Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center
Haymarket, Virginia
Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center is a nonprofit in Haymarket, Virginia, founded in 1985, that offers therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities. It serves children, teens, adults and veterans with physical, cognitive, educational and mental health challenges. The center says it is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center and that all of its instructors are PATH Intl. certified.
- Therapeutic riding (private and group lessons)
- Groundwork lessons
- Child and teen program
- Adult program
- Military and veteran program
- Youth community partner programs
- Field trips for schools and groups
- Children and teens (age 4 and up)
- Adults
- Veterans
- People with autism, Down syndrome or cerebral palsy
- People with PTSD, traumatic brain injury or mental health challenges
- People who are blind or deaf
- Special education students
More about this center
About the Program
Riders take weekly lessons, either 30-minute private lessons or 45-minute group lessons. Each rider is assigned one instructor per semester, who sets personal goals with the rider and chooses a horse suited to the rider's skills. Up to three volunteers may help each rider with balance or steering, depending on the rider's needs.
Spring and fall semesters run 10 weeks, and winter and summer semesters run 6 weeks. Riders can sign up for one semester or ride year-round, and lessons are scheduled Tuesday through Saturday. The adult and military programs also include groundwork, and the center says scholarships are available to all veterans (see equine therapy for veterans).
Community Partners and Field Trips
Rainbow works with case workers from area Family Assessment and Planning Teams (FAPT) and the Youth For Tomorrow residential facility on programs for young people facing mental health and behavioral challenges. It also runs a transitions program with Fauquier County Public Schools that gives special education students ages 18 to 22 hands-on work experience and life skills.
Field trips can be tailored for scout troops, schools, homeschoolers, church and community groups, special education programs and corporate visits.
The Horses and Staff
The center has nine horses. The center says it selects horses for experience, physical ability and temperament, and introduces new horses to wheelchairs, walkers, canes and the mounting ramp during a trial period.
Maddie Gierber is the executive director. The instructor team includes Sharon Cavallaro, MEd, MS CCC-SLP; Joan Bushore, MSN, RN, who is also volunteer coordinator; Julie McGuire; and Nicole Dabney, each a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor.
Volunteering
Volunteers must be at least 14 and complete hands-on training. Side walkers support riders during lessons. Horse-leaders lead and care for the horses; they need prior horse experience and must first have volunteered as side walkers at Rainbow.
Location
The center is at 16198 Silver Lake Road, Haymarket, VA 20169, at the entrance to Silver Lake Regional Park, and moved to this site in 2008. Visits are by appointment.
The facility includes an indoor arena with a heated and air-conditioned viewing lounge, an outdoor ring, a round pen, an eleven-stall barn and fenced paddocks, plus trails in Silver Lake Park. The center describes it as fully ADA compliant, with wheelchair-accessible parking and a mounting ramp.
From public records, not yet reviewed by the center · Last updated Oct 2026 Suggest an edit
Common Questions
Answered from the center’s own website and public records.
How do I enroll at Rainbow Therapeutic Riding Center?
Fill out the student application form on the center's website. For questions or to arrange a tour, call 703-794-5308 or email rainbow@rainbowriding.org.
What is the minimum age for riders?
The child and teen program accepts riders from age 4.
How much do lessons cost?
Contact Robin Firestone at rainbow@rainbowriding.org or 703-794-5308 for current rates. Scholarships are available, and families who need help with the cost can ask about them. See our guide to equine therapy costs.
Location
Haymarket, Virginia 20169
Questions to Ask When You Call
The center is the best source for these answers.
- Are you running now, and taking new riders?Start here. We couldn’t confirm a current schedule.
- Which ages and needs do you work with?Ask about experience with your rider’s specific condition.
- Is a licensed PT, OT or speech therapist involved?Therapist-led hippotherapy is usually the only kind insurance may cover.
- What does a session cost, and are there scholarships?Many nonprofit programs offer sliding scales or sponsored spots.
- Do you have a mounting ramp or lift?Important for riders who use a wheelchair or need help mounting.