Special Strides

What Special Strides does

Special Strides is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1998 and headquartered on a 100-acre Congress Hill Farm in Monroe Township, New Jersey. It delivers therapy, recreation, and education services to children and adults with special needs by integrating licensed physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy with hippotherapy and adaptive equestrian activities. Its core technology is the purposeful manipulation of equine movement as a therapeutic modality: the rhythmic, repetitive, and variable gait of horses is used to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems, with therapists applying evidence-based clinical reasoning frameworks (NDT, PNF, motor learning, sensory integration) to drive functional outcomes such as trunk control, balance, gait, and postural endurance.

The organization operates a portfolio of services including Physical/Occupational/Speech Therapy with hippotherapy, Adaptive Riding, Adaptive Carriage Driving, Equine Facilitated Learning, and the EQUUS program. Pricing is fee-for-service at $200 per 45-minute therapy session and $100 per 45-minute adaptive horsemanship session, with services partially subsidized through donations, annual corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events such as the Annual Gala and Summer Concert. Financial assistance is provided via the Steven Werthan Memorial Fund. Special Strides also runs a clinical education alliance with nine PT and OT universities and serves as a top-level hosting facility for the American Hippotherapy Association and a PATH International Certified Center.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer from the single Monroe, NJ facility, with prospective clients scheduling site visits and meeting therapists in person; awareness is driven through organic social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube), community events, and a volunteer engagement program. The organization is led by Executive Director Susie Rehr (PT) and Founding Director Laurie Landy (OTR), supported by a staff of approximately 15 employees, with significant operational reliance on community volunteers serving weekly 2-3 hour slots.

Name

Special Strides

Legal name

Special Strides

Website

https://specialstrides.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Special Strides is a non-profit therapy clinic and adaptive riding center in Monroe, NJ that provides physical, occupational, and speech therapy incorporating hippotherapy, along with adaptive riding and equine facilitated learning, to children and adults with special needs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Equine-Assisted Therapy Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAKAGAH

Gait, Balance & Coordination Rehabilitation (School-Age)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Physical Therapy (PT) Services (School-Age)

SECONDARYEDAKAGAG

Gross Motor Development & Motor Learning Interventions

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Physical Therapy (PT) Services (School-Age)

SECONDARYHSADAAAL

Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Monroe Township

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. Therapy Services: Fee-for-service therapy sessions including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy using hippotherapy as an integrated treatment approach.
2. Adaptive Riding/Recreation Services: Fee-for-service adaptive horseback riding and carriage driving programs for individuals with special needs.
3. Donations and Sponsorships: Non-profit relies on donations, sponsorships, and fundraising to subsidize services and provide financial assistance to those who qualify.
4. Annual Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide annual support through various sponsorship tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Special Strides is a non-profit therapy clinic located on Congress Hill Farm in Monroe, NJ that delivers physical, occupational, and speech therapy incorporating hippotherapy (evidence-based use of equine movement to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems), along with adaptive riding, adaptive carriage driving, and equine facilitated learning programs for individuals with special needs. Services are partially subsidized through donations and sponsorships, with financial assistance available through the Steven Werthan Memorial Fund.

Product overview

Special Strides is a non-profit multi-disciplinary therapy clinic and adaptive riding center offering a comprehensive suite of equine assisted activities and therapy services. The core offerings include Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy (incorporating hippotherapy), Adaptive Riding, Adaptive Carriage Driving, Equine Facilitated Learning, and the EQUUS Learning Program. The organization also provides Clinical Education and Internship Programs for PT and OT students. These services are delivered through a combination of therapy, horses, and natural farm environment, with all sessions partially subsidized through fundraising efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Multi-disciplinary therapy services where occupational, physical, and speech-language pathologists use evidence-based clinical reasoning with equine movement to engage sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes for children and adults with special needs.
• Adaptive Riding A recreationally based horseback riding program conducted by PATH International certified riding instructors, where participants learn riding and horsemanship skills with assistance from instructors and volunteers using indoor and outdoor arenas and 100 acres of wooded trails.
• Adaptive Carriage Driving Therapeutic driving program offered as part of the equine assisted activities and therapy services for individuals with special needs who cannot or prefer not to ride.
• Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) A non-mounted, hands-on program where clients learn to care for and interact with horses, understand horse behavior, and transfer those skills to everyday life through activities like grooming, memorizing horse anatomy, and using body language to lead horses.
• EQUUS Learning Program An experiential learning program for adolescents and adults with different learning styles and needs, designed to help participants discover strengths through engagement with horses and farm activities, developing horsemanship and human-ship skills to foster interpersonal growth, communication, confidence, self-esteem, leadership, and teamwork.
• Clinical Education and Internship Programs Clinical education alliance with physical therapy and occupational therapy schools, hosting PT and OT students for Level I and Level II placements, as well as mentorship opportunities for therapeutic riding instructor certification through PATH International.

