Free sleigh rides offered in Wascana Park

Prairie Percherons offered free sleigh rides to those taking part in the Wascana Winter Festival. (Hallee Mandryk/CTV News)

Those in Wascana Park on Sunday afternoon, were treated to some free sleigh rides as part of the Wascana Winter Festival.

The day has been one that the team behind the event have been looking forward to.

“It’s just a really good day. People just get to see something they’re not used to seeing,” Blair Bickford, owner of Prairie Percherons said.

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Bickford shared that he’s especially happy to be back in Wascana Park.

The sleigh rides were scheduled for FROST Festival earlier this year as well. However, extremely cold temperatures forced the cancellation of many activities, including the sleigh rides.

“It’s always a good day to be with horses, so if you’re having a bad day, just go see a horse and everything will be better ... basically we just needed better weather. Today’s a good day,” Bickford explained.

The weather was leaning in the other direction over the weekend.

With significantly warmer temperatures, there was not a lot of snow left around the park. This however, was not an issue for the Prairie Percherons team, as they opted for a more versatile type of sleigh.

“Typically we’re always on wheels in the city because you can’t guarantee what the roads are going to be like. So and I can put more people on this,” he explained.

The sleigh rides turned the heads of many in the park, Brickford shared that it is a unique opportunity for those who stop by.

“People just they just love them. They see them. They’re so big. They’re beautiful,” he added.

“It’s just something they’re not used to seeing, for some people, it’s the first time they’ve ever been close to an animal.”