Sonrise Stable Read online

  For most equestrian sports, the horses are moving too fast to draw from life. It’s important to become a good photographer in order to capture the beauty of the horse in a still form that’s easier to translate into a sketch or painting.

  Photos from horse magazines or the internet are all right to practice with, but check for copyrights. If an image is protected by a copyright, it’s illegal to use it for other purposes.

  You don’t need to spend a fortune for art supplies and equipment. Inexpensive cameras, or even a cell phone, will provide acceptable quality for your photographs.

  I created the drawing of Scamper for this lesson with a cheap drawing pencil from an office supply store and plain bond paper used in photocopiers.

  ***

  Don’t be discouraged if your first drawing of Scamper doesn’t look exactly like mine. I’ve been doing this for a long time, and many artists consider horses to be one of the more difficult animals to draw.

  No one learns to ride a horse by taking just one lesson. Learning to ride requires continued effort and practice. The same is true for drawing. No one was born an artist. It takes lots of study and practice to learn to draw well. It’s fun and encouraging to draw with a partner. Why don’t you invite someone to draw Scamper with you?

  Here’s my guarantee—you will improve—if you continue to study and practice! Keep a notebook of your sketches, and you will begin to see progress. Draw Scamper several times and learn from your mistakes.

  As Rosie’s grandmother says, “Just do your best.”

  And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17 NKJV

  Join me for another art lesson in book 2—Carrie and Bandit. You’ll be surprised when you find out who we’re drawing next!

  * Check the sonrisestable.com website for information on uploading your artwork for display on the site.

  Horse Safety

  Horses can be dangerous animals. You should take all reasonable precautions to prevent injury to yourself when you are around them.

  The illustrations in the series may show riders without helmets; however, that is for artistic purposes. According to the American Medical Equestrian Association, head injuries account for approximately sixty percent of deaths in equestrian accidents. As Grandma says, “If you’re on a horse, that helmet needs to be on your head!”

  For a young or beginning rider, the safest horse is an older, well-trained one that has been used in a variety of settings: 4-H, horse shows, fairs, trail rides, and parades. Horses have different personalities and temperaments, just as people do. Look for a calm, gentle, well-trained horse when you begin riding.

  The sequence of events in the book was sped up to keep the storyline moving, since training a horse is a long, slow process. Most trainers would not advise riding a horse at two. Many horses are still developing physically and mentally until they’re four or five. It’s better to wait until a horse is at least three to begin training under saddle. Even then, it should be several years before a young person rides that horse as they may be unpredictable until they’ve been seasoned with years of experience.

  Young horses and young riders are usually a bad combination. As the saying goes, “Green and green often results in black and blue.”

  Discussion Questions

  These optional questions may be discussed as a family or serve as writing prompts.

  *Note to readers: The questions below reveal parts of the story, so you shouldn’t read them until completing that section of the book.

  Chapter 1

  The Sonrise Stable sign at her grandmother’s home was like an anchor for young Rosie, a source of comfort and stability. Do you have anything like that in your life? A landmark, building, or place that produces similar feelings for you?

  Rosie’s mother, Kristy, wanted her family to move back to the country. Do you prefer the country or the city? Why? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

  After her parents, Rosie was closest to her grandmother. Describe an adult, whether a relative or friend, who has been a positive influence in your life. How could you thank them?

  Rosie was amazed that Jet’s winter coat was growing, to keep her warm over the cold winter months. Look around you (preferably outdoors). Imagine that you’re seeing everything for the first time. What are some of the complexities surrounding us daily that we often take for granted?

  (Book 3 in this series, Clothed With Thunder, goes into more detail about the incredible design of the horse and how it could not possibly have happened by random chance.)

  Chapter 2

  Fall was Grandma’s favorite season. Describe your favorite season and what you like about it.

  Were you as surprised as Rosie to learn that Jet was going to have a foal? Has your family ever raised a young animal? If so, describe what it was like and how you helped.

  Rosie enjoyed helping her grandmother at Sonrise Stable. Horses require a lot of work every day—feeding, grooming, and cleaning up after them. Some young people love the idea of having a horse to ride, but are not prepared for all the work. If you don’t have a horse, do you think you would be willing to put in the effort required to take care of one? If you do have one, what are some ways you can approach the work with a good attitude and make it enjoyable?

  Chapter 3

  Grandma read the Christmas story from Luke 2, to Rosie in the barn. Do you have any interesting or unusual Christmas traditions?

  (Book 8, Operation Christmas Spirit focuses on a special Christmas at Sonrise Stable)

  Jet ruined the gift that Rosie had given her. If you have pets, you’ve probably experienced something similar. Describe a time when your pet has made a mess or destroyed something.

  When Rosie heard an animal making a strange noise, she ran back to her Grandmother’s side where she felt safe. Describe a time when something frightened you. What do you do when you are afraid?

