A new barn was recently dedicated at King’s Stables, part of King’s Home, which is based in Chelsea.
It was named The Morton Family Barn in honor of its donors, Barry and Catherine Morton, along with their adult children, Lynn Morton Schrago, Bill Morton, Katherine Morton Gurley, Mary Dorothy Morton, and Catherine’s parents, Mary and Bob Byrd of Mobile.
King’s Stables is a fully operational farm located in Wilsonville, with an equine therapy program offering hope and healing through bonding with horses. Founded in 2021, the program has more than 100 participants in the program, and averages 80 sessions per month. Led by Callie Smelley and Kelly Bloomfield, it includes therapeutic riding, equestrian education, camps and more.
The goal of equine therapy is to help King’s Home residents and other participants develop needed skills and character traits, such as accountability, responsibility, self-confidence, problem-solving skills and self-control. Through learning real horsemanship skills, residents are able to walk away with life lessons that stretch far beyond their time at King’s Stables.
“The Morton family’s generous gift is a lasting legacy that God will use to transform lives of abused youth, moms and kids at King’s Home, plus many others for decades to come,” King’s Home President Lew Burdette said.
The new blue and tan barn features a 120-foot long welcoming front porch with ceiling fans and benches. Inside, there are 12 horse stalls, (including one birthing stall) each with an automatic watering bowl, rubber floor mats and access to a feed pan and hay rack.
The tack room and feed room have a working sink and counter, and the wash stall has both hot and cold water. The barn also features a climate-controlled office and classroom with kitchenette, two ADA-accessible bathrooms and 20 parking bays, including one ADA-accessible spot for a van.
“Our family has always had a heart for ministry groups working with children, and it’s always a blessing when we visit a King’s Home facility,” Catherine Morton said. “We’re so thankful for the faithful leadership of John Hall as the project manager and the beautiful woodwork by Chris Waldren. We know that spending time with God’s creation in a beautiful setting is the greatest therapy, and this barn will make a great impact on many lives at King’s Home.”
