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Franklin TN | IRS ruling year: 1991 | EIN: 58-1930303
Organization Mission
Saddle Up's mission is to impact the lives of children and young adults with disabilities by providing opportunities to grow and develop through therapeutic, educati ... (More)
Saddle Up's mission is to impact the lives of children and young adults with disabilities by providing opportunities to grow and develop through therapeutic, educational and recreational experiences with horses. Saddle Up! annually empowers over 200 special equestrians ages 2 through 26 to grow stronger and thrive by employing a care team of trained instructors, therapists, therapy horses, and volunteers. Through participation in our six year-round programs on our 34-acre farm, riders learn to socialize independently and gain confidence, which impacts every aspect of their lives. (Less)
Good
This charity's score is 86%, earning it a Three-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence.
This overall score is calculated from multiple beacon scores, weighted as follows: 90% Accountability & Finance, 10% Leadership & Adaptability. Learn more about our criteria and methodology.
We recognize that not all metrics and beacons equally predict a charity’s success. The percentage each beacon contributes to the organization’s overall rating depends on the number of beacons an organization has earned.
Use the tool below to select different beacons to see how the weighting shifts when only one, two, or three beacons are earned.
| Date Published | Form 990 FYE | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
| Rating Version: 2.1 | |||
| 2/1/2022 | 2019 | 84.08 | |
| 3/1/2021 | 2019 | 84.08 | |
This organization received multiple star ratings within this fiscal year, due to an update to its Accountability and Transparency data and/or the receipt of an amended Form 990. | |||
| 3/1/2020 | 2018 | 85.70 | |
| 2/1/2019 | 2017 | 87.81 | |
| 3/1/2018 | 2016 | 89.41 | |
| 4/1/2017 | 2015 | 90.75 |  |
The IRS is significantly delayed in processing nonprofits' annual tax filings (Forms 990). As a result, the Accountability & Finance score for Saddle Up! is outdated and the overall rating may not be representative of its current operations. Please check with the charity directly for any questions you may have.
Saddle Up! has earned a 84% for the Accountability & Finance beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies.
This Accountability & Finance score represents IRS Form 990 data up until FY 2019, which is the most recent Form 990 currently available to us.
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Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Not Applicable
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990 that the organization has these governance practices in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990
| Independent Voting Board Members ... (More) The presence of an independent governing body is strongly recommended by many industry professionals to allow for full deliberation and diversity of thinking on governance and other organizational matters. Our analysts check the Form 990 to determine if the independent Board members are a voting majority and also at least five in number. (Less) | |
| No Material Diversion of Assets ... (More) A diversion of assets – any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization's assets other than for the organization's authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft – can seriously call into question a charity's financial integrity. We check the charity's last two Forms 990 to see if the charity has reported any diversion of assets. If the charity does report a diversion, then we check to see if it complied with the Form 990 instructions by describing what happened and its corrective action. This metric will be assigned to one of the following categories:
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| Audited Financials Prepared by Independent Accountant ... (More) Audited financial statements provide important information about financial accountability and accuracy. They should be prepared by an independent accountant with oversight from an audit committee. (It is not necessary that the audit committee be a separate committee. Often at smaller charities, it falls within the responsibilities of the finance committee or the executive committee.) The committee provides an important oversight layer between the management of the organization, which is responsible for the financial information reported, and the independent accountant, who reviews the financials and issues an opinion based on its findings. We check the charity's Form 990 reporting to see if it meets this criteria.
