Horsemen's Corral December 2020

December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

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The Horsemen’s Corral is the official publication for the following clubs: Northern Kentucky Horse Network Ashland Paint & Plain Saddle Club Northern Ohio Miniature Horse Club Avon Lake Saddle Club Ohio Appaloosa Association Black Swamp Driving Club O.H.I.O. EXCA Buckeye Equestrian Association Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Central Ohio Saddle Club Association Association Central Ohio Wagoneers Ohio Haflinger Association Classical Attraction Dressage Society Ohio High School Rodeo Association Colorado Ranger Horse Association Ohio Horseman’s Council Creek Side Mounted Archery Ohio Morgan Horse Association District One National Show Horse Ohio Mount N Trail Obstacle Competition Dusty Boots Riding Club Ohio Paint Horse Club Flatlanders Dressage & Combined Ohio Quarter Horse Association Training Association, Inc. Ohio Ranch Horse Association Geauga Horse & Pony Association Ohio State Buckskin Association Great Lakes Appaloosa Horse Club Ohio Western Horse Association, Inc. Hoosier Equine Council Ottawa County Horse Foundation Knox County Horse Park Ohio Valley Team Penning Association Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros Pinto Horse Association of Ohio Massillon Saddle Club Tri-County Trail Association Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc. Tri-State Rodeo Association Mid-Eastern Farriers Association Wayne County Saddle Club Mid Ohio Dressage Association Western Equestrian Club at Slippery Rock Mid-Ohio Marauders University National Pole Bending Association Western Reserve Carriage Association Northern Ohio Dressage Association

Inside This Issue Corral Calendar .................................................................30 The Cowboy Perserverance Ranch...................................38 Innovative Stall Feeder Options ........................................14 The Last Ride ......................................................................8 Notes from Inside The Corral ..............................................6 Ride In Sync ......................................................................18 Switching Feeds Safely .....................................................22 TrailMeister ........................................................................34 View From the Cheap Seats..............................................26 Club News Black Swamp Driving Club ................................................39 Buckeye Equestrian Association .......................................10 Central Ohio Saddle Club Association...............................37

The Corral Staff Editor .............................................................................................Bobbie Coalter Advertising Sales & General Manager .....................................Joe Coalter email ............................................................... joe@thehorsemenscorral.com Club Sales & Circulation Manager Art & Composition Director .....................................................Michelle Ross email ......................................................michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com

Colorado Ranger Horse Association .................................24 Geauga Horse and Pony Association ................................35 Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros ............................................21 Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc. ..............................27 Mid Ohio Marauders ..........................................................20

Advertising Consultant ................................................................. Mary Vedda email ............................................................ mary@thehorsemenscorral.com

Northern Ohio Dressage Association ................................54

WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ohio Gaited Horse Trailriders ............................................36

Features: .................................................. Bobbie Coalter, Robert Eversole, ......................... Lisa Kiley, Kristen M. Janicki, Terry Myers, Sarah Vas NEXT ISSUE

NUMBER 1 .................................................................................. JANUARY 2021 JANUARY 2021 DEADLINE ........................................ DECEMBER 10, 2020

O.H.I.O. EXCA ..................................................................16 Ohio High School Rodeo Association ................................24 Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc. ..........................................42 Ohio Morgan Horse Association ........................................40 OHIO Mount N Trail Obstacle Competition........................16 Ohio Paint Horse Club .......................................................37 Ohio Valley Team Penning Association .............................25

DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO HORSE AND HORSEMEN since 1969 THE HORSEMEN’S CORRAL is published monthly by Horsemen’s Corral, 8283 Richman Road, Lodi, Ohio 44254. (ISSN 0164-6591). Published as Periodicals at the Lodi Post Office USPS 889-180 with additional entry points Cleveland, OH 44101; Williamsport, PA 17701-9998 and Madison, WI 53714. Periodicals postage paid at Lodi, Ohio, and additional entry offices. Subscriptions: One Year for $30; Two Years for $50; Three Years for $65. Single copies, $3.00. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Horsemen’s Corral, P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the Horsemen’s Corral, P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254. Manuscripts, drawings, and other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope.

The Horsemen’s Corral cannot be responsible for unsolicited material.

Ohio Western Horse Association .......................................19 Tri-County Trail Association ...............................................36 Wayne County Saddle Club ..............................................10 Western Reserve Carriage Association .............................32

ABOUT THE COVER: Eleven-year-old Blue Roan Percheron, Sir Lancelot, owned by Baughman Farms in Waynesburg, Ohio.

Photo courtesy of Emily Bevan, Emily Bevan Photography, www.emilybevanphotography.com

MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE: P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254 OFFICE: 419/742-3200 or 330/635-4145

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HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

Notes From Inside The Corral

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he old phrase, “hindsight is 20/20” means you have perfect vision when you look back on a decision you made because you now know the outcome. I’ve decided to change that phrase a little to say “Hindsight is 2020”, meaning that once we get through this month, I’m going to leave the year behind me and be glad it is over!

I don’t mean to imply that a lesson learned should be forgotten but let’s face it, this year, we collectively are like Who-ville, and 2020 is the Grinch. The three words that describe 2020 the best, to quote Dr. Seuss from How the Grinch Stole Christmas: “Stink, Stank, Stunk”! Our country endured fires, hurricanes, riots, hatred and a pandemic. We witnessed the Speaker of House tear up our President’s State of the Union Address in front of the world, followed by a witch hunt and impeachment. We were unemployed, home schooled, locked down and without toilet paper. The equine industry in our region lost major events such as Equine Affaire, The All American Quarter Horse Congress, Road to the Horse, Battle in the Saddle, the 2021 Michigan Horse Expo and most recently the 2021 National Appaloosa Horse Show and Youth World Championship which was to be held for the first time in Indianapolis, Ind. And as if all that were not enough, there was the election! Yes, 2020 was like the Grinch and it stole many of the gifts of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness we planned on this year.

Yet, just like in the story of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, we will celebrate the joy of the season because IT IS Christmas.

One thing I personally will take away from 2020 is a list of words and phrases I don’t ever want to hear again. For example; “wash your hands”, “use sanitizer”, “social distance”, “spread”, “virus”, “wear a mask”, “sneeze/cough in your arm”, “asymptomatic”, “symptom”, etc. I’m 63 years old and learned a long time ago that if I’m sick or if I see that you are sick, to clean, sanitize and stay the heck away! It

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is called good hygiene and diligence. I do not need to be reminded of this day after day after day. I do not need it here and there, I do not need it anywhere. Another group of words that puts a burr under my saddle includes “lockdown”, “shutdown”, “health order”, “stay at home order”, “restriction”, “curfew”, and the like. These were not laws passed through the system of checks and balances instilled by our forefathers and certainly not part of the freedoms our veterans have fought for. My final group of words and phrases I don’t want to hear again contains “we’re all in this together”, “these troubled times”, “do it for others” and “stay home”. It just reminds me of another Grinch quote, this one from Jim Carrey’s portrayal. “4:00, wallow in self-pity. 4:30, stare into the abyss. 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercise; 6:30, dinner with me. I can’t cancel that again.

7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing. I’m booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9, I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness.” —The Grinch My word count on the above paragraph was quite a bit longer but I only have so much room. I don’t know what 2021 will hold but I do know IT IS Christmas. A time of joy, happiness, peace and love; nothing should stand in the way of that. After all: Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all!

He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming!

IT CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same!

—Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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December 2020

December 2020

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The Last Ride “So when we do make that last ride that is inevitable for us all to make, to that place up there, where the grass is green and lush and stirrup high, and the water runs cool, clear, and deep—You’ll tell us as we ride in that our entry fees have been paid. These things we ask.—Amen.”

