The Knowlton Center contains classrooms, faculty and staff office space, a large indoor riding arena suitable for regional and national equestrian competitions, night caretaker quarters, reception and spectator seating, and stalls for 52 horses. Situated on approximately 70 acres in a pristine setting in the heart of the Westerville residential community, the Knowlton Center is surrounded by pasture and paddocks with turnout sheds. Only two miles from the main Otterbein University campus, the Center provides easy access to students and faculty and projects Otterbein visibly into the community.

Our facility also serves as a demonstration project committed to “best practices” in equine management techniques. It is an educational facility open to the equine industry and the local public and provides an avenue for Otterbein involvement in the community. The Department of Equine Science strives to be model custodians of green space. Neighbor-friendly and environmentally-friendly approaches to management are emphasized.

The Knowlton Center serves as a public resource to all in Ohio. Pasture, manure, and water quality management along with the application of sound environmental and facility management practices distinguish the Center from typical stables.

Large rooms were custom-built around the barn wings for tack and blanket storage, medical supplies, laundry facilities, and feed. There are also indoor wash and grooming stalls, as well as a separate area for veterinarian and farrier services.

The property also includes all-weather paddocks, large grass paddocks with run-in sheds, wood fencing surrounding acres of pasture, and ample parking for cars and trailers.

The Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science ​was built thanks to leadership gifts from The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation, which was established by Austin E. “Dutch” Knowlton (1909-2003), a pioneer, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose profession was architecture and business but whose passion was education and philanthropy. The Knowlton Center opened in fall of 2009 and is located in a suburban setting at 600 N. Spring Road in Westerville, Ohio.

Otterbein’s Knowlton Center for Equine Science offers a limited number of stalls for student horses. You must apply to Otterbein and be accepted before you request boarding.

If you have been accepted to Otterbein University and wish to bring your horse, you must fill out an application and send a riding video of you and your horse. The Department of Equine Science will review completed applications and make recommendations to the Department Chair. The Chair will review student’s GPA, class rank, and test scores.

Special consideration is given to Equine Majors and those who commit to the Otterbein Equestrian Team. Four stalls will be awarded per class rank (freshman, sophomore, junior and senior). If stalls do not fill for a particular rank (year) then applicants will be chosen from those remaining on the list. All students must re-apply each spring.

A fully executed Boarding Contract must be signed and all documents concerning the health of the horse must be submitted before entrance to the facility is permitted.

Boarding applications for the upcoming Fall semester are due by April 15, each year. Applications received after this date will be considered only if stalls are available. Decisions on applicants will be made April 30.  If you would like a list of other available boarding stables in the area, contact Kari Briggs (kbriggs@otterbein.edu).

Boarding: $28.50 per day ($855 per month)
Boarding costs will be billed per semester and academic breaks. All board payments will be managed by the Austin E. Knowlton Center for Equine Science.