Shining Stars Therapeutic Riding Program

Week 1 of Summer Horse Camp is going great! Our students are completing crafts, learning about animal care, and got to ride today!

It's Day One of Summer Horse Camp at Shining Stars! Students will spend the week learning about horses and other animals, doing crafts, participating in Bible lessons, enjoying water games, and of course getting hands-on time with our herd.

Thank you to the volunteers and donors who make Horse Camp possible!

We are happy to have been featured in a recent edition of Lancaster Farming.

Shining Stars Stands Out in Therapeutic Riding World Shining Stars Therapeutic Riding grew from a church program into a leading Pennsylvania nonprofit serving special needs riders, veterans and seniors.

Our first week of Summer Horse Camp is full, but we have ONE open spot for our second week. This camp, intended for more independent riders ages 13-16, will be held from June 15-19. Act now to reserve the final spot!https://shiningstarstr.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2026-Independent-HORSE-CAMP-registration.pdf

We were honored to be named the nonprofit of the year by The Chamber of Gettysburg & Adams County! The therapeutic horsemanship programs we provide impact so many people in so many ways, and we are happy that this work is being recognized by our community.

Thank you to our dedicated staff, volunteers, and horses who make our mission possible!

Shining Stars attended the Honoring Heroes at St. Mark's Church in Hanover. We had the chance to enjoy music, food, and show our support for our veterans at this community hero celebration. Happy Memorial Day weekend to all our Veterans who have dedicated their service to our country. 🇺🇸

Herd Highlight

Meet Dorothy!

Breed: Quarter horse pony

Shining Stars program: Therapeutic Riding and the occasional Equine Connection class

With Shining Stars since: 2020

Age: 10

Best friend in the herd: Samson

Favorite thing: Belly scratches

Fun fact: She was donated to us by our vet TreeHorse Veterinary Services, Inc. Our founder Brandy Crago spent several years teaching her the fundamentals of therapeutic riding and some trick training (which makes sense if you knew Brandy!)

Sponsored by: Vaughn Crago

Generous horse sponsors ensure that Dorothy and her friends get the food, care, and medicine they need to help our community. You can sponsor a horse at: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/horsesponsorship/?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0e179owt&fbclid=IwY2xjawRnJPlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFSeElPUlE3OVB2VGtZSFNXc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgExRPnCaPYMhRGl_q9HlQaTKlj349iJ5mVY8815dClNtagWZULjFexaxqTZ_aem_uNkh0Yxrlddo5Whf1JKGjw&brid=YWdncwGnnTLTfQTwKrQBdlVg5Dlg

📷: Susan E Izard

The Shining Stars Mini Horses took our new minivan for a spin and visited the residents at Cross Keys Village - The Brethren Home Community! Thelma and Louise loved to see the smiles on the residents' and workers' faces.

Stars and Stripes programming is off to a great start in 2026! We are proud to offer therapeutic horsemanship programs free of charge to people who served our country. The next Stars and Stripes program is on May 30. For more information and all 2026 dates, visit https://shiningstarstr.org/stars-stripes-for-veterans/