Saddle Up!

What Saddle Up! does

Saddle Up! is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit therapeutic equestrian organization founded in November 1989 and incorporated in 1991, headquartered on a 34-acre farm at 1549 Old Hillsboro Road in Franklin, Tennessee, just south of Nashville. Its mission is to serve children and young adults with disabilities (ages 2–26) through therapeutic, educational, and recreational experiences with horses. The organization delivers eight core programs year-round: Adaptive Riding (PATH-certified mounted lessons), Therapy Services (PT/OT/Speech incorporating equine movement), Adaptive Horsemanship (ground-based EAL), Interactive Vaulting, Equestrian Club (advanced horsemanship), Fun on the Farm (summer program), From the Ground Up (EAL partnerships), and Alumni Transitions (ages 19-26 with vocational skills). It operates with a herd of 26 therapy horses, a 500+ volunteer workforce, and serves approximately 180 children/youth annually with 5,300–6,000 programming hours.

Saddle Up!'s underlying technology is intentionally lightweight and operational rather than product-centric: it uses Salesforce as CRM for donor and participant records, Wranglr for volunteer scheduling, Click N' Pledge for online donations and payments, Mailchimp for email, and PodOps Media for website hosting. Its one proprietary asset is RIDES, a registered trademark assessment system with skill charts, mounted/unmounted components, and progress documentation that has been adopted by other therapeutic riding centers and is commercialized at $75 per digital download.

Revenue is diversified across program fees ($35–$50 per lesson/unit), individual donations and an Annual Fund, foundation/corporate grants, event sponsorships (Music Country Grand Prix, Chukkers for Charity, SUPER Show/Week, Pony Up! campaign), horse ($1,500) and barn cat ($250) sponsorships, planned giving through the Pegasus Society and Endowment, corporate matching gifts, United Way/Kroger passive revenue channels, and RIDES sales. Saddle Up! does not receive government funding. GTM is community-led: physician referrals, word-of-mouth, a waitlist-based registration system, and high-touch community events serve as the primary acquisition and engagement mechanics.

Name

Saddle Up!

Legal name

Saddle Up!

Website

https://saddleupnashville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saddle Up! is a Franklin, Tennessee-based nonprofit founded in 1989 that provides therapeutic horseback riding, equine-assisted therapy, and adaptive horsemanship programs to approximately 180 children and youth with disabilities ages 2-26 annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Equestrian Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sport/Show Horse Training & Performance Programs (AFAEAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations (AFAEAGAG), Equestrian Teams & Stables (Racing/Show Jumping/Eventing) (MPAKABAG), Equine Care & Stable Management (EDAOAOAE)

Keywords

• Therapeutic horseback riding
• Adaptive riding programs
• Equine assisted therapy
• Hippotherapy services
• Adaptive horsemanship

Headquarters

HQ city

Franklin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Program Fees/Lesson Fees: Fees charged for various therapeutic riding and therapy programs including Adaptive Riding ($35/lesson), Therapy Services ($40/unit for 15 min sessions), Interactive Vaulting ($40/participant), Equestrian Club ($50/meeting), Alumni Transitions ($50/participant), Adaptive Horsemanship ($35/participant), and Fun on the Farm ($350-550/week).
2. Donations and Annual Fund: Individual donations including Annual Fund gifts. Hoofing Society membership requires annual gifts of $1,000 or more. The organization does not receive government funding and relies on donor support.
3. Grants and Funders: Grant funding from foundations and corporate entities supporting nonprofit programs for children with disabilities.
4. Horse Sponsorship: Annual horse sponsorship of $1,500 offsets approximately $10,000 in feed, hay, boarding, farrier and veterinarian expenses. Sponsors receive updates, meet-and-greet opportunities, and special recognition.
5. Barn Cat Sponsorship: $250 donation to sponsor one of the organization's barn cats (Johnny, June, Mambo, Tango, and Magic) covering food and veterinary care.
6. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for special events including Music Country Grand Prix, Chukkers for Charity, SUPER Show/Week, and Pony Up! fundraising campaign.
7. Bequests and Estate Gifts: Planned giving through Pegasus Society, including specific gifts, percentage of estate, or remainder of estate. Gifts to Endowment provide long-term financial foundation.
8. RIDES Manual Sales: Sale of RIDES system as digital download for $75 per copy to riding instructors and therapeutic riding centers.
9. Corporate Matching Gifts: Many employers match charitable donations and service hours contributed by employees. Combined campaigns such as United Way or Community Health Charities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels13 records

Core offering

Saddle Up! is a nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding center that delivers eight equine-assisted programs for children and youth with disabilities ages 2-26, including adaptive riding lessons, hippotherapy-integrated physical/occupational/speech therapy, interactive vaulting, adaptive horsemanship, and alumni life-skills transitions. Programs are delivered year-round on a 34-acre farm in Franklin, Tennessee, using a herd of 26 therapy horses and a force of 500+ trained volunteers. The organization also licenses its proprietary RIDES rider assessment system to other therapeutic riding centers.

