Donate to Preserve the Potomac Horse Center

Loyal customers and dedicated community members notify herein that they are working to preserve the Potomac Horse Center (PHC) as an operating riding facility, in response to the PHC’s announcement on Friday May 3, that negotiations with MNCPPC-MC Parks had reached an impasse, causing impending closure. Concerned PHC clients and community members began working to keep PHC open and they ask for your support.

PHC is an important recreational amenity, which has served the diverse Montgomery County population and larger metropolitan area for generations by providing a variety of programs:

∙ Children from all walks of life, as young as five, are introduced to the wonder of horses, participate in group or individual lessons, the popular summer camp program, and special holiday events. ∙ Adult riders of all ages and experience levels attend novice, jump, flat and dressage classes, providing cardio-vascular activity and muscle and bone strengthening for aging adults well into seniority (70s, 80s).

∙ Students from local middle and high schools participate in classes and the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) shows, with many moving on to Intercollegiate Horse Shows, all guided by the exceptional training staff at PHC.

∙ Therapeutic riding classes are dedicated to providing riding instruction to disabled, autistic and traumatic brain injured (TBI) individuals. The positive physical, emotional, and social effects can be miraculous.

PHC is unique among other Montgomery County riding facilities, with three indoor arenas, a bucolic setting with fields and woods, an outdoor arena and event jump course. Such settings are known from neuro-science research to be mentally and physically beneficial for all in proximity to view fields and trees. The historic farmhouse where the PHC manager lives, is on the County’s historic register. The barns should be considered historic with notable Olympians, including a gold medalist, having trained at the facility. PHC also housed the famed Spanish Riding School Lipizzaners in 1964, during their historic first visit to the USA.

Horses and ponies at PHC have varied backgrounds including retired racehorses, former show/event ponies and horses, a Texas Ranger mount, gentle rescue horses, and horses that performed at the Metropolitan Opera. PHC employs many dedicated young people of the County as grooms, camp counselors and therapeutic riding volunteers. PHC serves as first employment and provides training for many young people, gaining life-long skills and experience, all contributing to the $2.9 billion Maryland horse industry. Many of the current staff will not only lose jobs, but housing if PHC closes.

Beyond recreational health benefits, working with horses builds confidence, empathy and self-control. Most people cannot afford to own a farm, barn or purchase a horse or pony. Public riding stables are an important resource for communities, providing affordable lessons and the opportunity to have contact with horses. For many it is their only opportunity to have experiences with horses.

Increasing pressures of ever-expanding commercial and housing development reduce green areas and recreational spaces making preserving PHC essential for this, and future generations in the County. With limited time, the PHC community is making an open appeal for immediate funds and long-term funding for MNCPPC-MC identified capital improvements and escrow demands of $3-5 million.

Petition https://www.change.org/p/save-the-potomac-horse-center

Immediate Fund Donation https://www.potomachorsecenter.com