Location: Canton, Georgia, United States
Bearfoot Ranch is a nonprofit equestrian center in Canton, Georgia that serves two interconnected missions: providing therapeutic riding for children and adults with special needs, and rescuing horses that have experienced abuse, neglect, or surrender. Incorporated in 2010, the ranch operates on the belief that the relationship between people and horses is mutually healing, and that giving a horse a second chance can in turn give a rider one too.
About This Program
Bearfoot Ranch offers therapeutic riding lessons in a structured, safety-focused environment where children and individuals with special needs work with horses to build physical strength, coordination, confidence, and independence. Riders also receive instruction in horsemanship fundamentals including ground manners, grooming, and horse care, giving participants a fuller understanding of the animals they work with.
Lessons are individualized to match the ability and goals of each rider, with volunteers playing an essential supporting role in every session. The ranch has served as a host facility for the Forsyth County Special Olympics equestrian team and continues to support Special Olympics participation as part of its programming.
Beyond riding, Bearfoot Ranch runs summer camps for children ages 7 and up, offering a multi-day immersive experience that includes feeding, grooming, tacking, arena riding, trail riding, and crafts. Birthday parties and community events are also held at the ranch throughout the year.
The rescue side of Bearfoot Ranch operates in close partnership with local animal control authorities. Horses that arrive at the ranch following seizure or surrender are prioritized for physical and emotional rehabilitation. Those that are assessed as suitable for lesson work may eventually join the therapeutic riding program, while others are placed in carefully vetted foster or forever homes. The ranch maintains long-term relationships with all horses it places, operating under the principle that once a horse joins the herd, it remains part of the family.
Bearfoot Ranch is also a participant in the Tarpan Horse Conservation Program, supporting awareness and education around the legacy of the ancient Tarpan breed.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic riding lessons
- Recreational riding
- Summer day camps (ages 7 and up)
- Groundwork and horsemanship education
- Grooming and tacking instruction
- Special Olympics equestrian training and competition
- 4-H programming
- Horse rescue and rehabilitation
- Horse sponsorship program
- Birthday parties and community events
- Trail riding
Who They Serve
Bearfoot Ranch may be a good fit for:
- Children with special needs
- Adults with special needs
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder
- Individuals with cerebral palsy
- Individuals with Down syndrome
- Individuals with ADD or other hyperactivity disorders
- Individuals with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities
- Individuals with learning disabilities
- Individuals with head trauma or brain injury
- Individuals with multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy
- Individuals with orthopedic issues or paralysis
- Individuals with hearing impairment
- Individuals with emotional or behavioral conditions
- Individuals with genetic conditions or disorders
- Amputees
- At-risk youth
- Special Olympics participants
- Families and children interested in horsemanship and camp experiences
Facility and Setting
Bearfoot Ranch is located at 12976 Cumming Highway in Canton, Georgia, in the Cherokee County area north of Atlanta. The facility operates Tuesday through Saturday by appointment and serves families from across the greater north Georgia region. The ranch maintains an active horse herd that includes both rescue horses and established lesson horses, all managed with an emphasis on the physical and emotional wellbeing of each animal.
- Canton, Georgia location (Cherokee County)
- 12976 Cumming Highway, Canton, GA 30115
- Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 5pm, by appointment
- Active horse rescue and rehabilitation facility
- Tarpan Horse Conservation Program participant
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
- Volunteer-supported program
What Makes Them Unique
What sets Bearfoot Ranch apart is the direct link between its rescue operation and its therapeutic riding program. Many of the horses participants ride have themselves come through hardship, and that shared experience of recovery and trust-building adds a layer of meaning to the work that is difficult to replicate in a conventional therapeutic setting. Riders are not just working with trained lesson horses; in many cases they are working with animals that had to learn to trust humans again, just as some of the riders themselves are working to build that same capacity.
The ranch’s involvement with Special Olympics, its community education programming around horse welfare and the Tarpan breed, and its willingness to serve participants regardless of ability level all reflect a broad and generous program philosophy. For families in the north Georgia region looking for a therapeutic riding experience with genuine heart, Bearfoot Ranch is a distinctive option.