New Kingdom Trailriders

What New Kingdom Trailriders does

New Kingdom Trailriders (NKT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit therapeutic horseback riding organization founded in 1984 and headquartered at 18929 81st Street, Sherrard, Illinois. It operates the Quad Cities region's only PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) accredited facility, delivering equine-assisted activities to individuals ages 4 to 77 who present with physical disabilities, mental illness (approximately half of riders), and autism spectrum disorder (approximately 32% of riders). The organization's mission is to empower individuals of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential through equine-assisted activities that address cognitive, physical, emotional, and social well-being. In 2024 the organization delivered 3,600 lessons, supported by 155 active volunteers contributing 9,500+ hours.

The core product is subsidized therapeutic horseback riding lessons delivered on-site at NKT's barn facility. Each lesson has a fully-loaded cost of $65.37 — covering horse care, training, maintenance, and facility overhead — of which riders pay less than 40%, with scholarships available for those demonstrating financial need. The remainder of operating costs is funded through diversified revenue channels: individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants (online via PayPal, mail-in checks, credit card gifts, stock transfers, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, gifts of real estate and personal property, and charitable gift annuities), and partner-organization referrals. Volunteer programs (Horse Leader, Side Walker, Lesson Greeter, Grounds Volunteer, Horse Handler, Administrative Support, Committee Member) are central to the cost structure. Marketing channels include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, a website blog, the 'Not Just A Pony Ride' podcast, local earned media, community events, and an Amazon Wishlist for in-kind donations.

Go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct outreach to families, partnerships with regional service organizations (Arrowhead Youth and Family Services, Camelot Therapeutic Day School, Top of the World Ranch, Argrow's House, ARC of the Quad Cities, Bethany for Children & Families, Family Resources, Hand in Hand), and an online interest form for new riders. Leadership transitioned from Executive Director Jodie Barton (departing fall 2021 after a three-year tenure that included saving the organization from closure) to Kelly Kreiter Penning in January 2022, who brought approximately 30 years of HR and executive development experience from Rockwell Collins, Lear Corporation, Clysar, and Deere & Company. The paid staff is small (1–10 employees), but operations are volunteer-scaled, and the organization is governed by a board of directors led by President Cheryl Wright.

Name

New Kingdom Trailriders

Legal name

New Kingdom Trailriders

Website

https://nktriders.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Kingdom Trailriders is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1984 in Sherrard, Illinois, operating the Quad Cities' only PATH-accredited therapeutic horseback riding facility. It delivers subsidized equine-assisted riding lessons to individuals ages 4–77 with physical disabilities, mental illness, and autism, supported by 155 volunteers and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Riding Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Adventure Therapy & Therapeutic Wilderness Programs (THAAAOAG)

Keywords

• Therapeutic horseback riding
• Equine assisted activities
• Disability services
• Therapeutic horsemanship
• Adaptive riding programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Sherrard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Therapeutic riding lesson fees charged to riders and families. Riders pay less than 40% of the actual $65.37 cost per lesson, with scholarships available for those with financial difficulty.
2. Donations and Charitable Giving: 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants. Multiple giving channels including online donations via PayPal, mail-in checks, stock transfers, IRA qualified charitable distributions, real estate gifts, and planned giving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

New Kingdom Trailriders provides PATH-accredited therapeutic horseback riding lessons to individuals with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities ages 4 to 77 in the Quad Cities region. Riders pay less than 40% of the actual $65.37 per-lesson cost, with scholarships available for those with financial difficulty. The organization supplements its core lessons with structured volunteer programs, multiple donation channels, and the 'Not Just A Pony Ride' podcast.

