Celebrating National Gardening Day

Taking the Reins is most known for transforming Los Angeles girls’ lives through its extensive equestrian program; however, a somewhat hidden gem within this organization is Seed-to-Skillet, which teaches girls effective gardening and food preparation skills. Year-round girls are taught about seed...

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Meet Sally: Facing fears, finding passion

When Sally was 10 years old, her mom decided it was time to do something about how debilitating her daughter’s anxiety was getting. Sally was especially nervous around animals, so her mom wanted to find a place she could work through that. A friend recommended Taking the Reins (TTR) – not only so...

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Meet Kaeli: Our first Taking the Reins Junior Board President

People find fulfillment in a variety of places, relationships, and things. 15-year-old Kaeli felt that sense of completion when horses entered her life thanks to Taking the Reins. Not only does she love spending time with horses, but she is also grateful for the ways TTR has pushed her to be a...

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Taking the Reins celebrates 25 years of serving Los Angeles girls

The Los Angeles-based nonprofit Taking the Reins (TTR) was founded in 1998, which means 2023 marks 25 years of operation. Taking the Reins is dedicated to helping historically underserved girls in Los Angeles learn how to navigate their growth and futures by creating an environment for exploration...

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On bad days …

I hope you are still enjoying the joy and relaxation of the holiday season with your loved ones. Many of us know that with the excitement and celebrations of the holidays also come reminders of empty seats at the table. Our student, Tai – who you were introduced to last week – knows those dueling...

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Our girls are struggling. You can help.

Many young girls struggle with self-esteem, fitting in with their peers and feeling confident. Girls growing up in dense, underserved areas of Los Angeles have those “normal” burdens, while also being exposed to things like poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, abuse and abandonment. Most girls at...

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We need your help this #GivingTuesday

I hope you have enjoyed our recent updates. As friends and supporters of Taking the Reins, I like to keep you informed. As you heard from members of our “herd” – last week, covering the rapidly-rising costs of horse care is currently our greatest need. Since the start of 2022 … the cost of...

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Our horses have a favor to ask …

Hi human friends – It’s Lovie and the rest of the horses from Taking the Reins here! We hope you had a great Thanksgiving with your families. People tell us that it’s a day to be grateful and a day with lots of yummy food. That sounds fun! We are grateful for the hay, grain and supplements that...

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Allyssa’s Story – life changes for girls at Taking The Reins

“I was bullied a lot. I would try not to go out as much as possible because I was embarrassed of who I was. And I was my worst enemy. And when I got [to Taking the Reins], my opinion on everything changed. […] I’m a lot more self-confident. The more people I meet, the more...

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