Saddle Up! is a therapeutic recreational horseback riding program designed for children with mental and physical disabilities. It is the oldest therapeutic riding program in the area serving a broad range of children living throughout Middle Tennessee.
Leisure opportunities for children with disabilities are limited. The Saddle Up! Therapeutic Riding Program offers children, from 4 to 18 years of age, the chance to experience horseback riding. This experience is not possible for children with disabilities without specially trained instructors, horses and equipment. Saddle Up! is operated by a small staff and a large dedicated group of volunteers. Our trained volunteers come from all walks of life and every age bracket. They serve as instructors, leaders, side-walkers, feeders, and in every other aspect of running a large organization on a 34 acre farm. The program is located just south of Nashville in Franklin, TN.
Mission Statement
The mission of Saddle Up! is to provide children and youth with disabilities the opportunity to grow and develop through recreational activities with horses.
Meeting the Needs of Exceptional People Everyone involved with Saddle Up! is exceptional. Our children, parents and volunteers are the strength and foundation for our accomplishments every day.
Our Children We start the year with approximately 110 active students. More than 50 percent are from Nashville, and 40 percent from Williamson County. They represent a range of disabilities as defined by federal law including: Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Autism, non-verbal disorders, visual and hearing loss, developmental and learning disabilities, and many others. For any child, mounting a horse can be a frightening prospect. But before long, all of the children are wearing heartwarming grins that lift the heart. The opportunity for them to leave behind the world of special classes, tutors, doctors, hospitals and medicine is often more therapy than the best educational or medical minds can deliver.
Our Parents
The strength of Saddle Up! parents is inspiring. Brothers, sisters, parents, friends and extended family members gather to watch their rider demonstrate their riding skills. All accomplishments are greeted with fanfare and hugs! Parents help with many aspects of the program as well. It’s not uncommon to find them cleaning stalls, painting, cleaning, mowing, etc. The Saddle Up! family is thankful the families are willing to share the joy of their children.
Our Volunteers Saddle Up! couldn't exist without the grassroots efforts of our volunteers. Volunteers are integrated into literally every part of our program. Indeed, volunteers are our lesson leaders, side-walkers, medical review team, horse caregivers, fundraising members, board members and many more. Our volunteers usually start out working with us on a limited basis, only to soon find themselves at the barn or at a committee meeting every chance they get. They often tell us that working with the children and horses is just the therapy they need.
More Than Just a Pony Ride This experience has multiple opportunities for students to increase physical skills, social skills and communication skills. Students develop muscle strength, balance and coordination during riding. They have the opportunity to develop increased communication skills and increased positive social interaction with their riding team. The thrill of riding a horse is an accomplishment that is immeasurable to students that have difficulty with mobility, self-control and/or communication. We have watched students begin the program that could not sit upright on the horse progress to independent riding. Parents report students have increased muscle tone. Instructors report students progressing from nonverbal status to voluntary greetings and conversations with horses and riding team members.
For our children, Saddle Up! provides more than just a good time. Research shows that students who participate in therapeutic riding can experience physical, emotional and mental rewards. For individuals with impaired mobility, horseback riding gently and rhythmically moves their bodies in a manner similar to a human walking gait. The rider must continuously contract and relax muscles to re-balance, improving balance, strength and flexibility. Saddle Up! is where “horsing around” really makes a difference.
Leisure opportunities for children with disabilities are limited. The Saddle Up! Therapeutic Riding Program offers children, from 4 to 18 years of age, the chance to experience horseback riding. This experience is not possible for children with disabilities without specially trained instructors, horses and equipment. Saddle Up! is operated by a small staff and a large dedicated group of volunteers. Our trained volunteers come from all walks of life and every age bracket. They serve as instructors, leaders, side-walkers, feeders, and in every other aspect of running a large organization on a 34 acre farm. The program is located just south of Nashville in Franklin, TN.
We start the year with approximately 110 active students. More than 50 percent are from Nashville, and 40 percent from Williamson County. They represent a range of disabilities as defined by federal law including: Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida, Pervasive Developmental Delay, Autism, non-verbal disorders, visual and hearing loss, developmental and learning disabilities, and many others. For any child, mounting a horse can be a frightening prospect. But before long, all of the children are wearing heartwarming grins that lift the heart. The opportunity for them to leave behind the world of special classes, tutors, doctors, hospitals and medicine is often more therapy than the best educational or medical minds can deliver.
Our Volunteers
This experience has multiple opportunities for students to increase physical skills, social skills and communication skills. Students develop muscle strength, balance and coordination during riding. They have the opportunity to develop increased communication skills and increased positive social interaction with their riding team. The thrill of riding a horse is an accomplishment that is immeasurable to students that have difficulty with mobility, self-control and/or communication. We have watched students begin the program that could not sit upright on the horse progress to independent riding. Parents report students have increased muscle tone. Instructors report students progressing from nonverbal status to voluntary greetings and conversations with horses and riding team members.