Lift Me Up!
Great Falls, Virginia
Lift Me Up! is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Great Falls, Virginia, and a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center. It offers therapeutic and adaptive riding, unmounted equine-assisted wellness sessions and summer horsemanship camps. It serves about 1,000 riders and wellness participants a year, ages 5 to 70+, from Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
- Therapeutic and adaptive riding
- Group and private riding lessons
- Equine-assisted wellness sessions
- Veterans wellness sessions
- First responder wellness program
- Senior program (The Silver Herd)
- Miniature horse sessions
- Summer horsemanship camps
- Children and adults with physical disabilities
- People with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Veterans
- First responders
- Seniors
- At-risk children and adults
- People in mental health treatment
- Children and teens of all abilities (camps)
More about this center
About the Program
Colleen Zanin founded Lift Me Up! in 1975. Flo and Harry Dougherty hosted the program for its first 20 years before it moved to its permanent home in Great Falls. The center has indoor and outdoor arenas for year-round riding and a multi-sensory trail path, and it runs programs seven days a week.
Therapeutic riding lessons are taught by PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors, with volunteer horse leaders and side walkers. Riders must be at least 5. The center lists one-hour group lessons (up to four riders) at $80 and half-hour private lessons at $100,. Two instructors are also Equine Specialists in Mental Health and Learning.
Wellness and Community Groups
The wellness program uses unmounted activities with horses to build self-awareness, decision-making, problem-solving and confidence. It began with police officers in 2019 and expanded to all first responders in 2021. Other groups include The Silver Herd for seniors, at-risk children and adults, young people in mental health treatment centers, and veterans. Veterans sessions are free to veterans through grant funding and can be mounted or unmounted. Miniature horse sessions are offered for all ages and can sometimes travel off-site.
Getting Started
New riders fill out the interest form on the therapeutic riding page, and Program Director Jackie Collins follows up within about a week. Families then complete the rider information packet, which includes a rider application and a physician's statement, and register for a lesson session.
Families who need help with the cost can ask about the Lift MORE Up! program by emailing info@liftmeup.org.
Location
The main barn is at 9704 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066. The main barn phone is (703) 759-6221 and the Wellness Center can be reached at (703) 825-5106. Mail goes to PO Box 104, Great Falls, VA 22066. The center serves families from Northern Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
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 a new rider?
Submit the interest form on the center's therapeutic riding page or email info@liftmeup.org. The program director will contact you with the enrollment forms, including a physician's statement.
What ages can ride?
Therapeutic riding starts at age 5, and the center serves participants into their 70s and older. Summer campers must be at least 6 and able to manage their own bathroom needs.
How much do lessons and camps cost?
The center lists $80 for a one-hour group lesson and $100 for a half-hour private lesson, and $575 per camper for a week-long half-day summer camp,. See our guide to equine therapy costs for more on paying for sessions.
Can I volunteer?
Yes. Volunteers must be at least 14 and complete an online application. Lesson volunteers groom and tack horses, lead horses and side walk with riders, and there are also barn, administrative and group work-day roles.
Location
Great Falls, Virginia 22066
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.