Mission Statement

SOMS’s ministry is a place where children can get excited about Jesus Christ – a place where children have so much fun learning how awesome God is, that they don’t want to miss a single lesson! A place where Christ's love is demonstrated to youth while teaching how to take responsibility for their own lives through horsemanship and caring for horses. Our mission is to bring children closer to Jesus.

Vision Statement

So Others May Shine is a transformational place for youth to experience Jesus and their potential through horsemanship. This includes riding lessons, horse management and Biblical instruction. Future plans include a new, larger property, inside and outside arena's with bleacher seating, riding trails, housing facilities, classrooms and expanded partnerships.

Purpose Statement

At So Others May Shine (SOMS) ranch, we believe that everyone needs a safe haven to lay their burdens down, take a deep breath and deal with life as it comes, in Gods time. We strive to offer fellowship to those who want and need it.

Everyone has their own histories. Their stories are unique, as is each person. God is the basis and purpose in what we do. The horses provide a chance for kids and adults to learn new things, such as riding and caring for horses. Within that environment they learn more about themselves and begin to see that horses mirror their emotions and their hearts.

The horses, with which we have been blessed, bring a sense of healing, love and acceptance to all who participate. With God leading, we are here to encourage, support and love, without judgment and with open hearts. The walk may start with small steps, but it’s those steps that help them reach their goals.

Enjoy the journey and walk with faith as the horses and people as SOMS lend a hand, or a hoof, with God’s direction.

Objectives

1. To grow in faith, with God’s help.
2. To instill morals, self-confidence, accountability, and self-respect.
3. To teach horse skills to kids and adults.
4. Though we accept members at any age, we like to see the kids start young, grow in life's lessons and become mentors for the younger kids.

How It All Started

It all started with a messed up paint job.

While having my truck repainted in the spring of 2006, I met a kid at a paint shop. She was looking for a trailer to borrow, to take herself and a couple of her friends to a horse show, and overheard me talking to the owner of the body shop about my horses. I loaned her my trailer, and that began a friendship between the two of us. She started riding at my stable, and she and her friends boarded their horses there. Most of these kids, I found out, came from volatile and unstable lives.

Two springs later, I got a call from a cousin of one of these girls, looking for help. She had failed almost all of her junior year classes, and said she needed someone to hold her accountable if she was going to graduate. I used my horse, Cedar, as the accountability factor. She was able to show him, but only if she kept her grades up.
In the spring of 2009, I went to her high school graduation.

Sitting at that ceremony, I knew I had to see if this could become something bigger - something that could help change kids' lives.