Welcome! We all want a strong horse community in Athens that stands the test of time.
Horse people of Athens – we understand your problems and opportunities because we share them. We are here through both the tough times and the good times – together. We live here with our horses and with YOU.
Do you need a network that can provide resources and support?
What about a group that connects you with other local horse lovers?
Are you looking for more opportunities to learn and grow?
AAHC is committed to cultivating our horse community and achieving big dreams. It is possible you are already familiar with our work and have seen the benefits that a strong local network can bring. The people behind this website, behind these big initiatives, behind those fun trail rides, need your support though.
What can you do?
Together we can invest in community initiatives that solve our problems. Here in the Athens area we need to save green space for horses and find skilled workers who are horse people.
- Purchase an AAHC membership. Details below on this page. Invest in the local horse community with us. You can join AAHC for as little as $9 per month.
- Keep an eye on your inbox. We send out periodic emails with local news and topicals, upcoming events, and special opportunities for members. It is important that you at least skim these emails because we may need a response from you. When you get the opportunity – tell us what you want or need from your local horse community so we can serve you.
- Attend AAHC events that suit your goals and needs. The events you attend help us make decisions about what to provide in the future.
AAHC has built the foundation for the local horse community to thrive and
is already working to keep farms from becoming subdivisions.
Your help is vital!
Choose your AAHC Membership Level:
Individual Memberships are the bedrock of our community. You are investing back into the local horse community. You gain access to a valuable network and receive discounts to AAHC events.
Business Memberships get all the perks of an Individual Membership plus advanced control over their listing in the Merchant Directory – this means the ability to add pictures and special details.
Fellows understand how critical our work is and know the time and energy put in to achieving these goals is immeasurable, but they support us all the way! Fellows earn exclusive perks.
Love AAHC but hate Paypal? Send us an email and we can set up your account another way: athensareahorsecommunity@gmail.com
You, our members, enjoy sharing in both successes and tough times. You are an informed and educated horse enthusiast who values kindness and compassion. You are willing to invest in yourself to be a better horse owner, in local youth and upcoming generations, and are committed to helping maintain green space for yourself and future generations to ride in.
Athens Area Horse Community has been connecting our local horse community since 2010. We help local horse enthusiasts solve their individual problems by providing a network as well as educational and social opportunities. We also solve larger community problems by analyzing and thinking carefully about a what problems the local horse community faces, analyzing potential solutions, then providing sustained focus and energy on the best solution for the community.
Based on your level of activity within AAHC you could receive significant discounts that may far exceed the cost of membership.
We are committed to the Athens Area Horse Community
AAHC is constantly working to find new and productive ways to assist the Athens community. As such, we utilize a portion of the membership fees to support land conservation efforts as well as building a youth educational program.
The land conservation effort is two pronged. One, we are building a database and support system for local communities to ensure we have green space to support horses for generations to come. Two, we work with local governments on specific land conservation projects to make meaningful, long lasting changes – Heritage Park is our current project.
As our founders are already heavily involved with the local horse youth (4H, kids lesson programs), they are first hand experiencing the diminishing number of agriculturally informed kids. As our green space disappears it removes the casual ability for children to experience agriculture and instead requires significant effort from adults to make it happen. Our plan is for a 501c3 nonprofit youth educational program that will introduce Athens area children to horses who may not have otherwise ever had the chance to be exposed to horses. We envision an educational after school program where youth learn horse management, anatomy, breeds and disciplines, diseases, and more. With time and support from our community, we hope to create an internship program providing a pathway out of poverty and attempt to provide a solution for the employment trade gap that we see across the horse industry.
What types of events are available to me through AAHC?
AAHC membership has a practical and social aspect. Currently, we have mounted and umounted events in the works – some strictly social and some educational… all of them fun. As a community builder, we our social functions are a great, easy way to meet people.
Some prior and upcoming AAHC events include dressage, eventing, barrel racing, and working equitation clinics as well as fun trail rides like Poker Rides, Hunter Paces and Obstacle Trail Challenges. Unmounted educational seminars – A Look Inside an English Saddle Seminar, Horse Theme Trivia Night, Trailer Safety Seminar, Equine First Aid, Colic, Lameness, and more!