For 24 years Willow Grove in Emmett has offered horse training in their indoor arena. But just before they could celebrate 25 years in business, the winter weather brought it all tumbling down.
"It was just big woosh and snow came blowing over the barn," said Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones owner and horse trainer at Willow Grove.
She is one of just a handful of horse trainers in the country who specialize in légèreté, a French style that's all about getting the rider and horse to work with ease. But now, she has no place to work and train after the snow and ice destroyed her arena.
"We can't work and it's hard to repair something you need for work when you can't work when you can't work to repair it,” said Linda.
The winter weather tore through the 72 feet wide by 80 feet long canvas and turned the metal beams into a mangled mess. No one was hurt in the collapse, but the building was not insured for snow and ice damage. In all her years living in Emmett, Linda never thought winter could be so devastating.
"I didn't expect it at all. We really had a lot of confidence in the building, and in the structure, the engineering I thought it was good to go in the past the snow slid off pretty nicely so we were concerned at all," explained Linda.
Linda is now asking for donations, and at last check has raised close to $4,000"When you really have to fight for it, you realize how important it is to you," said Linda.
