VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — It’s disappointing news for local horse riders and owners. The stables near NAS Oceana in Virginia Beach are no longer catering to privately-owned horses. 

“You know this is devastating news,” said horse owner Don Michalek.

There are many who believe being close to horses is therapeutic. 

“It is like having a service animal, except I can’t bring it into Wal-Mart,” Michalek laughed.

But now some horse owners in Virginia Beach are getting trampled with stress.

“I’m going to do whatever I can to find a new home for my two horses,” Michalek said.

Michalek’s horses, Red and Mister Big, have called the Oceana Stables home for many years.  On Tuesday, Michalek got an email letting him know that all privately-owned horses now need to be out by February.

“At first I was shocked,” Michalek added. “I didn’t know what to believe. I was shaking.”

Oceana has always allowed active duty and retired military to use the stables, but next year only government-owned horses will be allowed to gallop on the property.

“Where are you going to go?” asked horse owner Regina Carpenter. “Can you afford your horses? All of those are questions that are swirling.”

Oceana officials say it comes down to money.

“With this installation’s current funding levels, we are no longer able to provide the level of stable services the NAS Oceana Stables patrons pay for, expect and deserve,” said Oceana spokeswoman Jennifer Hayes. “Per the contract with the stable’s patrons, we are required to provide 30-day’s notice of changes to service. We have tripled the required notification time to enable the patrons to most effectively find new facilities for their horses.”

“They say that three months is plenty of time, but not when you’re dumping 80 horses onto an already fairly saturated boarding market,” Michalek said.

Horse owners say they feel they’re the ones being taken out to pasture.

“At first there is shock that they were doing this, then there is anger that they are doing this and then there is grief,” Michalek added. “What are we going to do now? It’s a dilemma there is no easy answer to.”