On the horse stall signs “hands” is part of the description, such as 14.2 hands or 15.4 hands. Horses are measured from the ground to the horse’s withers (at the shoulder blades, about where the mane ends on the back). The hand is a four-base system of measurement. If...
Kristina, the mother of identical twins Chloe and Olivia, felt her five-year-old daughters seemed to hit a wall in their traditional clinical therapies for developmental delay. She started looking for a therapy that would be fun and keep the girls engaged. She found...
Most horses at The Shea Center wear conventional horseshoes, but there are many shoe types including therapeutic shoes that help distribute a horse’s weight and help with balance issues or arthritis. Although horses typically wear steel horseshoes, special...
Arthur M. is a happy nine-year-old who sits up straight riding his favorite horse, Shaw, with a big smile on his face. It hasn't always been this way. Arthur came to The Shea Center at age four with a diagnosis of autism. His mother, Claudia, explains that at the...
Please join us in congratulating Johnny as our latest Volunteer of the Month! Why we love him: As a sidewalker, Johnny’s enthusiasm and commitment to our clients plays an important role in helping them reach their goals. Path to The Shea Center: “I was new to the area...
Did you know that the “dirt” on the floor of the arenas is actually called “footing” and is a combination of silica sand and GGT Fiber? The footing is much better for a horse’s joints than regular clay soil because it resists compaction from their hooves and the GGT...
We are celebrating our clients who have been part of The Shea Center family for 20 years or more! The longevity award goes to our first and founding client, Michael Lewis (seen in photo at top of blog), with an amazing 40-plus year career at Shea. More than 40 years!...
Lorelei W. is a smiley seven-year-old who loves to scoot around in her new gait trainer, which she recently received. Diagnosed with seizure disorder and global developmental delay, Lorelei has diminished core strength and balance challenges and receives occupational,...
It's time to play golf! TFR Builders is holding their 5th annual golf tournament at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point. All proceeds from the May 6, 2022 event will benefit The Shea Center. Join others or gather a foursome to help support The Shea Center. For...
The Shea Center horses and ponies serve more than 250 clients during each session in our therapeutic riding programs. Each horse has its own diet consisting of Alfalfa and Timothy hay and fresh water. The horses are fed three times daily and given carrot or apple...