Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
Freedom Ride is a nonprofit equine-assisted services center in Orlando, Florida, serving children and adults with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding and ground-based equine-facilitated learning. Founded in 1998, the program has grown into a well-established Central Florida organization with both mounted and unmounted services designed to support confidence, coordination, life skills, and connection through work with horses.
Set on a 25-acre farm on Bay Lake Road, Freedom Ride offers a broader equine-assisted environment than a riding-only lesson barn. The program combines structured therapeutic riding with additional equine learning experiences, creating a setting that feels active, supportive, and centered on meaningful relationships between riders, horses, staff, and volunteers.
About This Program
Freedom Ride focuses on therapeutic horseback riding and ground-based equine-facilitated learning for individuals with disabilities, with some programming also extended to veterans. Lessons are taught by PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, and the organization identifies itself as the first Premier Accredited PATH Intl. facility in Central Florida. Its work is structured around individualized goals, which helps the program serve riders with different physical, developmental, emotional, and learning needs in a way that feels personal rather than one-size-fits-all.
The center also stands out for the way it frames its services as equine-assisted services more broadly, not only therapeutic riding. That wider model allows riders and participants to benefit from both mounted instruction and unmounted horse interactions, which can be especially valuable for those who respond well to routine, sensory engagement, groundwork, and relationship-building around horses.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic horseback riding lessons
- Ground-based equine-facilitated learning
- Adaptive riding with individualized goals
- Unmounted equine-assisted activities
- Selected equine-assisted programming for veterans
Who They Serve
- Children with disabilities
- Adults with disabilities
- Riders who benefit from adaptive or therapeutic riding instruction
- Individuals who benefit from ground-based equine learning
- Veterans in selected programs
Facility and Setting
Freedom Ride operates from 3919 Bay Lake Road in Orlando, where it relocated in 2022 to a larger 25-acre farm. The move gave the organization room to expand its facilities and better support continued program growth, including a setting designed for both horse care and ongoing equine-assisted programming.
The farm setting gives the program a grounded, spacious feel that suits both therapeutic riding and unmounted work. Rather than feeling clinical or limited to a single lesson format, the environment supports a fuller equine experience where riders can spend time developing skills, trust, and familiarity with horses in a purpose-built setting.
What Makes Them Unique
Freedom Ride’s strongest distinction is the breadth of its equine-assisted services. The program is not limited to riding lessons alone: it also includes ground-based equine-facilitated learning, allowing participants to engage with horses in different ways depending on their goals, strengths, and support needs.
Its long history in Central Florida, nonprofit structure, PATH Intl. credentials, and expanded 25-acre home also give it the feel of an established regional program rather than a small informal barn. For families looking for a center with both experience and a wider service model, Freedom Ride offers a strong combination of therapeutic focus and organizational depth.