Pictured below is a calm Santa Clarita cow! She is an enormous beauty. She lives at The Gentle Barn where many vegans frequent to groom, spend time with, and help many animals heal. The Gentle Barn is north of the San Fernando Valley; located on the outskirts of Canyon Country. It’s a wonderful experience–packed with several vegan treats like the sweet pastries sold at the entrance along with vegan hot dogs.

I took my nieces on Sunday (the only day it’s open from 10-4pm). They screamed with joy when they saw the animals in their natural habitat.  She laid inside a barn while kids groomed her with brushes offered at the entrance.

The horses were each in stables. We bought two bags with cut carrots to feed to “Sir Lancelot” and “Spotty.” My three year old niece was braver than me. She grabbed a carrot and stuck out her hand for a horse named “Cherokee” that was more than twenty times her weight! The horses were gentle and kind. They gripped the carrots by poking their head outside the fence and puckering their lips to grab the carrot.

We also saw donkeys, an ostrich, an emu, a llama, and so many other animals. On the upper level of the Ranch is a larger extension of the barn where more animals are kept in an open range. The Gentle Barn requires guests to attend a short ten-minute orientation.

The Gentle Barn is an untold treasure of Santa Clarita. The compassionate work the staff do at this barn transcends veganism. They help animals heal and help people heal through animals. At-risk children, special needs persons, and even educational student groups are invited to experience the barn and enjoy a relationship with other sentient beings.

Visit The Gentle Barn’s webpage to explore the depth of the work going on in our backyard.