Gray's Brave Meadows Offers Therapeutic Horse Riding for Individuals with Disabilities and Much More

I recently learned about an interesting place in Middle Georgia called Brave Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center that provides important recreational and therapeutic services for students with disabilities in a unique way: using horses to help provide therapy.

Brave Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Gray (between Macon and Milledgeville), has been serving individuals with disabilities since 2004 through specialized horse-assisted therapy. The program provides adapted recreational riding sessions for students with physical or mental challenges, creating opportunities for growth, connection, and joy.

Brave Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center also offers riding lessons for able-bodied individuals, summer camps, and school trips. Riding lessons cost $35 for individuals with disabilities and horse riding lessons for able-bodied riders cost $30. 

Other special events at Brave Meadows include Horse Camp (which runs from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays during the summer and cost $40), Santa Day, and Military Day. Local schools are also invited to bring students on field trips to Brave Meadows that will help them develop new skills that they might not otherwise have an opportunity to gain.

Shannon Patrick is the owner and operator of Brave Meadows and is also a PATH Instructor. Patrick has helped develop all of the services that the Brave Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center offers.

"I personally oversee the program. All of our clients are provided private and group sessions by greatly experienced instructors, along with specially trained volunteers," said Patrick.

The center draws students from across the region, including Jones, Putnam, Baldwin, Bibb, and Houston counties. For many families, Brave Meadows is one of the only recreational options available for individuals with disabilities in the area.

Goats, fowl, and other animals also live at Brave Meadows (Photograph courtesy of Brave Meadows Therapeutic Riding Center)

Each session is tailored to meet the rider’s individual needs, with support from trained instructors and volunteers. While riders engage in activities designed to improve physical, emotional, and cognitive skills, parents and caregivers are given a chance to rest and recharge, knowing their loved ones are in good hands.

Brave Meadows is committed to making its services accessible to all, regardless of a family's ability to pay. That mission relies heavily on community support. Those who would like to contribute to Brave Meadows's efforts can visit the center's website at this link to learn more about the program or make a donation.