Stable Hands

What Stable Hands does

Stable Hands Equine Therapy Center (legal entity: Stable Hands, Inc) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation founded in 1992 in Wausau, Wisconsin, that delivers equine-assisted activities and therapies to special needs individuals and veterans. The organization operates from a dedicated 25-acre former horse farm in the Town of Stettin featuring a heated and insulated 160-by-80-foot indoor arena that enables year-round programming, with a specially screened herd of 13+ horses and 1 donkey maintained for therapeutic use. Service delivery is on-site at the farm, with classes offered during day and evening hours, a skills-assessment-based registration process for new participants, and a seasonal summer camp.

The core program portfolio is built on Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH International) guidelines and includes Therapeutic Riding, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (At Liberty EAP), Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), Veterans Assisted Sports Training (V.A.S.T.), From the Ground Up foundational horsemanship, Horse Powered Reading, Readers in the Round Pen Book Club (ages 8-12), and a Horse Camp for ages 8-17. Leadership is provided by Executive Director Diane Abitz, supported by a Board of Directors, a volunteer coordinator, an editorial team for the quarterly Lead Line newsletter, and a documented volunteer base (e.g., Cathy Yunk contributing 100-249 hours of service). Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer and regional, with school partnerships (e.g., St. Mary's School) and corporate sponsors (e.g., Baird, Lang Well Drilling, Culver's) supporting community engagement.

The revenue model combines five streams: tax-deductible private donations, tiered recurring Herd Helper Sponsorships ($600-$3,600 per year billed monthly), program and camp fees (not publicly priced), grants (including a $2,500 Liberty Mutual volunteer-matching grant in 2020), and fundraising events (e.g., an annual Scotch Doubles Bowling Fundraiser that raised $4,450 in November 2021, Denim Dinner & Dreams galas, and Culver's Share Nights). A multi-phase capital expansion is underway, with Phase 2 planning an attached stall barn and Phase 3 envisioning a consolidated community center facility. The organization has no app, no public API, no equity funding, and no parent company.

Name

Stable Hands

Legal name

Stable Hands, Inc

Website

https://stablehandstherapy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stable Hands Equine Therapy Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Wausau, Wisconsin, founded in 1992 that delivers PATH International-certified equine-assisted therapy, learning, and veteran programs to special needs individuals and youth from a 25-acre farm facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine-Assisted Therapy Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Veterans Adult Day Programs (HSABANAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Horse Boarding, Livery & Stable Operations (AFAEAGAG), Equine Rehabilitation, Layup & Retirement Facilities (AFAEAGAJ)

Keywords

• Equine assisted therapy
• Therapeutic riding services
• Equine assisted learning
• Veterans rehabilitation services
• Special needs therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Wausau

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. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from private donors to support ongoing operating expenses as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
2. Horse Sponsorship Programs: Tiered sponsorship programs for horses and donkeys ranging from $600/year (Mini Sponsor) to $3,600/year (Thoroughbred Sponsor), including recognition benefits and education sessions.
3. Grants: Foundation grants awarded through volunteer service programs, such as the $2,500 Liberty Mutual grant earned through volunteer Cathy Yunk's 100-249 hours of service.
4. Program Fees: Fees for therapeutic riding programs, camps, and other equine-assisted services for special needs individuals.
5. Fundraising Events: Revenue from events including bowling fundraisers ($4,450 raised at Annual Scotch Doubles Bowling Fundraiser), Denim Dinner Dreams events, and virtual concerts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stable Hands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit equine therapy center that provides equine-assisted activities and therapies for special needs individuals, veterans, and youth. Its core offerings include therapeutic riding, equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), equine-assisted learning (EAL), veterans sports training, horse-powered reading programs, and seasonal camps, delivered on-site at a 25-acre farm with a heated indoor arena in Wausau, Wisconsin.