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| Does Not Provide Loan(s) to or Receive Loan(s) From Related Parties ... (More) Making loans to related parties such as key officers, staff, or Board members, is not standard practice in the sector as it may divert the charity's funds away from its charitable mission and can lead to real and perceived conflict-of-interest problems. This practice is discouraged by sector trade groups which point to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act when they call for charities to refrain from making loans to directors and executives. And the IRS is concerned enough with the practice that it requires charities to disclose on their Form 990 any loans to or from current and former officers, directors, trustees, key employees, and other "disqualified persons." Furthermore, some state laws go so far as to prohibit loans to board members and officers. And although employees and trustees are permitted to make loans to charities, this practice can also result in real and/or perceived conflict of interest problems for the charity. Furthermore, it is problematic because it is an indicator that the organization is not financially secure. (Less) | |
| Documents Board Meeting Minutes ... (More) An official record of the events that take place during a board meeting ensures that a contemporaneous document exists for future reference. Charities are not required to make their Board meeting minutes available to the public. As such, we are not able to review and critique their minutes. For this performance metric, we are checking to see if the charity reports on its Form 990 that it does keep those minutes. In the future, we will also track and rate whether or not a charity keeps minutes for its committee meetings. (Less) | |
| Distributes 990 to Board Before Filing ... (More) Providing copies of the Form to the governing body in advance of filing is considered a best practice, as it allows for thorough review by the individuals charged with overseeing the organization. The Form 990 asks the charity to disclose whether or not it has followed this best practice. If the charity has not distributed its Form 990 to the board before filing, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Does not Compensate Board Members ... (More) The IRS requires that any compensation paid to members of the charity's governing body be listed on the Form 990. Furthermore, all members of the governing body need to be listed whether or not they are compensated. It is not unusual for some members of the board to have compensation listed. The executive director of the organization frequently has a seat on the board, for instance, and is compensated for being a full time staff member. However, it is rare for a charity to compensate individuals only for serving on its Board of Directors. Although this sort of board compensation is not illegal, it is not considered a best practice. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization has these policies in place.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| Conflict of Interest ... (More) Such a policy protects the organization, and by extension those it serves, when it is considering entering into a transaction that may benefit the private interest of an officer or director of the organization. Charities are not required to share their conflict of interest policies with the public. Although we can not evaluate the substance of its policy, we can tell you if the charity has one in place based on the information it reports on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Conflict of Interest policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| Whistleblower ... (More) This policy outlines procedures for handling employee complaints, as well as a confidential way for employees to report any financial mismanagement. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. (Less) | |
| Records Retention and Destruction ... (More) Such a policy establishes guidelines for handling, backing up, archiving and destruction of documents. These guidelines foster good record keeping procedures that promotes data integrity. Here we are reporting on the existence of a policy as reported by the charity on its Form 990. If the charity does not have a Records Retention and Destruction Policy, then we deduct 4 points from its Accountability and Transparency score. (Less) | |
| CEO Compensation Process ... (More) This process indicates that the organization has a documented policy that it follows year after year. The policy should indicate that an objective and independent review process of the CEO's compensation has been conducted which includes benchmarking against comparable organizations. We check to be sure that the charity has reported on its Form 990 its process for determining its CEO pay. (Less) | |
| Donor Privacy ... (More) Donors can be reluctant to contribute to a charity when their name, address, or other basic information may become part of donor lists that are exchanged or sold, resulting in an influx of charitable solicitations from other organizations. Our analysts check the charity's website to see if the organization has a donor privacy policy in place and what it does and does not cover. Privacy policies are assigned to one of the following categories:
The privacy policy must be specific to donor information. A general website policy which references "visitor" or "user" personal information will not suffice. A policy that refers to donor information collected on the website is also not sufficient as the policy must be comprehensive and applicable to both online and offline donors. The existence of a privacy policy of any type does not prohibit the charity itself from contacting the donor for informational, educational, or solicitation purposes. (Less) | |
Charity Navigator looks to confirm on the Form 990, or for some metrics on the charity's website, that the organization makes this information easily accessible.
