Location: Lancaster, Massachusetts, United States
Dr. Franklin Perkins School is a special education and equine-assisted services program in Lancaster, Massachusetts. The school includes Rein in a Dream, a therapeutic horsemanship program that uses horses and farm-based activities to help children and adolescents grow, learn, and heal in a structured and supportive setting. The equine side of the program is clearly part of the school’s broader therapeutic mission rather than a separate recreational offering.
This is not a general riding barn. Dr. Franklin Perkins School uses horses as part of a larger educational and therapeutic environment, and that gives the program a more integrated feel than a standalone riding center. The overall setup is built to support students with developmental, emotional, behavioral, and trauma-related challenges through consistent horse-centered activities that connect with the school’s wider services.
About This Program
Dr. Franklin Perkins School offers equine-assisted services through Rein in a Dream, a therapeutic horsemanship program that has been part of the organization for many years. The program includes therapeutic riding, equine-facilitated experiential learning, equine-facilitated psychotherapy, groundwork, grooming and tacking, 4-H, animal-assisted activities with non-equines, and vocational training.
The program has a broader therapeutic mission than a standard adaptive riding center. Because it operates within a special education and human services setting, the horse program supports more than riding alone. It is part of a larger approach that helps students build life skills, emotional regulation, confidence, and personal growth through meaningful work with horses and other animals.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic riding
- Equine-facilitated experiential learning
- Equine-facilitated psychotherapy
- Ground work
- Grooming and tacking
- 4-H
- Animal-assisted activities with non-equines
- Vocational training
Who They Serve
Dr. Franklin Perkins School may be a good fit for:
- At-risk youth
- Individuals with autism
- Individuals with cerebral palsy
- Individuals with Down syndrome
- Individuals with developmental delay or disability
- Individuals with emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs
- Individuals with intellectual or learning disabilities
- Individuals with PTSD
- Individuals affected by violence, abuse, trauma, or substance abuse
- Individuals with hearing impairment
- Individuals with speech impairment
- Individuals with paralysis, stroke, multiple sclerosis, or muscular dystrophy
Facility and Setting
Dr. Franklin Perkins School is based at 971 Main Street in Lancaster, Massachusetts, on the RFK Community Alliance campus. The equine program operates within a larger educational and residential support environment, which gives it a more connected and structured setting than many independent riding centers. The horsemanship program is also PATH Intl.-accredited, which adds another layer of organization and credibility to the program.
The setting feels more like a therapeutic campus than a standalone barn. Because the horse program is part of a long-running school and human services organization, it offers an environment where equine-assisted work can support education, emotional growth, daily skill development, and therapeutic progress in a more integrated way.
What Makes Them Unique
Dr. Franklin Perkins School stands out because its equine program is built into a much larger therapeutic and educational system. Instead of operating only as a riding center, it connects horse-based services with school programming, residential support, and broader human services, which creates a deeper support structure for students and families.
It also stands out for the range of activities it offers. With therapeutic riding, psychotherapy-related horse work, experiential learning, vocational training, and animal-assisted activities all included, the program offers a wider therapeutic model than a center focused on riding alone.