Saddle Up!
Franklin, Tennessee
Saddle Up! is a nonprofit therapeutic riding center on a 34-acre farm in Franklin, Tennessee, south of Nashville. It serves children and young adults with disabilities, ages 2 to 26, through adaptive riding, therapy services using equine movement, vaulting and equine-assisted learning. The center says it is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center.
- Adaptive riding (ages 4-19)
- Physical, occupational and speech therapy using equine movement
- Interactive vaulting
- Adaptive horsemanship (equine-assisted learning)
- From the Ground Up group EAL sessions
- Equestrian Club for advanced riders
- Alumni Transitions riding and job skills (ages 19-26)
- Fun on the Farm summer week
- Children with disabilities
- Teens and young adults with disabilities up to age 26
More about this center
About the Program
Saddle Up! began in November 1989, when a core group of volunteers started a one-night-a-week program for 10 students. It was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1991. The Lynne Evans Arena allows year-round riding, day or night.
Adaptive riding is open to children from age 4 until their 19th birthday. PATH Intl. Certified Instructors teach mounted and unmounted horsemanship in weekly lessons of 30 minutes to an hour, with up to four riders per group. Riders need a documented disability and enough head, neck and trunk control to sit upright. Progress is tracked with the RIDES goal system, and families receive an end-of-session report. Riders who reach Level 4 in RIDES can join the Equestrian Club, and Saddle Up! graduates ages 19 to 26 can join Alumni Transitions, a 1.5-hour lesson that combines grooming, tacking and riding with vocational skills.
Therapy With Licensed Therapists
Licensed physical, occupational and speech-language therapists with specialized training through the American Hippotherapy Association use the horse's movement as a treatment strategy, the approach the AHA calls hippotherapy. A PATH Intl. Certified Instructor supports each appointment, and the center says it is the only AHA member facility in Tennessee. Clients must be ages 2 to 19, have a documented disability, and need a prescription from their primary care physician.
The Horses and Staff
Tina Doniger is CEO and executive director, and Lindsey Wood, a PATH Intl. Advanced Instructor, is COO and director of program operations. The team page lists 13 PATH Intl. Certified Professionals as instructors, a PATH Intl. Certified Vaulting Instructor, and physical, occupational and speech therapists.
Volunteering
Lesson volunteers work as side walkers or horse leaders and must be at least 16; volunteers ages 12 to 15 can help in the barn when accompanied by a parent or guardian. All lesson volunteers complete a three-hour training, and the center asks consistent volunteers to commit to one lesson a week with the same rider for a 16-week session.
Location
Saddle Up! is at 1549 Old Hillsboro Road, Franklin, TN 37069. The website lists program hours as Monday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
From public records, not yet reviewed by the center · Last updated Oct 2026 Suggest an edit
Common Questions
Answered from the center’s own website and public records.
How do I enroll my child?
Complete the Program Interest Form on the Saddle Up! website, or call (615) 794-1150 and ask for the Program Department. New adaptive riding participants have an assessment to confirm eligibility.
How much do lessons cost?
As listed, adaptive riding is $35 per lesson, paid in a lump sum covering up to eight weeks, plus a $25 registration fee per session and a one-time $30 assessment. Therapy is listed at $40 per 15-minute unit, or $120 for a typical 45-minute appointment, plus a $175 assessment if there is no current therapy evaluation. Saddle Up! has a financial aid program, and families who need help with the cost can ask about it.
Location
Franklin, Tennessee 37069
Questions to Ask When You Call
The center is the best source for these answers.
- Are you running now, and taking new riders?Start here. We couldn’t confirm a current schedule.
- Which ages and needs do you work with?Ask about experience with your rider’s specific condition.
- Is a licensed PT, OT or speech therapist involved?Therapist-led hippotherapy is usually the only kind insurance may cover.
- What does a session cost, and are there scholarships?Many nonprofit programs offer sliding scales or sponsored spots.
- Do you have a mounting ramp or lift?Important for riders who use a wheelchair or need help mounting.