~Excerpt from ‘A Rodeo Cowboy’s Prayer’ by Clem McSpadden

HOWARD REA The Palomino Horse Breeders of America is mourning the passing of the association’s President Elect, Howard Rea, of Shelbyville, KY., on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

“Howard was an immediate friend to all he met,” said PHBA General Manager Terri Green. “He was an avid supporter of PHBA and the youth of the association.”

Rea was a professional horse trainer and held judging cards from the American Quarter Horse Association, the Pinto Horse Association of America, the American Buckskin Registry Association, the North American Saddle Mule Association and the American Roan Horse Association in addition to the PHBA. The news of Rea’s passing comes just weeks before the PHBA’s World Championship Show in Springfield, Ill., where Rea served for years as tri-chair, managing the arena and handling the set-up.

“He helped with everything from planning to tear-down,” Green said. “He always made it his mission to be sure the women didn’t do too much. He was the quintessential gentleman.”

In 2017 Rea was honored with the PHBA’s President’s Special Service Award.

“He was PHBA through and through,” Green said. “This loss will be felt by many, a tremendous loss not only for PHBA but the horse industry as a whole. The world has lost a great man and the horse world has lost a mentor to many.”

Rea is survived by his son, Rusty, also a professional horse trainer from Shelbyville, Ky., and his wife, Taylor; a daughter, Rebecca and Keith Taylor, of Springfield, Mo.; and two grandsons, Carson and Rowdy.

WENDY SUE GRUSKIEWICZ Wendy (Lautanen) Gruskiewicz passed from this world on Sept. 22 at home on her family farm in New Lyme. Wendy’s legacy is framed by her love of family, 4-H, and horses. Wendy operated Mithra Training Stable on the family farm first purchased in 1917 by her Finnish grandparents, Oscar and Maria Lautanen.

She was born May 1, 1956 in Ashtabula and has been an area resident all of her life. Wendy was a 1974 graduate of Pymatuning Valley High School.

Wendy was active in 4-H as child, and later as an advisor and mentor to many students, and managed the Jr Fair Market Animal Sale for several years. Her farm interests included active participation in the Farm Bureau. Her video showcase of horse breeding activities was a hit at the 2008 ‘Best of County’ recognition of Mithra Stable.

Wendy made incredible connections with her Arabian horses. She trained and showed them to Regional and National Championships in many disciplines, including Halter, English and Western Pleasure, Dressage. She most recently enjoyed the sport of carriage driving in the showring and in marathon competitions.

Wendy leveraged her experience on the equine judging team at the Ohio State Ag Technical Institute to achieve extensive qualifications as a judge for 4-H, Arabians, miniature horses, and Friesians. Her judging activities included multiple National Championship events, and her travels took her across America, and to Africa and Europe.

She is once again in the embrace of her beloved horses, notably Riften, Eddie, Gwalzzat and Sebaca.

Survivors include her husband, Mike, whom she married on Sept.

17, 1977 in Jefferson; a son, Evan M. Gruskiewicz of Chico, Calif.; a brother, Kenneth H. Lautanen of Palm Harbor, Fla., and two sisters, Lee Venable of Ocala, Fla. and Kathryn (Kent) Yeager of Parma Hts. and a multitude of nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lauri and Dorothy (Howard) Lautanen and brothers, Don and Tom Lautanen.

In lieu of flowers, Wendy requests that donations be made to the ‘Lautanen Family Scholarship Fund’ which is administered with the assistance of the Ashtabula County Ag Extension Office. Checks can be mailed to 4045 Russel Road, Dorset, OH 44032, or to Wendy’s home.

Memorial contributions are requested to the Lautanen Family 4-H Scholarship, c/o Ashtabula Co. Scholarship Fund, c/o Rita Woodard, 4045 Russell Road, Dorset, OH 44032.

JEAN HENNEN Jean passed away earlier this year in Colorado. Jean was an active Ohio Horseman’s Council member years ago and held a Lifetime OHC Membership. Jean loved her horses. The following was developed by Jean and shared with friends after her passing: Jean was loved and blessed by God and many animal and human friends. She thanks everyone for their friendship and the good times shared together. May God Bless You All. “As my journey on Earth ends, I wish no funeral service designed by man or by me either. May friends and family remember me, each in their own way, privately or gathering together (potlucks were always fun!). But let the remembering be a celebration of joy in having known and loved each other.”

The photo is of Jean in Gunnison National Forest in Colorado, where Jean joined Nancy Strayer, Becky Plummer Payne and Lauren McClung (Ohio friends) in 2011 for a pack trip. Happy trails to you Jean as you enjoy the trails with your best friend and partner Bill.

Submissions for The Last Ride can be emailed to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com Please include a picture if possible.

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December 2020

December 2020

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Wayne County Saddle Club

Watch Website and Facebook for Details on Annual Banquet PRESIDENT, Charlene Clark VICE PRESIDENT, Angie Didinger SECRETARY, Tricia Crilow TREASURER, Beth Eikleberry WEBSITE, waynecountysaddleclub.com

As I write this, it’s Nov. 10.

The weather has been absolutely beautiful for this time of year.

Charli and I rode at the ‘Hollow’ Saturday, my daughter, Vicki, and I rode at Mohican yesterday, and we worked outside today with T-shirts on with 75 degree temperatures. The horses are still out on the pasture and every day they are is one to two bales less hay we’ll have to feed this winter.

We hope to ride as often as the weather permits throughout the winter. Feel free to check out the trails marked with blue paint at the Saddle Club.

This afternoon, however, a wooly bear crawled across our front porch. He has a wide middle brown belt. According to folk lore, that means a mild winter. Will it turn to beautiful— well—snow? One of the joys of living in Ohio, they say, is if you don’t like the weather just wait a little and it will change.

Regardless of the season, it is safe to say the regular organized activity time at the ‘Hollow’ is

Crawl through the barrel.

Did it go in? over until next spring. Of course the annual banquet/election/ award presentation/dance and general great fellowship is yet to come. The date is Jan. 16 and the venue is the Wooster American Legion. As of now your officers and directors plan to present the ‘normal’ format I just described.

But 2020 has indeed been a trying year especially due to the virus and a final decision whether to go forward as usual or in some abbreviated manner will not be made until closer to the date. That will obviously be too late for the December Corral which I’m writing now.

Once that decision is made, we will publish the information on the website and the club Facebook page. For now I’m going to say if you don’t see notification on the website, www.waynecountysaddleclub. com, or Facebook we’ll go ahead

First arena at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, c. 1964 or 1965.

Can you guess who? with the usual format. You can also contact your favorite officer or director as well. Regarding time, what to bring, etc. it’s all pending which direction will, by necessity be taken.

Reminder: the worship group continues to meet Sundays at 11 a.m. all year. However, if the snow is really deep, you might check before coming.

Christmas is right around the corner. My prayer for you is this:

that you might know and enjoy the true meaning of Christmas while you race about buying, meeting, celebrating, and opening presents.

That ‘best Christmas ever’ comes right down to sharing love with family and friends and the good Lord. May you be blessed with all these!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! God bless you and US. ~Stan

Buckeye Equestrian Association

New Riding/Driving/Walking Program in 2021 PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan VICE PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio SECRETARY, Nicolette Hemming TREASURER, Jordan Gottschling EMAIL, info@buckeyehorsepark.org WEBSITE, www.buckeyhorsepark.org

by Susan Smith-Gordan The Buckeye Equestrian Association board of directors wishes to send a hello out to all our members, and our equestrian family and friends. We sincerely hope you, your friends, and families are all well.

There is no doubt the year 10

2020 has posed issues for all nonprofit groups, and the Buckeye Equestrian Association was certainly not exempt from cancelling events, rescheduling events, and ultimately cancelling again. Like many of you, we dipped our toes in the muddy waters of Zoom meetings, held outdoor meetings at wide open spaces on picnic tables at the area fairgrounds, and the like.

We are grateful for formats like Zoom, and the fairgrounds! We are grateful for one another, our friends and supporters.

