Stride Ahead, Inc. Equine-Assisted Therapies

What Stride Ahead, Inc. Equine-Assisted Therapies does

Stride Ahead, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 by Anne Preston, delivering equine-assisted therapy programs from a single location at Little Creek Horse Farm in Decatur, Georgia. The organization serves a diverse set of populations including children and adults with disabilities (autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and others), military veterans with PTSD and combat-related injuries, at-risk youth, individuals recovering from substance abuse and trauma, and front-line workers experiencing burnout.

Programs are delivered through five core modalities: Therapeutic Riding (PATH International-certified instruction), the Veterans Program, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP, following the Eagala model), and Stress Relief sessions. The core methodology pairs horses' natural ability to mirror human emotions with qualified human facilitators, including licensed mental health professionals (LPCs and LCSWs), PATH-certified riding instructors, and Eagala-certified equine specialists. The organization maintains no proprietary software, no mobile application, and no digital delivery channel — all programs require in-person attendance at the farm.

Revenue is generated through a combination of therapeutic lesson fees (offered on a sliding scale), individual one-time and recurring donations, planned giving instruments (bequests, life insurance, retirement beneficiary designations, charitable trusts), stock gifts, and foundation grants (notably the Eveland Family Foundation of Georgia for the Veterans Program). The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth, volunteer referrals, partnerships with healthcare providers such as the Shepherd Center, earned media (including a 2024 CNN World Mental Health Day feature), newsletter distribution, and community events. Operations are supported by approximately 10 paid staff and over 200 registered volunteers, with governance provided by a board of eight directors.

Name

Stride Ahead, Inc. Equine-Assisted Therapies

Legal name

Stride Ahead, Inc.

Website

https://strideahead.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stride Ahead, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2009 that delivers equine-assisted therapy programs — therapeutic riding, EAP, EAL, Veterans, and Stress Relief — at Little Creek Horse Farm in Decatur, Georgia, serving individuals with disabilities, veterans, at-risk youth, and front-line workers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Therapeutic Lesson Fees: Fees charged for therapeutic riding, EAP, EAL, and stress relief sessions. Sliding scale payment options are available for riders unable to pay full cost.
2. Individual Donations: One-time gifts and monthly bank transfers from individual donors. Stride Ahead is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, making donations fully tax-deductible.
3. Planned Giving: Bequests via last will and testament, life insurance beneficiary designations, retirement plan beneficiaries, and charitable trust arrangements.
4. Stock Gifts: Gifts of stock accepted as charitable contributions.
5. Foundation Grants: The Veterans Program is supported by a grant from the Eveland Family Foundation of Georgia. Additional grant funding supports other program operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stride Ahead provides equine-assisted therapy programs at Little Creek Horse Farm in Decatur, Georgia. Five core programs — Therapeutic Riding, Veterans Program, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), and Stress Relief — pair horses with certified instructors and licensed mental health professionals to address physical, emotional, and social challenges for children and adults with disabilities, veterans, at-risk youth, and front-line workers.

Product overview

Stride Ahead, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering equine-assisted therapy programs at Little Creek Horse Farm in Decatur, Georgia. The organization provides five core therapeutic programs: Therapeutic Riding, Veterans Program, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), and Stress Relief. These programs are delivered through partnerships between horses, certified equine professionals, and licensed mental health professionals. The organization also offers merchandise as an ancillary offering. Programs are designed to address a broad range of physical, emotional, and developmental challenges for children and adults.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Riding Weekly therapeutic riding lessons for children and adults with disabilities (including ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, paraplegia, stroke, TBI, and others). Each session combines time on the horse with ground-based partnership-building to improve strength, balance, flexibility, motor coordination, communication, social interaction, and self-confidence.
• Veterans Program Equine-assisted therapy program for military men and women healing from combat-related injuries, PTSD, and emotional trauma. Sessions are conducted at Little Creek Horse Farm with horses, licensed therapists, and trained equine specialists in a calm, supportive environment.
• Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Experiential program for individuals of all ages and abilities that combines character-building exercises with personal coaching to develop life skills, including trust, body language, respect, risk management, decision-making, impulsivity management, empathy, teamwork, leadership, and social skills.
• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) Psychotherapy program for clients recovering from PTSD, substance abuse, trauma, depression, and other psychological issues. Licensed mental health professionals work with certified equine specialists using the Eagala model with unhindered horses in ground-based sessions.
• Stress Relief Program One-on-one private sessions with certified equine professionals offering individuals — particularly front-line workers, first responders, veterans, and teachers — an opportunity to unwind and relax with horses in a calm, supportive environment.
• Merchandise Branded merchandise available for purchase to support Stride Ahead's mission.

Quantifiable outcome

• Stride Ahead has served veterans, at-risk youth, individuals with spinal cord injuries, and others since founding in 2009, with programs addressing a broad range of physical and mental health challenges.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Shepherd CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree times per month, Stride Ahead provides therapy sessions for Shepherd Center clients. Sessions are overseen by a Shepherd Center occupational therapist or physical therapist, serving clients with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries.
• Little Creek Horse FarmcoreOthersStride Ahead operates from Little Creek Horse Farm in Decatur, Georgia. The farm provides the physical space and horse infrastructure needed to deliver all equine-assisted therapy programs. Little Creek is owned and managed separately, with Stride Ahead as a tenant program.
• Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH)coreOthersStride Ahead is a PATH Intl-accredited center. Staff instructors are nationally certified by PATH International. The organization adheres to PATH's professional standards for therapeutic horsemanship and safety.
• Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (Eagala)coreOthersStride Ahead's mental health professionals and equine specialists have undergone intensive training under Eagala guidelines. The Eagala Model is the industry standard for equine-assisted treatment in mental health. Stride Ahead follows Eagala's professional standards for EAP delivery.
• Green Gate MarketingminorOthersGreen Gate Marketing provides website design services for Stride Ahead, maintaining the organization's digital presence.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• Chastain Horse Park: Atlanta-area horse park offering therapeutic riding and lessons; identified in Stride Ahead's data as a prior employer of one of its instructors and operates in the same metro geography.

Direct peers

• Mane Stream: PATH Intl Premier Accredited center in New Jersey providing equine-assisted services to individuals with disabilities, veterans, and at-risk youth — a strong functional peer across therapeutic riding and EAP delivery.
• BraveHearts Therapeutic Horsemanship: PATH Intl Premier Accredited Center in Illinois offering therapeutic riding, equine-assisted learning, and mental-health programs for veterans, children with disabilities, and at-risk youth — the closest large-scale analog to Stride Ahead's program mix and standards.
• Hearts & Horses Therapeutic Riding Center: PATH Intl Premier Accredited nonprofit in Colorado delivering therapeutic riding, equine-assisted activities, and mental-health services — directly comparable mission, credentialing, and program structure.
• Heartland Horses Equine Activities & Learning (HHEAL): Equine-assisted activities and learning nonprofit explicitly identified in Stride Ahead's data as a prior employer of its instructor Claire Langway — directly comparable programmatic offering.
• SpiritHorse International: Nonprofit operating equine-assisted therapy centers across multiple states serving children with disabilities, veterans, and at-risk youth — comparable program portfolio with a multi-site model.

Others

• EAGALA: Industry standards body whose model Stride Ahead follows for EAP delivery; relevant as the certifying/ecosystem peer governing how equine-assisted psychotherapy is practiced across the field.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stride-ahead-inc.

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 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 Stride Ahead, Inc. Equine-Assisted Therapies