Location: Baraboo, Wisconsin, United States
Baraboo River Equine-Assisted Therapies, Inc. — known as BREATHE — is a nonprofit equine-assisted activities and therapies program serving Sauk County, Wisconsin and the surrounding region.
Founded in 2016 by Chris and Ed Singer, the organization grew out of a personal passion for therapeutic riding that the couple developed while volunteering at a similar program in California. When they relocated to the Baraboo area and found no comparable services nearby, they built one themselves. BREATHE operates as a SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center and accepts riders as young as 4 years old across a wide range of physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities.
About This Program
BREATHE is built around a straightforward but meaningful idea: that horses can support the physical, mental, and emotional health of people facing significant life challenges. The organization provides equine-assisted activities and therapies to children and adults with special needs, with each participant’s experience shaped by their individual goals and the guidance of trained staff and volunteers.
The therapeutic value of riding comes in part from the horse’s movement itself. The rhythmic, multi-directional motion of a horse at the walk transmits through the rider’s body, engaging core muscles, improving balance, and encouraging postural control. For many participants, consistent riding leads to measurable gains in muscle strength and the ability to hold their head and torso upright independently.
Sessions depend heavily on volunteers, with at least two assigned to each rider during a lesson and additional volunteers supporting horse preparation before and after. BREATHE also runs a public speaking and community awareness program, sending representatives to local groups and organizations to educate the public about the benefits of therapeutic riding.
Chris and Ed Singer led the program from its founding until their retirement in July 2024, at which point stewardship of BREATHE passed to new leadership committed to continuing their work.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic horseback riding
- Recreational riding
- Grooming and tacking
- Groundwork
- Mobile community programs
- Equine-assisted mental health and learning (via PATH-Certified Equine Specialist)
- Volunteer-supported riding sessions
- Public awareness and speaking programs
Who They Serve
Baraboo River Equine-Assisted Therapies may be a good fit for:
- Children and adults with disabilities
- Riders ages 4 and older
- 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 or speech disabilities
- Individuals with epilepsy or seizure disorders
- Individuals with multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy
- Individuals with orthopedic issues or paralysis
- Individuals with head trauma or brain injury
- Individuals who have experienced a stroke
- Individuals with hearing or visual impairment
- Individuals with emotional, behavioral, or mental health conditions
- Individuals with PTSD
- Individuals with substance abuse histories
- Individuals who have experienced violence, abuse, or trauma
- Individuals with weight control disorders
- Individuals with terminal illness
- Amputees
- At-risk youth
Facility and Setting
BREATHE currently operates on a private farm on Moon Road in Lake Delton, just east of Highway 12. Because the facility is located on a private residence, all visits are by appointment only. The program serves Sauk County and communities throughout central Wisconsin.
- Lake Delton, Wisconsin location (Sauk County)
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 101, Baraboo, WI 53913
- Private farm setting, by appointment only
- SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
- Volunteer-dependent program model
What Makes Them Unique
BREATHE serves one of the broadest populations of any therapeutic riding program in Wisconsin. Beyond the physical and cognitive disabilities common to most equine-assisted programs, BREATHE explicitly welcomes individuals dealing with substance abuse, trauma and abuse recovery, weight control disorders, terminal illness, and at-risk youth circumstances. This reflects a program philosophy that treats the horse as a resource for anyone facing a significant life challenge, not just those with traditional clinical diagnoses.
The organization has also laid groundwork for expanded services, including plans for hippotherapy, equine-assisted behavioral and learning programs, carriage driving, and an on-site Therapy Consult Program that would bring occupational, physical, and speech therapists into individual lessons. That kind of clinical ambition, combined with the program’s community roots in Sauk County, makes BREATHE a distinctive and forward-looking presence in Wisconsin’s equine-assisted services landscape.