LFLake Fork Stables
Horses Helping Kids, Kids Helping Horses
About Lake Fork Stables
At Lake Fork Stables in Yantis, free and discounted riding lessons help East Texas children and adults learn riding, horsemanship, horse care, and stable management. The organization serves low-income, autistic, military, foster, and older community members, while retired Thoroughbreds receive sanctuary, rehabilitation, retraining, and new careers as lesson, therapy, show, or family horses. In 2025, the Riders Up! program provided weekly sessions to five children with autism or other learning disabilities, and therapeutic riding lessons served 15 children each week.
Lake Fork Stables is described as the only Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance-accredited organization in East Texas. Its retired racehorses do not simply retire from racing, they may go on to become lesson, therapy, show, or family horses while participants learn alongside them.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Riders Up! Program
Free and discounted private riding sessions for children on the autism spectrum and children with other learning disabilities, including Horse Boy Method-inspired sessions.
Therapeutic riding lessons
Weekly riding sessions that use horsemanship and equine-assisted activities to support children and adults, including low-income, military, foster, and autistic families.
Thoroughbred aftercare
Sanctuary, rehabilitation, retraining, adoption, and second-career support for retired racehorses. Horses may become lesson, therapy, show, or family horses.
Horse Powered Reading
Equine-assisted learning sessions built around individual educational needs, including reading and other educational activities.
Horsemanship courses and clinics
Monthly clinics, workshops, memberships, and educational experiences covering horse behavior, groundwork, riding, training, safety, and horse care.
Horseback riding excursions
By-appointment, hands-on riding experiences in which participants groom and tack a retired racehorse before riding in the arena.
Equine bodywork services
Public PEMF therapy, craniosacral therapy, and kinesiology taping services for horses.
Riding school and show team
Private and semi-private riding lessons, show preparation, and opportunities to participate in dressage and other horse shows.
Volunteer program
Volunteer roles include barn support, facility maintenance, administrative work, community outreach, fundraising, and special events.
Intern and working student programs
Unpaid fundraising, marketing, and equine working-student opportunities that provide practical nonprofit, horsemanship, riding, horse-care, and equine-assisted-services experience.
Horse sponsorships and adoption
Opportunities to sponsor a child or horse, foster a retired horse, or adopt an approved Thoroughbred.
About this work
Mission
Lake Fork Stables provides free and discounted riding lessons and equine-assisted activities for low-income, autistic, military, foster, and other community families in East Texas, while giving retired Thoroughbreds sanctuary, rehabilitation, retraining, and careers after racing. Participants learn riding, horsemanship, horse care, and stable management.
Who they serve
Children and adults in East Texas, especially low-income families, children on the autism spectrum or with other learning disabilities, military and veteran families, foster families, and older adults. The organization serves children from Wood, Hopkins, and Rains Counties through the Riders Up! program.
Their impact
- In 2025, the Riders Up! program provided weekly riding sessions to 5 children on the autism spectrum or with other learning disabilities.
- In 2025, therapeutic riding lessons provided weekly sessions to 15 children.
- In 2020, Lake Fork Stables raised $742 through East Texas Giving Day.
- In 2020, the organization raised $582 through its Run for the Roses Virtual Gala.
- In 2020, the first Farm Fall Festival raised $4,000.
- In 2020, Facebook fundraisers raised more than $2,500.
How your donation helps
- Feed, hay, tack, farrier services, veterinary care, and other care for retired racehorses
- Free and discounted riding lessons, therapy sessions, and scholarships for children and families
- Retraining and rehabilitation of retired racehorses
- Facility improvements and program operations
- A covered arena, with a stated fundraising goal of $200,000
Need help?
How someone in need can access Lake Fork Stables’s services.
Families can contact Lake Fork Stables at valerie@ridersup.org or (903) 366-3052. Riding lessons are by appointment, and prospective Riders Up! participants complete an enrollment form that asks about the student’s age, school, household, medical information, diagnosis, riding experience, and educational needs. Scholarship assistance is available through the program when funds permit, and the organization states that it serves low-income, autistic, military, foster, and other community families.
Stories
The people behind the work.
Grant support
$1,500 from 1 funder · through 2022 (IRS 990 records).
- Nita Thiessen Foundation — $1,500 (2022)Horse therapyfor disabled individuals.
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Lake Fork Stables has shared.
Current needs
- Funding for a covered arena and related improvements, with a stated total goal of $200,000
- Financial support for free and discounted riding lessons and scholarships
- Feed, hay, tack, and other horse-care supplies
- Horse sponsorships to support feed, hay, farrier services, and veterinary care
- Volunteers for facility maintenance, barn support, administration, outreach, fundraising, and special events
Volunteer opportunities
- Barn Buddies, including checking horses and water, feeding barn cats, grooming, cleaning tack, and general barn tasks
- Facility maintenance, including mowing, weed eating, grounds work, arena dragging, and other projects
- Administrative and office support, including donor thank-you notes, social media, and graphic design
- Community outreach and fundraising at vendor events and local activities
- Special-event support for the Farm Fall Festival, birthday parties, and other events
- Fundraising and marketing internships
- Working student positions assisting with horse care, riding lessons, excursions, events, and retired racehorse retraining
Recognition & press
Awards & recognition
- Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accreditation, described as the only such accredited program in East Texas and one of three in Texas.
- Grant from the Wood County Electric Charitable Foundation for a septic system and bathroom at the barn.
- Grant of $4,000 from the Texas Racing Commission through the Texas Thoroughbred Association for retired racehorse care.
Partners & funders
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
What happens during a horseback riding excursion?
Participants groom and tack their own retired racehorse, then ride in the arena during a one-hour, hands-on learning experience. Excursions are available by appointment for ages 6 and up. Booking is required at least 48 hours in advance.
Does Lake Fork Stables offer hippotherapy?
No. Lake Fork Stables offers therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities focused on horsemanship and emotional and mental health support. It does not offer hippotherapy because it does not have the facilities and training needed for physical-disability therapy.
How do the horsemanship memberships work?
Memberships provide access to monthly horsemanship clinics. Pony Club members receive one clinic or workshop each month. Horseman in Training members receive up to two clinics or workshops each month, along with open-arena opportunities when offered.
Can retired Thoroughbreds be adopted or fostered?
Yes. Approved applicants may adopt available horses through an application and contract process. Fostering requires a foster contract and information about where the horse will live. Lake Fork Stables provides a monthly stipend based on the horse.
What is the Horse Boy Method used for at Lake Fork Stables?
The Horse Boy Method is used in equine-assisted learning and riding sessions for children on the autism spectrum. Children learn to ride and care for horses while having opportunities to communicate and explore the world around them.
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