During the winter a horse’s natural coat helps protect it from the elements and keep it warm throughout the cold and wet winter months. This is great for horses that live outdoors with little or no exercise, but for most horses, such as our therapy program horses,...
Proper saddle fitting is an important part of our herd's health regimen at The Shea Center. A saddle can either encourage comfortable movement and clear communication between rider and horse, or it can result in discomfort and behavioral problems. To maximize our...
Our Annual Drive to Ride fundraising campaign supports rider financial aid, horse care, and priority programs. This is an opportunity for our clients, volunteers, supporters, and staff to write a story about what The Shea Center means to them and share it with their...
Diamond is The Shea Center’s facility dog. She is a Labrador Retriever born on July 12, 2018. Carefully bred and expertly trained by Canine Companions for Independence, facility dogs work with a partner who also receives training from Canine Companions. The dog...
Please join us for these 2022 Shea Center events! Learn more about each of these events at SheaCenter.org/events Note: The Shea Center will continue to follow health guidelines and make event adjustments as necessary.
Often people are surprised to learn that therapies using horses benefit children with autism. Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties with social interaction, problems with verbal and non-verbal communication, and unusual or repetitive...
The Shea Center provides life-changing equine assisted services to treat adults and kids with varying degrees of physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. We remain steadfast in our mission to serve all persons with disabilities, including military veterans -...
Maggie G. (age 8) is a happy, confident second-grader who loves to ride horses. A Shea Center rider since 2016, Maggie looks forward to her physical therapy (hippotherapy) on Fridays at the Center. As much as Maggie loves to ride, she likes visiting the barn and all...
Twins, Charlie and Nicky P. (age 7) participate in occupational therapy utilizing hippotherapy at The Shea Center. The boys were diagnosed with autism just before their third birthday.The family recently moved to Orange County from Redding, CA. They miss the rural...
For the past seven years, we are fortunate to be part of the healing journey for many U.S. military personnel through our Stars and Stripes program. Participation in military programs is up 42 percent over last year and the demand continues to accelerate. Stars and...