Our Staff and Volunteers

Our Staff:

Strides for Independence is successful because of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers. Thank you!

2 legged

Jameka Smith, or “Meka” as she is known around the barn, is the founder of SFI and a certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor. She has been passionate about horses since childhood and has owned and ridden horses for more than 15 years. Meka obtained her NARHA instructor certification in 2006. Meka currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors.

4 Legged

Roxanne-

Roxanne is a 16-year-old Quarter Horse mare. She enjoys bran mash, carrots, and lots of grass!

Rachel-

Rachel is a 16-year-old Percheron/Quarter Horse mare. She is very sweet and loves attention almost as much as she loves food! Carrots and apples are her favorites!

Princess Bella-
Princess Bella is an 11-year-old Paint pony. She is small but has a big personality. She likes to sneak and eat grass and alfalfa even though they are not good for her. When you see Princess Bella, please remember that these two treats are not on her diet (though she may try and convince you they are!) and ask if you can offer her carrots instead.

Bella-

Not any less of a princess for sure is Bella, a 16-year-old Thoroughbred mare. Sometimes referred to as “Big Bella”. Bella is beautiful and very smart. She spends much of her day asking for more food in her own sort of pawing Morse code with her hooves. Though you can tell from her girth that no one has forgotten her! Her favorite treats are peppermints.

Black & Decker-

Black and Decker are our two “environmentally-friendly” lawn mowers AKA: goats. Black is a female pygmy goat. She is quite shy, while Decker is our very playful and nosy Nubian male.

Volunteers:

Strides for Independence will continue to be a success so long as we have community support and involvement. You will find that volunteering with these special children and horses can enrich your life as much as it does theirs. To learn more about becoming a volunteer please contact us. Our riders thank you for making a difference!

Current Volunteers:

SFI has many wonderful volunteers and we will continue to update our website with more spot light profiles and information about them.

David Smith

Air Force Captain and Ret. Commercial Airline Captain, David Smith has helped care for the SFI ranch since 2005. He is the father of an adult with autism and he understands the needs of the child and the parents of those with special needs. David Smith currently serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors.

David Seals

David Seals currently works with Gear Up California; you may see him and/or the rest of the gear up kids helping out at the ranch.