EQUI-KIDS

What EQUI-KIDS does

EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1989 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that delivers equine-assisted therapeutic services to individuals with special abilities, military veterans, active-duty personnel, and first responders. The organization operates a single facility at 2626 Heritage Park Drive with a herd of 18 therapy horses and a staff of 11-50 employees supported by 382 active volunteers who contributed 14,000 service hours in FY2025. Its core service is a Therapeutic Riding Program complemented by seven additional offerings: EQUI-VETS for veterans, Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Hippotherapy, a School Partnership Program, Job Coaching, ESMHL Workshops, and seasonal Horse Camps. In FY2025 the organization reported an operating budget of $1.5 million and served 599 children and adults with special abilities, 75 veterans and active-duty service members, and 20 first responders, delivering roughly 5,000 hours of lessons across its six-city Hampton Roads service area.

The underlying service model is labor- and animal-intensive rather than technology-based: therapeutic outcomes are produced through structured physical interaction between trained horses, licensed instructors, and participants under PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) protocols. EQUI-KIDS holds dual Gold Transparency certifications from Candid (GuideStar) and Charity Navigator (2024), and the organization has operated continuously for over 35 years, making it the longest-established therapeutic riding program in the Virginia Beach market.

Revenue is generated through five diversified streams: individual and memorial donations, foundation grants (Martin Charitable Trust with Bank of America as Co-Trustee, Cape Henry Rotary Club, Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation, Tidewater Children's Foundation, Tidewater Officers Spouse's Club, Hanafin Foundation, Treasure Shop NSN), program fees for therapeutic lessons (pricing not publicly disclosed), event revenue (Fall Festival, Golf Tournament, Horse Show, Stall Ball, Warrior Cup), and horse sponsorships priced at $5,000 one-time or $416.67 monthly. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-participant at the Virginia Beach facility and through school and veteran-organization channel partners; the geographic participant mix is Virginia Beach 73%, Chesapeake 21%, Hampton 3%, Portsmouth 2%, Norfolk 1%, and Suffolk 1%.

Name

EQUI-KIDS

Legal name

EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program

Website

https://equikids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

EQUI-KIDS is a Virginia Beach-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1989, that provides equine-assisted therapeutic riding, psychotherapy, and hippotherapy programs to children and adults with disabilities, veterans, active-duty military, and first responders across the Hampton Roads region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Virginia Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations, memorial and honor donations, and general contributions from supporters.
2. Foundation Grants: Support from foundations including Martin Charitable Trust, Bank of America, Cape Henry Rotary Club, Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation, Tidewater Children's Foundation, Tidewater Officers Spouse's Club, Hanafin Foundation, and Treasure Shop NSN.
3. Program Fees: Fees for therapeutic riding lessons, hippotherapy, and other equine-assisted services. The organization also offers horse sponsorship programs at $5,000 one-time or $416.67 monthly installments.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from events including Fall Festival, Golf Tournament, Horse Show, Stall Ball, and Warrior Cup.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Horse sponsorship program allowing individuals and businesses to sponsor specific horses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

EQUI-KIDS provides equine-assisted therapy services, including therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted psychotherapy, for individuals with special abilities, at-risk youth, active duty military, veterans, and first responders. Services are delivered at its Virginia Beach facility by credentialed instructors and licensed therapists working with a trained herd of therapy horses. The organization also runs a school partnership program and a Heroes & Horses program tailored to veterans and first responders.

Product overview

EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program operates as a unified therapeutic equestrian organization offering multiple equine-assisted service programs. The core Therapeutic Riding Program serves as the flagship offering, complemented by specialized programs including EQUI-VETS for veterans, Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy for mental health support, Hippotherapy for physical rehabilitation, and the School Partnership Program for educational outreach. Additional offerings include Job Coaching for vocational development, ESMHL Workshop for professional training, and seasonal Horse Camp programs. Together, these programs serve approximately 599 children and adults with special abilities, 75 veterans and active duty personnel, and 20 first responders annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EQUI-VETS: Therapeutic program specifically designed for veterans and active duty military personnel
• Therapeutic Riding Program

Products and services

• Therapeutic Riding Program Group and individual therapeutic horseback riding lessons for children, youth, and adults with special abilities, delivered by PATH Intl.-credentialed instructors using trained therapy horses at the EQUI-KIDS facility.
• Hippotherapy Physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy delivered on horseback by licensed therapists, using the horse's movement as a therapeutic tool for participants with neuromuscular, sensory, or developmental conditions.
• Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Mental health treatment that pairs licensed mental health professionals with equine-assisted activities to address emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges in participants.
• Heroes & Horses Program Equine-assisted program tailored for active duty military, veterans, and first responders, designed to support trauma recovery, PTSD, reintegration, and overall well-being through structured horsemanship experiences.
• School Partnership Program Group therapeutic horsemanship sessions delivered on-site at the EQUI-KIDS facility for partner schools and their students, providing accessible equine experiences as enrichment or therapeutic programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 599 children and adults with special abilities served in 2025 fiscal year
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship): National industry association and credentialing body for therapeutic horsemanship. EQUI-KIDS is a PATH member and relies on PATH's standards and certifications; PATH is the broader governing organization for the entire peer set.

Direct peers

• Mane Stream: New Jersey-based PATH Premier Accredited center offering adaptive riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services to individuals with disabilities. Comparable multi-program structure and population served.
• SpiritHorse International: National therapeutic horsemanship program serving children with disabilities and at-risk youth through equine-assisted services. Directly comparable therapeutic riding model with similar participant mix and outcomes focus.
• BraveHearts (Horses for Heroes): Veteran-focused therapeutic horseback riding program serving military service members, veterans, and first responders. Closest comparable peer for EQUI-KIDS' EQUI-VETS program and first responder services.
• ManeGait Therapeutic Horsemanship: Texas-based therapeutic horsemanship program serving children and adults with disabilities, including veterans, through adaptive riding and equine-assisted services. Comparable program breadth and mission.
• Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program (NVTRP): Virginia-based therapeutic riding center offering therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services to children and adults with disabilities. Closest in-state peer, sharing mission, program structure, and Virginia foundation funding pool.
• Reins of Life: Indiana-based therapeutic horseback riding program serving children and adults with disabilities through adaptive riding and hippotherapy. Comparable program offerings, participant demographics, and operational scale.
• Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center: Michigan-based PATH Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center serving children and adults with disabilities through adaptive riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services. Closely comparable mission, program structure, and operating model.
• BINA Farm Center: New Jersey-based equine-assisted therapy center serving individuals with special needs, veterans, and at-risk youth. Comparable program portfolio including adaptive riding and mental health services.
• Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Riding Center: Williamsburg, Virginia therapeutic riding center serving children and adults with disabilities through equine-assisted services. Direct Virginia-based peer in the same funding and participant geography as EQUI-KIDS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/equikids
• Facebookfacebook.com/EQUIKIDS.EQUIVETS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equi-kids-therapeutic-riding-program

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 EQUI-KIDS