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OUR FOUR-LEGGED MINISTRY PARTNERS
THE HORSES
Horses are beautiful, majestic animals that have a special way of connecting with people. Winston Churchill once said, "There is nothing better for the inside of a man than the outside of a horse." Horses are known to be a mirror, of sorts, into our own emotions. Because of this unique ability to sense how we are feeling, they have much to teach us about our relationship with God and with the people in our lives.
Our ministry horses come to us from various backgrounds. We believe that they speak volumes through their stories in ways that our words cannot.
Eli
Eli came to us from Hope's Legacy Equine Rescue. He was surrendered by his owner in excellent health and has lived a life well cared for. He is a 14.1h, gaited large pony born around 2000. He has a lovely, calm demeanor and will follow his person around like a puppy dog. He is satisfied grazing alone, but enjoys the company of Dezi.
Maple
Maple is a gem of a pony! We were blessed to adopt her from Hope's Legacy Equine Rescue in August of 2019. The vet estimates that she was born in 2008 and is likely a Paso Fino. She is about 13 hands tall. She has very unique coloring and a gorgeous mane and tail. Between being seized by animal control twice, being adopted and returned, and being in foster care in between, Maple has been in 7 homes over the past three years. She is finally home at Risen Ridge Ministry! She is the perfect size for children and those who are a bit timid around horses and she is stout enough to carry even small adults. We love her and are looking forward to the love she will share with our guests for many years to come!
Dezi
Dezi joined Risen Ridge Ministry in November of 2019. She was also adopted from Hope's Legacy Equine Rescue. She was born on March 25, 2001, and is a 15 hand Quarter Horse. She has a history of being a 4H show horse, but her life took a terrible turn along the way. She was found by animal control, locked in a stall with no food and very little water. Upon her initial evaluation at Hope's Legacy, the veterinarian was surprised that she even survived the trailer ride and said if she made it through the night, she would have a chance of survival. She not only survived, but thrived under the expert care she received at Hope's Legacy and has been an amazing addition to our herd. She is gentle, meek, and loves cuddles.
Chester
A friend of Risen Ridge, Barb, keeps her horse at a boarding stable near Fredricksburg and one of her friends there, Jeff, had been talking with her about rehoming his horse. Jeff has some health challenges that make riding difficult and he knows his horse has more to give and didn’t want him to just be a pasture ornament. Barb told him about Risen Ridge and, as a Christian, he couldn’t imagine a better purpose for his beloved horse. You see, Jeff has quite a history with Chester, nearly Chester's whole life, and truly wants only the best for him. One day in mid-October, Barb called to share Jeff’s story. Little did she know, it had been a prayer of the ministry for quite some time that the Lord would bring us a draft horse! After almost two months of prayer and discernment, we went to meet Chester in person. As is so often the case, we knew right away that this horse was meant to come to Risen Ridge. And with the help of Pam and Jackie, we did just that on December 9th.
Chester, which means, fortress, is a 17h, 17 year old, Percheron cross. He has been well trained in natural horsemanship, has been on hundreds of miles of trail rides, has been a lesson horse, and a companion. He is the embodiment of the term, "gentle giant", and we can't wait for you all to meet him!
Socks
Socks was our patriarch, our first horse. He came from a lovely family who had owned him for 15 years of his life and knew that he could be used for the Kingdom to help people. You can't help but be enveloped in the peace that he emitted. He was born in 2000 and was a 16h Tenessee Walking Horse. Fun facts about Socks...he loved to roll and could roll all the way over going uphill, and he loved to pick up buckets. Any bucket, anywhere. If he found it, he was going to pick it up. Goofy boy!
Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Socks in January of 2022. Rest in peace, dear, sweet Socks.