Saddle Up! is a nonprofit Section 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to help children and youth with disabilities grow and develop through recreational activities with horses. Your donation is deductible to the full extent of the law.
Saddle Up! depends on horses, helpers and heroes like you to provide this special program “Where all children are equal in the saddle.”
Without our horses, our special riders could not experience the multiple benefits of recreational therapeutic riding and related activities.
Without our helpers, the nearly 300 volunteers who give their time and talents, we would either have to serve far fewer program participants or increase significantly the budget.
And without heroes like you, our donors, we simply could not operate.
Your gifts are put to work right here in middle Tennessee to make a positive difference in the lives of 130 children and youth, ages 4 to 18, with more than 20 types of documented disabilities. With your support, Saddle Up!:
Provides a year-round program with almost 4,200 lessons. Our NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) certified Instructors tailor each lesson to meet the individual needs of the child/youth.
Continues to be the region’s oldest and largest recreational therapeutic riding program and the only one exclusively serving children and youth.
Stands as one of only three NARHA programs in Tennessee to earn the Premier Accredited Center designation from NARHA, the national organization that sets the standards for the field.
Provides ongoing training and development for our very valued volunteers and super staff to ensure the highest quality of service and instruction.
Ensures that any child eligible for the program can ride, regardless of financial ability.
Provides food, shelter, medical and farrier care for our herd of heroic horses.
In 2007, your gifts were also put to work tackling our biggest ongoing challenge – our growing waiting list. We launched a pilot program that resulted in nearly 70 of the 240 wait list children having the chance to experience recreational therapeutic riding. Because the pilot was so successful, we’ve now made this a year-round program.
Saddle Up! was also proud to learn that one of its long-time Instructors, Nancy Swindell, was chosen as the NARHA Region V Instructor of the Year, an indicator of the quality of instruction our participants receive. Nominated by her peers, families she serves and volunteers, Nancy was selected from among nearly 300 NARHA certified Instructors in the 5-state Region V. She was one of only 11 Instructors honored from the estimated 2,500 Instructors in more than 700 centers.
We ask that you join us in making this special program possible with your donation. Here are some ways you can help:
Gift to our 2008 annual fund campaign,
now in progress
The annual fund campaign supports all the work of Saddle Up!. We encourage donors to support the annual campaign because it is the financial foundation upon which we bring the mission and program to life. Leadership gifts of $1,000 or more to the annual fund campaign qualify for membership in our Hoofing Society. Membership is recognized with a donor plaque in our family area of the barn and an invitation-only reception for members and special guests. Gifts of all sizes are greatly appreciated and put to work year-round in our program.
Your gifts are greatly appreciated!
Sponsorship of a Saddle Up! horse
As you can imagine, maintaining a herd of 17 to 20 horses is not cheap. Tennessee’s 2007 drought has made it even more expensive. For an annual $1,000 sponsorship, your name is engraved on a plaque by the photo of your sponsored horse in our barn. You’re also invited to the annual Hoofing Society reception. And don’t be surprised if you get something in the mail – straight from the horse’s mouth!
Be sure to specify the horse you wish to sponsor in the Special Instructions field when you Check Out.
Riderships
Saddle Up! is committed to making sure that any child eligible for the program can ride regardless of financial ability. You can help with a ridership gift. A $15 gift will cover one lesson fee for one rider – which is about one-tenth of actual costs for a lesson – while $240 would cover fees for one rider for one regular session.
Additional ways to help United Way and Combined Federal Campaign donors may also designate their gifts to Saddle Up!. Our United Way number is 7193 (please confirm with your local United Way), and our Combined Federal Campaign number is 60329. You can also help by participating in Kroger Cares, for which you purchase a certificate that’s used just like cash and a percentage goes to Saddle Up!. Please call Business Manager Peggy Plunkett, 615-794-1150 extension 22, to get started.
Saddle Up!
1549 Old Hillsboro Road
Franklin, TN 37069-9136
615-794-1150
In 2007, your gifts were also put to work tackling our biggest ongoing challenge – our growing waiting list. We launched a pilot program that resulted in nearly 70 of the 240 wait list children having the chance to experience recreational therapeutic riding. Because the pilot was so successful, we’ve now made this a year-round program.