Orange County Nonprofits Partner for Kids’ Summer Horse Program

BY COLLIN BREAUX

With the summer school break underway, kids are out of the classroom for the next several weeks.

Members of the Boys & Girls Club of Capistrano Valley, however, aren’t spending the days sitting around at home and on their cellphones. Children in the program have been at Otra Mas, a horse therapy nonprofit in San Juan Capistrano, learning about and interacting with new equine friends during a kids’ summer program.

The six-week program that began on June 6 is serving more than 160 kids in total. Different kids from various towns in the Capistrano Valley region spend a week—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, specifically—getting up close and personal with horses on the Otra Mas grounds at the Ortega Equestrian Center.

Children from the Rancho Santa Margarita chapter spent the day on June 15 brushing horses and walking the animals around obstacle courses designed by the kids on the spot.

“We’ve partnered with Otra Mas to provide these experiences for our kids in the community just to expose them to a world that’s right in their backyard that they might not have known about or maybe had the opportunity to visit and take advantage of,” said Gabriella Littlejohn, Boys & Girls Clubs of Capistrano Valley Area Director.

Otra Mas Executive Director Belinda Kiesecker said some of the kids had never ever seen a horse in person before. This year’s program is a pilot program between Otra Mas and the Boys & Girls Club.

“We really deeply feel that introducing kids to all the wonderful experiences in life, including horses, can change the trajectory of their life,” Kiesecker said. “The earlier we can reach them, the better.”

Otra Mas instructors walked the kids through different aspects of safety when interacting with horses, including not making loud noises or running so as not to startle a horse. Children at the program also get to draw horses before going into the pen to interact the animals.

“I think the Boys & Girls Club and Otra Mas have always known of each

Councilmember John Campbell said he is “thrilled” to move forward with the lease.

“There’s a continuity that’s required, a long-term commitment to The

Ridland Group,” Campbell said. “They did demonstrate magnificently at the Nations Cup the potential of the Riding Park. The future is wide open to us as a community to take advantage of the services and things it will provide.”

Campbell said he recognized and shared some of Farias’ concerns and thanked city staff.

“I am glad that we’re past it, because there will be time for staff to do something else,” Campbell said. “We’ve been doing this for an awfully long time.”

Mayor Howard Hart congratulated the Ridlands and also thanked staff.

“I’ve got to think this is a good deal for you,” Hart said to Robert and Hillary Ridland, who were in the audience.

Hart said the lease also protects the property from any state efforts to negate open space zoning laws. He has previously raised concerns over the state overriding municipalities when it comes to housing placement.

“That’s a big deal,” Hart said. “We’re protecting a valuable resource for our community. It helps solidify what is, in many ways, the heart of our equestrian community in San Juan Capistrano and the future of our equestrian community.” other in the community,” Littlejohn said when asked how the partnership came together. “Services on both ends really have supported not only the kids, but the families.”

The city initially put out a request for proposal for uses of the Riding Park in 2021. Local developer Dan Almquist withdrew the only other proposal on the table in December of that year.

The activities can help kids learn leadership skills and how to be confident, Kiesecker said.

“The whole intention is to get them to learn about how horses communicate, because communication is all non-verbal,” Kiesecker said. “You spend some time observing the horse. You spend some time drawing the horses, and then you get inside the arena with these horses, and you guide them and lead them around.”