Calm Strength. Honest Connection.
Veteran Programs
Veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables. That is true today, and it is the real thing the Saved by the Saddle is being formed around: to take full ownership of that work and grow it into a ground-based horsemanship program for veterans of all eras.
Where This Starts
The gate is already open
Veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables, 2152 Olympic Way, Daly City. No paperwork trail, no program to qualify for. A veteran who wants time with a horse gets it.
The Saved by the Saddle is the newly launching 501(c)(3) being created to take full ownership of that work and build it out: a structured, ground-based program open to military veterans of all eras and branches, with no prior horse experience required. The free riding at Ocean View Stables continues either way. The Foundation's own programming is ground-based and grows out of the same open door.
It is built to honour service by being a respectful, non-judgmental place. Horses respond to what a person is feeling, not what they are saying, which means nothing has to be explained before it can be worked with.
What Participants Will Do
All of it on the ground, all of it at the pace the participant sets. This is the design; the first sessions have not run yet.
Grounding and Stress Reduction
Quiet, deliberate work with an animal that responds to a settled body and steady breath.
Rebuilding Trust and Leadership
Calm leadership is the whole method here: asked for clearly, never taken by force.
Non-Verbal Communication
Reading body language, energy, and subtle cues. Very little of it needs words.
Peer Connection and Autonomy
Time alongside other veterans, with the choice to engage or step back always yours.
On the Ground
Most of it happens at the rail
Haltering, grooming, leading, and standing quietly with a horse. Plain work, done at the pace the person sets, with nothing to finish and nowhere to be.
The Shape of It
How Participation Will Work
- Group or individual formats.
- Choice-based participation: you decide how far in you go, session by session.
- A non-clinical, trauma-aware approach. This is not therapy and not a substitute for care from a licensed health professional.
- No riding required. The Foundation's sessions are ground-based, and separately, veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables if riding is what they want.
- Flexible scheduling is planned, with both ongoing weekly sessions and shorter intensive formats. We will work with each participant to find what fits.
- Veteran programming will be free. It costs a veteran nothing to ride at Ocean View Stables today, and we are not about to start charging.
Important Notes
- No prior horse experience required
- Veteran-led sessions planned
- Flexible scheduling intended
Alongside Others
Nobody has to explain themselves
Sessions are planned one to one and in small groups of veterans. Come down, stand at the rail, and take part as far as you want to on the day.
Non-Clinical by Design
Nothing Is Rushed. Nothing Is Forced.
Our programs are taught from the Leyden Horsemanship methodology: the established horsemanship program at Ocean View Stables, rooted in calm leadership, consent, and mutual respect. The same principles that govern how we work with horses govern how we work with people.
Presence Before Performance
We value awareness over outcomes. Horses respond to what we bring into the moment: our breath, posture, energy, and intention.
Consent & Choice
Both horses and people are given choice. Participation is never forced. Trust grows when choice is respected.
Consistency Builds Trust
Clear routines, predictable cues, and calm repetition create safety, for horses and humans alike.
No Force, No Fear
We do not use intimidation, punishment, or fear-based methods. Safety and dignity come first.
Saved by the Saddle:
- Does not use fear-based training
- Does not force participation
- Does not rush outcomes
- Does not promise clinical results
Straight Answers
If your question isn't here, get in touch and we'll answer it plainly.
The Foundation's veteran programming will be open to military veterans of all eras and branches, with no prior horse experience required. It has not started yet. In the meantime, veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables. That stands today, and you are welcome.
No. Saved by the Saddle offers ground-based horsemanship, not therapy. Our programs are educational, experiential, and wellness-focused. We are not licensed therapists and our programs are not a substitute for mental health treatment. We encourage participants to work with qualified healthcare providers for clinical needs.
No. The Foundation's programming is ground-based: groundwork, grooming, feeding, leading, and caring for horses. We believe the deepest connections happen on the ground, where a person can be fully present with the horse. Separately, veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables, so riding is there if you want it.
Veteran programming is being designed with flexible scheduling: ongoing weekly sessions and shorter intensive formats. Nothing is fixed yet, and we will work with each participant to find what fits.
No. Veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables today, and the Foundation's veteran programming will be free as well. Cost is not a reason to stay away.
The Foundation's team is being assembled now, so we are not going to list credentials we do not yet hold. Sessions will be led by experienced horsemen and horsewomen working to the Leyden Horsemanship methodology. Everyone working with participants will complete a background check and training in both horse handling and in working with the people we serve. Ask us who is involved and we will tell you plainly.
Come Down to the Barn
Veterans ride free at Ocean View Stables right now, and the Foundation's program is being built around that. Get in touch, tell us what you're looking for, and we'll talk it through, no commitment.