Horses and riders who are using the Bouchie Lake Rec Hall arena should notice improved traction.
The Bouchie Lake Gymkhana club donated a new groomer to the hall, receiving a $3,500 grand from the BC Horse Council and adding in $250 of their own funds. The hall contributed $800.
Sarah Barber is the president of the Bouchie Lake Gymkhana Club. She said the club was managing without a dedicated groomer, but with an increase in use of the arena in the past few years, it was time for an upgrade.
READ MORE: Horses taken temporary home as wildfires loom
“As a club we need the groomer, but we need it at the Bouchie Lake Rec Grounds,” Barber said. “It was nice to give something to the community, and the horse-riding community, so everybody that rides there will benefit from the improvement this groomer will have.”
Weekly barrel racing from various groups has been hard on the arena footing. The Bouchie Lake Rec Commission is also going to apply Whoa Dust, which should improve water retention on the arena floor.
“Where the horses run around the barrels regularly, you get really bad, big dips in the arena footing, and the harrows weren’t cutting it,” Barber said.
The BC Horse Council’s core grants are given out to riding clubs to improve their facilities. The groomer has two rows of vibrating, adjustable shanks, a leveling bar and a roller to gauge depth and condition.
“We should have some pretty spiffy footing at the arena, which is needed,” Barber said.
Barber said an average of 45 riders per week participate in gymkhana and invited everyone to come out to the grounds now that COVID-19 measures have relaxed.
READ MORE: Baker Creek Gymkhana celebrating successful 2020
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
@GimliJetsMan
cassidy.dankochik@quesnelobserver.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.