The Acreage Landowners’ Association, Western Equestrian Shows & Trails and the Indian Trail Improvement District will host a series of horse owner clinics beginning Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Nicole Hornstein Equestrian Park, located at 14780 Hamlin Blvd.
“Western Equestrian Shows & Trails (WEST) is a subcommittee of the ALA,” explained Dixie Thiery, ALA secretary and WEST president. “The ALA is interested in and has been pushing equestrian needs for some time. It’s part of the Acreage Neighborhood Plan.”
The series is geared toward owners who do a significant portion of care for their own horses. Veterinarians will be on hand for consultation with attendees.
“Some people don’t understand, or they’ve been taught the wrong way, about basic care,” Thiery said, noting that the first clinic had been scheduled for Aug. 1 but was postponed due to Hurricane Isaias. “We have a couple of vets who have decided to come. They’re with Palm Beach Equine Clinic, and the first clinic is going to be on hurricane preparedness for horses.”
Kim Emmons, a certified equine technician on the WEST board who works at Palm Beach Equine Clinic, is helping coordinate the series. “She’s going to be doing our clinics through the year.”
Thiery added that the first clinic will be especially topical since hurricane season is here. Topics will include how to locate and identify a lost horse and how to care for a horse during the barometric drop during a hurricane. Microchipping will be available at the clinic at a reduced cost.
“When you go to the veterinarian, you usually have to pay a barn fee, which brings the cost up higher than people might have funds for, especially at this time,” Thiery said.
Although the clinic itself is free, there will be a haul-in fee of $10 for residents and $15 for non-residents. There is a $25 fee for microchipping; $35 for Coggins shots; $26 for flu and rhino shots; $35 for WEWT shots; $20 for rabies shots; $40 for WEWT/rabies shots; and $55 for WEWT, flu and rhino shots. Pre-registration is preferred for clinic or veterinary services.
The event will go on from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with sign-ups starting at 8 a.m. A tack sale will be held, with tables available for $10. Social distancing and mask wearing will be enforced.
The next clinic is set for Saturday, Sept. 19. For more info., call Thiery at (561) 644-5410.
Meanwhile, WEST will hold its first barrel and saddle show on Sunday, Sept. 6.
“It will go the first Sunday of every month until May or June,” she said, adding that WEST hopes to add pleasure and jumper shows geared to the backyard equestrian. “We’ve been working with ITID, which has come in and cleaned the park up. We haven’t had a show here in some time.”
