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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 6pm Thursday 9am - 6pm Friday 9am - 6pm Saturday 9am - 5pm

J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center

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United States
San Juan Capistrano, CA
J F Shea Therapeutic Riding Center

We are a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities. The non-profit 501(c)(3) J.F. In 2001, the J.F. Shea Co., Inc.
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Shea Therapeutic Riding Center, located in San Juan Capistrano, began in 1978 as The Orange County Riding Center. It was founded by Nancy and Derek Lewis for their son, Michael, who was born with cerebral palsy. Because social worker and equestrienne, Fran Joswick, was the Center’s first instructor and executive director, the Center was renamed the Fran Joswick Therapeutic Riding Center. donated eight acres of land for a permanent facility and the Center was again renamed as the J.F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. Accredited at the “premier” level by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), The Shea Center is internationally recognized for its excellence in therapeutic programs. It is also is a therapeutic riding training facility drawing interns and students from around the world. The modest beginnings of The Shea Center have yielded an organization that has become one of the top equine assisted therapy centers in the world. The Center now serves almost 900 participants each year and provides more than 8,000 hours of client services annually. Utilizing 23 horses and the assistance of community volunteers, the Center has grown to be an organization with a $4.4 million annual operating budget. The Center’s team consists of 31 full-time and 15 part-time and contract staff members. All instructors and therapy professionals who perform evaluations, assessments, and create individualized treatment programs for their clients are PATH Intl. certified. Over 70 distinct disabilities are addressed through a variety of programs that include physical, occupational, and speech therapies. The Shea Center’s state-of-the-art equestrian facility consists of two covered arenas, one open arena, a forty-stall barn, two round pens, a farrier and veterinarian area, and riding trails. The Klein Family Education & Therapy Building provides indoor space for an inclusive fitness center, physical, speech, and occupational therapy clinics, rooms for teaching and training, and facilities for instructors, staff, and volunteers. The Center offers a financial aid program for current and past military families as well as a sliding scale of fees for those in need of financial assistance.

01/16/2026

Last week, The Shea Center welcomed families affected by childhood cancer for a meaningful Courageous Family Fun Day, created in partnership with Team NEGU: Never Ever Give Up and the Brynn Wheeler Foundation. The day was filled with connection, joy, and moments of calm, made possible through our equine assisted services and time spent together. 🤍🐴

Throughout the day, families moved between hands-on horse experiences, time in the saddle, and visits with a petting zoo. Smiles could be seen everywhere as guests also enjoyed games, crafts, face painting, and a generous lunch and coffee provided by Chick-fil-A and Wonderfully Made Coffee.

The impact of equine assisted services for cancer patients is unparalleled, offering:
💙 Social connection: A safe, welcoming outdoor environment to combat feelings of isolation during treatment
💪 Physical benefits: Opportunities to build and maintain strength, countering the toll of treatments on the body
😊 Emotional renewal: A chance to have fun, be present, and achieve personal success through horseback riding

We are deeply grateful to our partners and everyone who helped bring this day to life. Together, we continue creating spaces where families feel supported, uplifted, and leave with lasting memories.

01/15/2026

This everyday barn tool plays an important role in equine care 🌾🐴

Pulling hay from a hay net slows intake and mirrors natural grazing patterns, supporting digestion and helping prevent ulcers and colic. Extended foraging time helps reduce boredom, manage weight, and minimize hay waste—benefiting both the horse and the barn. 🧡

01/14/2026

This morning’s view arriving at The Shea Center 🌿☀️

Birds chirping, sunlight glowing, and a sense of calm that welcomes you in 💙

01/13/2026

At The Shea Center, our Equine Assisted Services offer a powerful combination of physical, emotional, social, and cognitive support through meaningful partnerships with our horses. 🐴💙

Our therapy, horsemanship, and adaptive riding programs are thoughtfully designed to support individuals with disabilities through personalized care, thorough evaluations, and ongoing assessments led by certified professionals.

Through movement, connection, and trust, individuals build strength, coordination, and confidence—supporting overall well-being in a calm, natural environment. 🌿✨

01/12/2026

Reminder to our clients and volunteers—session begins this week 🥳! We’re so excited to welcome you back and continue creating positive growth and meaningful change together. 💙🐴

01/10/2026

“Psst… Punkin 👀 Session starts back up next week… and that means seeing our clients and volunteers again! 🐴💙”

The barn is buzzing 🐴✨ and we’re all so excited to welcome everyone back to The Shea Center next week!

01/09/2026

On December 5, we had the privilege of welcoming veteran leadership from several local community colleges to The Shea Center 🇺🇸🐴 for an afternoon focused on veteran support, education, and partnership.

Guests hosted their meeting on site before joining us for a tour, hands-on program experience, and veteran ride-along, followed by lunch on the patio ☀️. We are grateful for the opportunity to share how equine-assisted services can support student veterans and to explore meaningful partnerships together 🤝.

Thank you to Region VIII for spending the afternoon with us and for your continued commitment to serving those who serve 💙.

Swipe 👉 to see the kind post-event thank you we received from Region VIII.

Coastline Student Veterans of America
Coastline Veterans Resource Center
U.S.VETS
California Department of Veterans Affairs

01/08/2026

Meet Ella 🩷 At just 11 years old, Ella is back at The Shea Center after first riding here as a four-year-old—and she’s once again building strength, confidence, and joy alongside her therapy horse, Alik 🐴.

Living with Pompe disease, Ella faces daily challenges with muscle weakness, but through physical therapy utilizing hippotherapy and occupational therapy at Shea, she’s making meaningful progress in her balance, mobility, and self-confidence ✨. Her love for the horses—and the encouragement from our team—continue to be powerful parts of her healing journey.

Read more about Ella’s inspiring story and progress on our blog 👉 sheacenter.org/physical-therapy-and-occupational-therapy-client-ella

01/07/2026

Your generosity made a huge difference this year — and thanks to your support, we ended 2025 with strength and stability. 💙

We are so grateful for our community and all you do to help change lives through our mission. We can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together in 2026. ✨

01/06/2026

Mark your calendars 📅✨ for our 2026 fundraising events! We look forward to celebrating and supporting our mission with you in the year ahead. 💙

Visit SheaCenter.org/events for more info!

01/05/2026

Hey there… 👀🐴 How’s the most Monday of all Mondays going? 😅

We hope you’re easing back into reality — and we can’t wait to see our clients and volunteers next week! 💙

01/03/2026

Intern Spotlight: Alex, Speech Therapy 💙🐴

Alex joined The Shea Center this fall, bringing her love for animals, passion for communication, and bright personality to every session. She shares:

"My greatest joy came from witnessing the 'AHA!' moments—seeing a client use a new sound or word to communicate with their horse, showing functional independence and confidence. Working alongside Terri taught me that our most powerful tool isn’t a toy or an iPad—it’s our ability to observe, adapt, and use the environment."

Terri adds:
"Alex has grown in confidence, making every client feel successful. She’s especially shined applying hippotherapy as a speech-language therapy tool and will continue to make an incredible impact in equine-assisted therapy."

Originally from coastal Los Angeles, Alex earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and is pursuing her graduate degree at Chapman University. Her interest in communication sciences and disorders—and the unique power of hippotherapy—fuels her passion for helping clients build confidence and meaningful connection.

We’re so proud of Alex and can’t wait to see the difference she’ll make in the field of speech-language pathology! ✨

Address

26284 Oso Road
San Juan Capistrano, CA
92675

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19492408441

Website

http://www.sheacenter.org/

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