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A new nonprofit, built on work already happening

Saved by the Saddle was created to give horsemanship work with young people, veterans and horses a home of its own: a board, a mission, and the ability to raise funds for it.

Who we are
An aerial view of Ocean View Stables on the coast south of San Francisco

Ocean View Stables, Daly City, where Saved by the Saddle's programs are based.

Healing often happens in relationship, not in words

Saved by the Saddle was created from a simple truth: healing often happens in relationship, not in words. Horses, honest, sensitive and present, offer a unique mirror to the human experience. When people are given space, safety and responsibility alongside these animals, something powerful unfolds.

Our programs are based at Ocean View Stables in Daly City, California, and bring together horses, a trained team and volunteers, and people looking for steadiness, purpose and connection.

We don't believe in one-way rescue

Horses are masters of reading emotion. They respond to what you're feeling, not what you're saying. For young people who have learned to mask their pain, or veterans who struggle to express it, this honest mirror matters.

We believe

  • No one is beyond a second chance

  • Healing is not rushed

  • Trust is built through consistency

  • Responsibility restores dignity

  • Horses and people can help save each other

Our horsemanship philosophy

Three groups, and the connection between them

Young people

Young people navigating instability, stress, or a shortage of steady mentors. The youth programs are built to offer structure, responsibility and connection.

Mavericks

Military veterans

Veterans looking for grounding and meaningful time with animals. Heroes and Horses, the veteran program, is non-clinical.

Heroes and Horses

Horses in need

Horses in need of safety, care and patience. R&R, the rescue program, is being built so every horse it takes in gets rehabilitation and a permanent future.

R&R: Rescue and Rehab

The people forming Saved by the Saddle

No director or officer receives any compensation from Saved by the Saddle. Every role, including all board seats, is unpaid.

Karl Watson

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Board Member. Leads Saved by the Saddle and is responsible for Mavericks, the youth program.

Zachary Leyden

Co-Founder, Chief Revenue Officer. Leads fundraising and partnerships, and is responsible for Heroes and Horses, the veteran program.

Kalea Leyden

Vice President of Operations, Board Member. Runs Saved by the Saddle's day-to-day operations and leads the horsemanship curriculum.

Tony Kasaris

Chief Financial Officer, Board Member. Responsible for Saved by the Saddle's finances, financial reporting and controls.

Zoey Kasaris

Chief of Staff, Board Member. Responsible for governance and the administration of Saved by the Saddle.

Hanley Chan

Veteran Program Advocate, Board Member. Advocates for Heroes and Horses, the veteran program, and serves on the board.

We are recruiting five more unpaid board members. About the board

Separate from Ocean View Stables

Saved by the Saddle is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation and a 501(c)(3) public charity, EIN 41-3846131. It is a separate legal entity from Ocean View Stables, which is a privately owned business.

Saved by the Saddle operates at Ocean View Stables under a written facilities agreement, and donations to Saved by the Saddle fund its charitable programs only. They are not used to support or improve the private business.

The horses you meet at the barn belong to Ocean View Stables. The horsemanship Saved by the Saddle teaches comes from Leyden Horsemanship, the established program at Ocean View Stables.

The Ocean View Stables sign on Olympic Way in Daly City, with the arena and barns behind it

How every session is run

Safety. Every person and horse in our care is protected by clear, rigorous safety protocols.

Dignity. We treat everyone, human and horse, with deep respect and compassion.

Community. We foster genuine connection.

Patience. Change takes time. We meet everyone where they are.

Accountability. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of care and transparency.

Second chances. Every being deserves the opportunity to grow and thrive.

Ocean View Stables, Daly City

In the hills of Daly City with views of the Pacific, Ocean View Stables is just minutes from San Francisco. The salty ocean air and rolling coastal fog create an atmosphere of calm that visitors feel the moment they arrive.

2152 Olympic Way, Daly City, CA 94015

How to find us

Green coastal hills above the Pacific near Ocean View Stables in Daly City

Join the work.

Whether through volunteering, donating, or joining a program, there is a place for you here.

Help build it properly.

Gifts fund free sessions, the training and safety work behind them, and the groundwork for a rescue program done right.

The green bluff above the Pacific beside Ocean View Stables in Daly City