Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, United States
Note: Online references for this center are limited, and available details may be outdated. Available information indicates the program discontinued its therapeutic riding services in late 2018, so it may no longer be operational.
Free Spirit Riders, Inc. was a therapeutic riding program in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, serving children and adults with disabilities through safe, structured interaction with horses. The program focused on enriching lives through adaptive riding and horse-centered experiences that supported physical, emotional, social, and developmental growth.
This was a community-based nonprofit with a longstanding role in therapeutic riding in the Fond du Lac area. The program was known as Free S.P.I.R.I.T. Riders, with the name standing for Special People in Riding Therapy, and it served riders with a wide range of developmental, physical, visual, cognitive, and emotional needs.
About This Program
Free Spirit Riders, Inc. operated as a therapeutic riding organization dedicated to making equine-assisted experiences accessible to children and adults with disabilities. The program emphasized safe participation, supportive instruction, and the benefits that come from regular work with horses in an adaptive setting.
The program had been active for many years and was part of Wisconsin’s therapeutic riding landscape well before its closure. It was recognized for serving riders in the Fond du Lac area through a mission centered on enrichment, access, and horse-based support.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic riding
- Adaptive riding instruction
- Horse-centered activities for individuals with disabilities
- Supportive equine-assisted participation
- Volunteer-supported riding sessions
Who They Serve
- Children
- Adults
- Individuals with developmental disabilities
- Individuals with physical disabilities
- Individuals with visual impairments
- Individuals with cognitive disabilities
- Individuals with emotional support needs
- Riders who benefit from adaptive equestrian experiences
Facility and Setting
Free Spirit Riders, Inc. was based in the Fond du Lac area and was associated with both a Fond du Lac mailing address and a rural program location on Highway 23. The setting was centered on therapeutic riding and supportive horse interaction rather than a conventional lesson-barn model.
The overall environment was designed to give riders a safe and encouraging place to participate at their own pace. The focus was on accessible horsemanship, volunteer support, and the developmental value of time with horses.
What Makes Them Unique
What made Free Spirit Riders distinctive was its long local history and its focused mission of serving individuals with disabilities through therapeutic interaction with horses. The program created a horse-centered environment where riders could build confidence, skills, and connection in a supportive setting.
It also held a meaningful place in the local therapeutic riding community for many years. Its name, mission, and participant focus gave it a strong identity as a specialized adaptive riding program in Fond du Lac.