Listing of equine events in Loudoun County
The American Academy of Equestrian Sciences is a full service, indoor equestrian facility which caters to aspiring and established equestrians from four years of age upwards. AAES offers programs from beginner through Olympic levels in Dressage, Stadium Jumping, and Three Day Eventing.
The United States Trail Ride, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to preserving and creating trails for riding fun and pleasure.
Based in Loudoun County, the Tri-State Riding Club is a non-profit organization organized to encourage and promote education and safe participation in equestrian sports for riders over the age of 21. Currently, members are from Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, but riders from any state are welcome!
Golden Dreams of Middleburg helps children and adults with disabilities rehabilitate through equestrian activities.
The Loudoun Horse Association was established in 2005 to serve as a resource for local horse owners, professionals, and equine industry providers to improve communication and cooperation among the many equestrian disciplines in Loudoun County, provide information about equestrian actvities, offer educational programs and networking opportunities, and assist in the development of public infrastructure to meet the needs of the Loudoun equestrian community.
The Morven Park International Equestrian Center just north of Leesburg hosts a large number of equestrian events including the horse trials, dressage shows, A-rated Hunter Jumper shows, driving events, breed shows, U.S. Pony Club rallies and U.S. Combined Training Association camps. Morven Park is also an official training site for the U.S. Equestrian Team and is home to the Loudoun Therapeutic Riding Foundation.
When the Rural Economic Development Task Force issued its report entitled “The 200,000 Acre Solution” in November 1998, Loudoun County was home to more horses (19,800) than any other county in Virginia. According to the most recent survey conducted by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and released in December 2007, Loudoun still has more horses (15,500) than any other county in Virginia. The survey clearly illustrates the significance of equine to the economy. Thousands of jobs depend on the vitality of the equine industry as well as support to traditional agriculture, local businesses, open space and tourism. Now, ten years after the first Rural Economic Development report, surveys continue to show the strong, vital, diverse and positive equine industry impact on the rural economy.
Land kept in agriculture and open space costs taxpayers less for municipal services if it is left rural rather than converting it for residential or commercial development. The American Farmland Trust has conducted more than 40 Cost of Service studies across the nation and concluded that for every tax dollar contributed by agriculture demands $.31 in services, and residential land demands $1.11 in services (American Farmland Trust Cost of Community Services Studies). Equine help keep more of Loudoun in open space /farmland and may be more financially advantageous to taxpayers in the long term. Land utilized for equine operations provide a buffer between urban development and rural farmland.
Equestrian Links:
The 2006 Virginia Equine Report.
Morven Park in Leesburg and Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center at Morven Park.
Listing of Equine Events in Loudoun County.
