Help Riding Club of Austin Rebuild in Wimberley

A Note From a Friend

Hi, I’m Sonia. I’m the Administrative Assistant at Riding Club of Austin (RCA), and I’m also a lifelong friend of RCA’s owner, Brianna. We’ve been friends since high school, and I’ve had a front-row seat to how much RCA means to her—and to the young people and families who have become part of this community.

As I write this, Brianna is out caring for her horses and working tirelessly to make RCA’s new home feel like home. She has taken on an extraordinary amount herself, and I am asking for help on her behalf because I truly believe our community can give RCA the support it needs to successfully navigate this transition.

A Move That Came Earlier than Expected

We always knew RCA would eventually need to move from its previous location. We expected that move to happen sometime in the next summer and had been preparing for that possibility. What we couldn't have anticipated was receiving just 60 days notice to leave this summer.

With very little time to make a plan, we had to find a new home for our horses and make a major move months earlier than expected.

Thankfully, we found a new home in Wimberley. We truly are excited about this new chapter, but the reality is that the move has been far more expensive, labor-intensive, and disruptive than we were prepared for.

Below is an image of our team and several RCA families that came together to help with the move and share some well earned pizza. Riders also shared Riding Club of Austin memories in a memory book.

The Cost of an Unexpected Transition

We have had to cover a security deposit and first month’s rent, purchase additional horse feed, and absorb a month of lost income while also keeping up with expenses such as feed, hay, rent, insurance, veterinary care, routine farrier care, labor and staffing. We were also closed this last week to move our horses, equipment, and entire operation. Brianna has handled much of this personally, alongside some truly wonderful volunteers.

Our new location is farther from many of our longtime Austin clients, so we're rebuilding our lesson schedule while working to bring our existing community with us and welcome new families in Wimberley.

We’ve also had to rebuild our staff. Three of our instructors were unable to make the move with us and have to find other jobs because the new location is simply too far away. They were heartbroken.

Though we have successfully hired new instructors, rebuilding our team while reestablishing our lesson schedule has added another major challenge to an already difficult transition.

Building Momentum in Wimberley

We’re offering discounted lessons, launching Fall Camp, encouraging families to reserve their spots early, and running a $200 RCA Barn Sponsorship campaign. We’re working from every angle to rebuild revenue and establish RCA in its new community.

Even with these accelerated efforts, the one-time costs of this accelerated move have created an immediate financial gap that we cannot absorb alone.

We are asking our community to help us raise $8,000 to cover these immediate ], one-time transition costs and give RCA the breathing room it needs to stabilize and grow in Wimberley.

Why RCA Matters

As Brianna’s friend, this is personal for me.

Recently, I asked her:

“After everything this transition has demanded, are you still certain this is what you want? Do you still believe in RCA's future?”

She answered without hesitation that RCA is everything to her.

For years, Brianna has poured her heart, time, resources -- and made major personal sacrifices -- into creating a place where young people can learn to ride, develop confidence and responsibility, build relationships with horses, and feel like they belong. Riding horses in her youth did that for her.

Making Horses Accessible

We know horseback riding is an expensive sport. We also know that many families simply cannot afford it.

Brianna and I both understand how hard it can be to love something as expensive as horseback riding. That's a big part of why we've always worked so hard to keep RCA's lessons as affordable and accessible as possible.

With support through this transition, we will continue creating opportunities for young people - including youth from underserved and lower-income backgrounds - to experience horses and everything they can teach us.

This is what your support will preserve.

Help RCA Build it's Next Chapter

This transition has tested us in ways we never expected, but it has also reaffirmed how deeply we care about the horses, the kids, the families, and the community we've built. We are committed to carrying that community forward in Wimberley.

With your help, RCA can absorb the immediate costs of this move, establish stable footing in its new home, and conitnue serving its community.

Out goal is $8,000 - enough to help cover these immediate transition costs and give RCA the breathing room it needs to build its next chapter in Wimberley.

Thank you for believing in Brianna, the horses, the kids, and the community she has spent so many years building.

Let’s help Brianna and RCA build a strong future in Wimberley!