Unmounted Programs
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In addition to individual therapeutic riding lessons, Lovelane offers a variety of engaging, fun unmounted programs throughout the year. All of our unmounted programs are integrated and open to students with and without disabilities. Please explore this page to learn more about our unmounted programs. For more information, email us at programs@lovelane.org or call 781-259-1177 opt. 2
- Carrot Club: for our youngest students, ages 3 – 6, focused on social skills
- Barn Buddies: for students ages 5+, focused on horse care and developing physical, emotional, and social growth
- Horse Care Academy: for teens and young adults, focused on horse care, building confidence and functional life skills
- Find Your Stride: for young adults, focused on social skills, self-advocacy, independent living, and occupational skills
- Private Unmounted Sessions: for students of all ages, designed for their individual needs & goals
- Frequently Asked Questions


Carrot Club
The Carrot Club is a social skill-building program for students ages 3 – 6. This group is facilitated by Kristin Chisum, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in social cognition. Kristin has also been a therapeutic riding instructor at Lovelane for over 20 years. Kristin utilizes our horses to model key social cues to set the scene for positive peer interactions that support social language development.
The Carrot Club helps participants increase social awareness, build self-esteem and confidence, and improve conversational skills, including turn-taking, topic maintenance, eye contact, and body language. Students will work on developing strategies for successful social interactions, including cooperative play, self-regulation/”staying expected”, following a group plan, and “sharing an imagination”.
Spring 2025
- Sundays:
- 10:00-10:45 am, April 27th to June 8th (no class May 25th) – FULL
- 11:00-11:45 am, April 27th to June 8th (no class May 25th) – FULL
- COST: $360
Summer 2025
- Wednesdays from 4:00-4:45 pm, 5 weeks starting July 9
- COST: $310
Barn Buddies
Challenging and fun, Barn Buddies places students in integrated small groups comprised of children with and without disabilities, ages 5 and up. Guided by an instructor and enthusiastic volunteers, students work as a team to take care of Lovelane’s wonderful horses. Through exciting games, activities, and barn chores, Barn Buddies promotes the physical, emotional, and social growth of each child.
Spring 2025
- Mondays: 4:30-5:30 pm, March 3rd to June 2nd (no class April 21th & May 26th) – 1 space available for a student age 6-11
- Tuesdays: 4:00-5:00 pm, March 11th to June 3rd (no class April 22nd) – 2 spaces available for students age 12-16
- Thursdays: 4:30-5:30 pm, March 13th to June 5th (no class April 24th) – FULL
- Saturdays: 9:30-10:30 am, March 1st to June 7th (no class April 26th, May 3rd & 24th) – FULL
- COST: $600
Summer 2025
- Thursdays from 4:00-5:00 pm, 5 weeks starting July 10 – 1 space available for students age 5-8
- COST: $260
*Please note that only classes with sufficient enrollment will run




Horse Care Academy
Horse Care Academy is an engaging class that immerses participants in the barn setting. In this program teens and young adults participate in supervised lessons focused on building confidence and functional life skills such as time management, prioritizing tasks and responsibilities, managing and working with a team, and communicating with peers and supervisors. Horse Care Academy empowers its participants, increases their knowledge of horses and the care they need as well as readies them to take on the “real world”!
Spring 2025
- Wednesdays: 4:00-5:30 pm, March 12th to June 4th (no class April 23rd) – 1 space available for a young adult student
- Saturdays: 10:45-12:15 am, March 1st to June 7th (no class April 26th, May 3rd & 24th) – FULL
- COST: $770 for 12 weeks
Find Your Stride
Find Your Stride is a social skill-building program for young adults. This group is facilitated by Kristin Chisum, a speech-language pathologist who specializes in social cognition. Kristin has also been a therapeutic riding instructor at Lovelane for over 20 years. Kristin utilizes the horses and the welcoming barn environment to create opportunities for practicing and building on social communication skills.
Find Your Stride helps participants increase social and situational awareness, develop strategies for successful social interactions, build self-esteem and confidence, and practice self-advocacy. Students also work on improving their conversational skill, including turn-taking, topic maintenance, eye-contact, and body language, and developing independent living and occupational skills
Spring 2025
- Thursdays: 10:00-11:00am, February 13th to June 5th (no class April 24th) – FULL
- COST: $960 for 16 weeks



Private Unmounted Sessions
Our private unmounted horsemanship sessions are great for students who thrive in a one-on-one atmosphere. Lessons will be catered to and designed for the participant’s individual needs and goals.
- Duration: 45-minute private unmounted lessons
- Days/Times: Monday – Friday, times differ each day and will be scheduled based on participant availability
- Spring Session: 8 weeks April – June
- Summer Session: 4 – 6 weeks in July and/or August.
- Fall Session: 8 weeks September – November
- COST: $72 per 45-minute session
“Michael LOVES Barn Buddies. He comes home from it SO happy and upbeat! He considers all the horses his “friends,” a word he seldom uses for his peers.” – a Lovelane parent
Unmounted Progams Frequently Asked Questions
“Thank you for letting me participate in your Horse Care Academy program last weekend…I was so impressed with your methods! I loved your photo boards and your personal style of working with the young men and women. The many levels of physical and cognitive skills the program touched on were impressive!” – Lovelane Volunteer
