Blue

Blue started coming to Rising Stars Summer 2021. He has been moonlighting as a therapy horse instead of sitting at home waiting for his little girl to grow up to his size. His background includes 4H, parades, queening and more. This has made him a perfect fit for our program. The most excited he gets is if he sees a patch of green grass. When something bothers him he just stops and won't move. This has been a great benefit for some our more unsteady riders who need slow movements. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Black/ White

 2001

Gelding

Casey & Bri Meggers

Chester

Chester came to the Rising Stars program in 2013. He is our "Miracle Horse". After being a terrible accident shortly after we got him he has overcome all the obstacles and surprised us all with an outstanding recovery. He has a sweet and easy-going personality that easily makes him one of the favorites among therapist, instructors, volunteers, and participants. He has had some pretty crazy things happen around and to him and he doesn't care about much of anything. We are so happy and thankful to have him in our program with his good temperament and fun personality.

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Chestnut

 7/14/1999

Gelding

RSTRC

Chic

Chic is a quarter horse that started coming Summer of 2021. She comes one day a week with her buddy Blue. We reached out to friends of needing extra horses and Bri called and said I have 2 come try them. Chic has a background of ranch work and has a tiny human at home giving her the experience of anything happening and she took to being a therapy horse amazingly! She has been a great asset to our herd. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Red Roan

2015

Mare

Casey & Bri Meggers

Cloud

Cloud started in the program in 2020. Gina brings him for some of her participants. He has a calm nature about him that helps his participants remain easy during their lesson. He is a very tall horse so we use him with those that don't need as much support or are riding independent. He has a mischievous character and likes to play tricks on those around him.  If you come and find him tied up you will also find him practicing his counting. He likes to hold up on leg and have him count with him. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Black/White

1996

Gelding

Carney Family

Ethel Marie

Ethel was graciously donated to us in June of 2017. She has been such a wonderful addition to our facility. She was very attached to Kayla when they were first donated to us. Once they were ok with being separate she has become a very solid horse to use for any type of rider. Being shorter she has been of great help for our riders that need more support while riding. She has become one of our most solid horses and has settled in wonderfully with us and her new job. We are thankful she came to our program. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Norwegian

 Fjord

Dun

6/5/2004

Mare

RSTRC

Gunner

Gunner came to our program in 2019. He comes one day a week and has quickly become a favorite among participants, therapists, and volunteers. He has a very laid-back personality and just goes with the flow. He enjoys coming to the ranch and always waits at the gate for his owner to bring him. He is an all-around horse and we are very grateful we have the chance to use him. He never does miss his nap time at the ranch though. He takes a nap at the same time everyday. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Red Dun

2005

Gelding

Carney Family

Hooie

Hooie is an old rodeo horse that came to Sami in 2015 for retirement. He has been working out great for our advanced independent riders. He is a very patient horse with his riders in their learning process. He doesn't let  much bother him and he pays attention to all of his surroundings. He likes to remind his rider that they need to stay balanced and attentive and makes that his top priority. He is very sensitive to the participants feelings and will give them encouragement to be great riders. We thank Sami for bringing him for our use. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Bay

1999

Gelding

Sami Nelson

Kayla

Kayla came to us in June of 2017.She was donated along with Ethel. She is a stout horse that is also shorter in height making her a good horse for some of the larger riders that need extra support. She has a very snazzy character that creates some fun rides for the participants. She walks out and has a speedy gait, giving her riders a good workout. For her independent riders she thinks quick on her feet making them think on theirs as well. She is a quirky girl with a strong personality, and we love her for that!

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Norwegian

 Fjord

Dun

7/13/2004

Mare

RSTRC

Lucky

Lucky is our "gift" horse from Lexlin Gypsy Ranch. We received her as a gift from being apart of a Facebook voting competition in 2017. She is very much a people horse. She knows she has special place in many peoples hearts from across the country, due to helping us win her.  She came to us untrained to saddle. After having a professional take her for 90 days, staff and volunteers have continued her training over the years. She has been a great addition to our herd for her quiet nature and trust in her handler. She is currently only being used for on ground activities, or for participants that need a handler and side walkers. We will continue her training further to become used fully in the program as an independent riding horse. She has won our hearts over!

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Gypsy Vanner

Grey/White

4/1/2010

Mare

RSTRC

Lucky Boy(LB)

We got "lucky" to have two Lucky's. LB came to us the very end of 2019. He has been a wonderful addition to our program. He has a playful personality causing his handlers to be a step ahead. He has turned into a fabulous independent rider horse. He was used mostly on trails in his previous job supporting his non-spook character. Nothing bothers him. He is a very strong mount. His gait is very smooth and easy with being a gated horse helping our unsteady riders keep their balance. He likes to cause trouble with the other horses when turned out to pasture; therefore we keep him in his own area to keep him out of trouble. We are grateful we were able to have him join our program.