Product overview

Stable Hands Equine Therapy Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a portfolio of equine-assisted therapy and activity programs. The core programs include Therapeutic Riding, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), and Veterans Assisted Sports Training (V.A.S.T.), along with specialized programs like Horse Powered Reading and various camps. As a PATH International member center, the organization provides these services using specially trained horses and certified instructors. The programs are designed for special needs individuals and focus on improving physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development through mounted and unmounted horse activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Riding Equine-assisted therapeutic riding program that improves physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development for special needs individuals through mounted horse activities following PATH International safety standards.
• At Liberty - Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Equine-assisted psychotherapy program conducted at liberty (without riding), focusing on emotional and social development through horse interactions for special needs individuals.
• Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Ground-based learning program that uses horse interactions to teach life skills, personal development, and self-awareness for special needs individuals and youth.
• Veterans Assisted Sports Training (V.A.S.T.) Sports training program specifically designed for military veterans using equine-assisted activities to support rehabilitation, sports training, and peer support.
• From the Ground Up Foundational equine-assisted learning program that teaches basic horsemanship and ground skills to participants as a prerequisite to mounted activities.
• Horse Powered Reading Literacy program combining reading practice with horse interactions to engage young readers and support literacy development for children.
• Readers in the Round Pen Book Club (Ages 8-12) Book club for children ages 8-12 that combines reading activities with horse interactions in the round pen setting to engage young readers.
• Camps Seasonal horse camps offering arts, crafts, and horse education activities for children and youth, including the Horse Camp program for ages 8-17 with mounted and unmounted activities, team building, and self-discovery.
• Book Club General book club program integrating reading activities with equine interactions to support literacy and engagement with horses.

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1992Parent organization providing guidelines and safety standards for equine-assisted activities and therapies. PATH Intl. is a federally registered 501(c)3 that leads the advancement of professional equine-assisted services. Stable Hands is a member organization with access to network of 5,500 individuals and over 730 programs around the country with more than 5,000 specially screened and trained horses.
• Baird - Gaffaney/Dolenshek GroupflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum sponsor for Denim, Dinner & Dreams event. Full-service financial advisory firm supporting the organization through event sponsorship.
• Lang Well DrillingmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGold sponsor for Denim, Dinner & Dreams event. Well drilling company supporting therapeutic programs through sponsorship.
• Culver'smajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant chain that selected Stable Hands as beneficiary for Share Night events. Board members volunteer at events from 4-8pm to help raise money for equine assisted therapy programs.
• St. Mary's SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal school that visits Stable Hands for service day projects. Students participate in activities including planting vegetables for horses, grooming, and working with mini horses.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Ability Center: Park City, Utah-based nonprofit providing a broader portfolio of adaptive recreation including skiing, cycling, and equine-assisted services to people of all abilities. Comparable to Stable Hands as a peer PATH center with veteran and adaptive-recreation programming, but operates at significantly larger scale and across more activity categories.
• Wounded Warrior Project: Large national nonprofit serving post-9/11 veterans across physical, mental, and rehabilitative dimensions. Included as an OTHERS-type peer given that Stable Hands' V.A.S.T. program serves the same beneficiary population and competes for the same corporate-sponsorship dollars, though at radically different scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center: Colorado-based PATH Intl. Premier Accredited nonprofit providing therapeutic riding, equine-assisted mental health, and veteran programs (including a dedicated VAST-style offering). Closely matches Stable Hands' combination of special-needs and veteran programming, plus a dedicated facility model.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. Connecticut-based PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center offering therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted learning to individuals with special needs. Comparable to Stable Hands in nonprofit structure, mission focus on physical/emotional/cognitive development, and recurring donor-driven revenue model.
• Mane Stream Therapeutic Riding Center: New Jersey-based nonprofit offering therapeutic riding and equine-assisted services to individuals with disabilities, veterans, and at-risk youth. Comparable to Stable Hands as a PATH-accredited, dedicated-facility, multi-program operator serving special-needs populations.
• Cheff Center for the Handicapped: Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has provided equine-assisted therapy and therapeutic riding to children and adults with disabilities since 1970. Directly comparable to Stable Hands in mission, program mix (therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, ground lessons), PATH International membership, and small-staff operating model serving a defined regional population.
• TRUMPF Therapeutic Riding of Manhattan and Putnam: New York-based PATH-affiliated nonprofit providing therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities to people with disabilities and veterans. Comparable as a small nonprofit equine-therapy operator with a diversified program portfolio and grassroots donor base.
• Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Academy: New Jersey-based nonprofit offering equine-assisted services for children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Comparable to Stable Hands in mission, PATH accreditation, and dedicated-farm service model for special-needs populations.

Regional players

• Sequoia Therapeutic Riding Services: Northern California-based nonprofit offering equine-assisted services including therapeutic riding and mental health programming. Direct mission peer to Stable Hands in the equine-assisted services category, though serving a West Coast geography rather than the Midwest.

Others

• PATH International: Federally registered 501(c)(3) that sets safety standards and accredits therapeutic horsemanship programs globally, including Stable Hands. Functions as the parent/credentialing body rather than a competitor; included because its 5,500-individual / 730-program network materially shapes Stable Hands' operating model and grant access.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stablehandstherapy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Stable Hands