The health and happiness of our horses are essential for providing safe and effective equine-assisted services for our more than 1,400 annual clients. Thank you to our 2024 horse sponsors for making this possible. Platinum Champion Sponsors Amerman Family...
Happy Fall, y'all! 'Tis the season for our annual pumpkin patch contest! This year, clients and volunteers picked pumpkins to take home, decorate, and submit for the contest, while guests enjoyed a haunted stroll through our spooktacular haybales and cast their...
Approximately every 4-6 weeks, the farrier visits The Shea Center to trim and shoe some of our equine members. Horseshoes, typically made from aluminum or steel, protect the horse's hooves and offer additional support during work. A horse's hoof is...
Groundwork is fundamental in a horse's training and learning. It refers to any work where the person working with the horse is on the ground. Groundwork can be through leading, long lining, or ground driving. Every program staff member participates in...
Out of the 28 program horses in the current Shea Center barn, there are 13 breeds. The most popular breeds are American Quarter Horses and Gypsy Vanners. Each breed brings its unique gait and movement, providing various options for clients. The youngest horse in the...
Seven sun pens are scattered across the property. They are designed to allow horses to interact, groom one another, sunbathe, and roll freely outside their stalls. Each pen has a hay bag and water bucket where the horses can slowly graze and stay hydrated while they...
On average, The Shea Center program horses serve for about ten years before retiring. When looking for new program horses, the preferred age is between 6 and 15 years old, allowing many optimal years of serving our clients. Many factors are considered when pondering...
Some of The Shea Center's equine members are shaved/clipped during the winter and summer. Shaving the horse's entire body helps them cool down quicker after being worked and stay cool during the hot summer months. For fun, some horses get fun clipped designs. However,...
We encourage all staff and volunteers to carry and use a dressage whip when necessary for horse leading and riding. Here’s why: In natural horsemanship, there are four natural riding aids: voice, seat/weight, leg, and hand/rein. When leading a horse, we use these...
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...