Ray Graham Association Hanson Center

⛈️ CANCELLED: Due to overnight rain and continued storms forecast for this morning, we have made the difficult decision to cancel today’s 👟 Monarch Walk and Fall Fest.

Safety is always our highest priority. With active flood warnings, standing water on local roads, and additional lightning and heavy rain expected late morning, conditions simply are not safe to transport the people we support from our more than 30 residential homes across the community.

Between hazardous travel for our buses and waterlogged site conditions on the grounds, cancelling is the safest choice for everyone.

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes when our riders aren't in the saddle?

Not all equine learning happens in the saddle...👀🐴
Unmounted lessons focus on developing horsemanship skills from the ground! Participants learn about horse behavior, grooming, safety, anatomy, tack, and daily care. These lessons can help build a rider's confidence and a deeper understanding of horses while creating a strong foundation for riding and overall equine knowledge.

📵➡️🐴 Trade Screen Time for Saddle Time!

It's time for 🐴 Saddle Up Sunday!

Bring the kids out for an afternoon at the Hanson Center where smiles are guaranteed and pony rides create memories that last long after the ride is over.

📅 Sunday, August 9
🕐 1:00–2:00 PM
👧 Ages 3–10
💲 $10 per rider

💚 Every ride supports the Ray Graham Association Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, helping provide meaningful equine experiences for individuals of all abilities.

So put down the tablets, step away from the screens, and spend your Sunday making memories at the barn!

📍 Hanson Center | Burr Ridge

🐴 Saddle Up Sundays
📅 Every 2nd Sunday of the Month

Welcome Cricket🦗🐴

💗🐴A hot new bombshell has entered the barn... and she's already turning heads! Cricket is giving mane character energy with confidence, kindness, and a little bit of sparkle, this mare is ready to steal the spotlight and make every day a little more exciting.✨🌴 We are so excited to bring her to our adaptive riding team! 🐴✨

🐴💜 Every ribbon has a story. Every rider has worked hard to get here. Now it's show time! 💜🐴

The arena is ready.
The horses are ready.
And our riders are ready to shine!

Join us this weekend for the 2026 Annual Horse Show and cheer on our incredible riders as they showcase the skills, confidence, and partnerships they've built throughout the season.

⭐ Saturday: Horse Show Competition Only

⭐ Sunday: Horse Show + Fun Fest
🍔 Food Truck
🛍️ Vendors
🎯 Activities for all ages

💜 Free to attend
📍 Hanson Center | Burr Ridge

We'll save you a spot on the rail!

🐴🏗️ Even during our off week, the barn is BUSY behind the scenes! ✨

New arena footing is going in, improvements are underway, and our therapeutic horsemanship program continues building toward an even stronger season ahead at the Hanson Center! 💚💜🐎

Of course, none of this could happen without Jack the Barn Cat carefully “supervising” the entire project… probably from the most important construction position possible. 🐱👷‍♂️😂

We can’t wait to welcome everyone back soon with fresh footing, exciting improvements, and plenty more adventures ahead! ✨🐾

Thank you to these ladies for getting the barn ready for summer and the horse show — donating their time, talent, and creativity! Hanging baskets using halters!

🐎✨ More Than Riding. Built Through Connection. ✨🐎

We’re excited to continue growing our Therapeutic Horsemanship program at Ray Graham Association—and to do that, we’re proud to officially welcome Brianna Cortez into her new full-time role as a Program Specialist for our Therapeutic Recreation Services💚

Brianna will have a strong presence at the barn, supporting experiences that go far beyond the saddle:

🐎 Instructor
🐾 Small animal specialist
🎉 Birthday party and group experiences host
🌟 A key part of daily operations

Because at RGA Horsemanship… it’s more than riding.
It’s connection, confidence, and meaningful experiences built every day.

In addition, Brianna will continue her program leadership with Gateway SRA while helping grow our social media presence—sharing the stories, moments, and impact happening across programs 👀

Her passion, versatility, and connection with participants make her an incredible addition to this next chapter.

💚 Please join us in welcoming Brianna to her new role!