Adaptive riding in a group or semi-private lesson provides clients with social interaction with fellow riders, leaders, sidewalkers and, of course, the instructor. As they learn riding skills, clients also pick up important life skills such as listening and taking...
So, what does a typical day in the life of a Shea Center horse look like? It starts around 7:00 a.m. when our dedicated staff barn crew opens the barn and begins to feed our herd. It’s no easy task to accomplish this for over 35 horses, each with their own customized...
At The Shea Center, we take pride in our horses and make sure they have top quality care. In their line of work, it is crucial that our horses have the maximum amount of mobility so our clients receive the best movement their horse has to offer. Sue Kellogg Graf is...
In this video, staff members Katy Purmort and Janelle Robinson explain the whys and wherefores of pairing particular horses with clients.
At The Shea Center, we strive to give our horses the best possible foundation for working in our program. Because each horse comes from a different background and has multiple staff and client riders, consistency in our horses’ training is a must. Dressage is the...
Departures, arrivals, boarding times, crew members…the barn on a busy day of therapeutic/adaptive riding is a lot like a metropolitan airport: lots of moving parts, and timing is everything. Ground zero for organizing all the activity is our white board. This is the...
Orange County Register featured article on The Shea Center and our telehealth services. "How can a client simulate the movement of riding a horse at home? How can clients share a connection with their horse when they can’t touch the animal? Answering those...
The Gypsy Vanner is one of the most popular horse breeds at The Shea Center. This breed has made a mark on our program because of their intelligence and eagerness to please. The breed originated in Ireland where they were used to pull carts for travelers and farmers....
One of the reasons horses wear shoes is so their hooves don’t chip. Their hooves grow just as human toenails do and need to be trimmed every 6 – 8 weeks. At that time, the horses shoes are replaced. The horses at The Shea Center wear conventional horseshoes, but there...
Here is a video by PATH Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Instructor Manager, Alex, with exercises you can do at home to help rotate your neck and shoulders for adaptive riding. Think about how many times your instructor has said "look up" or "look through...