Alberta Equestrian Federation, www.albertaequestrian.com

Important Notice from Acera Insurance

With wildfires burning in several regions in the province, we want to remind you that the automatic insurance provided with membership in the Alberta Equestrian Federation protects you for liability arising from the temporary care, custody, and control of up to three nonowned horses that have been displaced due to fire, flood, and other natural disasters.

To those members that are lending a hand to others who are in need of relocating their horses and housing them in safer areas – we THANK YOU.

We are also obliged to advise that no new insurance coverage can be placed when an active wildfire is less than 50 kms away. This includes the optional coverage for tack and members Named Perils horse insurance.

If you have questions about your insurance coverage, contact your Acera Insurance equine specialists at 1-800-670-1877 in the west.

Emergency Help Directory Created for Equines in Need

In response to the threat of multiple wildfires burning throughout the province, Alberta has declared a provincial state of emergency to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of Albertans. Emergency responders are working around the clock to keep people safe and reduce the threat to homes and infrastructure.

The Government of Alberta Emergency Management Agency has asked AEF to create an ‘Emergency Help’ directory connecting equine owners in need with those who have the means to help.

If you have the means and are interested in helping equines in need, please contact us.

*Please note we will not be coordinating the transport of feed or horses, so it will be directly between those who need help and those who offered help to coordinate any interaction.

If you are in need of equine assistance, please contact us.

The Emergency Help Directory was created for equines in need as a neutral venue for horse owners and providers of horse-related services to find, communicate with, and interact with each other. The Alberta Equestrian Federation “AEF” does not screen horse owners nor service providers in the emergency directory. Service providers are not under the direction or control of AEF and have the sole discretion on how to provide services requested by the horse owners. All transactions conducted using the emergency directory are between the horse owners and service providers. Horse owners and service providers are solely responsible for making decisions that are in the best interests of themselves and their horses and should exercise caution and their independent judgment before engaging a service provider or providing services. AEF makes no representations or warranties about the quality of services provided by the service providers or about the horse owners’ interactions and dealings and AEF expressly disclaims liability for any actions or omissions, claims, injuries, loss, harm and/or damages arising from and/or in any way related to the interactions or dealings between horse owners and service providers.

For ongoing support of equines in need, please consider a donation to our Equine Disaster Fund. Tax receipts are available for donations over $50. All funds will go toward purchasing gift cards from Alberta Farm supply stores to assist those in need.

Grant Funding for Trail Projects

The Alberta Equestrian Federation (AEF) has been successful in obtaining support for three grant applications from Alberta Public Lands. These grants will fund three exciting trail use projects for 2023.

Responsible Trail Use

Recreational trail usage has significantly increased in Alberta since early 2020. The increase includes equestrian trail users who may lack knowledge of safe and responsible trail use. This has led to serious injuries and more incidents requiring self-rescue and first responder rescue. The Responsible Trail Use initiative aims to help educate equestrian trail users through short educational videos on topics such as safe preparation and responsible trail use. The project involves selecting topics, obtaining video gear, identifying credible experts, collecting props, writing scripts, shooting and editing videos, and sharing on social media and websites. The project will promote responsible and sustainable trail use, develop a competent and responsible equestrian trail user community, and contribute towards responsible trail stewardship. The goal is to produce 20 educational videos and increase education and awareness among all equestrian trail users.

Share the Trails

This project will help educate equestrian and non-equestrian trail users on how to safely share public and multi-use trails. This will be accomplished by hosting events at Public Lands trailheads, providing educational materials, purchasing and placing “share the trails” signs, and partnering with non-governmental organizations to ensure signage and pamphlets are available in appropriate locations across Alberta. The objectives include connecting with about 450 nonequestrian trail users at in-person events to educate on safe practices when encountering horses and increasing awareness of horse use on Alberta’s trails. Long-term outcomes include collaboration between recreational users and organizations, reduced conflicts between equestrian and non-equestrian trail users, greater understanding of different trail users’ requirements, and increased safety for all trail users.

Unite the Trails

There are many equestrian trail groups in Alberta and in this project, AEF is taking the initiative to pull these groups together to create a united effort when proposing plans, infrastructure, and future projects to the Alberta Government. This project, Unite the Trails, will host a one-day workshop to discuss common needs and priorities of equestrian trail use, develop an agenda, compile a report, and communicate the outcomes to the members, public, and government. The goal is to improve collaboration, increase equestrian trail-use presence, and report on displaying priorities and project ideas. In addition, this project is expected to help AEF secure similar funding opportunities in the future.