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Accredited Member of the
North American Riding
for the Handicapped Association

What Is Lift Me Up!

Lift Me Up! is a therapeutic riding program dedicated to helping children and adults with physical, mental and/or emotional disabilities improve both their physical and mental well being. By combining the unique and special presence of the horse and the skills and caring of our registered instructors, we have been able to help hundreds of people gain confidence patience and invaluable self-esteem.

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The LMU! program was developed in 1975 by our ‘Diamond in Denim’, Colleen Zanin (See-- LMU Heroes). Over the years we have expanded our programs to incorporate the innovative growth in the therapeutic riding industry. Today we have over 45 riders participating in our programs and a waiting list of almost 2 years. We are actively pursuing expansion of the program to accommodate each. Our riders range in age from 3 to 50+ years old.

Our staff is made up of registered therapeutic riding instructors, many of whom have occupational and/or physical therapy backgrounds. We are accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.

The diversity of our staff allows us to offer a variety of services including: Hippotherapy and a Sports Riding Program.

A Personal Message from our President: Bill Carbaugh

Lift Me Up! is a local, non-profit organization in Great Falls, Virginia which provides therapeutic horseback riding to over 80 riders, both children and adults, facing a variety of physical, cognitive and other challenges. We would like to serve more if we can get more funding (the waiting list is currently 40+). My 8 year old daughter, who is blind, rides in the program and has greatly benefited from the therapeutic riding over the past 4 years.

In February, 2006, Lift Me Up! achieved a long-awaited goal and closed on the purchase of a three (3) acre parcel on Georgetown Pike in Great Falls with an indoor riding facility. [photos] The availability of an indoor riding facility has allowed Lift Me Up! to offer year-round therapeutic riding instruction in all types of weather and to expand our program offerings to include the many remaining on our program's waiting list. In the future, we plan to offer camps and other educational opportunities to better utilize the new facility and further our mission.

I would love to have your support – both financially and through volunteering – to help Lift Me Up! continue to further its mission. Thanks!


Lift Me Up!
PO Box 104
Great Falls, Virginia 22066
Phone: 703-759-6221
Email: info@liftmeup.org