Carousel Ranch
Carousel Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that delivers equestrian therapy and the Ready to Work! vocational training program for children and young adults with special needs from its 10+ acre ranch in Santa Clarita, California.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersSanta Clarita, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Carousel Ranch does
Carousel Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in July 1997 by Becky Graham and Denise Redmond in Santa Clarita, California. The organization delivers two integrated programs serving children and young adults with special needs: equestrian therapy (using vaulting, English, and Western riding disciplines to improve physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral outcomes) and Ready to Work!, a two-component vocational training program combining classroom curriculum with experiential learning via an on-site Tack Shack retail store, Snack Shack food service, Ready to Grow! garden, and job-shadowing at community partners. A newer RTW Academy at College of the Canyons adds certificate-based courses in Customer Service and Warehouse Fulfillment with practicum placements at Starbucks, Holiday Inn Express, and AMS Fulfillment. Each student typically receives individualized attention with up to three staff or volunteers per session.
The organization operates from a permanent 10+ acre ranch in Agua Dulce, California (purchased October 2005), featuring a covered arena completed in 2014 after a multi-year capital campaign. Headcount is in the 11–50 range with a named team spanning program direction, finance, events, communications, equine care, and facilities. Revenue is generated entirely through nonprofit channels — individual donations (including the Carousel Club recurring monthly program), corporate and foundation grants, horse sponsorships, legacy giving, and signature fundraising events such as Heart of the West (an annual gala/auction) and Cowgirls & Crystals (a women's event), supported by tiered sponsorships ranging from $600 to $10,000. All programs are delivered on-site; no fee-for-service pricing exists, and financial assistance ensures no child is turned away. The organization holds GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency status and is governed by an independent board of directors with members drawn from local banking, legal, real estate, and consumer-products leadership.
Carousel Ranch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carousel Ranch
- Legal name
- Carousel Ranch
- Website
- https://carouselranch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Carousel Ranch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1997 that delivers equestrian therapy and the Ready to Work! vocational training program for children and young adults with special needs from its 10+ acre ranch in Santa Clarita, California.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carousel Ranch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Therapeutic Equestrian and Vocational Training Services for Special Needs
- NAICS
- Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Equine Care & Stable Management (EDAOAOAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations (AFAEAGAG)
Keywords
Where Carousel Ranch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Clarita
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Carousel Ranch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Primary revenue source for this nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Accepts one-time and recurring donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Monthly donor program (Carousel Club) provides steady giving base.
- Annual Fundraising Events: Major annual events include Heart of the West dinner/auction and Cowgirls & Crystals women's event. Ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction items generate significant revenue.
- Event Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship opportunities at various levels (Hero's Heart $10,000 to Buckaroo $600) include reserved seating, recognition, and sometimes scholarships or horse sponsorships.
- Horse Sponsorship Program: Donors can sponsor therapy horses for one-year periods, covering board, shoeing, and basic veterinary expenses. Provides dedicated funding for equine care.
- Legacy Giving: Planned giving opportunities including real estate, property, annuity proceeds, stocks, life insurance, mutual funds, and beneficiary designations.
- Retail Operations (Tack Shack and Snack Shack): On-site retail stores operated by Ready-to-Work! students. Tack Shack sells refurbished donated tack; Snack Shack offers snacks, coffee, and branded merchandise. Proceeds benefit Carousel Ranch.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | Heart of the West event tickets with VIP, General, and Virtual options |
| Other | One time | Heart of the West Sponsorship Packages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Giving (Carousel Club) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Annual | Horse Sponsorship Program |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Carousel Ranch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carousel Ranch delivers therapeutic horseback riding (equestrian therapy) and the Ready to Work! vocational training program to children and young adults with special needs at its 10+ acre ranch in Santa Clarita, California. Each student receives individualized goals and up to three staff/volunteers per session; programs address physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral development and prepare older students for post-school employment through classroom instruction plus hands-on retail, food service, gardening, and partner-business practicum experiences.
Product overview
Carousel Ranch operates as a single unified nonprofit offering, centered on two primary programs: Equestrian Therapy (therapeutic horseback riding) and Ready to Work! (vocational training). These core programs are supported by experiential learning components including the Tack Shack retail store, Snack Shack food service, and Ready to Grow! garden. The organization also hosts annual fundraising events (Heart of the West, Cowgirls & Crystals) and partners with College of the Canyons for the RTW Academy certificate program. There is no platform-plus-modules architecture; all offerings are interconnected service programs serving children and young adults with special needs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Equestrian Therapy Therapeutic horseback riding program for children and young adults with special needs, utilizing vaulting, English, and Western riding disciplines to improve physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral outcomes. Each session provides individualized goals with up to three staff/volunteers per student.
