Location: Wayne, Illinois, United States
Friends for Therapeutic Equine Activities, often known as FTEA, is a nonprofit therapeutic equestrian program in Wayne, Illinois. The program serves children and adults with a wide range of physical, cognitive, social, and emotional challenges through individualized horse-centered activities in a safe and encouraging setting.
Set in Wayne, a western suburb of Chicago, FTEA offers a more personalized model than a standard lesson barn. Its programming is built around certified staff, trained volunteers, and a focus on each participant’s abilities, helping riders and non-riders alike build confidence, skill, and connection through time with horses.
About This Program
FTEA was founded to provide therapeutic equestrian activities for people with disabilities. The organization serves both individuals from the surrounding community and participants who attend through schools and other agencies, giving it a broader community role than a small private riding program.
The program stands out for offering both mounted and unmounted horsemanship, along with speech-language pathology services that incorporate the horse and equine movement. That wider structure allows participants to engage in ways that match their goals, needs, and comfort level rather than limiting the experience to riding alone.
Services Offered
- Adaptive riding and mounted horsemanship
- Unmounted horsemanship
- Grooming, leading, and horse care activities
- Group lessons with certified instructors
- Speech-language pathology services incorporating equine movement
- Hippotherapy-informed speech-language support
Who They Serve
- Children with disabilities
- Adults with disabilities
- Riders ages four and older in mounted programming
- Individuals who benefit from ground-based horse interaction
- Participants with physical challenges
- Participants with cognitive challenges
- Participants with social or emotional challenges
- School and agency-based participant groups
Facility and Setting
FTEA’s program site is located at 4N681 Munger Road in Wayne, Illinois, with a mailing address at P.O. Box 566 in Wayne. The setting places the program in one of the region’s established horse communities, which gives it a fitting environment for therapeutic equestrian work while still feeling approachable and community-based.
The facility supports both mounted and unmounted learning, which helps create a more flexible experience for participants. That makes the center especially well suited for individuals who benefit from horse interaction but may not always be best served by riding alone.
What Makes Them Unique
What makes FTEA distinctive is the combination of individualized horseback activities, ground-based horsemanship, and speech-language support that can include equine movement. That gives the program a broader therapeutic scope than many riding-only centers.
Its emphasis on certified staff, trained volunteers, and ability-focused instruction also gives the program a supportive, participant-centered identity. The overall approach feels tailored and inclusive, with room for both riders and non-riders to benefit from meaningful time around horses.