therapy Aug 6, 2020
Arnold Guevara started with his Huntington Beach, California-based horse therapy program two weeks after losing his dad in a work accident. “Where I grew up there was sometimes shooting and fires and things like that,” he told NBCLX. “And it gets me worried because I feel like… that’s going to happen to my family.” On one of his first.
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Water quality improvements will take longer and cost more than expected at the Del Mar Horsepark, a 65-acre equestrian facility two miles east of the fairgrounds, officials said last week.
The 22nd District Agricultural Association, which operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds and the separate horse park, announced in December they would suspend all equestrian shows, boarding and other activities at the horse park until the work can be done.
“We originally believed we would be spending $3 million to comply,” said Richard Valdez, president of the 22nd DAA board of directors, also known as the Del Mar fair board. However, similar situations at equestrian facilities in Orange County and the threat of lawsuits by environmental nonprofits such as San Diego Coastkeeper indicate the work needed could cost as much as $8 million.
Del Mar Horsepark advocates release water test results [The San Diego Union-Tribune]
Advocates working to keep the Del Mar Horsepark open for equestrian shows, a riding school and other activities released a report Friday that indicates the park’s water issues originate outside the property.
Testing lab ALS Group USA Corp. of Irvine examined water samples taken during seasonal rains Dec. 28 upstream and downstream from the horse park. The upstream samples showed significantly higher amounts of coliforms, pollutants that come from human and animal waste.
“The results indicate that the horse park is not the source of any additional contaminants to the San Dieguito River Valley waterways,” said Carla Echols-Hayes, a Solana Beach resident and horse park advocate. “It may also indicate that the marsh is cleaning the water that flows past the horse park.”
One of the things that have helped Evarts deal with her disability and other issues is riding horses.
“It helps me therapeutically with my illnesses, and bullying, and my parents’ divorce and basically my entire life in general. It’s a home away from home,” she said.
But in December, the North County teen and other people who board their horses at the park were told after March 31 they d have to find somewhere else to stable their horses.
They were also alerted that all shows planned for the year at the 64-acre equestrian center have been canceled.
“I was really sad,” Evarts said.
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Advocates working to keep the Del Mar Horsepark open for equestrian shows, a riding school and other activities released a report Friday that indicates the park’s water issues originate outside the property.
Testing lab ALS Group USA Corp. of Irvine examined water samples taken during seasonal rains Dec. 28 upstream and downstream from the horse park. The upstream samples showed significantly higher amounts of coliforms, pollutants that come from human and animal waste.
“The results indicate that the horse park is not the source of any additional contaminants to the San Dieguito River Valley waterways,” said Carla Echols-Hayes, a Solana Beach resident and horse park advocate. “It may also indicate that the marsh is cleaning the water that flows past the horse park.”