Sources Include: IRS Form 990 and organization's website
| CEO Salary Listed on 990 ... (More) Charities are required to list their CEO's name and compensation on the Form 990. Our analysts check to be sure that the charities complied with the Form 990 instructions and included this information in their filing. (Less) | |
| Board of Directors Listed on Website ... (More) Our analysts check to see if the charity lists Board members on its website. Publishing this information enables donors and other stakeholders to ascertain the make up of the charity's governing body. This enables stakeholders to report concerns to the Board. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the Board members listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990, because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's Board members may have changed, and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. (Less) | |
| Key Staff Listed on Website ... (More) It is important for donors and other stakeholders to know who runs the organization day-to-day. Charity Navigator does not cross-check the leadership listed on the website with that reported on the Form 990 because the latter often isn't available until more than a year after the charity's fiscal year ends. In that time, the charity's leadership may have changed and the charity typically reflects those more recent changes on the website. In other words, since the Form 990 isn't especially timely, it can not be used to verify the leadership information published on the charity's site. (Less) | |
| Audited Financial Statements Listed on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its audited financial statements for the fiscal year represented by the most recently filed IRS Form 990. It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. We currently rate charities on whether or not they publish their audit on their website. (Less) | |
| Form 990 Available on Website ... (More) We check the charity's website to see if it has published its most recently filed IRS Form 990 (a direct link to the charity's 990 on an external site is sufficient). It is important for donors to have easy access to this financial report to help determine if the organization is managing its financial resources well. (Less) | |
Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 0.00% - 10/10 ptsLiabilities to Assets Ratio - 0.00% - 10/10 pts
The Liabilities to Assets Ratio is determined by Total Liabilities divided by Total Assets (most recent 990).
Part of our goal in rating the financial performance of charities is to help donors assess the financial capacity and sustainability of a charity. As do organizations in other sectors, charities must be mindful of their management of total liabilites in relation to their total assets. This ratio is an indicator of an organization’s solvency and or long term sustainability. Dividing a charity's total liabilities by its total assets yields this percentage.
Source: IRS Form 990
Working Capital Ratio - 7.72 years - 10/10 ptsWorking Capital Ratio - 7.72 years - 10/10 pts
Determines how long a charity could sustain its level of spending using its net available assets, or working capital, as reported on its most recently filed Form 990. We include in a charity's working capital unrestricted and temporarily restricted net assets, and exclude permanently restricted net assets. Dividing these net available assets in the most recent year by a charity's average total expenses, yields the working capital ratio. We calculate the charity's average total expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Efficiency - $0.21 - 5/10 ptsFundraising Efficiency - $0.21 - 5/10 pts
The amount spent to raise $1 in charitable contributions. To calculate a charity's fundraising efficiency, we divide its average fundraising expenses by the average total contributions it receives. We calculate the charity's average expenses and average contributions over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Administrative Expense Ratio - 7.00% - 10/10 ptsAdministrative Expense Ratio - 7.00% - 10/10 pts
As reported by charities on their IRS Form 990, this measure reflects what percent of its total budget a charity spends on overhead, administrative staff and associated costs, and organizational meetings. Dividing a charity's average administrative expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Fundraising Expense Ratio - 16.10% - 5/10 ptsFundraising Expense Ratio - 16.10% - 5/10 pts
This measure reflects what a charity spends to raise money. Fundraising expenses can include campaign printing, publicity, mailing, and staffing and costs incurred in soliciting donations, memberships, and grants. Dividing a charity's average fundraising expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Ratio - 76.80% - 7.65/10 ptsProgram Expense Ratio - 76.80% - 7.65/10 pts
The Program Expense Ratio is determined by Program Expenses divided by Total Expense (average of most recent three 990s).
This measure reflects the percent of its total expenses a charity spends on the programs and services it exists to deliver. Dividing a charity's average program expenses by its average total functional expenses yields this percentage. We calculate the charity's average expenses over its three most recent fiscal years.
Source: IRS Form 990
Program Expense Growth - 2.72% - 2.72/10 ptsProgram Expense Growth - 2.72% - 2.72/10 pts
Organizations that demonstrate consistent annual growth in program expenses are able to outpace inflation and thus sustain their programs year to year. These organizations also supply givers with greater confidence by maintaining broad public support for their programs. We compute the average annual growth of program expenses using the following formula: [(Yn/Y0)(1/n)]-1, where Y0 is a charity's program expenses in the first year of the interval analyzed, Yn is the charity's program expenses in the most recent year, and n is the interval of years passed between Y0 and Yn.
Source: IRS Form 990
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Presented here are this organizations key compensated staff members as identified by our analysts. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Laurie Kush, Executive Director
$85,020 (7.62% of Total Expenses)
Current CEO and Board Chair can be found in the Leadership & Adaptability report below.