Product overview

Saddle Up! is a nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding organization offering a portfolio of eight distinct equine-assisted programs for children and young adults with disabilities ages 2-26. The core programs include Adaptive Riding (mounted therapeutic riding lessons), Therapy Services (physical, occupational, and speech therapy using equine movement), Adaptive Horsemanship (ground-based EAL), Interactive Vaulting (horseback vaulting), Equestrian Club (advanced horsemanship), Fun on the Farm (summer day camp), From the Ground Up (EAL partnerships), and Alumni Transitions (graduates 19-26 with life skills). Additionally, Saddle Up! has developed and commercialized RIDES, a proprietary rider assessment system sold as a $75 digital download to other therapeutic riding centers. The organization is a PATH International Premier Accredited Center and the only American Hippotherapy Association member facility in Tennessee.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive Riding Program Year-round therapeutic riding program where children ages 4-19 with disabilities work on mounted and unmounted horsemanship skills, led by PATH International Certified Instructors with individualized lessons including leaders and sidewalkers.
• Therapy Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 180 children/youth served annually with 5,300-6,000 hours of programming
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PATH InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International sets standards for safety and quality in equine assisted programs. Saddle Up! holds Premier Accredited Center status, the highest level of accreditation. PATH Intl. certifies instructors through the CTRI (Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor) credential.
• American Hippotherapy AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaddle Up! is the only AHA member facility in Tennessee. AHA credentials enable licensed therapists to incorporate equine movement as a treatment strategy. Therapists receive specialized training through AHA.
• United States Pony ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSaddle Up!'s Equestrian Club curriculum is modeled after the knowledge required of participants in the United States Pony Club. Instructors break down USPC knowledge sets to assist riders in learning horsemanship skills at their own pace.
• United Way of Greater NashvilleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSaddle Up! is designated as a recipient of United Way workplace giving campaigns, allowing employees to contribute through combined charitable campaigns.
• KrogerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKroger Community Rewards program allows shoppers to enroll their loyalty cards and earn donations for Saddle Up! based on qualified purchases.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PATH International: Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International is the national credentialing body for equine-assisted services. It is directly comparable as the governing body that accredits Saddle Up! and certifies its instructors, and serves as an industry-shaping incumbent in the therapeutic riding category.
• American Hippotherapy Association: National organization that establishes standards for incorporating equine movement into clinical therapy. Saddle Up! is the only AHA member facility in Tennessee; AHA is a direct peer as the governing body for the clinical hippotherapy services Saddle Up! delivers.

Direct peers

• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: One of the largest therapeutic horseback riding centers in the U.S., serving riders with disabilities across Illinois and Wisconsin. Directly comparable to Saddle Up! as a multi-program, PATH Premier Accredited nonprofit offering adaptive riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services with similar mission, funding model, and program structure.
• Chastain Horse Park: Atlanta-based nonprofit equestrian facility offering therapeutic riding and adaptive horsemanship programs. Directly comparable as a regional nonprofit therapeutic riding center serving children and adults with disabilities through PATH-certified instruction.
• The Cheff Center for the Handicapped: Michigan-based PATH Premier Accredited therapeutic riding nonprofit serving children and adults with disabilities. Directly comparable to Saddle Up! in mission, accreditation status, program portfolio, and nonprofit funding model.
• Mane Stream Therapeutic Riding: New Jersey nonprofit offering adaptive riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services to children and adults with disabilities. Directly comparable as a PATH-accredited therapeutic riding nonprofit with similar program mix and donor-dependent revenue model.
• Pegasus Therapeutic Riding: Pennsylvania-based PATH Premier Accredited therapeutic riding nonprofit serving children and adults with special needs. Directly comparable in mission, accreditation tier, and program portfolio including adaptive riding and hippotherapy.
• STRIDES Therapeutic Riding Center: Oregon-based nonprofit providing adaptive horseback riding and equine-assisted services. Directly comparable as a regional PATH-accredited therapeutic riding nonprofit with similar mission, program structure, and reliance on volunteers and donations.
• National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT): California-based nonprofit providing equine-assisted therapy, adaptive riding, and mental health services. Directly comparable as a multi-program therapeutic equestrian nonprofit with similar accreditation, mission scope, and donor-funded operating model.

Emerging players

• EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association): Professional association setting standards for equine-assisted learning and psychotherapy. Comparable to Saddle Up! as a sector-defining organization in the broader equine-assisted services space, though focused on mental health applications rather than physical/occupational therapy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saddleupnash
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@saddleupnashville
• Facebookfacebook.com/SaddleUpNashville
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saddleupnashville
• Instagraminstagram.com/saddleupnashville

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Saddle Up!