DALLAS, TX – January 12, 2017 – Equest, the award-winning non-profit that has been providing equine-facilitated therapies and horsemanship programs to children and adults with disabilities for the last 35 years, is excited to announce the expansion of its Texas Horse Park location with a new state-of-the-art arena. Equest will be consolidating its two locations in Wylie and Texas Horse Park to focus efforts and services in its newer southern Dallas location.
The much-needed arena, to be named the Al Hill, Jr. Family Arena, is a closer step to Equest’s vision to be a model of excellence for worldwide therapeutic riding centers. The beautiful energy-efficient clearspan steel covered arena will feature wooden kick boards, a blended equestrian-specific footage, large industrial fans, high-tech audio capabilities, and a platform for announcers and judges. It will increase opportunities for Equest to serve more clients and amplify outreach programming with the Dallas Independent School District, as well as additional audiences and organizations. Groundbreaking is expected in early March and completion of the new facility is planned by early fall 2017.
“Al Hill, Jr., is a Dallas businessman whom has had an interest in horses all of his life. Having an involvement using equestrian programs which benefits military veterans and especially handicapped children is a perfect combination of his personal interest,” says Andy Steingasser, Equest chairman of the board. “Having a distinguished arena that has multi-use functionality and accessibility will not only impact Equest but also the City of Dallas. We look forward to sharing more details in the coming weeks.”
Equest will continue operations in Wylie during the Spring semester from January 27 to May 13 while the property is for sale. Summer and Fall 2017 registration will be for the Texas Horse Park location only. Steingasser, realtor and broker at Dave Perry-Miller & Associates, will be managing the sale and donating 100% of his commission to Equest. For more information about the waterfront Wylie property, call (214) 693-2639.
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Texas Horse Park, a city-owned 304-acre site located in the heart of the Great Trinity Forest, is just eight miles from Downtown Dallas and three miles from the new Trinity Forest Golf Club, home of the 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson. Equest at Texas Horse Park currently has 38 stalls, a covered arena, an outdoor arena, and 6,000-square feet of administration and therapy space. It is also home to Equest Hooves for Heroes, one of the fastest-growing services at Equest, which empowers veterans, first responders, and military families to take charge of their civilian transition and assume new roles as community leaders through equine activities and therapies.
About Equest
Founded in 1981, Equest provides equine facilitated activities, therapies and counseling to children and adults with physical, cognitive, sensory, coping and learning disabilities and veterans with adjustment challenges. The services provided include physical and occupational therapy, equine facilitated counseling, therapeutic carriage driving, therapeutic horsemanship and competition. With the help of 45 therapy horses, 10 instructors, four therapists, two counselors, and 400 volunteers, lives are changed on a daily basis for more than 1,200 clients served annually. Equest was the first PATH International Premier Accredited Center in Texas and remains one of the largest in the country. Equest offers an engaging volunteer program that provides 40,000 hours of direct program service opportunities each year. Equest was named “2015 Non-Profit of the Year” by CNM Connect. www.equest.org
