Renewing Hope Strategies Equine Therapy Ranch
By Mia Rotell
Meet Batman — “The Dark Knight.” He enjoys long walks at sunset, is friendly and gentle, gets cranky when he’s tired, and will kiss and lick your hand if he likes you.
He is also a horse.
“We’re preparing him,” said Ronald Lyde, a clinician at Renewing Reins, an equine-assisted psychotherapy and wellness ranch in Murrieta. “All the horses here will be doing therapy with the patients.”
Rose Ranch in Murrieta opened its gates Saturday, Sept. 26, for the grand opening of Renewing Reins, which offers equine-assisted psychotherapy and wellness services operated by Renewing Hope Strategies.
Renewing Hope Strategies visits homeless encampments to provide mental health, medical and dental navigation, as well as employment assistance, housing access, food assistance, Medi-Cal sign-ups and ID assistance. The organization also operates mobile mental health care and shower units.
“We’re always in different cities going to where there’s homeless encampments or anywhere the homeless are congregating, like shelters,” said Ruben Santiago, a representative for Renewing Hope Strategies.
The grand opening invited visitors to pet goats and a cow, see chickens, and interact with a dozen horses eager to socialize from their pens.
“Helping people and using horses is what this is all about — to help people with emotional regulation,” said Katherine Migliaccio, an Associate Marriage and Family Therapist at the ranch. “When you have trauma and you have dealt with a lot of things in your life, this is a safe space because the horses are safe — they’re calming.”
Renewing Reins offers therapy tailored for first responders, trauma recovery, athletes and focus building. Each horse is trained to handle different personalities and clinical situations.
“Every horse kind of has a different personality,” said Kalysta Rose, the equine therapist who started the program at Rose Ranch. “Knowing the background with the clients and knowing kind of what’s going on determines what horse we’ll pull in for sessions at a time.”
Renewing Reins serves Medi-Cal patients and accepts IEHP insurance. While the organization operates eight offices across the Inland Empire — including locations in Riverside, Hemet, Yucaipa and Temecula — the Murrieta ranch is the only facility providing equine-assisted therapy Monday through Friday.
The ranch is located at 42942 Dawnwood St., Murrieta, California. For more information, call 951-465-3665.
For More Health News Visit www.zapinin.com