14.2 hands and smooth gait makes his very easy to ride. He is a five-gaited horse, meaning he can walk, tolt, trot, pace and canter, while most regular horses have only three gaits, walk, trot and canter.

Villie is the newest member of the SonRise Equine Family, and we feel very blessed to have him. Thank you, God!!!

Blackie

Blackie is a black 9 year old miniature horse who was donated to SonRise when his owner had to move out of the country. He was very well cared for and well trained when he came to SonRise.

Blackie is a superstar!! In addition to loving all the children at the SonRise Rehabilitation Center, Blackie's main job is visiting hospice centers for children who are very ill, or may be near the end of life. He goes into the hospital rooms and instinctively knows just how to love each child he comes in contact with.

Blackie is an amazing little guy with a huge heart and lots of smarts. In 2007, Blackie passed his Delta Society, Pet Partners Certification with flying colors. Way to go, Blackie!

Joey

Joey is the cutest little 5 year old miniature horse you ever want to see. He looks like a miniature Haflinger.

Joey was rescued by SonRise and is still undergoing training to make him suitable for hospital visitation. Presently he teaches the SonRise children how to do proper ground work.

He's a sassy little guy that the children are very attracted to. He usually accompanies Blackie when he makes his hospital rounds. If Joey continues to watch how Blackie handles himself, he too will someday enter the hospital program.