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2020
Below are some key data points from the Exempt Organization IRS Business Master File (BMF) for this organization. Learn more about the BMF on the IRS website
Foundation Status:
Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (BMF foundation code: 15)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage finance and accountability data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Saddle Up!) or EIN (581930303) in the 'Search Term' field.
This organization was impacted by COVID-19 in a way that effected their financial health in 2020. This normally would have reduced their star rating. Due to the unprecedented nature of the pandemic, we give charities such as this one the opportunity to share the story of COVID's impact on them, and doing this pauses our revision of their rating. Charities may submit their own pandemic responses through their nonprofit portal.
Saddle Up! reported being impacted by COVID-19 in the following ways:
Program Delivery
Fundraising Capacity
Revenue
Staffing
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's operations financially:
From March through December 2020, Saddle Up! compensated for lost revenue from cancelled fundraising events and a decrease in program fees due to the pandemic through increased support from individual donors and foundations. In late April 2020, Saddle Up! received $137,075 in PPP funding. In addition, with careful planning, we were able to cut expenses during the 2020 fiscal year, which helped with our overall financial position.
How COVID-19 impacted the organization's delivery of programs:
Safety is a priority in all that we do at Saddle Up!. After the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, we suspended programming until July 2020, at which time we resumed limited programming. In mid-September, we ramped up our programming, serving 98 participants through Adaptive Riding lessons and Therapy Services. When COVID cases spiked again in the fall of 2020, we returned to limited programing until January 2021, and have been gradually increasing rider capacity ever since. Now in 2022, we are up to 140 riders/week, with a goal to increase to 176 riders/week (i.e., pre-COVID rider numbers) by the end of 2022.
How this organization adapted to changing conditions caused by COVID-19:
During the period of suspended programming in 2020, Saddle Up! quickly pivoted to hosting 2-3 weekly Zoom classes to engage our participants and families, created weekly social media activities, and developed "Bedtime Stories," where members of the SU! community would read horse-themed children's books via Zoom to our riders. Saddle Up! also cut expenses and made limited staff changes to further buffer the impact of the pandemic on our finances.
Innovations the organization intends to continue permanently after the pandemic:
We moved certain portions of our volunteer trainings online in 2020, which will continue after the pandemic in order to make on-boarding more convenient for volunteers. While we ramped up our social media presence and digital communications out of necessity in 2020, we have seen the overall benefits of doing so and have hired a contract communications manager to streamline and improve our communications.
Not Currently Scored
Saddle Up! cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Results methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Saddle Up! reported its largest program on its FY 2020 Form 990 as:
Spent in most recent FY
Percent of program expenses
HORSE-BASED PROGRAMS:1. ADAPTIVE RIDING- FORMERLY NAMED THERAPEUTIC RIDING SADDLE UP!'S ADAPTIVE RIDING (AR) PROGRAM IS AN EQUINE-ASSISTED ACTIVITY WHERE PARTICIPANTS BUILD THEIR MOUNTED AND UNMOUNTED ... (More)
