SRD Straightening Reins

08/11/2025

Happy Friday!
This little one wants you to have a wonderful evening and a beautiful weekend. 💛

She plans to eat lots of snacks, hang with her friends and ask for many head rubs from SRD's staff and visitors. 😍

05/11/2025

💛 In Loving Memory of Samantha Rocha-Dyer- Happy 30th!

Honoring Samantha’s 30th Birthday!

Horses hold a special place in the heart of SRD Straightening Reins because of Samantha Rocha-Dyer, who would have celebrated her 30th birthday on November 13th this year.

Samantha was a bright, compassionate young girl who loved animals, especially horses. She volunteered, stood up for others, and excelled in school, yet carried a quiet sadness from an early age. When her struggles with depression and anxiety became more visible, her mother, Deborah Rocha, moved the family to Acton seeking peace, healing, and community. There, Samantha found comfort in the welcoming ranch environment, where the bond with her horses especially a small white Mustang named Mia  offered connection, trust, and a sense of belonging. Surrounded by gentle animals and caring people, she found a place where she could simply be herself.

To honor her daughter’s life and spirit, Deborah founded SRD Straightening Reins  a safe, inclusive community where children, teens, and families can find their voice, build confidence, and learn tools for emotional wellness through equine-assisted learning. Today, the ranch has become a haven for young people coping with anxiety, depression, and trauma, as well as foster youth and justice-involved youth who are seeking understanding, support, and hope.

In honor of Samantha’s 30th birthday, your gift supports:

💜 Youth mental-wellness programs that teach healthy coping and communication skills

💜 Mobile animal transport, so SRD can safely bring horses to schools and community sites across Los Angeles County, reaching students who may not otherwise have access to the ranch

💜 Family support and prevention workshops that equip parents and caregivers with tools to help their children thrive

Every donation carries Samantha’s light forward helping ensure no young person has to face their struggles alone, and that every family can feel seen, supported, and embraced by community.

Donation link in our IG bio or Use the QR code 🙏

If you or someone you love is struggling, please call or text 988 for free, confidential support 24/7.

31/10/2025

Wishing everyone a happy and safe evening! 🎃

31/10/2025

Importantly❣️-

Try to be patient and focus on the positives. This may help replace the negative thinking that is part of the depression. Expect your mood to get better slowly, not right away. Feeling better takes time.

Let your family and friends help you. People don't often snap right out of depression. But they can feel a little better day by day.

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How we can help.

SRD is Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA) certified and follows the EAGALA Model for therapy. EAGALA sets the global standard for Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and personal development.

What is EAGALA ? 🐎

EAGALA is an innovative mental health treatment model incorporating horses who are highly attuned and offer an environment for clients to discover their answers within themselves. Horses and clients become equal partners in an experiential process that empowers life-changing outcomes. It is considered effective because it is a hands-on model based on science that shows humans learn best through doing. The model prescribes a hands-on approach where clients are given the space to project and analyze their situations, make connections, and find their own solutions.

28/10/2025

25/10/2025

🍁 Happy Fall! 🍂

Everyone on the SRD ranch pitches in where they can. Our rescued Eaton Fire sheep are busy cleaning up the fallen leaves around the property. 😃

22/10/2025

Let's face it. Some days are harder than others. Some days seem downright impossible. Be it physical, psychological, circumstantial stressors, or all of the above, there are days we may find getting on our feet is beyond us. 😩

Like Sapphire, our lovely mini horse here, you are not alone.
Sapphire has a bellyache and for him, allowing us to step in, help him to his feet and walk him until he feels better is what he needs. It's not always easy to trust in others to help us through challenges. Especially, when what is needed to get better is difficult, uncomfortable, scary or even painful. Sometimes, self care is letting others care for us when we need help. 🫂

At other times it is ourselves and our bodies we need to place our trust in. There is power in recognizing we have hit our limit and listening to our body allowing a day for rest. 😴 This is self care, too. Our minds and others around may push back. Saying there is too much to do, we will miss out on something, falling victim to FOMO and/or we'll fall behind. Worse than that are the accusations and judgments over our choice to honor one's self and rest. Loved ones, society and our own minds will sling words like "lazy", "irresponsible", or worse at us.😠

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It takes strength to stand up to such forces and lay down. 🛌. It is powerful to shut the door to all that noise, and allow ourselves to rest, heal and recover. This choice is a chance to seize control of everything that seeks to overwhelm and drive us. Once we make this choice and rest we can carry this self empowerment forward and more clearly see a path through the next day and the next. We can better manage life's challenges, rather than them managing us. 🤗💜💛💜