A HORSE OF COURSE

Calvert County is becoming horse country! In 2002, Maryland conducted the first-ever horse inventory and found that Calvert was home to over 1500 horses! It has been suggested that the number was well below the actual number, because some owners, not comfortable with providing the information to a government entity, did not complete the inventory form. The number of horses in Calvert County has increased each year and is currently estimated at 2,000 horses!

Here's the rub. If you have a horse in Calvert County, there is no designated place for you to show or ride. Back in the 1970's, Kings Landing had two small show rings, but they fell into disrepair and equine use there discontinued. Today, most Calvert horse owners trailer their horses to Oak Ridge in Charles County to ride or show.

I don't have a horse. But my potbellied pig veterinarian, Dr. Linda Molesworth, is an equine vet. Hence my introduction into the wonderful equine community in Calvert. Her vet tech, Sandy Berry, reminded me at every turn that Calvert County needed an equestrian facility.

With the County Administrator, the Director of General Services and Sandy, I made site visits to Kings Landing to see what the potential was. We also went to Oak Ridge Park in Charles County to see the facility there.  Investigation showed that the Kings Landing facility could be rehabilitated into a facility of which we could be proud. And it could be done for less that the cost of lighting one ball field!  The restrooms at the Kings Landing equestrian area had fallen into disrepair. They were not fit for even marginal use, having sat unused for well over a decade. I wasn't sure what might have been living in there!  The Commissioners agreed to fund a total upgrade of the restroom facilities, which now are modernized and even have shower facilities in men's and women's rooms.

It was now time to design the riding ring and support facilities. In order to accomplish this, we convened a meeting of end users - the horse owners and equine club organizations. We harnessed the expertise of the stakeholders to design the final product. With only a few days' notice, about 40 Individuals and equine group representatives convened in the dining hall at Kings Landing to design the facility.. The Director of Natural Resources, who oversees the facility, hosted the meeting. We had a "blank canvas," that is, a large clean map of the area. Upon that we laid the ring, warm up area, parking area, judge's stand, and horse watering stations. Participants had "hands on" in arranging the optimum layout for the area. We called on their expertise and their help was invaluable! The large ring is sized to accommodate dressage, hunter/jumper or western shows.

It is sited so as to eliminate jumping into the afternoon sun. The final plan has a large show ring (120' x 300'), a warm-up area, judges' stand with electric, horse watering stations, bleachers, and parking. The Commissioners allocated the needed funding and work is underway to make this facility a reality. As of August 2006, the ring is completed, and the contract has been let to construct the judge's stand. Electric and plumbing work is still to be done for the judge's stand and watering stations. The finish line is in sight!

The second phase of the project is to establish riding trails. A study of potential trail sites is being conducted, and funding is in the FY 2008 budget to begin preliminary work. I can't tell you when there will actually be trails at this stage of the game, but know that we are working toward that end. Because...Calvert County is horse country!