Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek
Providing recreation, education, and wellness through
Equestrian Center activities in Heather Farm Park
Equestrian Center activities in Heather Farm Park
ECWC Annual Kick off Sat.
Jan 28th
5:30pm-10pm
Potluck Dinner starts at 6:30pm
Bring your favorite dish!
Location: Countrywood Clubhouse
1706 Countrywood Ct,
Walnut Creek
(plenty of street parking, Treat & Bancroft)
Do you love parties and dancing? Do you love food (it's a potluck!)? Do you love hanging out with your horse buddies and meeting new folks who love horses? Well, we have the event for you! ECWC Members, friends, and all members of the local Equestrian Community are invited to attend our annual party to nominate and introduce you to our new Board for 2023 and to discuss upcoming events.
RSVP Call: 925-939-2929 or Call/Text: Gayle Jackson 925-708-6524
UPDATE 12/11/22 12noon:
It looks like we may have a small window of no rain today around 2pm for our Day of the Horse event! We ask members not to ride your horses in the arena today, but if you do bring your horse and weather is ok maybe we walk them around Heather Farm park. We will have handouts about the Day of the Horse to pass out to those we meet. If rain comes down hard, we will head over to Mtn. Mikes located in Ygnacio Valley Plaza - right across from the entrance to Heather Farm Park. If we do go to Mtn. Mikes, we will post a sign in front of the large arena.
Come celebrate the 2022 National Day of the Horse
ECWC Members Event or those renewing membership for 2023
Sunday, 12/11/22, 2pm - ?
Bring your horse, bring some goodies to share, bring some horse stories to share.
We hope to see you!
We want to thank everyone who came out for the 2022 Walnut Creek Community Service Day on Saturday, Oct.8th! Thanks to everyone who volunteers at these and other events to help us keep the ECWC riding arenas in great shape! Click here to see Walnut Creek TV's video footage shot at a past service day event at ECWC!
* Special Thanks to our Vice-President ,Therese Caples, and her husband, Mike Caples, who organized this event!
ECWC ARENAS ARE OPEN
BEFORE DRIVING TO ARENA, OUR MEMBERS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO ALWAYS Check our calendar to see if there is a special event,OR arenas are closed for some other reason: bad weather/footing CV19 restrictions, repairs, etc.
You must be a 2022 arena member to ride your horse at will in our beautiful arenas. Go to the membership tab above for more info about joining the ECWC or email our membership Chairperson Sue Howell at Membership@ecwc.org Questions about riding in the arenas? Comments? Please email our Vice-President Therese Caples at
VP@ecwc.org or call 925-939-2929
2022 ECWC Officers
Secretary: Nina Dickerson
Recording Secretary: Melanie Williams
Please go to the Contact Us tab under MORE(drop down tab) to see the names of all 2022 Board Members & Committee Chairs!
IMPORTANT, HORSEMEN AND WOMEN YOUR RESPONSE TO A LOCAL TRAIL SURVEY IS NEEDED:
The Sierra Club has a new survey regarding the usage of trails in the East Bay Regional Parks. It is critical that all horse owners and hikers who use this wonderful trail system respond as the biking groups are rallying to increase access to single track trails and many of us have concerns regarding mixed use and trail rule enforcement.
Click here for the link to take this quick survey!
The Sierra Club has a new survey regarding the usage of trails in the East Bay Regional Parks. It is critical that all horse owners and hikers who use this wonderful trail system respond as the biking groups are rallying to increase access to single track trails and many of us have concerns regarding mixed use and trail rule enforcement.
Click here for the link to take this quick survey!
JOIN UP!
We want to encourage you to join our club!
We truly hope to keep these riding arenas in Heather Farm Park open for you, your family, your friends and your horses... forever ! NEW: You can now pay for your membership online, go to our membership tab above!
Please download forms from the Membership tab above or contact our Membership Chair Sue Howell at Membership@ECWC.org or call 925-939-2929.
PLEASE SIGN OUR PETITION BY PROVIDING YOUR INFO BELOW
Would you like to see the Equestrian Center stay in Heather Farm Park? We are not currently in the Master Plan for the park and we would like to show the city that there is plenty of interest from Walnut Creek Residents and others to keep us there. Please provide your contact info below to add your name to our petition. We will let you know when we need to take action-- write letters, emails, or attend meetings - to protect the future of the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek.
