Harnessing Hope

What Harnessing Hope does

Harnessing Hope Therapeutic Riding and Driving is a private nonprofit organization headquartered in Morristown, Indiana, providing equine-assisted therapeutic services to individuals ages 5 and up across Central Indiana. The organization was co-founded by Jennifer Wright, Dana Hilgert, and Ainsley Flannery, all of whom hold PATH International certifications (CTRI and additional specialty credentials) and apply a polyvagal nerve co-regulation framework to use horses as co-regulating partners for emotional and interpersonal skill development. A diagnosis is not required for participation, broadening the addressable population beyond traditional special-needs therapy.

The core service offering consists of three integrated programs: Therapeutic Riding (semi-private weekly 1-hour sessions at $60), Therapeutic Driving (semi-private weekly 1-hour sessions at $75 with two sets of driving lines), and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) delivered unmounted either at the farm or on location. A distinct Mobile Equine Learning Classroom, a specialized truck-and-trailer unit, extends EAL programming to schools, recovery houses, corporate teams, scouts, and community organizations throughout Central Indiana, eliminating transportation barriers. The organization maintains a diverse equine herd (Haflingers, Drafts, Mules, Fjords) to enable customized horse-participant pairings.

The business model combines per-session fee revenue with tax-deductible donations processed through GiveButter, and is supplemented by approved-provider relationships with the Indiana Educational Scholarship Fund and the Indiana Department of Child Services, which channel scholarship and agency funds to eligible participants. Insurance is not accepted, and weekly riding lessons operate seasonally from April to November in Indianapolis, while driving and mobile EAL are available year-round. Marketing relies on organic channels — Instagram, an email newsletter, and the company website — supported by community referrals and institutional partnerships.

Name

Harnessing Hope

Legal name

Harnessing Hope Therapeutic Riding and Driving

Website

https://harnessinghopeequine.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Harnessing Hope is a Morristown, Indiana-based nonprofit providing therapeutic riding, driving, and equine-assisted learning programs for individuals ages 5 and up across Central Indiana, using a polyvagal nerve co-regulation framework delivered by PATH-certified instructors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine-Assisted Therapy Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training (HSADAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Intervention & Skill-Building Programs (Speech/OT Support Materials, Social Skills) (EDACAJAJ), Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAK)

Keywords

• Equine assisted therapy
• Therapeutic horsemanship
• Therapeutic riding lessons
• Equine assisted learning
• Animal assisted therapy

Headquarters

HQ city

Morristown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Therapeutic Riding Lessons: Semi-private weekly riding lessons offered from April to November at $60.00 per 1-hour session. Private lessons available upon request.
2. Therapeutic Driving Lessons: Semi-private weekly driving lessons at $75.00 per 1-hour session, conducted with 2 sets of driving lines for participant support.
3. Equine Assisted Learning (EAL): Unmounted sessions offered at the farm or mobile locations, priced at time of inquiry. One-time or concurrent sessions available for schools, groups, scouts, recovery houses, and team building.
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through GiveButter platform to support equines and participant programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Harnessing Hope provides equine-assisted therapy and learning services, including therapeutic riding, therapeutic driving, and unmounted equine assisted learning (EAL) sessions grounded in polyvagal nerve co-regulation theory. Services are delivered at the Morristown, Indiana farm and through a Mobile Equine Learning Classroom that travels to schools, groups, and organizations throughout Central Indiana. Programs serve individuals ages 5 and up of all abilities, with no diagnosis required for participation.

Product overview

Harnessing Hope operates as a single equine therapy service offering four integrated programs centered around equine-assisted therapies. The core offerings include Therapeutic Riding and Therapeutic Driving (both semi-private weekly one-hour sessions focused on emotional co-regulation), supplemented by Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) for unmounted skill-building. A distinctive Mobile Equine Learning Classroom extends services to participants unable to visit the farm, providing a flexible delivery model that brings the therapeutic horse partnership experience directly to schools, groups, and organizations throughout Central Indiana. Insurance is not accepted, but the organization is an approved provider through the Indiana Educational Scholarship Fund and Indiana Department of Child Services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Riding

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Indiana Educational Scholarship Fund (Indiana Education Scholarship Account)coreOthersApproved provider through the Indiana Education Scholarship Account program, allowing families to use education scholarship funds for therapeutic services.
• Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS)coreOthersApproved provider through Indiana DCS, enabling children in the child welfare system to access equine-assisted therapy services.
• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter Member of PATH International, adhering to industry standards for therapeutic horsemanship. All instructors are PATH certified through their rigorous CTRI program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center: Established PATH Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center in Augusta, Michigan offering therapeutic riding, driving, and equine-assisted services for individuals with disabilities. Closely mirrors Harnessing Hope's core mounted therapy, driving, and EAL delivery model.
• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: PATH Premier Accredited center in Poplar Grove, Illinois offering therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted learning for special-needs individuals, schools, and groups. Comparable multi-program nonprofit serving the broader Midwest.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding: PATH Premier Accredited nonprofit in Old Lyme, Connecticut offering therapeutic riding and equine-assisted services for individuals with special needs, veterans, and at-risk youth. Directly comparable multi-segment delivery model with strong nonprofit structure.
• Therapeutic Riding at Blue Ridge (TRAC): PATH-affiliated therapeutic riding center offering mounted and unmounted equine-assisted programs for special-needs and at-risk populations. Comparable multi-program nonprofit model with similar participant outcomes focus.
• Heartland Equine Therapeutic Riding Academy (HETRA): PATH Premier Accredited center in Omaha, Nebraska providing therapeutic riding, carriage driving, and equine-assisted services. Comparable Midwest peer with similar mounted therapy, driving, and group programming focus.
• Mane in Heaven Therapeutic Riding Center: PATH-member therapeutic riding center in Wonder Lake, Illinois serving individuals with disabilities and offering group programs. Comparable Midwest peer with similar PATH-certified instructor base and special-needs focus.
• Strides to Success: Indiana-based therapeutic horsemanship center offering equine-assisted activities and mental health services in the Indianapolis region. Directly comparable as a Central Indiana PATH-member center serving similar special-needs, school, and corporate segments.

Regional players

• Special Equestrians: Therapeutic riding organization operating in the Indiana region (with affiliated chapters) offering equine-assisted activities for individuals with disabilities. Comparable service offering and target population, with overlapping geographic footprint in Indiana.

Others

• EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association): Professional organization that sets standards and provides certification for equine-assisted psychotherapy and learning. Functions as an adjacent credentialing network rather than a direct competitor, but represents an alternative professional framework some EAL providers follow.
• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.): The accrediting body that certifies Harnessing Hope as a Center Member and credentials its instructors (CTRI, CTDI, ESMHL). Not a direct competitor but the governing standards body and ecosystem convener for the therapeutic horsemanship industry.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/HarnessingHopeEquine
• Facebookfacebook.com/HarnessingHopeEquine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Harnessing Hope