The Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek

"Keeping Horses in the Heart of our Community"
Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek, CA

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SIGN OUR PETITION 
TO KEEP ECWC RIDING ARENAS IN HEATHER FARM PARK Thank you!!!

This Labor Day Weekend!
2018 ECWC English Western Show
10th Annual
Sunday, Sept 2nd

8am Halter/Rail classes 
9am-4pm At Will Trail Classes 
Go to the Tab Above for More Info and to download premium!

World of Horses Education Series

Topic this Sat:

Mini Horses!

Aug. 18th, 10-11am

We will have Mini Horses from the rescue group Angels for Minis at our arenas this Saturday! These sweet little ambassadors to the wonderful world of horses who do important therapy work and are a super way to introduce anyone - especially kids! - to horses. :-)

We will also have a mini horse play day sponsored by Angels For Minis in September - date TBD, check back here or on our fb page. It will be fun for all to attend! You will get to see how Mini horses can jump, pull a cart, and in Liberty they are free to run around to their favorite music!

Please stop by on Saturday to meet Laura from Angels for Minis so she can tell you more about Mini Horses and how they contribute to our lives and the Wonderful World of Horses. If you want more information or you would like to RSVP(not required but helpful!) please fill out the form on our website: www.ecwc.org

Come meet the wonderful Horses and Equestrians of Walnut Creek and our surrounding areas! We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us every Saturday Morning from June 16th to Aug 18th for an informative education series about the World of Horses at the Historic Equestrian Center of Walnut Creek! Every Sat morning this summer at 10am we will have a speaker and hopefully their horse or horses with them to help you learn a little bit more about Horses-- about the different breeds and riding disciplines, how you can care for them, where you can take local riding lessons and how the heck do we still have such a beautiful riding facility in Heather Farm Park! We will update our Facebook page each week with the topic so check in there every week and if you want more information or you would like to RSVP please fill out the form at the World of Horses Tab above thank you and we hope to see you are the arenas soon!
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Contra Costa County Fair  2018 Horse Show was held on May 5th at the Rafter D Ranch 
in Brentwood, CA . Would you like to show in it in 2019 and maybe go on to compete at the California State Fair?! Read on...!
Youth can participate in the  County Fair show as independent exhibitors, or by joining a local CA 4H Club (there are 9 clubs in Contra Costa County!), or the Future Farmers of America.
Registration for 4-H and FFA are held in September at the beginning of the school year. 

You can contact Jane VanderWerf by email at  [email protected] 
OR call 925-939-2929 for more info!
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 [email protected] 
Thanks for your support!
2018 ECWC Officers
             President: Heather Kozy             
Secretary: Marilynn Terstegge 
Treasurer: Nina Dickerson
Please go to the Contact Us tab under MORE(drop down tab) to see the names of all 2018 Board Members & Committee Chairs!

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/

We had another fantastic work day for the 2017 Walnut Creek Community Service Day. Thanks to everyone who helps 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! 

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CSHA Region 5's 

Spring Stampede 2018

Gymkhana was a great success!

Thanks to all the riders, friends and family as well as the organizers!

ECWC wants to thank CSHA Region 5 Gymkhana for holding their Bling Series and the Spring Stampede at our arenas-- we hope to see you again next year!

Special thanks to Amy Sawyer Bleichner for the wonderful photos from the 3/31 show! 

Click on the link to go to the Google Docs photo album to see all photos!

We had a GREAT Fun and Games Day

last year! Our Youth Board is meeting to plan more fun for youth riders this year! Call 925-939-2929 if you are interested in joining the ECWC Youth Board.


Thanks to all who came to our first annual Fun and Games Day pictured above in July of 2017. We had all kinds of silly and safe fun. It was so nice to have a non-competitive event. We love to compete and our youth riders love to play on their horses too. We hope to have more events like this in the future.


Special Thanks to Board Members Stephanie and Kendall Shurr for organizing this wonderful event!

ECWC ARENA STATUS: OPEN

MEMBERS: ALWAYS check our calendar to see if there is a special event or if weather requires closure before driving to the arenas!

Questions? email [email protected]  You must be a 2017 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

[email protected] Questions about riding in the arenas? Comments? Please email our Vice-President Bill Grant at 

[email protected] or call 925-939-2929


The East Bay Pony Club
MEGA-CLUB Meetings
were held this past spring at ECWC

A gathering of kids from local East Bay pony clubs were held with mounted lessons in the morning, followed by informational sessions in the afternoon with discussions like
"Horse Management" and "Parasites"
Mounted lessons were with Kyana Sazegari, a local intermediate level 3-day eventer who gives a fantastic, challenging lesson with a positive and encouraging attitude. Interested potential members are invited to contact Barbie Roth at [email protected] for more info on Pony Club. Info for ECWC memberships is available under the Membership tab above. Pony Club members attending these events bring their own horses to ride. ECWC members were also welcome to ride in the small arena during Pony Club mounted lessons. The public is always welcome to come and watch our events!

Our July 8 ECWC Mini Horse, Pony Schooling shows was a blast! Thanks to all of the great folks and horses who attended. We were especially happy to see those of you who have never been to our arenas before! Would you like to learn more about horses? A great way to start is with Mini Horses - the sweet little ambassadors of the Horse World! Contact Mary Stewart, ECWC Board Member and Chairperson for our Mini Horse Events, or go to her Angels for Minis website to inquire about how you can participate in camps, shows and other Mini Horse events at ECWC! ...maybe you can even give a Mini Horse a Forever Home!!!