News release
The Santa Clarita Veteran Services Collaborative and Blue Star Ranch are scheduled to conduct an equine assisted therapy clinic for veterans, active military and their families, starting 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21.
This presentation will encompass a hands-on experience, demonstrating how therapy horses can successfully assist veterans and their families in dealing with the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder. Participants will be selected from the audience. All participants/visitors must wear either closed-toed shoes or boots as flip-flops and sandals are not permitted when working with the animals. Simultaneous to the adult clinic, an equine program for children 10 and older will be conducted by Blue Star volunteers.
Refreshments will be served during a short break and, following the break, a panel of therapists and program graduates will share their personal experiences and answer any questions that the audience may have.
Blue Star Ranch has been providing successful one-on-one Equine Therapy Assisted sessions, involving four horses and a mini donkey, since 2014 and their services are free to veterans and their family members. Program participants select their own horse to work with during their 10 one-hour sessions and, once they have graduated, they are invited to participate in group sessions twice a month to continue their healing and enjoy the camaraderie and support they find with each other. Some graduates, having found the program so impacting, return even more frequently to spend time with their horse or to volunteer at the ranch.
RSVP to [email protected] or call 661-312-6184 to participate in this informative clinic.