The Shea Center Program currently houses 28 therapy horses acquired through purchase, donation, or loan. These horses possess diverse backgrounds in disciplines such as dressage, jumping, western, English, reining, arena work, or trail riding. While many horses are...
Walking through the barn at The Shea Center, you may notice that some stalls have “low starch treat only” or “no treats” signs. Every program horse is on a specific diet consisting of hay and supplements (donated by Platinum Performance), but adding treats is a fun...
Congratulations to Julie Froley, our June Volunteer of the Month. Volunteer Services Manager Michele Gingras says, “Julie is so reliable and great with clients. She is a pleasure to work with!” Why we love her: Always happy; always positive…Julie is our ray of...
Walking through the barn, you will notice some horses munching on hay balls and treat dispensers. Our dedicated volunteers and Lesson Treatment Assistants (LTAs) fill them twice daily for the horses to enjoy. The Shea Center uses hay balls and treat dispensers as...
Every week, our horses are exercised by program staff members. Each horse has a specially designed exercise/schooling schedule developed by the Equine Operations Manager with veterinarian guidance. Nearly all the horses, with the exception of some ponies (Mac and...
Thirteen-year-old Dylan has been an adaptive riding client at The Shea Center for sixteen months. He is diagnosed with postural scoliosis, low tone, autism, and ADHD. According to his mother, Rebecca, riding at Shea has significantly improved Dylan's core...
Seven-year-old Neil has been participating in physical therapy using hippotherapy as a client at The Shea Center for a year and a half. Neil was born weighing 1.5 pounds and experienced severe bilateral brain bleeds as well as the development of cysts, which led to a...
Meet Boots, our charming chestnut Quarter Horse, standing at a perfect 14.1 hands high. He loves going on a trail ride with his herd mates and thrives in adaptive riding lessons, where he serves as a wonderful partner for clients who are building their independent...
The horses at The Shea Center serve a vital role in helping clients achieve their goals. There are expenses to help keep the herd in excellent condition. To this end, we rely on generous donors to support our horse sponsorship program. The funds are used to acquire...
Congratulations to Eric Espinoza, our Volunteer of the Month. Volunteer Services Manager Michele Gingras says, "Eric is a wonderful volunteer who is a great contributor to the program department. He is friendly and positive and has a genuine desire to help and get the...