More Equestrian Facilities than We Need?

Fairfax4Horses would like your help in setting the record straight on equestrian facilities in Fairfax County. A draft report prepared by the Fairfax County Park Authority, "Great Parks, Great Communities," quoted in both the Fairfax Community Times and the Washington Post, says that we have seven equestrian facilities in the county. The report further states that this number of facilities exceeds the standards for equestrian facilities for a county of our size

We think the count is wrong, and have already contacted the Park Authority to clarify what those seven facilities are. We have also let the county know that we believe that Fairfax County needs more than one facility per 595,000 residents, which is the standard that was used. Note that Montgomery County, which has a smaller population, has six equestrian facilities on its parkland.

Meanwhile, please attend the upcoming listening sessions, which provide a forum for public comment on the Park Authority report. Support our position that the equestrian community does not have the facilities to meet the needs of residents, and help us move toward the goal of having public riding facilities on county parkland.

Read the "Great Parks" report (PDF) |  See the schedule of hearings (MS Word)