J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center Inc

The J.F. Shea Center Therapeutic Riding Center is dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs.

Our highly skilled staff develops adaptive equine riding programs and equine assisted therapy programs that address more than 75 physical, emotional, social, and cognitive challenges for people with disabilities.

In 1978, Fran Joswick--a social worker and equestrienne - together with rider parents, Nancy and Derek Lewis, began Orange County's first therapeutic riding program with one rider, one horse, and a dream to improve the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs.  More than 1,493 clients (children and adults) with physical and cognitive disabilities are served annually with the help of 131 weekly volunteers, 24 therapy horses, 1 facility dog, and 26 full-time and 15 part-time professional staff.

Objective 1: The Shea Center will provide our effective and affordable hippotherapy and therapeutic riding programs to over 1,493 children and adults with disabilities from Orange County and surrounding areas during 2024. Outcome 1: More than 1,493 children, teens and adults with disabilities from Orange County will participate in therapeutic riding programs at The Shea Center over a 12-month period. Our services are offered in four sessions (10 to 11 weeks each) in the winter, spring, summer and fall. All client participation is tracked in our database. We expect to have served more than 1,493 children, teens and adults between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. Objective 2: Improve the health outcomes of more than 80 percent of our riders, based on individual treatment needs and therapy goals. Outcome 2: 80 percent or more of the clients served over a 12-month period will experience improved physical, cognitive and emotional health and social skills. Based on the initial evaluation by our licensed physical therapist individual goals and lesson plans are established for each rider. Client progress is documented by the instructor or therapist after each visit. Goals are reviewed at the end of each session and adjustments are made and new goals are established when needed. All data is documented electronically in our client database by our program staff.
Objective 3: Increase community awareness of the needs of people with disabilities and the benefits of therapeutic riding through ongoing outreach, volunteerism and education activities. Outcome 3: The Shea Center will raise more than $5,895,000.00 in program funding between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 through charitable contributions solicited through our two annual special events, grant writing, an annual campaign and other special purpose campaigns. These funds allow us to maintain low, affordable program fees and provide financial aid to approximately 89 percent of our clients that need assistance.
Objective 4: The Shea Center will provide uniquely designed therapeutic and recreational equestrian programs to our nation's active duty, veterans, and their families, and First Responders. Outcome 4: Equine assisted learning and riding a horse helps clients physically by increasing strength, balance, motor planning and coordination. Cognitively clients improve planning, judgement, memory, orientation, concepts, attention, and language. Riders also improve their social interaction, self-confidence, self-esteem, and gain a greater sense of independence.

1) Annual operating funds are raised every year in real time – while we have small reserves, each year we must raise more than $3.8 million of our $4.5 million budget.  General and unrestricted gifts to our operating budget are deeply appreciated.2) Financial aid for our clients – we offer deeply discounted services, but over 87 percent of our clients receive some form of financial aid.  We give over $200,000 in financial aid each year.3) Help us build an endowment for horse care needs.  It costs about $55,000 per year in vet bills to support our 24+ horses.4) We always need outstanding volunteers. We need more than 131 volunteers each week.

All of Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego and Riverside counties.  Our instructor training programs have reached nearly every state in the U.S. and 15 countries worldwide.

The Shea Center exists to change your life.  In whatever role fits you best at The Shea Center, each person contributes a meaningful and lasting impact through their volunteerism.Seventy-seven percent of our more than 800 annual volunteers are young people.  They are being exposed to people with differences of all ages and being asked to become leaders both literally and metaphorically.  Our board members are dynamic, engaged and committed.  They are, without exception, extraordinary.  Our staff has been working together for many years now – turnover is remarkably low.  We are dedicated professionals to our clients and our mission is alive every day in the work we do. There are over 850 therapeutic riding centers in the U.S.  The Shea Center is one of the top five training facilities for our industry with a Shea-trained instructor in nearly every state in the U.S. and more than 15 countries in the world. 
We are about making people as able as possible in our unique environment so that what they do with us carries over into their home.