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...
by Randi Shannahan, PT, DPT The power of hippotherapy is most deeply understood by feeling it first-hand. The term hippotherapy refers to the purposeful manipulation of equine movement by occupational, physical and speech therapists as a treatment strategy to promote...
The Shea Center is a learning facility that takes on select students in occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, and mental health. Students in these fields require hundreds of clinical hours to fulfill their degree and mentorship to build...
Learn more about Sage, our dun Quarter Horse gelding, who excels in our military and adaptive riding programs. Why we love him: Sage's highly social and playful personality has made him a go-to horse for a variety of our programs! He is always one of the first...