Location: Hampton, Georgia, United States
The Calvin Center Therapeutic Riding Program is a PATH International Premier Accredited Center located at Calvin Center, a 536-acre retreat and conference center owned by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, situated about 20 miles south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Hampton, Georgia.
The therapeutic riding program opened in 2001 and has provided equine-assisted services to residents of the southwest Atlanta region for more than two decades. All programs are led by PATH-certified instructors and supported by trained volunteers, including active-duty military personnel and veterans who participate through the Horses and Warriors program.
About This Program
Calvin Center’s therapeutic riding program operates within a unique setting — a Christian retreat and conference center with a deep commitment to serving all people, including those with disabilities.
The program embraces the belief that there is real medicine in the horse-rider relationship, and that the rhythmic, three-dimensional movement of a horse’s gait stimulates the rider’s body in ways that produce genuine physical and emotional results.
The program runs four sessions from September through May, with summer months dedicated to Camp Calvin’s Saddle Up! program — a summer horse camp serving riders of all abilities from age 5 through adults. A five-step intake process ensures that each new participant is matched to an appropriate space, session, and support level before their first lesson.
Beyond therapeutic riding, Calvin Center offers hippotherapy services with licensed occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, recreational riding lessons, group trail rides, and a full slate of equestrian education opportunities.
The center also serves as a professional development hub for therapeutic riding instructors, hosting PATH International workshops, on-demand certifications, instructor apprenticeships, internships, and a two-part Therapeutic Riding Instructor Series designed to help candidates pursue or advance their PATH CTRI certification.
The Horses and Warriors program runs every Friday and integrates active-duty military and veterans into the center as horse leaders, sidewalkers, barn volunteers, and program assistants — offering a dual benefit of service to therapeutic riders and equine-based wellness for the veterans themselves.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic riding (PATH-certified, September through May)
- Hippotherapy with licensed occupational therapist or speech-language pathologist
- Recreational riding lessons (all abilities, age 5 and up)
- Group trail rides
- Summer horse camp — Camp Calvin’s Saddle Up!
- Horses and Warriors veteran program (Fridays)
- PATH International workshops and certifications
- CTRI (Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor) training series and mentoring
- Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning (ESMHL) programs
- Instructor apprenticeships and internships
Who They Serve
Calvin Center Therapeutic Riding Program may be a good fit for:
- Children and adults with developmental, physical, or learning disabilities, from age 5
- Individuals with cerebral palsy or extreme spasticity
- Individuals with balance, coordination, or core strength challenges
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder
- Individuals with intellectual disabilities
- Individuals who benefit from gross and fine motor skill development
- Active-duty military and veterans (Horses and Warriors program)
- Beginner, recreational, and experienced riders without disabilities
- Therapeutic riding instructors seeking PATH certification or CEUs
Facility and Setting
Calvin Center is located at 13550 Woolsey Road in Hampton, Georgia, in Henry County, approximately 20 miles south of the Atlanta airport. The 536-acre property offers rolling hills, pastoral landscapes, trails, and a full equestrian center. It is a year-round facility serving more than 21,000 guests annually across its camping, retreat, conference, and equestrian programs. The natural setting and Christian mission of the larger center shape the atmosphere of the therapeutic riding program.
- Hampton, Georgia location (Henry County, southwest of Atlanta)
- 13550 Woolsey Road, Hampton, GA
- Located at Calvin Center — 536-acre retreat and conference center
- PATH International Premier Accredited Center
- Year-round programming
- Owned and operated by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta
What Makes Them Unique
Calvin Center’s therapeutic riding program is embedded within a larger mission-driven institution — a faith-based retreat center serving tens of thousands of guests each year — and that institutional infrastructure gives the equestrian program a stability and breadth of resources that standalone therapeutic riding centers rarely enjoy.
The combination of therapeutic riding, hippotherapy, recreational riding, summer camps, and professional instructor training under one roof makes Calvin Center one of the most comprehensively programmed equestrian centers in the greater Atlanta region.
The Horses and Warriors program’s integration of military volunteers into the therapeutic riding sessions is also genuinely distinctive. Rather than running a separate veteran program, Calvin Center weaves veterans into the fabric of its existing sessions, creating a community where healing happens reciprocally — veterans supporting riders while finding their own connection to the horses and the land.