STARZ Equestrian Center

10/14/2026

Today, we want to give a HUGE thank-you to the Robrahn family for sponsoring our beautiful Juliet! Your generosity is helping provide the care, training, and support Juliet needs as she continues working through the emotional scars of her past.

Juliet has lived a rough life, and some of the things she carries aren’t visible on the outside. Her journey hasn’t been just about learning new skills; it’s about learning to trust, feel safe, and let go of the fear that has followed her. Healing takes time, patience, and a whole lot of love. ❤️

Watching Avery connect with Juliet is such a beautiful reminder of the power of kindness. Avery meets Juliet where she is, gives her patience when she needs it, and offers the gentle reassurance that Juliet deserves. Instead of asking Juliet to be anything other than who she is in that moment, Avery continues to show her that she is worthy of love, even on the hard days.

That’s what this sponsorship means. It’s not just helping cover Juliet’s care; it’s helping provide the opportunities she needs to work through her fears, overcome her inner demons, and try to discover the horse she can become when she finally feels safe.

We are so grateful for The Robrahn family’s support in Juliet’s healing and the incredible bond being built along the way. Every horse has a story-good, bad, and the ugly….but we promise to love and respect them for every second they belong to us!

Want to sponsor a STARZ horse? Our annual horse sponsorships are $500 and help cover food, hay, farrier care, and veterinary expenses. Each of our horses costs approximately $5,000 a year to care for, and every sponsorship makes a meaningful difference in our program!

10/13/2026

If you’ve been thinking about joining us for Balance in the Barn, NOW is the time! Come spend some time at the barn, get centered and support STARZ, all at the same time!

LAST CHANCE for event T-shirts!
Shirts are just $20, and $10 from every shirt goes directly back to our horses! Order now to guarantee your shirt will be ready for pickup at the event!

Can’t register ahead of time? No worries! Walk-ins are welcome at the event!

Come for the fun. Stay for the horses. Leave with a little more balance. 💫

Register & grab your shirt here:
https://secure.givelively.org/event/starz-equestrian-center/balance-in-the-barn-2026-therapeutic-sound-healing-and-yoga-class

10/13/2026

Hardy (the horse pictured here) was named in honor of someone incredibly special who lost his battle with addiction. When he was clean, he was one of the best people you could ever meet. And like so many who struggle, he found something special at the barn. He found peace. He found comfort. He found joy within our riders. He found a place where he could just be.

Today, Hardy got to share a little bit of that same barn magic with our friends at Meridian Health during their session here at STARZ. Watching these incredible individuals spend time with our horses, let their walls come down, find moments of connection, and simply breathe reminds us why this work matters so much. Addiction is a battle that touches so many lives, and behind every struggle is a person with a story and a heart.

I wish the person Hardy was named after could have had more time. I wish he could’ve found the healing that he needed. I wish our story didn’t have to end the way it did. But I am so grateful that his memory lives on in a horse who gets to be part of something that brings hope, connection, healing, and a little comedy to others. And if Hardy’s smile today is any indication, we think he knows just how important his job is. 🥹

This is why we do what we do. This is why we make room for healing. And this is why there will ALWAYS be a place for recovery at STARZ. Thank you to Meridian Health for trusting us to be a small part of these journeys!

Recovery begins with a single step and continues with honesty.

Our Equine-Assisted Learning program provides a unique opportunity for clients to connect with their emotions in a safe, supportive environment. Horses offer immediate, unbiased feedback, helping individuals recognize the walls, fears, and patterns that may be standing in the way of recovery.

Discover how experiential therapies can support healing and growth:
https://www.meridian-hs.org/

📞 Admissions: 248-599-8999 x1

10/06/2026

A very special thank you to Maria Haigh for sponsoring one of our incredible therapy horses, Libby!

Even though she’s newer to our program, Libby gives so much of herself to our riders and programs that she’s become a crowd favorite and we are so grateful to have Maria helping us care for her!

Our horse sponsorships are just $500 and go directly toward the things our horses need most (food, hay, farrier care, and veterinary expenses) throughout the year. Each horse in our herd costs an average of $5,000 a year to care for, so every sponsorship truly makes a HUGE difference!

As a sponsor, your name will also be proudly displayed on our WALL OF STARZ in our indoor arena for the year! ⭐️

Would you like to sponsor one of the amazing horses that make STARZ possible? We would LOVE to add you to our herd of supporters!

https://secure.givelively.org/event/starz-equestrian-center/starz-equestrian-center-s-2026-fall-farm-fundraiser

10/05/2026

It starts innocently enough… a little kiss on the nose of a sweet, gentle giant.