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Missouri Fox Trotter

Sorrel

 2004

Gelding

RSTRC

Mr. T

"T" has been in the program almost since the start. He likes to keep his handlers, side walkers, and riders on their toes. He is a handful of a horse, but loves his riders. He is a solid horse for his independent riders to ride, not much bothers him or shakes him up. If his rider gets unbalanced or slips he stops and waits for someone to fix it. Our handlers have to be one step ahead of him because he likes to mess with them, but under the lift is calm and cool making him a great mount. His hundreds of miles as a trail horse prepared him to be a fantastic therapy horse!

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Missouri Fox Trotter

Buckskin

2005

Gelding

Jerry & Chris Dickard

Paisley

Paisley came to the program in 2014. She has a very special personality. She likes to break her handlers in and keeps them paying attention to her. She is a favorite among volunteers for riding. We like to call her the "Cadillac" because of how smooth and easy she is to ride. She loves attention and is the first to hang her head through fence for some loves. She is a great horse for our participants to go from beginner to advanced on. She has a special bond with all that ride her. She loves to have people around her and takes a lot of trust in those around her making her a wonderful therapy horse. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Bay

2004

Mare

RSTRC

Peanut

Peanut is probably the most loved, and recognized horse that we use. Aside from his colorful coat, he has a loving personality and loves all of his riders. He knows who is riding and acts appropriately for each one, from carrying his owner through a barrel pattern, to his independent rider that tells him to walk slow. He has a wonderful character about him. He has been around since the start of Rising Stars creating staff and volunteers to joke that he could do the job without the handler probably. He has suffered a few setbacks these past few years with him remaining sound and useable. We are working him through those in hopes of a partial return to continue his career as a therapy horse. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse/ Draft Cross

Sorrel/White

1999

Gelding

Cody and Marni Porath

Ranchero

Ranchero was purchased in January of 2020. As a pack and trail horse his demeanor, stoutness, and good mind were just what we needed in a horse. We are hopeful that he will continue to excel at being a therapy horse because weighing in at 1250lbs and standing at 15.2 hands, he can help us take care of some of the adult riders on our wait list. As some of the other horses weren't sure of being inside during our winter sessions he did not care and has proven himself over and over. When he first arrived he wasn't sure what love was. He didn't hate people, he just felt his job as a horse was to provide work. We quickly showed him that he does want the love we give him. He now greets us at the gate and wants to be chosen. We are excited for his future with us. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Chestnut

2008

Gelding

RSTRC

Senator

Senator began his career as a therapy horse in 2009 when Rising Stars first began. He is one of the orgianl horses and is still going strong in his career. He is best known for always being hungry. If you are on the sensory course the handler has to be one step ahead or he will grab whatever is in the path. If you have a wrapper in your pocket and it crinkles he will come looking. He is a solid horse that doesn't get bothered by the excitement of our high energy riders. Being a gaited horse, that gives him a smooth steady gait for some of the more unbalanced riders that need less movement to stay sitting tall so they can build strength while balancing slowly. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Missouri Fox Trotter

Palamino

2000

Gelding

Jerry & Chris Dickard

Stormy

Stormy is owned by a long time Rising Stars volunteer. She gets to come on field trips to the Ranch every Tuesday during the summer months. Her owner brings her so that we can take some of the work load off of the center horses during the busy summer months with hippotherapy. She is a smooth mover for some of the riders that need that most. Her calm and cool personality makers her a good fit for all of our participants and handlers. She has a great stature making it easy for side walkers to assist the participant fully. We love having her come as a long time helper over the last 6+ years.

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Tennesse Walker 

Black/White

1994

Mare

Shirley Williams

Tink

Tink has been with Rising Stars since 2013 thanks to a generous donor. She was an endurance horse before coming to us. Her time there prepared her for all the activities we have at the Ranch. She is used for our independent riders. She is wonderful for the beginners and can also help challenge our advanced riders. She is willing to go to work everyday and loves to be ridden. She has a quirky personality that makes her riders laugh. She likes to keep her handlers doing their job and reminds them of that often. We love having her in our program.

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Arabian

Bay

6/03/2002

Mare

RSTRC

Tolle

Tolle has been with Rising Stars almost since the start. His owner brings him two days a week in the Summer months and one day a week the rest of the year. During the summer he pulls double duty as a hippotherapy horse and an independent rider horse. He has also been known to be in a "driving" lesson with some participants that do on the ground lessons as he is a fabulous cart horse in his other job. He is a horse that knows his job and will just do what he knows needs to be done even if the participant isn't too sure. He works great for beginners as well as advanced riders. He has an easy going demeanor and we love having him in our program. He has been a wonderful versatile asset. 

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Norweigian Fjord

Dun

1995

Gelding

Sami Nelson

Vodka

Vodka came to enjoy retirement as a therapy horse. His previous career he was a champion race horse winning almost $430,000 on flat track. He has a heart of gold and with his exposure at the track not much flusters him. He has his moments as we all do that we are continuing to work through. He is living at the Ranch on a care lease agreement. With his training as a pony horse he is very responsive giving his riders a challenge of being soft handed. We are thankful to his owners for trusting us with him to show the true champion heart he has.

Breed

Color

Born

Sex

Owner

Quarter Horse

Sorrel

4/2/2005

Gelding

Care Lease to RSTRC