Dublin’s Morning Star Ranch is currently hosting spring break camps, allowing all local youths 4 through 12 to fill their free days with horseback riding and instruction, nature walks, crafts, and physical fitness sessions.
The special camp is being held in two week-long sessions, including breakfast, snacks and lunches. The first is being held this week, with second starting Monday, March 15 and held every week day from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost for each week is $125 with all proceeds going towards Morning Star’s regular outreach program.
Morning Star Ranch is a 501 C 3 faith based riding program that was started in September 2020 for children ages 4 through 12 who face challenges with their home life, school relationships, or other circumstances that tend to cause stress or anxiety.
Morning Star cites such challenges as: divorce in the home, financial hardships in the family, non-traditional living arrangements, placement in foster care and challenges in school or with peers.
Program is open to at-risk or disadvantaged children ages 4-12. Participation in the program is done either through referral (teacher, counselor, pastor, etc.) or by application (caregiver calls or applies online). There is no fee or cost for participating in the faithbased riding program.
The ranch credits itself as a safe place where kids ‘can learn life skills by opening their hearts to horses’ through Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL). Morning Star calls EFL “an experiential learning program that promotes the development of life skills for educational, professional and personal growth through equineassisted activities. With a focus on disadvantaged and at-risk children, EFL creates an environment for creating new tool sets for children to overcome challenges in the day-to-day.”
Morning Star is located between Dublin and Stephenville. For more information, please call Travis Bickham at 254-592-1653 or visit msranch.org.