GRACE Rides
DeFuniak Springs, Florida
GRACE Rides is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit therapeutic riding center in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. According to its website, it offers equine-assisted activities for people with physical, cognitive and emotional special needs, plus veterans and mental health programs and camps.
- Therapeutic riding (small group sessions)
- Horses for Heroes veterans program
- Equine-assisted mental health program (by contract with a provider)
- Spring and summer day camps
- In-house horse shows
- Horse sponsorship
- People with physical, cognitive or emotional special needs
- Veterans
- Youth referred by a contracted mental health provider
- Children with and without special needs (camps)
More about this center
About the Program
GRACE Rides says it schedules therapeutic riding sessions Tuesday through Friday, with occasional Saturday horse shows. Sessions generally last 45 minutes with 1 to 4 riders, grouped by age and challenge level, in seasons of 6 to 12 weeks.
Its Horses for Heroes program, started in fall 2018, is an 8-week course in which each veteran works with the same horse weekly, moving from ground skills to riding. See our guide to equine therapy for veterans. The website also describes a mental health program, begun in fall 2017 with a contracted local provider, teaching horse care and ground work in weekly 90-minute sessions.
The Horses and Staff
The staff page lists Executive Director Sherry Hall and instructor Anne Jennete, both PATH Intl. certified instructors. An April 2025 news report said the center has 20 therapy horses on a 40-acre site and serves about 57 clients a week.
History and Volunteering
The center says it was started in 2008 by volunteers at a stable in Niceville and later built a 9,000 sq ft barn in DeFuniak Springs. Session volunteers must be 14 or older and barn volunteers 12 or older; no horse experience is needed.
Location
GRACE Rides is located at 2061 Corbin Gainey Rd, DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435.
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 a rider?
Submit the rider application packet from the website, including a page signed by a physician, then attend a one-on-one evaluation with an instructor. An April 2025 news report mentioned a waiting list of 20 to 25 people.
How much does it cost?
Call Sherry at (850) 259-9195. The website says no rider should be excluded for lack of funds. Camps are listed at $175 (special needs) and $275 (typical). See our guide to equine therapy costs.
What are camps like?
According to the website, camps usually run four days from 9 a.m. to noon, with a riding lesson, crafts and a snack each day.
Location
DeFuniak Springs, Florida 32435
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.