  Chapter 4

  The horses were restless after being cooped up in the barn most of the winter. If you live in an area that has cold or rainy winters, describe how you feel as Spring approaches and you’re looking forward to spending time outdoors.

  There isn’t any hurrying the birth of a foal. Rosie felt as if she “couldn’t wait” for the foal to be born, nevertheless, she had to. If you’ve ever had to wait a long time for something, describe how you felt. Were you patient as you waited? Was it worth the wait in the long run?

  In the Bible, God sometimes revealed things to people through dreams or visions. Can you think of some examples? Do you believe this still happens today? Grandma awoke with a feeling that something was wrong at the barn. Do you think feelings like this come from God? Should we always trust our feelings?

  Chapter 5

  Have you ever lost a dearly-loved pet? It can be quite painful, but unfortunately it’s something many young people, as well as adults, experience. Do you think our pets will someday be in heaven with us? What does Scripture indicate about this?

  You will sometimes hear people use the term “colt” when referring to any young horse, however the correct terminology for young horses is: foal for either gender, colt for a male foal, and filly for a female. Describe in detail what you imagine Jet’s colt to look like—or draw a picture of him.

  Grandma compared Jet’s death to save her foal, to Jesus’ death on the cross. When we’ve heard or read about the crucifixion story often, we may not be impacted by the physical and spiritual pain Jesus suffered as we were the first time we learned about it. How do you feel knowing what Jesus went through to save you?

  Chapter 6

  Three months later, Rosie still felt sad at times about the loss of her pony. In Hebrews 2:10 it says that Jesus was made perfect (or complete) through suffering. God chooses to make us perfect through suffering as well. What do you think we learn through painful experiences that we may not be able to learn any other way?

  What if Jet had been
someone else’s pony and Rosie had only seen her a few times. Would she have felt as sad? After the death of his wife, Christian author, C.S. Lewis said, “The pain I feel now is the happiness I had before. That’s the deal.” What did he mean, and how does that relate to Rosie and Jet?

  The concept of a “pecking order” comes from the world of chickens, but it also applies to a herd of horses. The horse who is the leader (usually a mare) is dominant—the boss. The lead mare is not necessarily the largest or strongest horse in the herd, but she is wise and commands respect. The other horses submit to her authority because they feel safe under her leadership. How does the horses’ pecking order compare to God’s plan for us? Who does God ask you to follow, respect, or submit to?

  Many people picture training a horse as dramatic and exciting—like an old cowboy riding a bucking bronco. However, when done correctly, training a horse is actually pretty boring. The trainer repeats the same lessons over and over until the horse’s correct responses become automatic. The trainer helps the horse form good habits. If you begin the training when a horse is young, when he is old enough to accept a saddle and rider, he usually will not object. How does this compare to Proverbs 22:6?

  Chapter 7

  Carrie persuaded Rosie to do something that Rosie knew was wrong. Why did Rosie listen to Carrie and disobey her grandmother? Can you think of a time when someone tried to get you to do the wrong thing? How did you respond? In addition to 1 Corinthians 15:33, what other verses address this issue?

  Grandma tried to teach Rosie valuable lessons through the stories she told from her experiences as a child. Do you have any relatives or friends that tell stories like that? If so, what is one of your favorites, and what did you learn from it?

  Why do you think Rosie would have rather had a spanking than not being allowed to be with the horses for two weeks?

  Chapter 8

  Why do you think Grandma told Carrie the story of Satin and Kezzie?

  Carrie moved with her foster parents to the home next door to Grandma. As a result, she met Grandma and became friends with Rosie. Have you ever considered the people God has brought into your life and the purpose He has in doing so? Think about someone in your life, maybe your parents. Then think back about all the things that had to happen in their past to bring them together at the same time and place. It’s a great example of how God works all things together for good to those who love Him.

  The chapter ends with Rosie indicating that she’ll tell Jet’s story to Carrie. As Grandma had said earlier, maybe the pony’s story will help others understand what Jesus did for us. How do you think Carrie will respond?

  Chapter 9

  Carrie had been excited about riding a horse for the first time, but when it came time to actually do it, she was a little afraid. Have you had a similar experience when you were excited about something at first, but later were afraid?

  Some people seem to think riding a horse is like riding a bicycle. You just push the pedals to go and apply the brakes to stop. If you can ride one bike, you can probably ride any, since they all function basically the same. However, horses are not machines. They have personalities. Learning to ride a horse involves learning to communicate effectively with that specific horse. What kinds of problems did Carrie experience on her first ride with Kezzie? If you’ve ridden before, what did you find the most difficult the first few times you rode?

  Rather than wanting to have Kezzie and her grandmother all to herself, Rosie was willing to share them with Carrie. How do you think that will impact Rosie and Carrie in the future? Compare that to what might have happened if Rosie had refused to share with Carrie.