HORSE-BASED PROGRAMS:1. ADAPTIVE RIDING- FORMERLY NAMED THERAPEUTIC RIDING SADDLE UP!'S ADAPTIVE RIDING (AR) PROGRAM IS AN EQUINE-ASSISTED ACTIVITY WHERE PARTICIPANTS BUILD THEIR MOUNTED AND UNMOUNTED HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS, AND IN THE PROCESS, BUILD SKILLS OF INDEPENDENT LIVING. OUR PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS ADAPT THE LESSON FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONTRIBUTING POSITIVELY TO THE COGNITIVE, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. SECONDARY BENEFITS THAT HAVE BEEN OBSERVED BY SADDLE UP! FAMILIES INCLUDE IMPROVEMENTS IN BALANCE, ENDURANCE, COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, SPEECH, AND ATTENTION. OUR ADAPTIVE RIDING PROGRAM SERVES CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE AGE OF 4 THROUGH THEIR 19TH BIRTHDAY. SADDLE UP!'S AR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE SCHEDULED FOR WEEKLY LESSONS LED BY A PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. LESSONS CAN LAST ANYWHERE FROM 30 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR AND CAN INCLUDE UP TO 4 PARTICIPANTS. SADDLE UP!'S PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS ARE TRAINED TO ADAPT DIFFERENT RESOURCES WITHIN THE LESSON TO ENHANCE A PARTICIPANT'S ABILITIES. PARTICIPANTS ARE PROVIDED A VOLUNTEER LEADER FOR THEIR HORSE AND TWO VOLUNTEER SIDEWALKERS, AS NECESSARY, TO HELP SUPPORT AND INTERACT WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LESSON. THE THERAPY HORSE, AND THEIR TACK AND LESSON EQUIPMENT ARE PRESCRIBED TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE PARTICIPANTS AND MANY ADAPTIONS CAN BE MADE FOR COMFORT, FIT, AND EASE OF USE. EACH INSTRUCTOR CREATES A LESSON TAILORED TO EACH PARTICIPANT'S LEARNING STYLE. HORSE SELECTION IS CUSTOMIZED TO ENHANCE THE CHILD'S GOALS BY GAIT, BREADTH AND TEMPERAMENT. SADDLE UP! DEVELOPED AND USES RIDES AS THEIR SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT AND IN 2019 ADDED THE PEDICAT PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENT FOR INDEPENDENT DAILY LIVING SKILLS. THE RIDES PROGRAM ALLOWS OUR PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR TO SET AND MEASURE PARTICIPANTS' RIDING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, FROM THE FUNDAMENTALS TO CANTERING. GOALS ARE BASED ON THE PARTICIPANT'S ABILITIES AND INCLUDE FAMILY INPUT. AT THE END OF EACH SESSION, FAMILIES ARE UPDATED VIA AN END OF SESSION REPORT ON HOW THEIR CHILD HAS WORKED TO ATTAIN THEIR GOALS. EVERY AR LESSON IS SUBSIDIZED BY 75% TO KEEP OUR FEES LOW. IN ADDITION, FINANCIAL AID IS AVAILABLE ON A SLIDING SCALE FOR THOSE PARENTS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD OUR $35/RIDE LESSON FEE. 2. THERAPY SERVICES- FORMERLY NAMED HIPPOTHERAPY SADDLE UP!'S THERAPY SERVICES (TS) OFFERS PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPY THAT INCORPORATES EQUINE MOVEMENT AS A TREATMENT STRATEGY. OUR THERAPISTS SKILLFULLY DIRECT THE MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE TO CHALLENGE AND ENGAGE THE CLIENT'S NEUROMUSCULAR AND SENSORIMOTOR SYSTEMS TO ADDRESS THE CLIENT'S CHALLENGES, SUCH AS DEFICITS IN BALANCE, ENDURANCE, COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, SPEECH, AND ATTENTION. WITH THESE SYSTEMS REGULATED, PATIENTS ARE ABLE TO INTERACT OPTIMALLY WITH THEIR ENVIRONMENT SHOWING IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTENTION, SENSORY REGULATION, COMMUNICATION, MUSCLE ENGAGEMENT, AND POSTURAL CONTROL. THE DYNAMIC MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE COMBINED WITH THE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT CAN HELP PROMOTE FUNCTIONAL CHANGE, RESULTING IN INCREASED INDEPENDENCE IN MOBILITY, ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, AND INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY LIFE. THERAPY SERVICES TREATS CLIENTS WITH DISABILITIES AS YOUNG AS 2 YEARS OLD THROUGH THEIR 19TH BIRTHDAY. THE THERAPY SERVICES PROGRAM IS OFFERED YEAR-ROUND AND APPOINTMENTS ARE SCHEDULED AND LED BY A LICENSED PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL OR SPEECH THERAPIST THAT HAS ALSO BEEN CERTIFIED AS A HIPPOTHERAPY CLINICAL SPECIALIST. THE APPOINTMENT ALSO INCORPORATES THE EXPERTISE OF A PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. A TYPICAL APPOINTMENT IS 45 MINUTES. THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT ADDRESS HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS AS IN OUR ADAPTIVE RIDING PROGRAM. MEDICAL PROGRESS NOTES ARE COMPLETED FOLLOWING EACH APPOINTMENT TO ASSESS FUNCTIONAL CHANGE TOWARDS GOALS AND GUIDE FURTHER PLAN OF CARE. 3. EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) SADDLE UP!'S EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) PROGRAM IS AN EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING APPROACH WHICH INVOLVES STUDENTS INTERACTING WITH HORSES TO BUILD SELF-CONFIDENCE, IMPROVE SOCIAL SKILLS, AND REINFORCE ACADEMIC SKILLS. USING THE BARN AND OUR FARM AS A DYNAMIC CLASSROOM, STUDENTS ALSO GET TO PARTICIPATE IN ARTS, CRAFTS, HIKES, GAMES, AND DISCOVERY. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 12TH GRADE WITH LEARNING AND/OR SOCIAL DIFFERENCES. FUN ON THE FARM (SUMMER ONLY) FUN ON THE FARM IS A DAYTIME, SUMMER ONLY, EQUINE ASSISTED LEARNING PROGRAM. PARTICIPANTS ATTEND SADDLE UP! DAILY, FOR A WEEK, AND DISCOVER THE FARM FROM OUR HERD'S POINT OF VIEW. ACTIVITIES SUCH AS NATURE HIKES, HORSE HANDLING, CRAFTS, WATER PLAY, AND RIDING LESSONS WILL TEACH STUDENTS LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS. OUR FUN ON THE FARM PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE AGE OF 6 THROUGH THEIR 19TH BIRTHDAY.4. EQUESTRIAN CLUB THE SADDLE UP! EQUESTRIAN CLUB (SUEC) IS COMPRISED OF RIDERS WHO HAVE EXCELLED THROUGH THE ADAPTIVE RIDING PROGRAM AND ARE WORKING ON MASTERING THEIR HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS. EACH SUEC MEETING GIVES RIDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN CLASS WORK, BARN WORK, RIDING, AND HORSE CARE. RIDERS ARE CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES WHO HAVE ACHIEVED LEVEL #4 IN RIDES, THROUGH OUR ADAPTIVE RIDING PROGRAM, AND SHOWED CONTINUED INTEREST IN EXCELLING THEIR HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS. THE SUEC MEETS TWICE A MONTH IN THE SPRING AND FALL AND FOR A FULL WEEK IN THE SUMMER TO GAIN THEIR ADVANCED HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS. SPRING AND FALL MEETINGS ARE 2 HOURS LONG AND THE SUMMER MEETING IS 3 HOURS LONG FOR 5 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, THIS ALLOWS TIME FOR EXTENSIVE UNMOUNTED AND MOUNTED PRACTICE TIME. OCCASIONAL FIELD TRIPS ARE SCHEDULED TO FARMS, VETERINARIAN CLINICS, AND HORSE SHOWS FOR ADDITIONAL HORSEMANSHIP EXPERIENCES. THE SADDLE UP! EQUESTRIAN CLUB CURRICULUM IS MODELED AFTER THE KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE UNITED STATES PONY CLUB. SADDLE UP!'S PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS BREAK DOWN THE KNOWLEDGE SET FORTH BY THE UNITED STATES PONY CLUB TO ASSIST RIDERS IN LEARNING THESE HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS AT THEIR OWN PACE. INSTRUCTION IS ENHANCED AS INSTRUCTORS TEACH TO EACH RIDER'S LEARNING STYLE. GOALS ARE SET BASED ON THE RIDER'S ABILITIES AND AREA(S) OF INTEREST. 5. INTERACTIVE VAULTING- SADDLE UP!'S INTERACTIVE VAULTING (IV) PROGRAM IS AN EQUINE-ASSISTED ACTIVITY WHERE PARTICIPANTS PERFORM MOVEMENTS ON AND AROUND THE HORSE WHILE THE HORSE IS BEING LUNGED ON A CIRCLE. DURING A LESSON, OUR PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED VAULTING INSTRUCTOR DIRECTS VAULTERS TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR HORSE IN ORDER TO FOSTER TEAMWORK, TEACH RESPECT FOR THE HORSE, FOSTER INDEPENDENCE, BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND ENCOURAGE SOCIAL INTERACTION. OUR INTERACTIVE VAULTING PROGRAM SERVES CHILDREN AND YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES FROM THE AGE OF 6 THROUGH THEIR 19TH BIRTHDAY. 6. ALUMNI TRANSITIONS- SADDLE UP'S ALUMNI TRANSITIONS PROGRAM IS A YEAR ROUND PROGRAM WHERE SADDLE UP! GRADUATES FROM THE AGE OF 19 THROUGH THEIR 26TH BIRTHDAY GET TO WORK ON THEIR MOUNTED RIDING SKILLS, UNMOUNTED HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS, AND LIFE SKILLS. THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE GROUP IS "LEARNING, HELPING, & RIDING." PARTICIPANTS ARE ASSIGNED TO A WEEKLY, 1.5 HOUR LESSON LED BY A PATH INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR. LESSONS OPERATE DURING THE DAY (NO EVENING OR WEEKEND LESSONS AVAILABLE) AND INCLUDE UP TO 3 PARTICIPANTS. (Less)