- Ready to Work! (RTW!) Vocational Training
Companies that use Carousel Ranch
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Carousel Ranch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Carousel Ranch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Victory Center (Kyiv, Ukraine)coreInternational extension of Carousel Ranch model. Nastya Popandopulos trained at Carousel Ranch in September 2023 and is establishing equestrian therapy programs in Ukraine for war veterans and children affected by conflict. Denise Redmond continues to advise on nonprofit development.
- College of the CanyonscorePartner for RTW Academy offering certificate-based courses in Customer Service (Retail, Food Service & Hospitality) and Warehouse Fulfillment & Logistics. Courses include weekly classroom training at COC and practicum at partner businesses.
- StarbucksminorPartner business providing practicum/work experience opportunities for RTW Academy students.
- Holiday Inn ExpressminorPartner business providing practicum/work experience opportunities for RTW Academy students.
- AMS FulfillmentminorPartner business providing warehouse fulfillment practicum experience for RTW Academy students.
- Wolf Creek RestaurantminorCaters Heart of the West event and provides job-shadowing opportunities for Ready to Work! students.
- Military Animal ProjectminorLong-time friend of Carousel Ranch; providing guidance to Victory Center for working with veterans.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Carousel Ranch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center: PATH International Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center providing equine-assisted therapy and horsemanship to people with disabilities. Comparable methodology, nonprofit structure, and special-needs focus to Carousel Ranch.
- Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center: Nonprofit therapeutic riding center offering equine-assisted therapy for children and adults with disabilities, plus a vocational horsemanship program. Combines therapy and vocational training similar to Carousel Ranch's dual Equestrian Therapy / Ready to Work! model.
- Ride On St. Louis: Nonprofit adaptive riding center offering equine therapy and horsemanship for children and adults with disabilities. Comparable regional therapeutic riding nonprofit model with similar volunteer-driven operations and individual attention ratios.
- BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: Nonprofit therapeutic horseback riding center serving children, adults, and veterans with disabilities through equine-assisted services. Directly comparable service model and target population to Carousel Ranch, with similar therapy and horsemanship instruction offerings.
- High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center: Nonprofit therapeutic riding organization serving individuals with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities through equine-assisted activities. Highly comparable mission, programming structure, and population served to Carousel Ranch.
- Field of Dreams: Nonprofit equine therapy program serving individuals with special needs, combining therapeutic riding with vocational and life skills training. Direct peer in the equestrian therapy + vocational training dual-program model.
- National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT): Nonprofit equine therapy center offering hippotherapy, adaptive riding, and mental health services for children and adults with disabilities. Comparable service breadth, nonprofit funding model, and special-needs population.
- Shea Therapeutic Riding Center: Therapeutic horseback riding center serving children and adults with disabilities in Southern California, offering individualized equestrian therapy programs. Highly comparable in mission, population served, and methodology to Carousel Ranch's core Equestrian Therapy program.
Emerging players
- Victory Center (Kyiv, Ukraine): International partner organization being established by a former Carousel Ranch trainee to provide equestrian therapy for war-affected children and veterans in Ukraine. Functions as a franchise/extension of Carousel Ranch's methodology outside the U.S.
Broad incumbents
- PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship): Industry trade association setting standards, accreditation, and instructor certification for therapeutic riding centers worldwide. Indirect peer as the governing body that establishes the professional framework under which Carousel Ranch operates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Carousel Ranch social profiles
Digital presenceCarousel Ranch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carousel Ranch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Carousel Ranch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carousel Ranch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Carousel Ranch
What does Carousel Ranch do?
Carousel Ranch delivers therapeutic horseback riding (equestrian therapy) and the Ready to Work! vocational training program to children and young adults with special needs at its 10+ acre ranch in Santa Clarita, California. Each student receives individualized goals and up to three staff/volunteers per session; programs address physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral development and prepare older students for post-school employment through classroom instruction plus hands-on retail, food service, gardening, and partner-business practicum experiences.
Is Carousel Ranch a public or private company?
Carousel Ranch is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Carousel Ranch founded?
Carousel Ranch was founded in 1997. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Carousel Ranch based?
Carousel Ranch is headquartered in Santa Clarita, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carousel Ranch make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are annual Fundraising Events, event Sponsorships, horse Sponsorship Program, legacy Giving and retail Operations (Tack Shack and Snack Shack).
Who are Carousel Ranch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, Ride On St. Louis, BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center, High Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center, Field of Dreams, National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT) and Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. Victory Center (Kyiv, Ukraine) is listed as an emerging player. PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Carousel Ranch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carousel Ranch.
What industry is Carousel Ranch in?
Carousel Ranch's product category is Therapeutic Equestrian and Vocational Training Services for Special Needs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAOAE, Equine Care & Stable Management, with a secondary code of AFAEAGAG, Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations. Its NAICS code is 61162 and its SIC code is 8200.