In 2020 we officially changed our name from Buckeye Horse Park Association to Buckeye Equestrian Association. We updated our bylaws to reflect

where the club is now in 2020, and to ensure we maintain who we have always been, for the future of this long term nonprofit equestrian group.

We look to 2021, as we plan events, and clinics that are in keeping with our bylaws, and mission statement. We expect to hold clinics in different venues, at various facilities, to promote lifelong learning to all equestrians. They will be fun events to attend, both with a horse, or as a spectator.

We expect to launch a riding/ driving/walking program to obtain points while doing equestrian various activities.

There will be year end awards for these points, and we are

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excited about the program. We believe it is a fun way to compete and be rewarded by spending valuable time with your horse, pony, mule, or donkey. You will need to be a member to join this program. We will send out membership applications in December for the year 2021.

We will need some volunteers for a few of these activities, and we look forward to seeing some familiar faces.

If you are interested in becoming a board member, we urge you to contact one of us.

With this I will close, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and may 2021 be filled with only blessings.

December 2020

December 2020

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Innovative Stall Feeder Options

by Lisa Kiley

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s the weather begins to change, it is the time of the year when the pastures stop growing and the last of the available grass is soon to be only in your horses dreams of spring. There are a lot of different options for feeding hay and the amount of hay your horse will need as it gets cooler will undoubtably increase as the temperatures drop.

It doesn’t matter if you make your own hay or purchase it, hay is expensive and one of the hardest things to watch is hay being wasted by horses because it gets trampled underfoot in the mud and snow or tossed around and used as bedding rather than dinner.

There are a lot of different feeder options that can help save your hay from being wasted and save you money on your feed bill throughout the winter and beyond. If you are thinking of investing in a feeder or would like to upgrade to something that works better for your horses and your facility, keep the following in mind: Safety: The most important consideration of any feeder selected is to make sure that it has been constructed with a horse’s safety as the number one priority. Horses are notorious for getting tangled up, hurting themselves, or testing (read: destroying) items that were not made to hold up. There are also some key differences between feeders that are made specifically for horses and ones that are made for other livestock, particularly safe bar sizing and height. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get a feeder that will work for more than one type of animal, you will just want to choose something that is safe for all the animals that use it. Additionally, a feeder that is free of sharp edges, made of durable materials, and installed properly will be the safest for the animals in your care.

Bale Style: There are different feeders that are made for round bales vs. square bales. If you are using round bales, something that allows the horse easy access from all sides and is easy to load are usually the most important features. What works best will depend on how you get the hay into the feeder, do you have forks to load or is it something that will be filled by hand? Without the aid of a tractor, you would want the feeder to be light enough to be picked up and moved around and manageable enough to load regardless of the weather. There are also units that can accommodate round or square bales, these units are nice because they allow for flexibility without having to invest in a whole different feeder if your preferences on bale style change.

Size: The size of the feeder will depend on how many horses will be eating out of it and what size of bales will be used. Think about the horses that will be using the feeder, do they get along well enough to eat from one point together? Sometimes feeders can bring out the bully in horses, which means in a larger herd, some of the horses may be kept away from the hay. It’s important to monitor horses and confirm that each one is getting needed time at the feeder to keep their weight up and stay in good condition. Going into the winter, this is something that is specifically important for older horses that may be lower on the pecking order. In this case, having a couple feeders or a feeder that is big enough to comfortably allow sharing, or separating horses during feeding time to confirm each is getting the forage they need.

The Elements: Getting a feeder for your hay is just one part of the puzzle when it comes to savings on feed cost. Keeping the hay 14

protected from the elements is another factor to consider. Covered feeders will protect the hay from the elements and help eliminate waste, not just by keeping the hay contained, but by also keeping the hay more palatable by resisting sun, rain, and snow. If your feeder doesn’t have a cover, think about situating it under the protection of a loafing shed to keep it from getting weathered, but make sure that horses still have ample access and are getting enough to eat. If you are just filling the feeders at mealtime and the hay won’t be out very long, uncovered feeders or hay cradles can work great for this purpose.

Other Ways to Save: Once you have picked out a feeder, there are still some options for saving even more hay and cutting feed bills.

If the feeder is sitting in mud, any hay that does manage to get to the ground will be lost, but by placing the feeder on top of an allweather surface, like compacted limestone, mud grid, or rubber mats, gives the horses another opportunity to recover fallen hay. Having a surface around the feeder will also make it easier to load and unload the feeder, preventing driving or trekking through a muddy mess to fill the feeder. Depending on the feeder style, slow feed hay nets can also be added to the feeders so that horses work a little harder to get their feed, which means less waste and mimics natural grazing which is healthier and curbs boredom.

Next month we will take a look at some innovative options for indoor feeders.

Lisa Kiley is a lifelong horse enthusiast who has worked in the equine industry and shown horses for many years. She is a proud member of the Cashmans Horse Equipment Team. Cashmans Horse Equipment, located in Delaware, Ohio, has been providing top quality products to the equine and agricultural community for 40 years. They have a commitment to sourcing environmentally conscious merchandise and items made in the U.S.A. Cashmans strives to educate customers and provide products that put safety first so you can enjoy more time with the horses you love. www.cashmans.com

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December 2020

December 2020

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O.H.I.O EXCA

Congratulations to Year End Winners CO-PRESIDENTS, Steve Fuller & Jimm McDonald; CO-TREASURERS, Robin Gigax & Jennie Bower; SECRETARY, Anissa Fuller; FACEBOOK, O.H.I.O. EXCA

by Kasey Robinson O.H.I.O. EXCA ended the race season with an awards banquet celebrating each first place winner with a buckle. The celebration included great food and ended with a silent auction.

Congratulations to the following buckle winners: YOUTH: Dani Scheffler INTERMEDIATE: Ayla Holmes NOVICE: Jasmine Baker SMART RIDER: Jennie Bower NON-PRO: Jennie Bower PRO: Kayla Schlabach

Those who qualified were able to compete nationally at the EXCA 2020 World Championship Race in Glen Rose, Texas. Additionally we would like to congratulate Stephen Oetzel placing 11th place in the Novice division and Sharon Oetzel placing 12th place also in Novice. Thank you again for all the riders who participated this year in all races.

The riding and companionship continued with a costume contest.

Our riders enjoyed practice with special and fun characters and the winning costume soaring to outer space.

Please check our Facebook page to be updated when special events are being held.

Additionally, practices have moved indoor to Riverland Arena and a monthly schedule is

posted on the Facebook page.

This year the O.H.I.O. EXCA club would like to include more trail rides for members. If you are interested in coordinating and leading a trail ride please contact one of the officers. These rides will be hosted on the weekends opposite of practice weekends at Riverland.

OHIO Mount N Trail Obstacle Competition

Join OMNT for the New RIDE Program 2020 OHIO MOUNT N TRAIL WINNERS ALL AROUND HIGH POINT IN HAND: Heidi Daugherty and Baby ALL AROUND HIGH POINT RIDING: Heidi Daugherty and Baby

by Becky Burnell

addition to the Mountain Trail COMPETE Program. The RIDE Program offers an opportunity for all horse/rider (handler) combos to accumulate points for any/all activities at a mountain trail park or trail riding activity. These points can then be redeemed for a variety of awards and prizes.

Both programs (RIDE and COMPETE) are available to all breeds, all disciplines, all ages.

OHIO Mount N Trail Association would like to invite you to our 2021 Kick-Off and Awards Banquet on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021 at the Pure Gold Stables and Equestrian Facility, 3325 State Route 45 S., Salem Ohio 44460.

Starting time is 1 p.m. Watch for a reservation form soon.

OHIO Mount N Trail Association is not just for competitions. 2021 will kick off our new RIDE Program, in

The OHIO Mount N Trail Association banquet (casual) will be held in the heated arena at Pure Gold and feature a great meal; the 2020 Year End Class and High Point Awards; a KickOff Program for 2021; and the introduction of the participating mountain trail parks. All parks, both existing and new, will have a display featuring their facilities, their planned events and hours of operation.

