Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy Of Riding

Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, founded in 1987. STAR’s mission is to foster personal achievement by providing therapeutic experiences using horse related activities for persons with disabilities or other special challenges. STAR is the oldest therapeutic riding program in Tennessee and the first to achieve premier accreditation from the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, (PATH Intl.). We serve individuals from 11 counties in East Tennessee averaging 150 participants per week ages 4 to 60+. All of our instructors are PATH Intl. certified instructors. In order to operate we need over over 500 volunteers a year and have between 35 and 40 horses/ponies. We now have two locations; our main location in Lenoir City, TN and a satellite facility in South Knoxville. The individuals we serve have a variety of disabilities which include, but are not limited to; Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, developmental delays, head trauma/brain injury, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, cognitive disorders, Muscular Dystrophy, Multiple Sclerosis, orthopedic conditions, paralysis, speech impairments, Spina Bifida, stroke, and visual impairments. We offer 4 main programs; Therapeutic Riding, Changing STRIDES, Heroes and Horses, and Minis in Motion. Please visit our website for more information on our programs and volunteering!