Carrots are Rhianna鈥檚 favourite treats, Hannah Askew says as she carefully brushes her pony.
It鈥檚 Saturday morning and the team has been out in the arena for an hour practising jumping.听
鈥淚 like jumping,鈥� the eight-year-old says, while standing on her toes trying to reach the top of Rhianna鈥檚 back with the brush. 鈥淵ou feel like you are jumping way higher off the ground.鈥�
Rhianna flicks her black mane as Hannah鈥檚 small fingers run through the nine-year-old pony鈥檚 auburn pelt. According to Hannah, they鈥檙e best friends.听
A year ago, she fell in love with the pony and her different-coloured eyes 鈥� one brown, one blue 鈥� and she鈥檚 been happily riding her ever since.听
鈥淪he鈥檚 a little spunky,鈥� Hannah says of her four-legged buddy. 鈥淪he has stepped on my feet.鈥�
Hannah started riding when she was two years old.听
This year marked the first time she has competed in jumping. Hannah entered three local shows, competing against riders up to 13 years of age. She tied for reserve champion (second place) overall in the Squamish Valley Equestrian Association鈥檚 show last month. She also won a first-place ribbon in the 18-inch vertical jumping and claimed a fourth in the ground poles event.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 a lot of fun,鈥� the young girl says of competing.
Next year, Hannah aims to enter shows with Rhianna across the Lower Mainland, Hannah鈥檚 mother Ashleigh says as she passes Hannah the water hose to fill the pony鈥檚 bucket.听
The equestrian community in Squamish has always been strong, Ashleigh says, adding there are quite a few competitive riders around the 13-years-old mark.听
鈥淢ost of the kids that ride have to go to Maple Ridge and Langley to compete,鈥� Ashleigh says.听 鈥淪quamish fares pretty well.鈥�
Squamish Valley Equestrian Association vice-president Jinny Antilla says for the past five years, she trained numerous riders in the community.听
鈥淚n the years that I have been here the number of serious horse people, the calibre of competing and the caliber of the sport has grown exponentially,鈥� she says.听
Sports enthusiasts in Squamish have begun to understand the athleticism within the equestrian pool, Antilla says. The community now also includes horse breeders.听
While the equestrian community is steadily growing, the number of trails on which riders can take their horses is declining, Ashleigh says. On District of Squamish trails, horses are lumped into the same category as dogs when it comes to dealing with their poop. Horse riders are expected to pick up after their horses, just like dog owners are mandated to pick up after their dogs, Ashleigh says. Before, riders would stop and simply kick the horse dung off the trail, but today there a $300 fine attached to such actions.听
听鈥淚t just makes it a little more difficult to ride on municipal trails," she says.听