YOUTH LEVEL 1 IN HAND: 1. Chase Baumberger (125); 2. Sidney Hawk; 3. (tie) Chase Baumberger (25)/Caitlin Burke; 4. Emily Weber; 5. Jordan Sheffler.

LEVEL 1 RIDING: 1. Caitlin Burke; 2.

Chase Baumberger (125); 3. Chase Baumberger (25); 4. Sidney Hawk; 5.

Jordan Sheffler.

LEVEL 2 IN HAND: 1. Chase Baumberger (125); 2. Sidney Hawk; 3.

Caitlin Burke; 4. Ayla Holmes; 5. Chase Baumberger (25).

LEVEL 2 RIDING: 1. Sidney Hawk; 2.

Ayla Holmes; 3. Caitlin Burke; 4. Chase Baumberger (25); 5. Chase Baumberger (125) LEVEL 3 IN HAND: 1. Ayla Holmes; 2.

Sidney Hawk; 3. Daniella Sheffler.

LEVEL 3 RIDING: 1. Sidney Hawk; 2.

Ayla Holmes; 3. Daniella Sheffler.

Becky Burnell Cynthia Bauman, Creek Side Horse Park Jackie Smith, Stone Gate Farm Trail Park Laura Wincek, Win-Seek/Fallen Pines Gloria Bandy PHONE, 330/854-5400

NOVICE IN HAND: 1. Karen Hawk; 2. Laura Russell; 3. Emily Weber ; 4. Rachael Mogielski; 5. (tie) Elaine Pitts/Carrie VanMeter.

RIDING: 1. Karen Hawk; 2. Laura Russell; 3. Gretta McIntyre; 4. Rose Windsor; 5. Elaine Pitts.

ADULT LEVEL 1 IN HAND: 1. Susan Hillegas; 2. Sara Ridgway; 3. Lisa Green; 4. Heidi Daugherty; 5. Stephanie Tarr.

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LEVEL 1 RIDING: 1. Sara Ridgway; 2.

Susan Hillegas; 3. Heidi Daugherty; 4.

Jessica Blinn; 5. Gretta McIntyre.

LEVEL 2 IN HAND: 1. Heidi Daugherty (115); 2. Gloria Bandy; 3. Heidi Daugherty (114); 4. Chris Weimer; 5. Cynthia Bauman (302).

LEVEL 2 RIDING: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Chris Weimer; 3. Gloria Bandy; 4.

Sara Ridgway; 5. Jenn Currie.

LEVEL 3 IN HAND: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Chris Weimer; 3. (tie) Cynthia Bauman (302)/Cynthia Bauman (166).

LEVEL 3 RIDING: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Chris Weimer; 3. Jenn Currie.

OPEN LEVEL 1 IN HAND: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Sara Ridgway; 3. Lisa Green; 4. (tie) – McKenzie Frase/Chase Baumberger (125); 5. Stephanie Tarr.

LEVEL 1 RIDING: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Sara Ridgway; 3. Chase Baumberger (125); 4. McKenzie Frase; 5. Jenn Currie/Caitlin Burke.

LEVEL 2 IN HAND: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Sidney Hawk; 3. Becky Burnell (12); 4. Stacie Widder; 5. Becky Burnell (10).

LEVEL 2 RIDING: 1. Heidi Daugherty; 2. Sidney Hawk; 3. Becky Burnell (10); 4. Stacie Widder; 5. (tie) Becky Burnell (12)/Sara Ridgway.

LEVEL 3 IN HAND: 1. Becky Burnell (12); 2. Becky Burnell (10); 3. Stacie Widder; 4. Heidi Daugherty; 5. (tie) Cynthia Bauman (302), Cynthia Bauman (166).

LEVEL 3 RIDING: 1. Becky Burnell (12); 2. Stacie Widder; 3. (tie) Becky Burnell (10), Jenn Currie; 4. Heidi Daugherty.

December 2020

December 2020

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Ride In Sync Part One

Dressage Basics Are Good for All Western Horses

by Terry Myers

D

uring my travels to various clinics and expos over the years, I have had several opportunities to ride my western horses in dressage clinics and I found that my western horses are very capable in doing the lower level dressage movements. Many of the things we do in western riding are similar to dressage,

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just using different terms and jargon. Yet so many times, when I try to talk dressage basics to a western rider, you can see the eyes glaze over. But I am not giving up the ship! This is the first of three articles talking about the basics and how it applies to western disciplines (ranch horse people, this includes you). In this article I am going to point out the ways that dressage techniques can benefit the western horse and rider. So, don’t let your eyes glaze over and read on…

The dressage trainers and clinicians that I rode with stressed rhythm and cadence.

Many western trainers talk about ‘feeling the feet’, which means being aware of the cadence of your horses’ foot fall to understand when you do have rhythm. When you have a steady rhythm and cadence with your horse, without any foot hitting the ground heavier than the others,

then you know that your horse is in balance. You cannot collect a horse that is not balanced. The trouble with so many western horses and riders, they have a false sense of collection. Just because their head is low and the face is vertical, it does not

between the front feet. I like to have a haunches in queue for speed control in the show ring.

Reiners use haunches in when going into their small slow circles. It is really important in trail maneuvers. You can’t back through an L if you don’t have

You can never be too good or know too much.

There is always more to learn. mean they are collected. Way too many horses have their head low and are dragging their hind end instead of driving with it. To be collected a horse must square their shoulders, lift their back and drive with their hind end. If you force the head down without teaching the horse to lift their back and drive into the bit, all you have is a horse that is forehand heavy and awkward in the stride with no momentum from the rear.

I know you may not be convinced of the benefits of dressage for a western horse.

Dressage is just a fancy French word for training. The basics that a western horse should know include moving shoulders in, haunches in, leg yields and half passes. All these moves will develop suppleness in the horse from the shoulder to the mouth as well as body control in the rib cage and hip. Once that is achieved, the horse is set up to drive from behind and reach a higher level of performance.

Shoulders in is a maneuver that the horse’s inside hind leg falls in a line between the front feet.

This teaches a horse how to start moving the shoulders from left to right. This amount of shoulder control is important in any discipline that requires a turn on the haunches, including reining spins and rolls backs, turning back cattle, and trail maneuvers to name a few.

Haunches in is a maneuver that I use a lot. It is used in lead departures, lead changes and collection basics. It is where the hip comes in, with the horse’s outside hind foot coming

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

control of the hips and shoulders.

You also can’t work a gate in trail class. When trail riding, if you can’t move shoulders over and push the hip, you don’t have the control you need to get over obstacles or potentially dangerous situations on the trail.

Leg yields are when the horse bends around your leg pressure and moves latterly in the opposite direction. This is an excellent move to teach the horse to stand up in their shoulders and move away from leg pressure. The half-pass is a lateral movement, in which the horse moves forward and sideways at the same time.

Unlike the easier leg-yield, the horse is bent in the direction of travel, slightly around the rider’s inside leg. Both the leg yield and half-pass are about total body control. With total body control, imaging the control you would have in your pattern classes.

These training techniques, in my opinion, should be in the resume of any ‘finished’ horse. It comes back to the ability to have control of the horse’s whole body.

Whether I am going on a trail ride or to the show ring, it all comes back to being able to ride-in-sync with your horse. Once you can do some or all these dressage maneuvers, you will be amazed at the partnership and level of performance with your horse.

I think good horsemanship is a moving target. You can never be too good or know too much.

There is always more to learn.

I strive every day to learn from the horses I ride. We all owe it to our horses to continue to learn and grow with them; S December 2020

Ohio Western Horse Association

A Message From the OWHA President PRESIDENT, Greg Leidel VICE PRESIDENTS, Megan Gossard & Ranee Liedel SECRETARY, Loretta Rudasill TREASURER, Megan Gossard WEBSITE, www.owha.org

by Greg Leidel I hope this finds everyone well.

