Thornton, CA (November 12, 2018) The horse world’s next big buzzword may just be ‘compassionate design’ and the new Equitopia Learning Center in Thornton, California’s holistic approach to equine facility construction and management will be introduced in the February/March 2019 print and digital issues of Holistic Horse magazine. Growing evidence, collected by international equine educational programs like Equitopia, are revealing how impactful the environment is on horses’ performance and learning, as well as mental and physical health.
“There is a need for a more compassionate and science-informed approach to designing equestrian facilities,” says Equitopia founder, Caroline Hegarty, who selected Nina Ekholm Fry, MSSc., CCTP, director of equine programs at the Institute for Human-Animal Connection and an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, to oversee planning and development behind Equitopia’s second California-based equestrian education and training site (joining an inaugural facility in Fairfield).
What convinced Caroline that Nina was perfect for the job was her having spearheaded the Yavapai (Arizona) Humane Society’s adoption-focused equine rehabilitation and re-training program, including designing its YHS Equine Center.
“Equitopia’s focus on high quality, scientifically-informed content related to horse health and performance was a perfect setting to introduce innovative practices in management to people interested in the science of health and looking beyond their own convenience to a more holistic approach for horses,” Nina tells Holistic Horse about her role in creating a dynamic environment that would meet its horses’ needs (compassionate design).
“A horse’s most basic needs include unrestricted movement, social housing (living with other horses) and nearly-constant access to fiber through grazing or hay consumption.”
Among the compassionate design features incorporated into Equitopia Center-Thornton that she recommends to Holistic Horse readers are how to design a ‘track system’ to encourage following behavior, why slow feeding stations are important, and what trees and shrubs to plant that safely offer alternative forage.
FJoin Equitopia on its mission to bring research-supported, compassionate horsemanship to the world through free videos on YouTube and $4.95/month memberships that include unlimited access to its video library, discounts for live events and online courses, and live one-on-one consults with renowned experts. Go to www.equitopiacenter.com.