Opportunities abound for local horse enthusiasts

A struggling economy has some folks at La Cañada’s Flintridge Riding Club scrambling to find ways to boost membership and riding opportunities and others contending the sky isn’t falling.

“Like most clubs, Flintridge Riding Club (FRC) is struggling in this economy. As a director, I’m doing everything in my power to shore it up,” Mary Anne DeBriyn, secretary of the Flintridge Riding Club Board of Directors, wrote in a recent e-mail to the Valley Sun.

DeBriyn was writing to suggest the Valley Sun let residents know about some of the upcoming activities at the club.

But, according to other sources at the riding club, the economic effect on the club and local equestrians is hardly noticeable.

Nancy Dunton, Flintridge Riding Club board member and membership chair, said she hasn’t seen much change in horse ownership, such as people having to give up their horses or drop their sporting activities.

“In today’s economy, one does experience change, but I think each person just has to evaluate what they can and want to do,” she said, adding that the economy has made for better opportunities for those considering buying a horse.

“It’s a good time to be looking,” she said.

And though the club has experience in temporarily housing homeless horses during fire situations, she hasn’t heard of any horses needing housing due to recent foreclosures and other hardships.

In recent years, the club has added more options for membership, which also makes the decision of joining the club more attainable, despite economic hard times, Dunton said.

In addition to regular memberships for individuals and families, associate memberships for juniors under age 21 and singles over 21, there also is a new rider category, which allows people the option of a one-year trial membership. That new rider category waives the initiation fee and allows the client to pay only the club’s $175 monthly fee.

That fee is in addition to fees assessed for individual training and other options. Boarding also is an additional fee, but is relatively inexpensive when compared with many other facilities and pasture-only boarding options across the country.

The club also offers an assortment of seminars and programs for youths and adults throughout the summer and year. These are offered to members first, but also available for non-members as space permits. Upcoming events include a July 25 and 26, 100 Jumper clinic with Seoul Olympic silver medalist Greg Best.

Also offered this summer is a daily Kids’ Horseback Camp, from Aug. 11 through 15. That camp will focus on teaching children to ride horses, as well as how to groom, bathe, tack and blanket their animal.

Crystal Moore, an assistant trainer at the club, will teach the course. Moore promises to also teach the kids about horse anatomy. The youths will demonstrate their newfound skills during a club horse show and family barbecue on the final day of the course.

Cost for the camp is $450.

To enroll, call Moore at (818) 434-5869.

The Kids’ Horseback Camp is just one of many ways the club is looking to expand its membership; however, that isn’t to be misinterpreted as in the club is hurting for members, said Caroline Craven, a trainer at Flintridge Riding Club.

“The club is always looking for new members, people come and go. We lose some, we gain some,” she said. “It’s like everywhere else. Some people move on with the economy and other new families move in. There also are people who are just getting back into owning horses and riding. ”

For more information on joining the club or boarding a horse, call the riding club at (818) 952-1233.