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Even though Xena is tied securely to the fence, her young groomer makes his way around the horse at a safe distance. “I’ve seen horses at fairs or on the street where you can pet them, but never this close,” says Ramon Granados, a student at Franklin High School, about Stockton’s non-profit organization Mustang Connection.
For Sondra Taylor, a history and psychology teacher at Franklin and owner of Mustang Connection, it was a match made in horse-heaven. She pairs at-risk high school students with technically at-risk, rescued mustangs. “We tame the horses, we don’t ‘break’ them. If they were ‘broke’ then they would need to be fixed,” says Taylor.
With four mustangs and a long-haired, breeding stock paint, Taylor teaches her 16 students the ins and outs of equine care at Alpine Stables in Stockton. “I teach them everything about horses, including how to approach, halter, lead, and groom horses, as well as how to ride them bareback. I also teach them anatomy, nutrition, terminology of tack, colors, and breeds. We go on field trips to the vets, rodeos, and riding academies,” she adds. The students can even count this experience as a PE course as long as they log in at least 90 hours per semester at the stables.
Matching at-risk teens with rescued horses was a concept Taylor conceived years ago while working at the Alternative Charter School in Lodi. “When I’m around horses I become a more relaxed person. I wondered how I could pass that on to my students,” she says. “I’ve had students with extreme anger issues. I would tell them they cannot be angry around horses because your emotions feed into them, and they won’t listen to you. The students have admitted it’s true and I’ve seen their attitudes change just being around the horses,” says Taylor who logs in countless hours arranging lesson plans, posting fliers, finding funding, as well as taking care of the horses and equipment.
Over the last two and a half years, Taylor has also seen the program evolve. “It originated from my love of the horses and desire to help the kids. I have watched it become a positive influence in the lives of students. From getting them out doing something new, to giving them an outlet and a sounding board that may save them from making poor decisions, to having them become mentors to other students just entering the program,” she says. When Taylor refers to “at-risk” teens, she’s referring to kids in danger of academic failure because of abysmal social or family influences. “These kids are not gang members or in trouble with the law,” says Taylor. “They typically come from family backgrounds that have been unstable at times.” Many live with grandparents, have drug addicted parents, or have trouble coping because of impoverished lives.
Ramon Granados, who works in landscaping and at flea markets after school and on weekends, says he tells people about the horses all the time, just not his friends, because they see the program as nothing but work. However, Granados sees it as a good trade off. “You clean stalls, but learn lessons. Normally, this kind of program would cost you a bundle,” he says.
Janet Mejia, a junior at Franklin, always had a love for horses and recalls riding her grandfather’s horse in Mexico as a child. “My grandfather doesn’t ride his horse anymore. He just uses him for pulling things. Right now I’m learning how to steer a horse and be patient. If you’re not patient, the horse won’t listen to you,” says Mejia, who’s also happy that time with the horses helps her cope better with life. “It’s relaxing and it relieves the stress of homework and family problems.”
The program has a long term affect on the kids Taylor teaches. “Some students need the program for school credits, some for community service hours, but more importantly, some have personal issues that they learn to manage by working with the horse.” Some of these issues include anger, pride, communication skills, and working with others.
Grateful for the donations from the International Baccalaureate Booster Parents at Franklin and other members of the community, Mustang Connection is funded solely by donations. “My husband is my ‘head cheerleader’ and ‘gopher,’ and when there is no outside funding, he supports the organization financially,” Taylor says. Always in need of tack (new or used), feed, and other provisions, Taylor firmly believes in her equine program, because of what horses have done for her. “You gain so much from being around them. For me it changed me physically, emotionally and mentally.”
For more information on Mustang Connection, visit www.mustangconnection.net or mail mustangs8@sbcglobal.net, 209-986-2159.