Starbrite Therapeutic Equestrian Center

01/02/2026

We’re Hiring! 🐴✨

Starbrite Therapeutic Equestrian Center is looking for two individuals to join our team. First, we are currently looking to hire a part-time Administrative Assistant & Event Coordinator to help support our CEO and Administrative Team by managing donor relationships, coordinate fundraising events, and keeping our mission moving forward behind the scenes.

If you’re organized, relational, and passionate about serving others in a Christ-centered nonprofit environment, we’d love to hear from you.

🕒 Part-time | 📍 Whitehouse, TX
Flexible weekday schedule with some evenings/weekends required for events.

We're also looking for a part-time Volunteer Coordinator to support, train, and care for the incredible volunteers who make our mission possible.

This role is perfect for someone who loves people, thrives on organization, and wants to build our positive, mission-centered volunteer culture at Starbrite. If you enjoy scheduling and organization on a flexible schedule, we'd love to hear from you.

🕒 Part-time | 📍 Whitehouse, TX
Flexible weekday schedule with some evenings/weekends required for events.

👉 To Apply, send your resume here: [email protected]
📩 Questions? Email [email protected]

01/01/2026

Happy New Year from Starbrite 💛🐴

As we step into 2026, we are blown away by how much this community has helped us grow. New horses joined our herd, new riders found confidence in the saddle, and we even broke ground on our future arena and barn. None of this would have been possible without the people who show up, give, cheer, and believe in what happens here!

To every rider, family, volunteer, donor, staff member, and supporter, thank you. We are so grateful for you and excited for everything the new year will bring.

Here is to growth, gratitude, and another year of Starbrite!

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from all of us at Starbrite! 🎄🐴

As we celebrate today, we’re so thankful for the people who make this place what it is. We hope your Christmas is filled with joy, love, and time with the people who matter most. Thank you for being part of the Starbrite family and for supporting our riders, horses, and programs throughout the year. ❤️

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a c**t, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:9

12/22/2025

Most of our followers know how incredibly lucky we are at Starbrite to have a veterinarian on staff. Dr. Melissa O’Reilly, better known around here as Dr. Mo, brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and heart to everything we do.

We’re excited to kick off a new video series for social media called Ask the Vet, and we need your help to make it happen. Drop your questions in the comments for Dr. Mo to answer.

What is founder?
What does it mean if a horse has colic?
Do horses wear braces?
What’s the deal with the equine virus that’s been in the news?
How can you tell if a horse is sick?
Do horses get cold in the winter?

There’s no such thing as a dumb question, and Dr. Mo truly has all the answers. Help us make this a fun and educational way to connect with our amazing supporters and fellow horse lovers. We can’t wait to hear what you’re curious about. 🐴💙

12/18/2025

We had the best time today getting our volunteers together for a potluck. Being able to slow down, eat good food, and just spend time together right before the holidays was really special. And wow… the food did not disappoint!!

We also got to celebrate with the Whitehouse Area Chamber of Commerce as they announced Don Hood as the 2026 Citizen of the Year. Don has played a huge role in the start and growth of Starbrite, so it meant a lot to celebrate him today!

Just one of those days that reminds us how thankful we are for our volunteers, our community, and everyone who has helped make Starbrite what it is. 💛

12/17/2025

Good news: Smokey is healing better than expected thanks to the miracle of stem cells and diligent wrapping by Starbrite's amazing team! His wound is now approximately 30% of its original size, and we can see new skin growing in every day. He has been in excellent spirits, he has resumed telling his pasturemate Rose who is the boss, and we are hopeful he can resume his regular duties for the coming Spring semester.

Thanks to a combination of the generous donations from our awesome supporters and Smokey’s health insurance, all of his medical bills are fully covered for his poor decisions made this past summer.

If you weren’t able to donate to Smokey’s healing journey, have no fear. Horses are always making bad decisions and we at Starbrite would like to start a rainy day fund to help the next horse that has a temporary lapse in judgement. This will allow us to be able to cover a portion of medical costs associated with aforementioned poor choices.

Better news: We have 16 days left in the 2025 calendar year! Do you need a tax write off? Looking for an organization to support? Want to assist in keeping our equines happy and healthy and in tip top shape for our riders? Click on the link to make a donation to close out a great 2025 at Starbrite. 💙

Smokey Update! If you’ve been wondering how our guy Smokey is doing, the answer is that he’s living his absolute best life at Starbrite. Here’s a peek at what a typical day looks like for him: -Wake

12/16/2025

Interested in volunteering at Starbrite? Our next volunteer training is coming up on Tuesday, January 13, from 9–11 AM! 🌟

New volunteers will learn about barn chores, safety, and how to assist in lessons. No horse experience is needed, just a willingness to learn and help out!

If you’ve been thinking about getting involved, this is a great place to start. Sign up using the link below and come see what being part of the Starbrite family is all about!

https://www.starbritetyler.org/volunteer-getting-started

12/15/2025

Last week wrapped up our 2025 fall semester at Starbrite, and we ended it on such a sweet note! Some of our riders enjoyed a final trail ride on Friday and took a few festive photos to celebrate the season.

A huge thank you to our incredible volunteers who showed up week after week. Your time, care, and heart make these moments possible, and we are so grateful for everything you do!!

Here’s to a wonderful fall semester and all the joy, growth, and memories it brought. 💛🐴

12/10/2025

Today was all about balance, stretching, and big smiles during one of our group riding sessions! Our riders reached for their horses’ ears, touched their toes, practiced two point with their hands in the air, and tried so many other fun challenges.

With this being the last week of the fall semester, it was a great chance for everyone to have fun, build confidence, and enjoy being on horseback together. 💛🐴

We loved seeing all those happy faces today!

12/09/2025

A huge thank you to Kona Ice of Tyler for including Starbrite in their 12 Days of Christmas Giving and for blessing us with brand new riding helmets!! ❄️💙🐴

We loved having them out to see the progress on our new facility and are so grateful for their kindness and support. Community partners like them help make everything we do at Starbrite possible.

Your generosity means so much to our team and our participants. Thank you, Kona Ice of Tyler, for supporting our work and helping us continue serving our community!

12/08/2025

🎄✨ Christmas on Main was a blast this weekend!

Our Starbrite staff hit the parade route in full holiday spirit and some very adorable unicorn and horse inflatables. Since we could not bring our horses this year due to the EHV-1 outbreaks, our team stepped in as the next best thing… and honestly, they rocked it.

We were also honored to participate as Whitehouse Chamber’s Organization of the Year, which made the day even more special. And of course, the pink Stampede van brought all the flair rolling right behind us! 💗🚌

Thank you to everyone who cheered us on. What a magical way to kick off the Christmas season!