Quantifiable outcome

• Client with cerebral palsy who started walking independently after only 2 sessions when therapist expected 6-8 more months

Named customers5 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• BDO USAminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• A.D. WinstonminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• MandN FarmsminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• ShopRite of Spotswood, NJminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• DemarcominorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• The Bank of PrincetonminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Amboy BankminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• DunkinminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• CentraStateminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• WegmansminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• GFox FinancialminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Wilkin GuttenplanminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• CG Tax Audit AdvisoryminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• OceanFirstminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• EverestminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Pavese McCormickminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Charles EngelhardminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• ABLminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Casa Luca FoundationminorOthersFoundation sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides programs
• Werbler FamiliesminorOthersFamily foundation providing scholarship support to Special Strides programs
• Iantosca FamilyminorOthersFamily sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides programs
• Comp-X MedicalminorOthersAnnual sponsor providing financial support to Special Strides non-profit programs
• Northeastern UniversityminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• Simmons CollegeminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• Quinnipiac UniversityminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• University of IowaminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• University of WisconsinminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• Thomas Jefferson UniversityminorOthersPhysical therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• NYUminorOthersOccupational therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• Seton Hall UniversityminorOthersOccupational therapy school with student placement contracts at Special Strides
• Kean UniversityminorOthersOccupational therapy school with Level I and Level II student placements at Special Strides
• American Hippotherapy AssociationcoreOthersTop-level hosting facility for AHA, annually hosting several courses throughout spring and summer for professional education
• PATH InternationalcoreOthersProfessional Association of Horsemanship for Individuals with Special Needs - provides mentorship for therapeutic riding instructor certification

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ride On St. Louis: St. Louis-area nonprofit offering adaptive horseback riding and equine-assisted therapy services. Comparable nonprofit, special-needs focus, and donation-supported model.
• Mane Stream: New Jersey-based nonprofit offering hippotherapy, adaptive riding, and equine-facilitated learning on a farm facility. The closest geographic and service-line comparable to Special Strides, also drawing on PT/OT/SLP integration with equine movement.
• High Hopes Therapeutic Riding: PATH International Premier Accredited Center in Connecticut providing therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy, and equine-facilitated learning. Closely mirrors Special Strides' service mix, credentialing, and nonprofit funding model.
• Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center: Colorado nonprofit providing therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, and equine-assisted services for individuals with special needs. Comparable mission, multiple service lines, and donation-supported nonprofit structure.
• Equi-Librium Therapeutic Riding: Pennsylvania-based PATH-affiliated therapeutic riding center serving individuals with disabilities. Mid-Atlantic regional peer with overlapping therapy and adaptive riding services.
• National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT): California-based nonprofit combining hippotherapy, adaptive riding, and mental-health equine services. Comparable multidisciplinary therapy center model with university placement programs.
• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: Illinois-based PATH Premier Accredited Center offering therapeutic horseback riding, hippotherapy, and equine-facilitated learning. Overlaps directly on therapy-plus-recreation offering and credentialing profile.
• Cheff Center for the Theraputic Riding: Michigan-based nonprofit offering hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, and carriage driving with PATH/AHA-affiliated instructors. Comparable operational footprint and multidisciplinary therapy-plus-recreation model.

Others

• American Hippotherapy Association: Industry/credentialing body for hippotherapy clinicians and hosting facilities. Not a competitor but a direct ecosystem partner — Special Strides is a top-level hosting facility for AHA courses.

Regional players

• GallopNYC: New York City therapeutic horsemanship nonprofit offering adaptive riding and equine-facilitated programs. Geographically adjacent (Tri-state) but operates urban-stable sites rather than a farm setting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwhNgs-Uet1oa_O1fPqkoeg
• Facebookfacebook.com/Special-Strides-380641341975419
• Instagraminstagram.com/special.strides
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/specialstrides

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Special Strides