SRD Straightening Reins Corner – March 2020

Wellness initiatives have become very important in schools and colleges today and mental health is becoming of primary concern for teachers, parents and administrators. Seeing the positive impact that the SRD Straightening Reins ranch visits had the past few years on Sequoia students, SRD has been invited to bring their animals to several of the local Wm. S. Hart Union Schools to assist the students with their daily stresses and even identify some concerns that may not be as evident while in the classroom setting. SRD is an equine-assisted and interactive therapy program designed to improve the mental well-being of adolescents and teens. While visiting at the school sites, the students seem freer to express themselves with the animals in a relaxed atmosphere and a counselor is available during the visits to assess behaviors that may alert them to a need for counseling.
Currently, Deborah Rocha, Executive Director, has been visiting the following schools, West Ranch, Canyon and Bowman High Schools and is scheduled to begin visiting Saugus High School beginning in March. In an effort to support these visits, the Santa Clarita Arts Commission recently awarded SRD’s Foundation a Community Services and Arts Grant of $2500.
Horses are often too large for a school campus, however goats and mini donkeys can be very soothing and reflective when the students are holding and petting them. SRD is investigating obtaining a mini horse for future visits, but training and an assessment will need to done to match the personality of the horse for SRD’s programs.
If you’d like to visit the ranch to discuss services available, please contact Deborah Rocha at 661-803-1641 or via email at debbie@srdstraighteningreins.org. You can visit the website for more information on current services being offered at https://srdstraighteningreins.org