Location: Norwich, Ohio, United States
Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center is a nonprofit equine therapy center in Norwich, Ohio, serving individuals with diverse physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive challenges in southeastern Ohio. Founded in 2008 by Executive Director Linda Lake, the center has operated for more than 18 years and earned PATH International Premier Accredited Center status in 2013, a designation it has maintained ever since. Breaking Free serves up to 45 riders per week and provided over 1,200 riding lessons in 2024, supported by a herd of 14 equine partners and more than 50 volunteers.
About This Program
Breaking Free was built on the conviction that horses offer a form of therapeutic engagement that cannot be replicated in a traditional clinical setting. The center’s mission centers on empowering individuals facing diverse challenges through unique equine-assisted experiences, and its programming reflects that commitment across several distinct program types.
The therapeutic riding program is the center’s core offering, open to any individual who qualifies under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each prospective student is evaluated before joining to determine whether the therapeutic riding program can meet their needs. Lessons target physical, psychological, and cognitive abilities — balance, coordination, strength, patience, and confidence among them — with the horse serving as both a therapeutic instrument and a genuine companion.
For individuals and families who have experienced significant life disruptions, the Family Enhancement program uses the horses to create time and space for bonding, memory-making, goal-sharing, and emotional expression in a supportive environment. This program recognizes that therapeutic value is not always individual — sometimes an entire family unit needs a place to reconnect and rebuild.
Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) is offered for those who benefit from ground-based horse interaction rather than mounted work. Sessions focus on communication, teamwork, and self-understanding through working alongside horses without riding.
Recreational riding lessons are available for youth and adults who want to learn horsemanship basics, providing an entry point for community members without disabilities as well. Summer horse camps offer one-day immersive experiences for school groups, clubs, and businesses, bringing equine education to a broader audience during the warmer months.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic riding lessons (evaluated admission, ADA qualifying)
- Recreational beginner and intermediate riding lessons
- Equine facilitated learning (ground-based)
- Family Enhancement program
- Summer horse camps (riding and groundwork, for school groups, clubs, and businesses)
- Horse sponsorship program
- Volunteer program
Who They Serve
Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center may be a good fit for:
- Children and adults ages 4 and older with disabilities
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder
- Individuals with cerebral palsy
- Individuals with Down syndrome
- Individuals with ADD or other hyperactivity disorders
- Individuals with developmental delays or intellectual disabilities
- Individuals with learning disabilities
- Individuals with physical disabilities affecting balance, coordination, or strength
- Individuals with emotional or behavioral challenges
- Families who have experienced difficult life changes
- School groups, clubs, and businesses seeking equine education experiences
- Individuals and youth interested in recreational horsemanship
Facility and Setting
Breaking Free Therapeutic Riding Center is located at 2781 North Moose Eye Road in Norwich, Ohio, in Muskingum County in southeastern Ohio. The facility operates by appointment and is run through a combination of paid staff, trained volunteers, and donor support. The center is an active ongoing capital campaign to expand and improve its facility.
- Norwich, Ohio location (Muskingum County, southeastern Ohio)
- 2781 North Moose Eye Road, Norwich, OH 43767
- By appointment
- PATH International Premier Accredited Center
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit Ohio charity
- 14 equine partners
- 50+ active volunteers
What Makes Them Unique
Breaking Free is notable for the range of programming it has developed for a relatively small, rural center in southeastern Ohio — a region where access to specialized therapeutic services of any kind can be limited. The Family Enhancement program is a particularly uncommon offering, designed not just for individual riders with disabilities but for the whole family system that surrounds them. By treating the family as the unit of care rather than just the identified individual, the program acknowledges something important about how disability and challenge affect everyone in a household.
The center’s consistency over 18 years — maintaining PATH Premier Accreditation, growing to serve 45 riders a week, and building a herd of 14 horses through community support and sponsorship — reflects an organization that has earned genuine trust in its region.
For families in Muskingum County and the surrounding communities of southeastern Ohio, Breaking Free fills a meaningful gap.