Thank you!!!
Would you like to see the Equestrian Center stay in Heather Farm Park? We are not currently in the Master Plan for the park and we would like to show the city that there is plenty of interest from Walnut Creek Residents and others to keep us there. Please provide your contact info below to add your name to our petition. We will let you know when we need to take action-- write letters, emails, or attend meetings - to protect the future of the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek.
Thank you!!!
Several citizens and Equestrian Center Members have concerns about the approval of this proposed development. Please see letter below from Michele Sheehan with Sensible Walnut Creek:
In the NW corner of Heather Farm Park, adjacent to the horse arena parking area, a developer is proposing a massive development at Seven Hills Ranch. Spieker Senior Development Partners (spk.com) wants to build a gated compound of multi-story buildings encompassing 451 living units, along with a clubhouse, a recreation building, and a health care center for the project’s residents.
We have formed a group, Sensible Walnut Creek, that is urging the public to act now and go to the website sensiblewalnutcreek.com to understand the developer's plans, sign and add a comment to the online petition, and get on our "weekly update" mailing list to stay informed. Please ask your membership to visit the website now. The project is NOT a done deal; escrow will not close unless the developer gets some concessions from the County. We are asking the County to deny those concessions. Please ask your membership to support our efforts.
Michele Sheehan Sensible Walnut Creek
TO CONTACT WALNUT CREEK CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THIS PROJECT:
Please send an email asking that the Council delay action on this item. Add any other details you might think relevant about Seven Hills Ranch but don't feel it has to be a long or detailed email. One or two sentences can work (longer is okay too.)
- Submit your comments to PublicComments@walnut-creek.org
- The subject area of your email should read: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT FOR SEVEN HILLS RANCH
- Begin your email by identifying yourself and how long you have lived in Walnut Creek.
Welcome to the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek!
Thank you for visiting our website. The Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek is located in the back of Heather Farm Park. If you take a left at the dog park, you will find us. We are small but mighty and we hope you will help us to keep the Equestrian Center open for many years to come.
Many are not aware that Heather Farm was actually a thoroughbred racehorse training facility, back in the 1920's. But, as they say, times changed and sadly the facility was closed. The good news is Heather Farm Park was opened to the public in 1970 by the city of Walnut Creek and the Equestrian Center was built by the efforts of local equestrians and volunteers.
One can only imagine what it was like in the 1920's with horses all over Heather Farm. Now, the only part left in Heather Farm related to horses are the 2 arenas. By the support of donations, members and volunteers, it has been kept open.
Heather Farm is a wonderful open space, with so many things to enjoy. There is a swimming pool, tennis courts, picnic areas, community center, Skate Park, volleyball court, fishing pond, nature pond, six athletic fields, a dog park, The Gardens and the Equestrian Center. There are restrooms and a connection to the Iron Horse Hiking Trail.
The Equestrian Center, which we consider the best part of Heather Farm, is run by a non-profit organization with the main purpose of keeping the 2 riding arenas maintained and open. We welcome any support, donations and would especially love you to join us by becoming a member. The more members we have, the bigger effect we have in the community to keep the Equestrian Center open. You do not need to have a horse to join the Equestrian Center; you only need to have the love of horses in your blood.
We have many events throughout the year and all are welcome. Admission is always free for spectators. If you check our calendar page, you can make plans to come and watch the next event, there are bleachers to sit on and a restroom, so all in the family will be comfortable. We have a great Snack Shack, full of tasty treats. So you not only get to enjoy watching the horses, you also get great food to go with it.
We love to educate our members and the public about horses. Horses can do so many wonderful things, and for some reason, they are kind and willing enough to let us do it with them. They are not only magnificent to look at but they are also kind and gentle if treated correctly. You do not need to ride them to enjoy them. Just the sight, smell or touch of these creatures can bring a smile to the old and young.
What can you do to help us keep the arenas open and to keep horses in Heather Farm? You can become a member, come to our events, volunteer with us for the events or help us maintain the arenas, buildings and immediate surrounding areas. Please go to our membership page to find out how to join. Of course we love donations as well. If you have money to spare, we have things to fix or replace!
