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| | | DATE 02/27/2005 5:25 AM | | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89. IN DOOR HORSE ARENA IN SANPETE COUNTY WOULD BENEFIT ALL | For Loretta Johnson, owner of Wind Walker Guest Ranch near Spring City, the benefits of having an indoor horse arena built in Sanpete County are numerous. She could expand her horse program to include wintertime activities; have more options to offer guests seeking indoor horse-related functions; and accommodate requests for unique equine learning programs.
"I think it would be wonderful," says Johnson, whose ranch is located on 994 acres of land at the 6000 foot level of Manti-Lasal National Forest. "We'd be able to expand on what we are already doing and we'd be able to do so many more things year-round."
One of Wind Walker's big draws is its horse program that includes horseback riding for all ages and skill levels. "But we are very limited to the warmer season when we can get people up on the mountain. Right now, we either have to get people out in the cold or try to schedule things for when the weather is better," Johnson says.
"If there was an indoor facility, we'd have more options during the winter months. We could train the horses there and hold events and other functions. It would be so cool."
But Johnson is quick to add that it isn't only business owners like her who would benefit from such a facility. All of the county could see direct and indirect effects from an indoor arena, ranging from bringing more tourists into the region to filling up hotels and motels, to expanding educational offerings for people inside and outside the community, she says.
"It would really help everyone," says Johnson. She was among a group of interested people who attended an information meeting recently on a proposal to build an indoor horse arena in Sanpete County.
The region currently has more horses than it did back in the days when the animals were the main source of transportation, and horse enthusiasts are looking to construct a facility that would let them exercise, train and hold horse-related events and activities year round. They say it would serve the horse industry and help generate income for the county.
For example, Johnson recently had a potential guest phone her ranch who was interested in booking a series of rooms for an executive team building exercise. Part of the exercise includes working with horses in an equine-assisted learning program. "He asked if there was an indoor arena nearby where they could go to do the horse component of the program, and I had to tell him that there isn't one," Johnson says.
If such an arena had existed, the man would have booked rooms not only at her ranch, but at other local motels or bed and breakfasts to accommodate all of the people in his program. Most of them would have been in the area for several days, and would have included sightseeing and shopping as part of their visit.
As well, the caller said he was interested in finding a permanent location for his training program, and having such an arena would have made this portion of the state appealing to him, Johnson says. "Equestrian-assisted programs, both for training exercises and for therapy, are very hot right now, and I expect that we would receive other similar requests if we had such a facility," she says.
A key component to getting a facility built is community support. Local residents, and even those from outside the area, need to let the county commissioners know that they would support such an arena, Johnson says.
# # # | For more information Contact: Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502 |
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