Product overview

New Kingdom Trailriders is a single-facility non-profit therapeutic horseback riding organization offering PATH-accredited therapeutic riding lessons for individuals ages 4 to 77. The core offering consists of therapeutic riding lessons, supplemented by volunteer programs that enable community participation, and donation/giving programs that fund scholarships and operations. The organization also produces the Not Just A Pony Ride Podcast. Riders pay less than 40% of the $65.37 per-lesson cost, with scholarship opportunities available for those demonstrating financial need.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Horseback Riding Lessons PATH-accredited equine-assisted therapeutic riding lessons delivered at the Sherrard, Illinois barn to individuals ages 4 to 77 with physical, cognitive, or emotional disabilities, with documented benefits for core strength, motor skills, coordination, self-confidence, mobility, social skills, and verbalization.
• Volunteer Programs Structured community volunteer program enabling community members to support therapeutic riding lessons in roles including Lesson Greeter, Horse Leader, Side Walker, Grounds Volunteer, Horse Handler, Administrative Support, and Committee Member.
• Donation and Giving Programs Multi-channel charitable giving program accepting online PayPal donations, mail-in checks, phone credit card gifts, stock transfers, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions, gifts of real estate and personal property, and charitable gift annuities to fund scholarships and operations.
• Not Just A Pony Ride Podcast Podcast produced by New Kingdom Trailriders covering therapeutic riding topics, rider stories, and organizational news, available on Spotify and other platforms.

Quantifiable outcome

• Riders show significant improvements in core strength, fine and gross motor skills, coordination, tone, self-confidence, mobility, social skills, and verbalization
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arrowhead Youth and Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea partnership established to expand mission and bring physical and mental wellness to community citizens through therapeutic horseback riding services.
• Camelot Therapeutic Day SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea partnership providing therapeutic riding services to students with disabilities served by the school.
• Top of the World RanchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership bringing therapeutic horseback riding to individuals struggling with addiction and other challenges at the ranch.
• Argrow's HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing therapeutic riding services to domestic violence survivors as part of their recovery program.
• ARC of the Quad CitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding.
• Bethany for Children & FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit child welfare organization serving children and families in Moline, IL. References NKT as a valued service provider.
• Family ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavenport, Iowa organization where Executive Director Kelly Kreiter Penning serves as a Mental Health Counseling Intern in Survivor Services.
• Hand in HandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBettendorf, Iowa non-profit where Executive Director Kelly Kreiter Penning serves on the board.
• Junior AchievementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongtime volunteer and former board member involvement, demonstrating community leadership.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Center for Equine-Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT): PATH-accredited non-profit in Woodside, California, providing equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities, mental health conditions, and trauma. Comparable therapeutic riding model with similar funding/donation structure.
• Bluepath Therapeutic: PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center in Asheville, North Carolina, providing equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with special needs. Comparable therapeutic riding mission and rural/single-site operating model.
• Strides Therapeutic Riding Center: PATH-accredited non-profit therapeutic horseback riding center in Pleasanton, California, serving riders with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Directly comparable service model to NKT.
• HorseAbility: PATH-accredited therapeutic horsemanship center on Long Island, New York, offering programs for individuals with disabilities, veterans, and at-risk youth. Comparable multi-segment therapeutic riding model.
• R.O.C.K. Ride on Center for Kids: PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center in Georgetown, Texas, providing equine-assisted services to children and adults with disabilities and special needs. Comparable single-facility non-profit therapeutic riding model.
• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center in Huntley, Illinois, serving individuals with disabilities through equine-assisted activities. Operates a multi-site model, providing a relevant comparison for NKT's potential regional expansion.
• Mane Stream: PATH-accredited non-profit therapeutic equestrian center in Gladstone, New Jersey, serving individuals with disabilities through adaptive riding. Directly comparable mission, accreditation, and rider segments.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding & Training Center: Long-standing PATH Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center in Old Lyme, Connecticut, serving children and adults with disabilities. Comparable in mission, accreditation level, and 40+ year operating history to NKT.
• Equi-librium Inc: PATH-accredited therapeutic riding center in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, serving individuals with disabilities through equine-assisted activities. Comparable therapeutic riding service offering and non-profit funding model.

Others

• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.): Industry trade association that accredits therapeutic riding centers including NKT. Not a direct competitor but the governing body whose standards define the regulatory moat for NKT and peer centers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=I0NjsMy2sSo&list=PL0wBwFylRp_OQ1pSzqcsn6i2x9yJPlbpi
• Facebookfacebook.com/nktriders
• Instagraminstagram.com/newkingdomtrailriders

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Kingdom Trailriders