Our Kids.

Our Community.

A mother with three autistic sons, single moms needing after school activities for their children, and the sons and daughters of veterans with a passion for horses. These are the families and the children we are serving every day at Lake Fork Stables.

Riders Up! is a youth mentorship program at Lake Fork Stables, a 501(c)3 public charity. We provide free and reduced cost riding lessons to the children of low-income families, special needs students and military/first responder families.

Horse Sense Equine Therapy Retreats provide a much-needed respite for autism families across the state.

Our lessons and equine-assisted therapy sessions are focused on safety and good horsemanship. We are a sanctuary for retired Thoroughbred racehorses, providing them with second and third careers.

Become a part of our community today!

Donate To Support East Texas Kids

Sponsor a Child

Hannah

18 years old

Hannah is always ready for her weekly lesson and willing to come and help out at the barn whenever she can. She loves to ride Jackson and take him on pasture rides, but she is always willing to clean stalls or do other tasks around the barn as well. She is on the autism spectrum, but it does not hold her back. Her confidence has soared since she has began riding on a regular basis.

Sponsor Hannah

Montana

11 years old

Montana is one of three daughters of a hard-working single mom. She loves horses and is eager to learn every week. She dreams of one day being able to compete in barrel racing

Sponsor Montana

Edward

10 years old

Edward dreams of having a horse of his own one day. He’s full of questions about different breeds and bucking broncos. While he is on the autism spectrum, he is always excited and ready to learn more when he comes to the barn.

Sponsor Edward

Ori

7 years old

Ori simply enjoys being in the saddle. The slow and careful walk of Mistic nearly lures him to sleep and you can physically see the relaxation take over his body. The youngest of three boys on the spectrum, he is always ready to be the first to ride.

Sponsor Ori

Zeev

10 years old

Zeeve is the middle brother of three boys on the spectrum and he has ADHD. Zeeve’s nervous energy releases when he’s on the back of a horse. He enjoys the time he spends riding Mistic each weekend and he always has a big smile on his face.

Sponsor Zeev

Yoav

14 years old

Yoav is 14 years old and on the autism spe trum. He is the oldest of three brothers, all of which are on the spectrum. He loves video games and art, but he really enjoys spending time riding Mistic. It’s very therapeutic for him. Yoav is a very sweet and courteous boy that has overcome many of his inhibitions through horseback riding.

Sponsor Yoav

Zoe

11 years old

Zoe is the only child of a hard-working single mom. She is full of life and ambition but suffers from anxiety and ADHD. Horseback riding gives her an outlet and helps her to relax and take on the challenges life throws at her.

Sponsor Zoe

Kaidyn

8 years old

Kaidyn is 8 years old. While he is quiet and doesn’t have a whole lot to say at times, he is always eager to ride and goes right to work getting Mistic ready for his lesson.

Sponsor Kaidyn

Kayleigh

10 years old

Kayleigh loves horses and is excited to be riding at Lake Fork Stables. She has just started her riding lessons with us but looks forward to them every week.

Sponsor Kayleigh

Horses Helping Kids.

Kids Helping Horses.

Become a Sponsor. Get Involved.

We have a desire to spread the joy of horses to every child we can, but with that comes great responsibility. Sponsors, both corporate and individual, are vital to helping this program succeed and to meet our goal of teaching as many kids as possible. If your company is interested in a corporate sponsorship, employee matching program or other program, contact us.

What We Do

Our East Texas communities in and around Wood, Rains and Hopkins County are “all or nothing,” and many families simply do not have the resources to afford activities for their children, such as horseback riding, despite being rural, farm communities.

Our vision is to help develop a generation of kids that are confident leaders in their community thanks to the life lessons learned in the saddle and at the barn. We do this by providing a judgement free barn where all of their inhibitions, learning disabilities or other problems fade away and where they can focus on learning and achieving their goals.

Our Mission

Our mission is to provide local children with the opportunity to learn how to ride horses as well as learn about horsemanship, horse care, and stable management while providing off the track Thoroughbreds with careers after racing.