We did have the opportunity to get

in some shows this past year. We had several shows in Ada at the War Memorial Park. M & W Pony Pals conducted one contest show and one pleasure show separately, the Karlee Hooker Memorial show was rained out twice, also the F & M Picnic Show even though the picnic was cancelled due to COVID-19 the show was held. A good time was had by all who attended. The Officers and Trustee Show was cancelled by Auglaize County. The Marion

Ride In Sync (continued) improving our skills, learning new techniques as well as time honored ones like dressage.

One final thing to remember… horses don’t make mistakes, people do. If you try to keep this philosophy in the forefront of your mind when working with your horse, you will be a more effective partner.

Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.

December 2020

Terry Myers is a national clinician and champion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 50 years in the horse industry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers’ Ride-In-Sync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit Myers at www.tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook.

Show and Big Jon’s scholarship shows were cancelled. All shows at Riverside Acres also were cancelled due to the COVID-19 shutdown. We made the decision to move the Fall Round Up to the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio.

We closed our 2020 show season with our annual Fall Round Up at the fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio.

What a nice place! We had a very nice turn out for our show where we also host our annual youth team tournament. This year we had 13 teams and some very nice awards. The top three teams received screen printed chairs and other nice awards. The top team was Weston Haudenschield and Patty, Michaela Haudenschield and Jazzy and Madisynn Gossard and Scooter.

Every team takes something home from this show. We also gave out High Point halters in each age group to an OWHA member that was on a team. We would like to thank our youth advisor, Ashley Haudenschield, for all the hard work she has put into the Fall Round Up and the

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

youth club. Ashley has arranged for our youth club to have a gun raffle fundraiser for the 2020 -2021 season. Youth will be selling raffle tickets starting in November, tickets are $10 each.

Please purchase your tickets from a youth club member, the drawing will be held after all 500 tickets are sold.

We had to cancel our awards banquet, but we held an awards pick up at the War Memorial Park in Ada, Ohio, in November.

We also voted on officers at this time. The youth club also voted on their officers and their 2020 sportsmanship award winner.

We are all looking forward to a great show season next year.

Please go to the OWHA website, at owha.org. for updates and show information. We would like to invite everyone to come out and show with us. We also invite everyone to join us at our monthly meeting, held the first Thursday of the month in Ada, Ohio, at the War Memorial Park in the admin building or in picnic shelter depending on the weather.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m.

19

Mid-Ohio Marauders

Mid Ohio Marauders Finish Shooting Season Strong PRESIDENT, Tim Calvin VICE PRESIDENT, Tom Byrne SECRETARY, Judy Foster TREASURER, Laurie Maris PHONE, 740/206-7214 EMAIL, midohiomarauders@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.midohiomarauders.com

The 2020 season may not have started out too well, but it finished strong for the Mid Ohio Marauders. On Sept. 26 and 27, the Marauders hosted the Mid West Regional Shoot in London, Ohio, with 130 shooters participating from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Michigan, along with others outside our region as well. Congratulations goes out to all the class and divisional winners!

RESERVE OVERALL COWGIRL: Chrissy Barrow RESERVE OVERALL COWBOY: Rob Bernhardt.

OVERALL COWGIRL: Jennifer Casey.

OVERALL COWBOY: Sam Helms.

LIMITED WRANGLER: Nicholas Hall.

OPEN WRANGLER: Kate Johnson.

Kate will move up to L1 and Nicholas will move up to open Wrangler next season.

Congratulations also to our Black Wing raffle winners, John St. Clair and Sally Dennison.

A big thank to Joe Coalter, the voice of CMSA, Brandt Barlett and Carla Byrne for keeping the event moving smoothly. The Marauders would also like to thank all those who supported us, inside and outside the arena as well to make the Regionals a successful shoot.

Although the Regional shoot

Martha Keech, SL2 and JD Hughes, SM3. was in September, that didn’t stop some of our Mid West shooters from continuing on to Amarillo, Texas, in October at the 2020 CMSA Worlds. The Mid West was well represented and lots of prizes and hardware came home to our region. Congratulations to all the shooters from the Mid West.

Of course, we have to take a moment and brag on our own Mid Ohio Marauders who did well at the Worlds. Steve Keech was high point SM3 for the 2020 year and his wife Martha Keech was high point SL2 for the year! Martha also won her CMSA world class SL2 in Amarillo. JD Hughes won SM3, Limited Rifle and was also AQHA Reserve World Champion in Limited Select Amateur. He also was third in Limited Select Amateur, bringing home two AQHA trophies. Braden Morey was Reserve Champion in a very tough class in M5 and made a strong showing in the showcase as well. We are so proud of all our Marauders who participated this year!

Although the 2020 Congress shoot was cancelled, that is not slowing the Marauders down in

It is FREE to add your Equine Event to the Corral Calendar.

Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information: Name of Equine Event • Date/Time of Equine Event Venue Name and Address of where event will be held Contact name and phone number

2020 Mid West Regional Wranglers overall winners.

2020 Mid West Regionals overall winners.

The Mid West was well represented at the Worlds. any way. We are already hard at work for the 2021 season! We will have our annual banquet in February, all are welcome to attend and scheduled shoots for the 2021 season as well. We will keep you posted through the Horsemen’s Corral and also on the Mid Ohio Marauders general

membership page on Facebook.

If you are still interested, it’s never too late to join or participate. We would love to have you come check us out.

Feel free to contact one of our officers or directors. You can reach us at midohiomarauders. com or on Facebook.

Joe Coalter

Professional Equine and Rodeo Announcer

Call 330-635-4145 to Book Now!

You may include an email and website address also.

Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine, added to our website and be included on our radio show “Horsin Around Ohio” on WQKT 104.5 www.thehorsemenscorral.com

20

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros

Annual Banquet Scheduled for January 2021 PRESIDENT, R. David Davis VICE PRESIDENT, Brian (Doc) Hric SECRETARY/TREASURER, Karen Davis; PHONE, 330-719-3290 EMAIL, karenld0819@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.lakeerievaqueros.net

by Karen (Chilipepper) Davis Our 2020 season is over and it’s time to work on our 13th Annual Boot Scootin Boogie Awards Banquet. The banquet will be on Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021. Most of the awards have been bought and we are waiting on some to come in.

We had our club picnic on Oct. 17, at Curt Myers house on Root Road in Conneaut, Ohio; very few members turned out for it.

John Truman, Colleen Kelly, James Urbanski, Fred and Penny Dzara, Dave and Karen Davis, Curt Myers, Mike, Jessica and Gina Sheets and Curt’s neighbors were invited over also. We had a lot of food and leftovers that

December 2020

we shared with everyone. The weather was chilly and windy but we had a nice time visiting with everyone. John Truman brought his horse Bubba and rode him and we all enjoyed watching and commented how well they are together as a team. We are hoping and looking forward to John and Bubba back in the shooting arena again! They have really been missed by all the shooting clubs and especially our club!

Dave Davis and I (Karen Davis) want to take this time to thank everyone who came and joined us at the club picnic and for bringing a delicious dish to share. We want to thank Curt

Myers for his hospitality and offering us his home to have the picnic, we really appreciated it.

Special thanks to our sponsors: Big Dee’s Vet and Tack Supply, where you can get all your pets supplies and everything they need; CMSA; Lonesome Pine Ammo; Uncle Jimmy’s brand products for all your pets treats; The Corral; Stagecoach West; Park Side Trailer Sales and Services, Inc., look them up for new or used horse trailers or parts and service on the one you have; Trumbull Locker for good tasting meat; Siracki Realty; if you are looking for a new house, apartment or need a place to rent; and Altmeyer’s Trailer

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

Sales in Jefferson, Ohio, looking for new or used horse trailers, cargo trailers, car mate trailers, American Haulers.

