Location: Godfrey, Illinois, United States
The Equestrian Center at Beverly Farm is a PATH International accredited equestrian program located on Beverly Farm’s 220-acre campus in Godfrey, Illinois.
Established in 1993 as part of Beverly Farm’s Development Training Program, the center has grown over three decades into a full-service equestrian facility that serves both Beverly Farm’s residents — adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who live on campus — and the broader community. It is one of the only therapeutic equestrian facilities in the region and sits at the center of a community that has cared for individuals with developmental disabilities since 1897.
About This Program
Beverly Farm itself is a planned residential community near the northern edge of Godfrey, providing homes, medical services, day training, recreation, and meaningful work for nearly 300 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Equestrian Center is one of the campus’s most distinctive features, offering a setting where residents and outside participants alike can experience the physical, emotional, and social benefits of working with horses.
Equine-assisted activity sessions are available to individuals who want structured interaction with horses outside of a formal riding lesson format. These sessions are designed to provide therapeutic benefits through grooming, leading, and ground-based engagement with the animals, making them accessible to a wider range of participants including those who may not be ready for mounted work.
Riding lessons cover both English and Western disciplines for children, adults, and individuals with disabilities at all experience levels. Lessons are open to Beverly Farm residents and public community clients alike, with PATH-certified instruction available through a staffed team led by Program Director Amanda Bray.
The center runs summer camps across eight weeks, Monday through Friday, combining group riding lessons with daily activities. A dedicated Exceptional Equestrian Camp runs separately for individuals with disabilities, with a slightly shorter daily format tailored to participants’ needs. Barn Buddies is a Saturday morning program for children ages 4 to 6, introducing young riders to horses and basic horsemanship over four-week sessions.
Beverly Farm’s Special Olympics Equestrian Team gives residents the opportunity to train and compete in Showmanship, English, Stock Seat, and Trail classes. Community members may also be accepted on the team at the coach’s discretion, provided they are actively enrolled in lessons during the Olympic season.
Horse leasing is available for enrolled riders who want more time in the saddle without the full cost of ownership, and the center offers boarding and training for outside horses as well.
Services Offered
- Equine-assisted activity sessions
- English and Western riding lessons (children, adults, individuals with disabilities)
- Summer riding camps
- Exceptional Equestrian Camp (for individuals with disabilities)
- Barn Buddies (ages 4 to 6)
- Holiday camps
- Special Olympics Equestrian Team (Showmanship, English, Stock Seat, Trail)
- Horse boarding and training
- Horse leasing
- Arena rental
- Internships and student partnerships
- Volunteer program
Who They Serve
Beverly Farm Equestrian Program may be a good fit for:
- Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (Beverly Farm residents)
- Children and adults from the general community
- Individuals with Down syndrome
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder
- Individuals with ADD or other hyperactivity disorders
- Individuals with learning disabilities
- Individuals with cerebral palsy
- Individuals with physical disabilities
- At-risk youth
- Special Olympics participants
- Beginning riders of all ages and abilities
- Riders seeking advanced English or Western training
Facility and Setting
The Equestrian Center sits on Beverly Farm’s 220-acre campus in Godfrey, Illinois, in Madison County just north of Alton and across the river from St. Louis. The facility includes an indoor arena, outdoor arena, round pen, and barn, with a herd of 12 named horses selected for their suitability across the program’s range of activities. The center is open Monday through Friday and Saturday, staffed by a dedicated equestrian team and supported by volunteers.
- Godfrey, Illinois location (Madison County)
- 6301 Humbert Road, Godfrey, IL 62035
- 220-acre Beverly Farm campus
- Indoor and outdoor arenas, round pen
- 12-horse herd
- PATH International accredited center
- Open Monday through Saturday
What Makes Them Unique
The Equestrian Center at Beverly Farm occupies an unusual place in the therapeutic riding world because it exists within a fully functioning residential community for adults with developmental disabilities. The horses are not just a therapy resource for outside visitors — they are part of the daily life of nearly 300 people who call Beverly Farm home. That integration gives the program a depth of relationship between riders and horses that is genuinely rare.
The range of programming is also noteworthy, spanning from toddler-level Barn Buddies to competitive Special Olympics training, and from equine-assisted activities to advanced boarding and training for community horse owners. This breadth makes the center a genuine hub for equestrian activity in the greater Alton and Godfrey area, attracting families, school-age riders, competitive athletes, and individuals with disabilities all under one roof.