Alpharetta equestrian center houses horses evacuated from Irma
Nearly 100 evacuated horses are bunking in Alpharetta to wait out Tropical Storm Irma.
The Wills Park Equestrian Center is housing 85 equines, with another 15 or so on the way, said Matt Casey, the equestrian center manager. At least 30 have come from as far as Miami.
“A lot of barns are prone to flooding,” Casey said. “Everybody’s just kind of hunkered down at the moment.”
Alpharetta has waived the fees for stalls and shavings, which are normally $19 for the first day and $10 each subsequent day, plus $7 per bale of shavings. When the city has housed evacuees in the past, it has capped stall rentals at $59.
The Georgia Hunter Jumper Association has provided food, water and snacks for horses and humans alike.
“There’s plenty of carrots and apples,” Casey said.
In addition, the facility has RV hookups and has five people staying with their horses.
Casey said he and others are preparing a covered arena so people can exercise their horses.
“I feel great,” he said of opening the facility. “We are able to help people who are in need.”
About the Author
Arielle Kass covers Gwinnett County for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She started at the paper in 2010, and has covered business and local government beats around metro Atlanta. Arielle is a graduate of Emory University.