2021 LAKE ERIE MOUNTED VAQUEROS SCHEDULE JUNE 19-20: Tall In The Saddle I & II JULY 17-18: Red River I & II AUG. 21-22: Hour Of The Gun I & II SEPT. 18-19: Wild Horses I & II Shoots start at 9 a.m. and are held at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds, 107 Poplar Street, Jefferson, Ohio.

21

Switching Feeds

SAFELY H orse owners are sometimes faced with the difficult challenge in changing up their horse’s diet when it becomes apparent that your current feeding program just isn’t cutting it. Whether that be an entire overhaul or adding a supplement, the transition can cause a great deal of stress in horse owners, and with good reason as rapid diet changes can sometimes be linked to colic or laminitis. So, how can owners be sure it’s time for a change and then safely transition their horse’s feed without any issues?

Let’s dig on in!

Nutritionists categorize horses and ponies into four physiological categories in order to best meet their nutrient needs: maintenance, growth, reproduction, and exercise. Each class of horse can also be broken down further. For example, if an 8-year-old idle Quarter Horse starts a moderate training program, digestible energy (or calories) in the diet must be increased by about 6,000 kilocalories per day or he will lose weight. Now, let’s say that horse is currently in a moderate training program, sustains an injury and is put on stall rest for six months. Without adjusting the diet accordingly, to remove about 6,000 kilocalories per day, weight and body condition will most definitely go up. The same can be said for other nutrients, like protein, vitamins and minerals, although the outward implications of excess or deficiency may be hard to notice.

The NRC (2007) calculates daily nutrient requirements based on the weight of the horse or pony, and therefore serves as the basis for most

by Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS

feeding guidelines. For example, the amount of forage in a horse’s diet should be around two percent of body weight per day for proper digestive health. Unfortunately, not many of us have the luxury of using a horse-sized scale to determine weight. So, we rely on the best estimate we can or roll the dice and take an educated guess.

We can get a better idea of weight by using either a weight tape or by measuring the body length and heart girth (both in inches) and calculating weight using this equation: (heart girth x heart girth x body length) divided by 330. It’s a good idea to determine your horse’s weight a few times a year, such as at the beginning of every season.

Could you be over or under-estimating how much your horse or pony is being fed daily? Feed by weight, not by volume.

We’ve all heard this repeatedly. Yet, many of us still feeding based on volume in ‘scoops’ or ‘coffee cans’. This is perfectly acceptable if you know the weight of one scoop or coffee can, but don’t assume all feeds will weigh the same. For example, a pelleted concentrate will not weigh the same as a textured sweet feed as pellets or cubes are more dense and heavier. The same can be said for hay or other types of fiber sources, whether it be flakes, cubes, pellets, haylage, or chopped hay.

If your horse is out on pasture, has the quality of the grass decreased due to a change in seasons or lack of rain? Pasture does not grow continuously throughout the year and grass growth will vary based on rain or drought, soil quality, fertilization program and temperature

S

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to feed.

22

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

changes associated with the changing of seasons. Did you get a new delivery of hay or haylage, possibly from a different supplier? Or, is it a different cutting or type of hay? Have you changed from hay to haylage or vice versa? Have you swapped from mainly pasture to mainly conserved forage or the other way around? Hay quality can be quite variable even with hay cut from the same field. The only true way to determine a change in nutrient content or digestibility is with a hay analysis.

Suspect that your grain or concentrate isn’t cutting it? It’s possible that the commercial feed just isn’t meeting your horse or pony’s nutritional needs anymore. When feed manufacturers set out to formulate a grain mix, they do so with specific physiological classes of horses in mind. Most feed stores will have separate feed formulations for pasture ornaments, growing youngsters, breeding horses and performance horses because of their vastly different nutritional needs.

Feed manufacturers must include a purpose statement on the label which lists the species and classes for which the feed is intended (if it is not apparent by the product name). Look at the instructions on the feed tag or bag, and be sure you are using a grain mix that is formulated for the type of horse you are feeding. If not,

Making the Switch According to the National Research Council’s Nutrient Requirements for Horses (2007), any changes in the amount or form of feed— including grain or concentrates, hay, and pasture—should be made gradually due to the horse’s sensitive digestive system. Gradual feed changes help to lessen the risk of digestive upsets that can occur with rapid feed changes. Additionally, the digestive system needs time to adapt to diet changes in order to best utilize nutrients in feed. For example, when adding fat too rapidly into a horse’s diet, researchers have noted an increased amount and greasy texture of feces; however, when fat is slowly included, these effects diminished. If you’re increasing the amount of grain or concentrate your horse consumes, simply bump up the ration at a rate of one-half-pound per day. This is

especially important when feeding high starch grains or concentrates.

Conversely, concentrate reductions should be done gradually over a one- to two-week period, subtracting about a quarter pound every other day. If you’re changing the type of concentrate your horse consumes, such as starting your senior horse on a complete feed, the transition could be complete in ten to 14 days. A good rule of thumb is to replace 25 percent of the current feed with the new about every two to three days until your horse is completely switched over.

Wrapping It Up One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to feed. The reason your feeding program isn’t working for every single horse means getting down to the root cause. Work with a qualified equine nutritionist to fully dissect the entire diet, find any imbalances that may exist, and implement changes to put your horse back on track.

Kristen Janicki, MS, PAS is a Technical Marketing Specialist for MARS Horsecare US/BUCKEYE™ Nutrition, responsible for technical nutrition support, digital and social media, and working collaboratively with the Senior Nutrition Manager in providing high-quality nutritional content. Headquartered in Dalton, Ohio, BUCKEYE Nutrition has been manufacturing quality products since 1910. BUCKEYE Nutrition takes feed safety seriously, implementing many programs mandated in human food manufacturing facilities. With the backing of the WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute, a world-leading authority on pet care and widely renowned as an institution of the highest scientific caliber, our equine nutritionists provide scientifically-based equine nutritional solutions which guide our formulations and our BUCKEYE Nutrition brand promise of being the highest quality, fixed formula feeds available. BUCKEYE Nutrition is a 100 percent equine-focused company, 100 percent medication-free facility, sourcing 100 percent traceable, pure ingredients for consistency. www.BuckeyeNutrition. com. 800/898-9467.

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December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

(419) 678-4198 23

Colorado Ranger Horse Association

Register Those Rangers and Join Us for the 48th National Show PRESIDENT, Toni Lukavich; 1ST VICE PRESIDENT, Charmaine Wulff; SECRETARY, Barbara Summerson; TREASURER, Jane Montgomery.

WEBSITE, www.coloradoranger.com EMAIL, riderangerhorse@yahoo.com

by Monica Doddato The 48th Colorado Ranger Horse Association National Show will be the Sept. 18 and 19, 2021. We would love to have new members join us! The show offers two days of classes for CRHA horses with something for members of all ages and riding

abilities. For more information on the show as it becomes available, visit our website, www.coloradoranger.com or find our group on Facebook Colorado Ranger Horse Assn.

Wondering if your Appaloosa could be registered? Now is a great time to complete the free ‘Rangerbred Treasure Hunt’ form available to download on our website, www.coloradoranger. com. Submit the form and find out if your Appaloosa can be registered with CRHA. CRHA offers programs and yearly awards for Open Show Points, Distance Riding, Logging and Youth. Information and applications for these programs can be found on the website.

The 2020 National Show Youth Leadline Grand Champion was Farrah Stearns and Hollidazzle Lena. Owned by Mariclaire Stearns, “Holli” also won the Reserve Grand Champion Halter Mare and Reserve Grand Champion Performance Mare Awards.

Ohio High School Rodeo Association

OHSRA Doubled Entries in All Events at Fall Show NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty PRESIDENT, Tanya Tupps SEC/TREAS, Tyler Stillion 1ST VP, Clint Cummings EMAIL, tanya.tupps@yahoo.com WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo. org

OHSRA 2020 fall season has concluded! The Ohio High School Rodeo Association wrapped up its 2020 fall season in Jackson, Ohio, at Henderson Arena where Team Ohio hosted Team Indiana.