  Chapter 10

  Why do you think Rosie didn’t just come right out and tell her grandmother that she was worried about riding Scamper? Why did she make up the excuse that she couldn’t find her helmet?

  Grandma encouraged the girls to memorize 2 Timothy 1:7. If you don’t already know it, you should memorize that verse also. Rather than having a spirit of fear, what should we have? What exactly do you think the verse means?

  Can you think of people in the Bible who were afraid to do what God called them to do? Did they later obey?

  Chapter 11

  Grandma insisted that anytime the girls were on their horses, they had to have a helmet on their head. Do some research to see whether helmets are effective in preventing head injuries. Do you agree that helmets should be worn? Equestrian helmets are not the same as bike helmets. Do you think the current designs of helmets are effective in preventing injuries or would changes to the design be better?

  The girls worked hard to bathe the horses and get them clean, but as soon as they let them out in the field, they rolled and got dirty again. How is that like 2 Peter 2:22? Warning: you might think it’s a somewhat gross verse. Since every verse in the Bible is profitable for our instruction, what was God’s purpose in including that one? What can we learn from it?

  Sometimes even when we want to witness to people, it can be hard to find a way to get started. Grandma named her farm “Sonrise Stable” in order to make a statement about her faith and to create opportunities to steer conversations toward the topic of Christianity. What are some ways you could create Christian conversation starters?

  Chapter 12

  How do you think Carrie might have felt when the families arrived for Cousins Camp, since she was the only one who wasn’t related to the others?

  Rosie was surprised that her grandmother had included work projects as part of Cousins Camp. Do you enjoy working? Look up Colossians 3:23 to see what God has to say about our attitude toward work.

  Jessie liked to trick people who couldn’t tell her apart from her twin sister, Jamie. If you aren’t a twin, would you like to be one? What would be the positive and negative aspects of being an identical twin?

  Chapter 13

  Rosie was determined to beat Jared in the egg and spoon contest. How do you feel about competition, winning, and losing? What is good and bad about competing with others?

  Jessie thought it was funny to hit Carrie with a raw egg. What do you think about her action? Should the girls have told their parents what Jessie had done?

  At a relatively young age, Jared was busy helping the men stack hay bales. Sometimes young people want to remain childish, rather than striving to become responsible. Look up Matthew 18:3 and 1 Corinthians 13:11. Briefly, one says to become like a child, while the other says to leave childish ways behind. Since the Bible never contradicts itself, what is meant by these two verses?

  Chapter 14

  The kids planned a campout in Grandma’s barn. Have you ever been camping? If so, what are some of your favorite camping memories?

  God created each of us with a different personality. What character from the book do you identify with most so far—Rosie, Carrie, Jessie, Jamie, Lauren, Jared? God can work through our strengths and our weaknesses as long as we submit ourselves to Him. Something like stubbornness is usually thought of as a negative trait, but it can actually become a positive (determination, perseverance) if we allow God to mold it for His use. What are some of your personality strengths and weaknesses, and how do you think God can use them for good?

  Rosie let her imagination run away with her when she was frightened by the creature in the barn during the campout. Have you ever had a similar experience, where you were frightened, but it turned out to be not nearly as bad as you imagined?

  Chapter 15

  Rosie didn’t like it when her father laughed at her for being afraid of the possum. How do you feel when people laugh at mistakes you’ve made?

  Grandma didn’t want Rosie to train Scamper for barrel racing at his age, because she’d seen horses ruined by contesting them too early. She wanted Rosie to wait until Scamper was well-trained and old enough to be calm and reliable. Contesting means participating in horse speed contests like barrel racing, pole bending, etc. Those types of events make some horses excitable, nervous, and difficult to control. While barre
l racing is not a bad thing, it was just not the right time for Scamper to learn it. Can you think of something your parents have said you can’t do until you’re older? It may be hard to see now, but trust that your parents have a good reason for asking you to wait.

  What do you think about Carrie getting even with Jessie by splashing paint on her arm? Could there have been a better way to handle the anger she still felt about Jessie throwing the egg at her?

  Chapter 16

  Rosie’s family and Carrie enjoyed their trail ride together. In today’s world, people are often disconnected from each other even when they’re physically together—because of TV, radio, phones, computers, etc. What’s something your family or friends do that involves some good “old- fashioned” togetherness, fully engaged with each other with no distractions?

  “The sound of swishing tails, jangly reins, squeaky leather saddles, and buzzing flies merged with hoof beats and the riders’ voices to form a sort of trail song in Rosie’s ears.” This sentence attempts to create a word picture of what a trail ride on horseback is like, for readers who have never experienced one. Think of something you like to do, and write one sentence that describes it as completely as you can.