We do not stable horses onsite and we do not give trail rides. If you go to local barns and trainers on our site you will find places that do. We do rent out our arenas for showing and events. Please go to arena rentals on our site for more information.
If you join you will make new friends, you will become more social, and best of all you will be helping us keep the Equestrian Center open for the future. Thank you for visiting, and please spread the word, there are horses in Heather Farm.
Written By Gaye DeRusso, Past President ECWC
Professional Photos and Videos on our Website are courtesy of
Bill Grant, https://www.youtube.com/smallbullproductions
Alan Myers http://www.amfoto1.exposuremanager.com
Andreas Koch http://www.akdesigninc.com/
Michele Nelson http://www.nelsonpics.com/
Donate To ECWC Today!
ECWC relies on donations to maintain our beautiful riding arenas, and to provide the amazing community events we offer the public every year. Please donate now to support ECWC!!
EHV-1 - Equine Health Alert
There have been several recent equine deaths in California -including the counties of San Mateo and Santa Clara- from the neurological form of this respiratory disease.
Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) infection in horses can cause respiratory disease, abortion in mares, neonatal foal death and neurological disease. The neurological form of the disease is known as Equine Herpes Myeloencephalopathy (EHM) and may be caused by damage to blood vessels of the brain and spinal cord associated with EHV-1 infection. EHM is most often due to the neuropathogenic strain of EHV-1, but may occasionally be caused by the non-neuropathogenic strain of the virus.
EHV-1 is easily spread and typically has an incubation period between 2-10 days. Respiratory shedding of the virus generally occurs for 7-10 days, but may persist longer in infected horses. For this reason, a twenty-one day isolation period of confirmed positive EHM cases is recommended along with stringent biosecurity protocols. Similar to herpes viruses in other species, the latent form of EHV-1 can reactivate at a later date, but generally with a low viral load posing a low risk of infecting other horses. Humans are not at risk of contracting the virus, however humans can act as an indirect mode of transmission.
The CDFA, California Dept. of Food and Agriculture, provides reporting on the latest information for location of cases across the state of California. Click below for the website:
Thanks to all who attended our blessing of the Animals held on Sat.day, Oct. 2nd!
We had all kinds of animals attend, and we hope to post pictures soon!
Churches around the world celebrate this tradition of blessing animals started by St. Francis of Assisi some 800 years ago. Francis believed that human beings are only one of the countless creations of God and all are blessed in God's "eyes."
Our blessing was officiated by Pastor Mantu Joshi of the San Ramon Valley United Methodist in Alamo, Website: srvumc.org. Thank you SO much Pastor Mantu! Everyone loved you and your special blessings!
For more info on our Co-Host, Mary Stewart and her amazing team from Angels for Minis... Visit their Facebook page Angels for Minis or their Website: AngelsforMinis.com
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Above is a video of Goldie Schnitzer and her gorgeous horse, Rory, who came to the ECWC arenas to demonstrate Dressage movements to a Patriotic program of music. Goldie also demonstrated Natural Horsemanship techniques that she uses to connect with Rory through love, language and leadership.
The Olympic sport Dressage began in 1912. It comes from the word "training" in French. Its purpose is to strengthen and supple the horse while maintaining a calm and attentive demeanor. Each test and the progressively difficult levels makes the horse and rider achieve the goal of musical ballet.
Dressage is based around principles of the Imperial Spanish Riding School of Vienna est. in 1572.
PLEASE, WHEN YOU COME TO THE ARENAS:
Wear a Mask and Social Distance,
thank you!
Our events are generally available via facebook. Click here to go to our
Follow us on Facebook & Instagram, Click links below!
ECWC in the NEWS!!!
Click here to read an article covering the July 5th, 2017 visit by members and friends of the Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek to the Walnut Creek City Council meeting. The Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek will turn 60 years old next year, has a rich history, and is actively enjoyed by horse enthusiasts throughout the East San Francisco Bay Area. Written by ECWC Member and CSHA Region 5 Trail Trial Chair, Andrew Turnbull
Let 's help Walnut Creek Keep Its Historic Riding Arenas in Heather Farm Park! Join us in the effort to update master plans for Heather Farm park to include ECWC for the enjoyment of many generations to come! If you have questions please email webmaster@ecwc.org
Thanks for your support!