Combined entries from both states were nearly double in all events, so an amazing turnout! You can see more photographs from the rodeo at Schulz Photography on Facebook. The first half of the season was a big success despite the trying times, thanks to all of the amazing facilities who allowed us to continue to have rodeos. OHSRA was able to have all four of the normally scheduled fall rodeos along with two cutting events and grew our membership this fall.

Moving forward contestants are excited to continue to rodeo together in the spring! We have a couple out of state rodeos along with a few more instate rodeos in the 2021 spring schedule.

We want to extend a thank you to arena owners, sponsors, volunteers, parents, and 24

Photo credit: Schulz Photography Photo credit: Schulz Photography contestants for a successful fall season! Additionally, a huge thank you to the Horsemen’s Corral for the opportunity to create more public awareness about our organization with this article and to Joe Coalter for his amazing talents announcing at a couple of our rodeos!

We welcome any contestants in 6th through 12th grade and enrolled in public, private or home-school. You can find more information on our website, Ohio High School Rodeo Association - High School Rodeo, National High School Rodeo or visit us on Facebook.

2021 SPRING SCHEDULE FEB.: Mid-winter Meeting MARCH 27-28: Mountaineer

Photo credit: Schulz Photography Stampede Rodeo, Winfield, WV APRIL 7-9: Buckeye Legacy Rodeo, Garwood Arena, Columbiana, OH MAY 8-9: Jr. High State

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

Finals and High School Rodeo, Champaign County Fairgrounds, Urbana, OH JUNE 4-6: High School State Finals December 2020

Ohio Valley Team Penning Association

400 Teams Make for a Big Show to End the 2020 Season PRESIDENT, Pam Bradshaw VICE PRESIDENT, Beth Moss SECRETARY, Donna Zang TREASURER, Debra Lyons PHONE, 814-504-4215 EMAIL, pbteampenner@aol.com Find Us on Facebook

by Jamie Davis Awesome! is the best way to describe the final sorting of the 2020 show season held at Garwood Arena! Holy Cow! Over 400 teams competed to make this one of the biggest shows! Thanks to everyone at Garwood Arena, Stephanie Morris and Beth Shaw along with the OVTPA board for their hard work! It was great to see many new faces along with our OVTPA family sharing laughs, sorting and enjoying the day! Thirty years strong!

Photographer Jim Sommers took fantastic action shots, check them out at his website, www. jimsommers.com.

1ST PLACE WINNERS FROM NOV. 7 ELITE: Casey May and Rich Bradshaw OPEN: Beth Moss and Alex Kuhn #8: Ryan and Lindsey Ashbaugh #4: Lindsey Ashbaugh and Tod Boger YOUTH: Tanner and Levi Randolph RANCH HAND: Katie Kruel and Jeff McNish OPEN PENNING: Clayton fisher, Jen Radcliffe and Jimbo Fletcher #11 PENNING: Brad Confer, Dalton Confer and Gary Fisher

Congratulations to Bella Hodas for winning the OVTPA Novice High Point Rider for the day!

Bella Hodas showing her winning style! Photo credit: Jim Sommers, www. jimsommers.com

Rich Bradshaw and Casey May show us how to complete a 10 cow run!

Bella won an embroidered cooler from Schneider Saddlery!

Also special congratulations to Bob and Katie Jamison for winning Reserve Champion Select Team Penning at the AQHA World Show, OVTPA sure is proud!

SAVE THE DATE The Annual Awards Banquet will be Jan. 30, 2021 at the Holiday Inn in Boardman, Ohio. Watch Facebook for details. Debra has got lots of great awards in the works! It will be an evening you won’t want to miss celebrating 30 years with wonderful awards, great auction items, and two Bowden Saddles! High Point Rider sponsored by JF Quarter Horses and the Fletcher Family, Random draw from 2020 show season sponsored by Bob and Katie Jamison, Jamison Equine Services and Bowden saddles.

Election results for 2021 officers will be announced shortly, it seems to be the way to go in this day and age.

Beth Moss and Alexa Kuhn—a winning mother-daughter team.

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View From the Cheap Seats

…And The Horse You Rode In On

2

by Sarah Vas

020 felt like that one horse you dread dealing with every day. Always arguing, always pushing back. Like adorable foals that grow up into terrors, this year started out so normal, so pleasant, until it got old enough to have an opinion. Reminds me of the very first filly foaled out at our farm.

She was 2020 personified. My poor, hapless city-kid husband fed horses the morning a fully mobile, totally fluffy baby was standing next to our Saddlebred broodmare. Her very first birth had none of the textbook signs.

We missed it like total newbs, too.

This beautiful, dark bay filly was registered Naughty Noelle and dubbed Love (natch!) for short. Oh, the irony. Fast forward to 2005 with me several months’ pregnant and Love now two years old. Three days’ heavy December rainfall had trapped the horses inside when I discovered a small

abrasion sealed with dried scab on Love’s inside right hock. I had to assume it happened in her stall and I doctored it as expected.

But the darn thing wouldn’t heal.

Her hock was still puffy a week later. She spent several days at a local vet’s clinic with what was diagnosed as a bone infection.

Remember, I’m pregnant, it’s winter, and Love was her owner’s very first horse. Vet boarding made sense but ultimately, Love required a ‘Second Opinion’, hock surgery, and long, arduous aftercare bandaging to save the hock. Sadly, the local vet’s decision to inject high-volume antibiotics into her rump caused irreversible muscle damage. Love had a lot to say about that.

Frankly, She. Was. A. Ballbuster. My aisles are nine feet high but this mare had a neck like a sky scraper. She’d stand in the cross ties looking right over you as if you weren’t even there while her ears brushed the light covers.

Training her wasn’t particularly

Wishing All a Peaceful Holiday Season as the Year Comes to a Close

easy and this hind quarter muscling asymmetry always reared its ugly head approximately 8 weeks into any conditioning attempts. She would get fussy, oppositional, angry, and eventually, downright dangerous. Love’s the only horse to ever flip over on me under saddle and once in the jog bike, too. Two years’ time proved this muscle damage was her undoing.

The owner made the impossible decision to let her very first horse go at only four years old. We thought we were controlling the uncontrollable granting peaceful freedom from her pain. Love had a lot to say about that, too.

The owner and I were incredibly close, still are today. She trusted me to help her handle being present for the mare’s last hour.

The vet arrived with a young lady in tow, there to shadow and learn. Even though I insisted the owner didn’t want details, the vet casually spouted chapter and verse to his guest about what she would witness. Diplomacy, much? I shuffled the owner briskly out of earshot to fetch her mare. Kisses were given. Treats were eaten.

Blah, Blah, Blah. And then…

We gathered in the arena as the vet approached with necessary arsenal. I braced for the job at hand. Love hated shots. I mean, Love wanted to obliterate you before the needle touched her skin. Of course, she did!

Forty needles in the butt will do that. Even so, I thought a stud chain and my experience were sufficient. He inserted an Alaskan-pipeline-sized needle into her jugular. Game on. She bristled. I hunkered. He began dispensing the pink cocktail. And then…

Did I mention this mare had a mile-long neck? Love reared.

High. So high, the vet was left standing there holding needle, syringe and all with barely half the lethal dose metered out. The

lead wrestled from my grip. Her doting owner watched in horror as Love toppled, then violently thrashed like a sun fish in drugged panic. My instinct had me dive on her head. Eye contact alone told that vet to jump in as well.

He managed to get the remainder into her but don’t you know it, that infernal horse just wouldn’t die. Her heart continued to fight for a full-on five more minutes!

It was brutal. Even the owner was begging her to just let go.