Saddle Up! cannot currently be evaluated by our Culture & Community methodology because we have not received data from the charity regarding its Constituent Feedback or Equity Practices strategies.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
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Saddle Up! has earned a 100% for the Leadership & Adaptability beacon. See the metrics below for more information.
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
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Full CreditPartial CreditNo CreditNot ApplicableMission - 10/10 ptsMission - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission
Saddle Up’s mission is to impact the lives of children and young adults with disabilities by providing opportunities to grow and develop through therapeutic, educational and recreational experiences with horses.
Vision - 10/10 ptsVision - 10/10 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization’s vision.
Saddle Up! operates six programs year-round from our 34-acre farm in Franklin, TN, for children and young adults (ages 2-26) with disabilities. Participants in Saddle Up's programs show improvement in flexibility, balance and muscular strength. For individuals with mental or emotional disabilities, the unique relationship formed with the horse can lead to increased confidence, patience and self-esteem. Saddle Up! provides opportunities for physical, occupational and speech therapy; physical exercise; cognitive stimulation; learning; confidence building; creation of social and team networks; and recreation.
Source: Nonprofit submitted responses
Goals - 20/20 ptsGoals - 20/20 pts
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Serving more children and maximizing the missional return on our greatest investment and largest asset - our facility.
Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).
Goal Two: Leveraging our 30+ years of experience, central location and national reputation by repositioning Saddle Up! as a Center of Excellence.
Goal Type: This goal reflects our commitment to further our advocacy work for our organization and or cause area.
Goal Three: Increasing the number of full-time staff who are PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) certified instructors.
Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.
Leadership Development - 15/15 ptsLeadership Development - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development
We recently hired an Education & Training Director, and part of her role is to create new opportunities to educate volunteers and staff on equine-assisted therapies and activities.
Mobilizing for Mission - 15/15 ptsMobilizing for Mission - 15/15 pts
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Networks of Collective Impact Efforts
Thought Leadership
Raising Awareness
Community Building
Saddle Up! is a member of PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) and the American Hippotherapy Association. We also partner with Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, Belmont University, Rochelle Center, Center for Nonprofit Management, Father Ryan High School, Franklin Lions Club, Lipscomb University, White Fawn Farm, TEAM, Southern Reins, Colby's Army, Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR), the Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding (Calif.), the LEND program (a consortium of medical professionals who are helping us evaluate our program impact), Brightstone, and High Hopes. We recently tabled at the 3-day Southern Equine Expo, and regularly have staff attend industry conferences and trainings.
Adaptability Story - 30/30 ptsAdaptability Story - 30/30 pts
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
When Saddle Up! had to cut back on programming and fundraising events due to COVID safety protocols in the past year, we cut expenses and made small staff changes to help counter lost revenue. We also relaunched a virtual fundraising campaign / competition from 2015 called "Pony Up! for Saddle Up!," which ended up raising almost $40,000 for operating expenses in its first year.
Impact & Results
Accountability & Finance
Culture & Community
Leadership & Adaptability
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