Agape has always been more than a place to ride horses. From the very beginning, it has been a place where people find connection, confidence, healing, and hope.
Our name, Agape, comes from the Greek word meaning unconditional love and that is the foundation our organization was built on. In 1986, Cheryl Miller and her daughter, Dawn, felt called to share the joy of horses and the power of that unconditional love with children with disabilities. What began as a small summer program quickly revealed something remarkable: lives were being transformed.
Families asked for more. Therapists saw breakthroughs. And a dream began to form a year-round place where people could experience the healing power of horses. After Dawn’s tragic passing in 1992, Cheryl felt a renewed, faith-filled conviction to carry that dream forward. In 1994, she opened Agape’s year-round therapeutic riding center in Cicero, Indiana. Just a few years later, with community support and growing impact, Agape expanded its facility to include a classroom, offices, stalls, and space designed for learning and connection.
For 40 years, one thing has never changed: our heart for people and horses.
This commitment is what we call The Agape Way– serving with excellence, compassion, and intentional care for every person and every horse that comes through our barn doors.
Growing With Our Community
As we reflect on four decades of service, we also celebrate how Agape has grown — not only in size, but in reach, partnerships, and impact.
Today, Agape is proud to be a Premier PATH Intl. Accredited Center, recognized for the highest standards of safety, quality instruction, and service excellence. Each year, we serve individuals of all ages and abilities, families, schools, veterans, mental health partners, and community organizations across Central Indiana.
This growth is possible because of the people who make Agape what it is our dedicated staff, volunteers, families, donors, partners, and of course, our incredible herd.
Honoring Our Past While Building Our Future
As we prepare for Agape’s 40th anniversary, we’ve taken time to listen to our riders and families, volunteers, community partners, and staff. We heard your hopes, your challenges, and your ideas for how Agape can continue to meet the evolving needs of our community.
One message is clear:
Agape is strong and now is the time to build the next chapter together.
Over the upcoming year, we’ll be evolving parts of our programming to better support:
The progress and experience of our participants
Access for new families hoping to join Agape
The well-being and longevity of our horses
The volunteers who make this mission possible
This evolution isn’t change for the sake of change. It is purposeful growth rooted in the same mission that began in Cheryl and Dawn’s hearts decades ago.
Our Next Home: A Vision for the Future
Many of you have heard about our plans for a future home in Noblesville at Stony Creek — a campus designed to expand Agape’s impact and create more opportunities for people to connect, grow, and thrive with horses.
While the timeline has shifted from what we once imagined, our commitment to this vision has not changed. We are moving forward with wisdom and thoughtful planning, so that when we relaunch the campaign, we do so with strength, sustainability, and shared momentum. Stony Creek remains a vision for Agape’s next 40 years and we are eager for the day we bring that dream to life, together.
Together, We Build What Comes Next
Agape’s story has always been written by a community of people who believe in the power of unconditional love and each of you is part of that legacy.
As we step into this new chapter, we do so with gratitude for where we’ve been and excitement for what lies ahead. With the same heart, mission, and Agape Way guiding us, we will continue to create a place where people and horses experience connection, confidence, and transformative growth.
What is your most transformative memory from your time with Agape? Share your story in the comments below!
Here’s to the next 40 years and to building them together.