Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Recreation Facility
Ready Set Ride, 13056 Essington Road, Plainfield, IL 60585
About
Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Recreation Facility offers therapeutic equine assisted activities that include horseback riding services, games on horseback, and working with horses. Participants may take part in barn care, animal care, barn chores, and learning about animal care while spending time with friendly horses, mini-horses, mini-donkeys, and goats. The program also includes opportunities for session sidewalker training, horse leader training, and working with special needs riders, as well as community outreach programs for seniors and special needs adults and animal and equine education for groups such as the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, The Boys and Girls Club, First Responders, and more.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Barn chore training most Saturdays 9–10am
Since 2001, Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Recreation Facility has been assisting children with special needs by providing horseback riding services. Therapeutic equine assisted activities are offered for individuals with physical, emotional, and developmental challenges, and therapy is conducted in the form of games on horseback that incorporate physical, speech, occupational, developmental, and recreational therapy. Students as young as three years of age participate, and over 100 volunteers help provide support for therapeutic riding sessions to over 50 riders weekly.
Certified therapeutic riding instructors guide the students and closely monitor individual needs. The leadership team includes Program Director Lisa Afshari, equine enthusiast and co-owner of the land for programs Sharleen Smith, and Volunteer Director Robin Zavod Plant. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age, no prior equine experience is required, and volunteers complete a Volunteer Waiver Form online or print and complete it to bring to the barn. Ready Set Ride is committed to supporting equity and inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and disability.
Students come from all over the Chicagoland area, and the program receives support from local businesses, surrounding villages, friends, and family. Community outreach includes programs for seniors and special needs adults and animal and equine education for groups like the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, The Boys and Girls Club, First Responders, and more. A community member, Anthony from Caponeyboy Productions, produced a piece about Ready Set Ride.
Volunteer testimonials describe personal experiences at Ready Set Ride. Volunteer Juliette Lutz shares that she has been volunteering since the summer of 2018, enjoys helping take care of the horses every weekend, and describes how the people at Ready Set Ride have influenced her confidence and willingness to push her limits. Volunteer Hannah Jones shares that she started volunteering during Covid, drives 40 minutes from Morris three times a week, found a love for horses and working with kids with disabilities, and states that her experience at the barn influenced her decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in disability studies and human development and work toward a master’s in nursing with a focus on pediatrics.
Last updated January 8, 2026.
• Ages: 3–18 years old
• Schedule: Barn chore training most Saturdays 9–10am
Since 2001, Ready Set Ride Therapeutic Recreation Facility has been assisting children with special needs by providing horseback riding services. Therapeutic equine assisted activities are offered for individuals with physical, emotional, and developmental challenges, and therapy is conducted in the form of games on horseback that incorporate physical, speech, occupational, developmental, and recreational therapy. Students as young as three years of age participate, and over 100 volunteers help provide support for therapeutic riding sessions to over 50 riders weekly.
Certified therapeutic riding instructors guide the students and closely monitor individual needs. The leadership team includes Program Director Lisa Afshari, equine enthusiast and co-owner of the land for programs Sharleen Smith, and Volunteer Director Robin Zavod Plant. Volunteers must be at least 14 years of age, no prior equine experience is required, and volunteers complete a Volunteer Waiver Form online or print and complete it to bring to the barn. Ready Set Ride is committed to supporting equity and inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, identity, and disability.
Students come from all over the Chicagoland area, and the program receives support from local businesses, surrounding villages, friends, and family. Community outreach includes programs for seniors and special needs adults and animal and equine education for groups like the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America, The Boys and Girls Club, First Responders, and more. A community member, Anthony from Caponeyboy Productions, produced a piece about Ready Set Ride.
Volunteer testimonials describe personal experiences at Ready Set Ride. Volunteer Juliette Lutz shares that she has been volunteering since the summer of 2018, enjoys helping take care of the horses every weekend, and describes how the people at Ready Set Ride have influenced her confidence and willingness to push her limits. Volunteer Hannah Jones shares that she started volunteering during Covid, drives 40 minutes from Morris three times a week, found a love for horses and working with kids with disabilities, and states that her experience at the barn influenced her decision to pursue a bachelor’s degree in disability studies and human development and work toward a master’s in nursing with a focus on pediatrics.
Last updated January 8, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.