Location: Grovetown, Georgia, United States
Blue Ribbon Riders is a nonprofit therapeutic riding and hippotherapy program based at Maple Knoll Farm in Grovetown, Georgia, serving children and adults with special needs in the Augusta region.
The program was established in 1995 by Claudia Morin, a PATH International certified riding instructor and Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist, initially operating at two locations in the Augusta area before relocating to Maple Knoll Farm — Morin’s own property — in 2003, at which point it became a formal 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Blue Ribbon Riders is one of the few programs in Georgia with a clinical hippotherapy program, and its founder holds the distinction of being a founding member of the American Hippotherapy Association.
About This Program
Blue Ribbon Riders offers both hippotherapy and therapeutic riding, distinguishing between the two as clinically distinct services. Hippotherapy sessions are delivered by licensed therapists — occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists — who use the three-dimensional movement of the horse as a treatment strategy to engage the sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems of each patient. These are medical treatment sessions that require professional clinical oversight, not simply adapted riding lessons.
Therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities are also offered for participants who are working toward horsemanship and developmental goals. The program operates on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and relies on a dedicated team of trained volunteers who groom and tack the horses before each session and serve as horse leaders and sidewalkers during lessons.
Claudia Morin’s expertise extends well beyond the local program. As a founding member of the American Hippotherapy Association, she has taught hippotherapy courses to therapists across the United States and internationally, and has served on the AHA board. The program has also developed a meaningful academic relationship with Augusta University, where faculty in the physical therapy department have incorporated Blue Ribbon Riders into clinical research and student training. Doctor of physical therapy students have completed research projects on-site, gaining exposure to hippotherapy in a real-world, non-clinical environment.
Services Offered
- Hippotherapy (physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy using equine movement)
- Therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities
- Therapist training and continuing education in hippotherapy
- Clinical research partnership with Augusta University
Who They Serve
Blue Ribbon Riders may be a good fit for:
- Children and 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 or speech impairment
- Individuals with head trauma or brain injury
- Individuals with multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy
- Individuals with orthopedic issues
- Individuals with hearing or visual impairment
- Individuals with emotional or behavioral conditions
- Individuals with genetic conditions or disorders
- Individuals with spina bifida
- Individuals with sensory processing difficulties
Facility and Setting
Blue Ribbon Riders operates at Maple Knoll Farm on Reynolds Farm Road in Grovetown, Georgia, in Columbia County just west of Augusta. The program runs sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays and maintains a small herd of therapy horses selected and conditioned specifically for therapeutic and hippotherapy work. Volunteers receive training prior to each session cycle and are integral to the daily operation of the program.
- Grovetown, Georgia location (Columbia County)
- 987 Reynolds Farm Road, Grovetown, GA 30813
- Maple Knoll Farm — founder-owned facility
- Monday and Wednesday afternoon sessions
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
- Volunteer-supported program
- Academic partnership with Augusta University
What Makes Them Unique
Blue Ribbon Riders is led by one of the most credentialed hippotherapy practitioners in the southeastern United States. Claudia Morin’s status as a founding member of the American Hippotherapy Association, combined with her decades of clinical practice and international teaching experience, gives the program a level of clinical depth that is rare in a community-based nonprofit setting. The program is not simply a riding center that has added some therapy elements — it was built from the ground up as a medically oriented hippotherapy program, with therapeutic riding offered alongside it.
The partnership with Augusta University adds another layer of distinction. The program serves as a living research site where physical therapy doctoral students design and carry out studies, giving participants access to an environment where the science behind their treatment is actively being developed and examined.
For families in the Augusta region seeking a hippotherapy provider with genuine clinical pedigree, Blue Ribbon Riders is one of the most qualified options in Georgia.