Location: Lyman, Maine, United States
Carlisle Academy Integrative Equine Therapy & Sports is a social enterprise located at Spring Creek Farm in Lyman, Maine, in York County, founded by Sarah and Nick Armentrout.
The organization traces its roots to the Equest Therapeutic Riding Center, established in 1998, which evolved into Carlisle Academy in 2011 under an expanded integrative model combining rehabilitative therapy, equestrian sports, and professional education. For over two decades the academy held PATH International accreditation, American Hippotherapy Association membership, and recognition as a U.S. Para-Dressage Center of Excellence.
At the end of 2021, the center made the difficult decision to close its formal equine-assisted therapeutic services program; the organization now focuses on equestrian sports education, wellness programs (including equine-assisted learning/wellness and a veterans program), farm-based learning, and professional field training.
About This Program
During its years as a full equine-assisted therapy center, Carlisle Academy was recognized as one of the more sophisticated and comprehensively programmed facilities in New England. It offered hippotherapy delivered by licensed occupational and physical therapists, adaptive equestrian sports, para-equestrian dressage training, Pony Club, veterans programming, equine-facilitated wellness groups, and clinic-based PT/OT treatment — a continuum of services from rehabilitative to recreational that was genuinely unusual for a program of its regional scale.
Today, Carlisle Academy continues to operate at Spring Creek Farm in a significantly evolved form. Health and wellness offerings include ground-based equine-facilitated learning programs, wellness retreats using the farm environment for respite and renewal, FarmWELL (an inclusive farm-based adult wellness program incorporating seasonal rhythms of the land), and a partnership with Play and Prosper Therapy, PLLC — an outpatient occupational therapy service that operates a satellite program at the farm, including hippotherapy.
The CAIETS Field School, a learning lab division of the academy, works with high schools, colleges, and individual practitioners to provide accredited academic fieldwork, internships, certificates, and service-learning experiences in equine, farm, and nature-based practice. Since 2011 the academy has worked with over 150 high school, college, and graduate-level interns in occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology, therapeutic recreation, equine science, and animal behavior.
The Carlisle Charitable Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3), supports scholarship access for children and adults with disabilities who need financial assistance to participate in programs at the academy.
Current Services Offered
- Equestrian sports education (sport rider conditioning, education, and consults)
- Para-equestrian training and education
- Pony Club riding center
- Veterans programming
- Ground-based equine-facilitated wellness groups
- Wellness retreats (equine-facilitated, unmounted)
- FarmWELL adult wellness program
- Hippotherapy (via Play and Prosper Therapy, PLLC partnership)
- Farm-based and nature-based learning
- CAIETS Field School (internships, academic fieldwork, certificates, service-learning)
- Organizational consulting and training
- Carlisle Charitable Foundation scholarships
Facility and Setting
Carlisle Academy is located at 65 Drown Lane in Lyman, Maine, in York County in southern Maine. Spring Creek Farm provides the physical setting for all programs and is accessible from Biddeford, Kennebunk, Sanford, and the broader southern Maine region. The working farm includes lesson barns, arenas, fields, and forested land that serve as an outdoor classroom for educational and wellness programming.
- Lyman, Maine location (York County, southern Maine)
- 65 Drown Lane, Lyman, ME 04002
- Located at Spring Creek Farm
- Incorporated as an L3C (low-profit limited liability company) — social enterprise
- Carlisle Charitable Foundation (independent 501(c)(3)) for scholarship support
What Makes Them Unique
Carlisle Academy’s evolution from therapeutic riding center to integrative social enterprise reflects a thoughtful, if difficult, organizational transition. Rather than simply closing, the academy has reimagined how it can continue to connect horses, farm environments, and professional knowledge to serve health, education, and wellness goals. The Field School’s work with over 150 graduate and undergraduate interns across multiple disciplines has made Carlisle a meaningful contributor to the professional development pipeline in equine-assisted and nature-based services.
For families and individuals in southern Maine seeking current equine-assisted wellness or hippotherapy services, the Play and Prosper Therapy partnership at the farm represents the closest continuation of the center’s clinical legacy. For professionals and students, the CAIETS Field School represents one of the more developed academic programming offerings at any equine facility in New England.