The Sage and Sands Pony Club is still going strong, and has added some new features, says District Commissioner Marcie Down.
“We have our Master’s Club, which is open to adults,” she explains. “And something else that’s new is that we now offer Western riding, as well as English, for everyone, due to the demand. This is good for our area specifically, because we have a lot of Western riders.”
Coach Sloane Hammond leads the sessions, which are for riders aged seven and up. Participants meet at least once a week as a group for riding lessons, and in winter they do stable management.
“They learn the parts of a horse, they learn about the tack,” says Down. “It’s very hands-on. They learn how to care for a horse, groom a horse themselves, and clean up after themselves and the horse.”
Riders take part in regional Quiz competitions, which give Pony Club members the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of horses at a competitive level. Competitors are tested on their theoretical knowledge of horsemanship, and also provide an opportunity for the clubs in the B.C. Interior North division to get together at a fun and social event.
They also take part in rallies, which have a hunter-jumper component, and learn to do jumps on a course, dressage, and show jumping. Down says that riders can learn jumping at Sage and Sands, starting with poles on the ground, which are gradually raised to higher levels.
Down says the club members do a lot of fundraising to help pay for attendance at events, and that they have been fortunate to receive funding from Second Time Around.
Registrations are now being taken for the new season. For more information about the Sage and Sands Pony Club and what it offers, contact Down at (778) 207-6957, or Sandy Agatiello at (250) 682-4336.
editorial@accjournal.ca
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