Great and Small gives therapeutic horseback riding lessons to children and adults with a wide range of physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities. We are a partner of Montgomery County’s Child Welfare Services, offering our program free of charge to children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. Great and Small also adopts suitable horses and ponies into the program, some of whom have themselves come from neglectful homes, or who need a safe and gentle retirement. We also have a small horse rescue program.  Great and Small is a non-profit corporation, and all donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

Helping Kids

Traumatized children often do not respond well to traditional forms of “talk” therapy, and we believe that time spent with our horses can instill a sense of warmth and wonderment that has never been freely offered to many of our children. For children and adults with physical or cognitive disabilities, mastering the skills of horsemanship improves balance, coordination, reflexes, motor skills and auditory processing. It also requires determination, patience, personal courage, empathy and creative problem-solving skills. For all of our riders, the sense of achievement that comes from learning to ride can translate into feelings of joy and self-confidence we hope will stay with them in all other areas of their lives.

Helping Horses

Great and Small provides a gentle home for horses whose futures are uncertain because of age or infirmity. These animals may no longer be great athletes, but are still magic to our students learning to ride and care for them. There are more than 82,000 horses in Maryland, and many fall short of their owners’ expectations, sustain career-ending injuries, or simply become too old for hard work. Great and Small pairs these deserving animals with riders who benefit from the sense of comfort and connection the horses can provide.

Our Programs

Great and Small teaches private and small group lessons at our farm in Boyds, MD.  We also serve the special needs classes of several Montgomery County middle and high schools, and provide many of our lessons at no or low-cost.  In addition, we are also very lucky to have the Great Falls Vaulters in residence, who have been so generous in teaching the sport of vaulting to some of our students.  Commonly described as "gymnastics on horseback", vaulting promotes balance, strength and confidence for riders of all abilities and ages, and is really, really fun.