BraveHearts

BraveHearts offers therapeutic riding lessons, groundwork, drill team, physical therapy using hippotherapy, occupational therapy using hippotherapy, speech therapy using hippotherapy, Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, and equine services for heroes. Therapeutic riding lessons are offered year-round.

Programs

• Therapeutic riding lessons — offered year-round
• Groundwork
• Drill team
• Physical therapy using hippotherapy
• Occupational therapy using hippotherapy
• Speech therapy using hippotherapy
• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy
• Equine services for heroes

About the provider

BraveHearts was incorporated in the State of Illinois in October 2002, and the program began in the fall of 2003. Its paperwork for not-for-profit status was approved by the Internal Revenue Service in April 2004, and it became a Premier Accredited Center for the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) in October 2007. BraveHearts completed a merger with The Bergmann Centre on August 24, 2010, and BraveHearts at Perks Ranch was acquired in 2025. The program serves military veterans, veterans’ families, children, and adults, and all veterans and family members are served at no charge. Additional support is provided through a Transportation fund, Scholarship fund, and Hardship fund.

As much as they appreciate and welcome visitors to the farms, visitors are asked to schedule their meet and greet tour ahead of time. Please leave a voicemail outside of business hours. They provide non-equine outpatient services in speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

Last updated August 23, 2026.