About Us
HEALTHY LIVING WITH HORSES
Horses4Heroes is a Las Vegas-based, national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth, adults and families and enriching their lives through deeply discounted recreational, instructional and morale-boosting health and wellness programs that emphasize fun and safe activities with horses.
Our large and growing national network includes more than 300 facilities in 45 states plus Canada. Through programs like Operation Free Ride, we have given thousands of free horseback rides and we are introducing a brand new audience to the world of horses.
MISSION
Affordable recreational and instructional equestrian activities for local heroes and their families.
VISION
Strengthening communities with programs that use horses to promote healthy living and lifestyles.
CORE VALUES
We use horses to emphasize 4 core values – Responsibility, Independence, Discipline and Empathy.
Join Horses 4Heroes today! Membership is FREE for Active Duty service members, Reserve, National Guard, Veterans, Law Enforcement Officers, Fire Fighters/EMTs, Healthcare workers, school teachers (CCSD, private, parochial, charter, homeschool) and their immediate families. Not a HERO? You can be our HERO and support our non-profit by joining as a FRIEND for $50, one-time fee. In addition, we serve at-risk youth, foster children and teens, victims of domestic abuse and violence, Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress, and others in our communities who need a hand up, not a handout
please email us at:
horses4heroes@gmail.com
and follow us on Facebook.
OPERATION FREE RIDE
Since​ ​2012,​ ​thousands​ ​throughout​ ​the​ ​country​ ​have​ ​ridden​ ​a​ ​horse​ ​for​ ​free,​ ​either​ ​by​ ​appointment​ ​at
one​ ​of​ ​our​ ​Ride​ ​Hosts​ ​or​ ​at​ ​open​ ​houses​ ​held​ ​in​ ​conjunction​ ​with​ ​equestrian​ ​events​ ​including​ ​horse
shows​ ​and​ ​rodeos:​ ​​ ​Pinto​ ​World​ ​Championship​ ​Show,​ ​Cheyenne​ ​Frontier​ ​Days,​ ​River​ ​City​ ​Rodeo​ ​in
Omaha,​ ​Senior​ ​National​ ​Finals​ ​Rodeo​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Wrangler​ ​National​ ​Finals​ ​Rodeo,​ ​Las​ ​Vegas.
Operation​ ​Free​ ​ride​ ​was​ ​launched​ ​on​ ​May​ ​19,​ ​2012,​ ​in​ ​Las​ ​Vegas,​ ​to​ ​celebrate​ ​Armed​ ​Forces​ ​Day.​ ​​ ​
In 2014​ ​and​ ​2016,​ ​Horses4Heroes​ ​won​ ​the​ ​American​ ​Horse​ ​Council’s​ ​Time​ ​to​ ​Ride​
​100-Day​ ​Challenge​ ​for introducing​ ​the​ ​most​ ​newcomers​ ​to​ ​horses!​
Its what we do best.
Our Founder
In 2006, Sydney Knott, along with her family members, founded the non-profit, Horses4Heroes, Inc. to make horseback riding affordable for, and accessible to, the heroes in our community and their families. Today, the organization has affiliates throughout the country.  Horses4Heroes is the two-time winner of the American Horse Council’s Time to Ride Challenge!
In June 2017, Ms. Knott was named the Equine Industry Vision Award winner, an annual award presented by American Horse Publications and sponsored by Zoetis. Ms. Knott is a 1978 graduate from the University of Southern California and is an award-winning practicing public relations professional with more than 40 years experience in the industry. She resides in Las Vegas with her husband, William Cunningham, a Vietnam Veteran and former Navy Seabee.
