Alex, age six, was diagnosed with autism at four years old and has been participating in adaptive riding at The Shea Center for six months. Alex was referred to adaptive riding by his neurologist because he has anxiety - the movement of the horse and the focus it...
We are excited to announce that Kristi Giddings is our newest volunteer of the month. Why we love her: Kristi is a reliable volunteer who can lead any of our program horses, and she has a great sense of humor! Path to The Shea Center: Kristi grew up around...
Thank you to Cox and their employees for spending the afternoon volunteering their time with us. Corporate Volunteer Days are a great way to connect as a team, participate in new experiences, develop skills, and give back to the community. If you are...
Joel’s big smile shows how much he loves riding at The Shea Center! In transitional kindergarten, he is an active five-year-old who also has fun doing karate and swimming. He has been a client in occupational therapy utilizing hippotherapy for a year. During this...
The Shea Center is a learning facility that takes on select students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech, and mental health. Students in these fields require hundreds of clinical hours to fulfill their degree and mentorship to build their skills. Learn...
We recently held our Annual Meeting and Volunteer Celebration to honor our loyal volunteers and board members. The annual meeting is an integral part of the business and governance of The Shea Center and is a chance to recognize new leadership. Our board welcomed the...
Meet the always charming Major! His calm demeanor and natural forward movement make him a great fit for his job at The Shea Center. Why we love him: Major is a sensitive yet easy going horse who likes to move! He is quite personable and loves a good face rub, which...
Paul Worley was raised in Eden, NC, and since he was a young boy wanted to become a United States Marine. He achieved his goal, became a gunnery sergeant, and spent a 20-year career in the military. After he served several tours of duty and retired from the Marine...
Gabriella, age 4, doesn’t stop smiling while riding Huckleberry. When she arrived at The Shea Center two years ago, she was timid and had weakness in her right side. Once Gabriella started participating in occupational therapy utilizing hippotherapy, her core strength...
The Shea Center hosted its second annual Equine Training with OC Fire Authority’s Urban Search & Rescue Team (US&R) with over 100 first responders on-site at our therapeutic horseback riding center. See the firefighters in action by watching the video...