Hope through HORSES

Taking the Reins is a program that helps underserved girls in Los Angeles through a shared love of horses.

- AUDREY PAVIA

When Danielle Garcia was a young girl, she loved horses but couldn't afford lessons. Her mom was single and worked two jobs just so they could have food on the table. Horses were out of the question.

But then Danielle discovered Taking the Reins, a non-profit organization in the Atwater section of Los Angeles, Calif., where underserved girls living in the inner city can learn how to ride. At Taking the Reins, Danielle not only learned to ride and care for horses, she also discovered a whole world outside her regular life.

Now an adult, Danielle earned a college degree in sociology, and is an instructor at Taking the Reins. In a recent interview with a local television station, Danielle said that Taking the Reins gave her the confidence to talk to people about her passions, and this led to scholarships that helped her pay for college.

"It changed my life," she said.

History

Taking the Reins started back in 1998 as a small riding program for at-risk girls in L.A. When it began, the program consisted of five rented stalls at a boarding facility. The program's horses lived in four of the stalls, and the fifth stall was used as a classroom.

Over the past 24 years, Taking the Reins has grown to a one-and-a-half acre working farm with a state-of-the-art equestrian center and learning facility. During that time, the program has helped more than 4,000 girls learn to ride and care for horses and taught them life skills in the process.