Then suddenly you’re a horse girl: your pockets are full of treats, your clothes are covered in hair, your money is spent on a fancy saddle pad, and your entire heart belongs to a 1,000-pound animal.

Welcome to the club, sweet girl!!

10/02/2026

Have a favorite Starz photo?

We’re putting together our STARZ Equestrian Center 2027 Calendar, and we want YOUR best shots of the year!

Have you captured a beautiful, funny, heartwarming, or unforgettable moment at STARZ? Maybe it’s one of our amazing horses, a rider in the arena, a special event, a volunteer at work, or just one of those magical farm moments. We want to see it!

SUBMIT YOUR BEST PHOTOS OF 2026!DEADLINE: OCTOBER 10, 2026

We’re looking for:
High quality photos of horses, riders, volunteers and farm life!

A few important notes:
• By submitting a photo, you give STARZ permission to use it in our 2027 calendar or other material
• Submitting a photo does not guarantee inclusion into the calendar
• Photo credit will be given whenever possible!

Submit your photos to [email protected] BY OCTOBER 10 TO BE CONSIDERED!

Want to order a calendar? Pre-order your 2027 calendar here: https://secure.givelively.org/event/starz-equestrian-center/starz-equestrian-center-s-2026-fall-farm-fundraiser
Pick up at the fundraiser or mailing/additional times can be arranged!

09/30/2026

A huge thank you to the Bolbrugge family for sponsoring our amazing therapy horse, Lacye!

Our horse sponsorships are just $500 and go directly toward a horse’s food, hay, farrier care, and veterinary expenses for the year. Each horse in our herd costs on average $5,000 a year to care for, so every sponsorship makes a HUGE difference! Your name will be posted on our WALL OF STARZ in our indoor arena for the year!

Want to sponsor one of our incredible horses? We’d love to have you join our herd of supporters!

https://secure.givelively.org/event/starz-equestrian-center/starz-equestrian-center-s-2026-fall-farm-fundraiser

And don’t forget-our Annual Fall Farm Fundraiser is coming up November 7th! Join us for an amazing night supporting STARZ and the horses who make our programs possible!
Thank you for helping us care for the horses who give so much to our community!

09/26/2026

⭐️ WE HAVE AN EASY JOB FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS! ⭐️

It’s officially time for one of the biggest expenses of the year at STARZ… HAY!

We’re currently stocking up on our yearly supply of hay, which means bringing in 250 bales of premium, soft second-cutting hay made with a mix of grass and alfalfa. This gives our dedicated herd a clean, fresh, nutritious supply of hay all winter long!
Each bale is $60, which means we’re paying $15,000 over the next two weeks just for hay. 😳

Why do we stock up all at once? Because we want to make sure our horses are taken care of no matter what Michigan winter decides to throw at us! Having our hay safely stocked means we don’t have to worry about running out, finding hay during shortages, or trying to coordinate deliveries when the roads are a mess, not to mention it’s significantly less expensive to pay for it straight out of the field than after storage (and we can ensure we store it properly so no risk of animal exposure or moisture/mold!)

Our herd is our top priority. Always. No matter what.

So……..we’re looking for volunteers who can help us take back bottles and cans for donations! We have a pretty big stash from our amazing community that we haven’t been able to return yet!

And this is a pretty awesome volunteer opportunity because you can work it around YOUR schedule! If you need community service hours for school, this is a great way to earn them as STARZ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

You help us return bottles and cans → the donations help pay for hay → our horses get fed all winter. It’s that simple! We would LOVE to have you on our team! No specific schedule required, just let us know you’re interested and we’ll get you the details.

STARZ Equestrian Center: (248) 202-9038 [email protected]

09/23/2026

What’s that age old saying…..expect the unexpected?!

So, apparently Tractor Supply is banned in Greece. The app and website won’t work here, which is super helpful when you’re 4,000 miles away and your horses still expect to be fed! I knew my initial stock would last majority of the trip but planned for a restock towards the end, delivery and all!

Soooooo Jessica, the manager at our White Lake Tractor Supply is officially saving the day. In the midst of a random power outage for TSC, she figured everything out for me!

And thanks to Miss Jocelyn for swinging by and grabbing our order, so she will officially be the horses’ favorite human. 😂

Huge THANK YOU to Jessica and our White Lake Tractor Supply Co. for always taking care of STARZ and especially while Miss Charlotte is gallivanting around Greece. 🇬🇷

Vacation: 10/10
Managing a farm from another country: do not recommend🤣