Finally confirming her deceased, the vet slunk out with his horrified student. The owner chose cremation so, we sat with Love awaiting their arrival. It was well over an hour when a truck pulling this dingy flatbed utility trailer slunk up my driveway.

The owner’s eyes almost blew out of their sockets. She’d expected some discreet, enclosed horse hearse ceremoniously carrying her baby in peaceful, loving comfort.

Uh, no…She went out behind the barn for a bit. Good call.

Would’ve been great if the winch battery weren’t deader than a nit.

These two poor saps wanted to drive all the way back to the burn house for another battery, then all the way back here for the horse.

Uh, no…So, there I was, juicing

S

And May 2021 Have Mercy on Our Souls!

Winfield Farm & Forge, Ltd. Exploring the Arabian/Welsh Sport Pony Cross for Carriage & Dressage Kevin & Sarah Vas / Owners, Breeders, Artisans Grafton, Ohio / 330-242-3440 26

Sarah Vas, a second-generation horsewoman, writes about her decades of adventure and mayhem among several breeds and disciplines, and countless equine educational endeavors both as student and teacher. Sarah owns and operates a continuation of her parents’ original business, Winfield Farm & Forge, Ltd., that which couldn’t currently exist without constant gratitude for Kevin, her very forgiving, ridiculously supportive husband. Together, they are quietly beginning to explore the Farm’s newest chapters, both in and out of the horse world. They are returning to Sarah’s family roots, this time as breeders of Arabian/Welsh Sport Ponies for dressage and carriage while husband and wife indulge their pent up creativity producing a variety of rustic décor and iron work.

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.

Making Lemonade in MTRA PRESIDENT, Chuck Fanslow; 1st VICE PRESIDENT, Al Davis; SECRETARY, Kathleen Moss; TREASURER, Mindy Ellis; WEBSITE, www.mtra. org; EMAIL, mtra.office@gmail.com; PHONE, 989/723-1425

by Kristen Humble Come ride with me! We have had such a wonderful season for trail riding this fall and the Michigan Trail Riders have been out in full force riding individually, even though we have been unable to host group events.

We are so thankful for each other and our great outdoor hobby of horseback riding that can still be enjoyed during these crazy times.

Despite club cancellations, many MTRA members were still able to get together in small groups to enjoy some amazing fall riding in the bright, crisp leaves and autumn air.

Michigan has some beautiful

Jamie Sides

Sandy D’Hulster

horseback riding campgrounds.

Not only do we have the many camps on the Shore to Shore system, but there are also many privately owned campgrounds like Hungerford Hills, Farmlane and D Bar D to be enjoyed. It was nice to be able to try new trails and meet up with friends in a small, safe environment this fall. I also really enjoyed a few of the group events in Michigan like the annual Turkey Trot at Waterloo Horseman’s Association, and the Addison Oaks Camp and Ride in Oakland

county that were adapted to fit the needs of the pandemic.

Although I miss having official MTRA rides, it’s been a great season riding in new places, meeting new buddies to recruit, and playing along in our MTRA virtual ride to log miles no matter where we rode. I know many of my trail rider friends and I have commented how lucky we are to have a hobby that we can still enjoy with minimal restrictions.

We have all appreciated the wonderful fall weather and were able to log some major miles

Jamie Sides Humble.

and

Kristen

here in Michigan. I hope riders from all over are able to come experience the great outdoors in this wonderful state.

So until we get our clearance to start having group camping again, try to make lemonade out of lemons by trying some new trails, getting out and riding some miles, or meeting up in small groups. Ride on!

View From Cheap Seats (continued) up their winch with our battery booster so this whole nightmare could be over! Eventually, that vexatious mare was on her way to the crematorium under a nondescript tarp in the drizzly rain. Bedraggled and red-faced, we wandered down to town for a beer. Imagine our exhausted laughter at the tavern special; Roast Beef with Horseradish Sauce. Of course, it was. Roast Beast with Horsey Sauce. Love wouldn’t have had it any other way but to get the last dig on us.

Eventually, Love’s owner brought this huge wooden box of ashes to the farm. My husband had to carry it in, it was so heavy! Morbid curiosity egged on a peek at the ashes sealed in clear baggies, stark white and resembling ground seashells. I put the box dead center in Love’s old stall. I left the door open and the stall cleanly bedded as I do

in reverence for those who’ve left us. It was cathartic for us all.

And then…

A few days later, I was strolling down the aisle lost in thought when something froze me midstep. Love’s box… had moved.

Just a bit off center from where I’d set it. Oh. My. Gawd! Love’s trying to bust out?! I interrogated everyone for two days before the truth came out. Turns out a Farm Staff girl was curious about its weight and had picked up the box.

The sawdust hid her footprints and I was too rattled to consider that theory. Love’s ashes moved once or twice more, trying to get a rise out of me, before the owner took the ashes to her barn. What’s that saying? No Love Lost? The bad news; nothing lasts forever but the good news; nothing lasts forever? Maybe hindsight really is 20/20? We shall see, Love, won’t we?

DEADLINE EEE EEE EEEEEEE EEEEE

EEEEEEEE EEEE December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

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HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

29

Corral Calendar The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all of us, creating a great deal of uncertainty within the horse show industry.

It is simply impossible for the Horsemen’s Corral to keep up with event cancellations prior to going to print.

Please take care of yourself, your family and your horses. Now more than ever...CALL BEFORE YOU HAUL! DISCLAIMER: The Horsemen’s Corral has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this calendar of events. However, the information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. The Corral does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained herein.

Where possible, event contact information is provided. Please “Call before you haul”.

DECEMBER 2020 DEC. 3-5 — Michiana Equine Expo, The MEC, 455 East Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: Karen, 260-768-3306.

DEC. 3-6 — CVF “A” Rated Show, Chagrin Valley Farms, 9250 Washington St., Chagrin Falls, OH. FMI: Linda Joseph, 440-5437233, lindajoseph@chagrinvalleyfarms. com, www.chagrinvalleyfarms.com.

DEC. 3-6 — IKI Winter Circuit, C Bar C Arena, 253 W. Stardust Dr., Cloverdale, IN. FMI: Julie, 813-785-3090, www. markharrellequinemarketing.com DEC. 4 — IBRA Approved Barrel Racing Show, Twistn B Ranch, 3435 South Pleasant Ridge Rd., Scottsburg, IN. FMI: Penny Barth, 812-406-8512, pbarth94@aol.com, ibra.us

DEC. 4-5 — National Breeders’ Showcase Annual Auction, Michiana Event Center, Shipshewana, IN. FMI: www.facebook. com/nationalbreedersshowcase DEC. 4-6 — Winter Round Up Cattle Drive, Ranch Sorting & Fun Show, Smoke Rise Ranch, Glouster, OH. FMI: 740-767-2624, www.smokeriseranch.com.

DEC. 4-6 — Cowboy Christmas Show, MSU Pavilion, Lansing, MI. FMI: Rochelle, 989763-3276, cowboychristmas@yahoo.com.

DEC. 5 — LaRue Horse & Tack Sale, 10 a.m., 1059 Richwood LaRue Rd., LaRue, OH. FMI: 419-889-9150, www.laruehorsesale.com.

DEC. 5 — IBRA Approved Barrel Race, Monroe County Saddle Club, 8010 W. Elwren Rd., Bloomington, IN. FMI: Malisa James, 812-325-0964, mcsaddleclub@ gmail.com, www.mcsaddleclub.org.

DEC. 5 — IBRA Approved Barrel Race, Saddle Up Arena, 178 North Badger, Madison, IN. FMI: Kelly Carr, 502-6452304, mark@mcdiamond.com, www. saddleuparena.com.

DEC. 5-6 — Crazy Woman Ranch Youth Rodeo Series, 6450 Lancaster-Circleville Rd., Lancaster, OH. FMI: Joyce, 614-595-1850.

DEC. 6 — 5th Annual Cowboy Christmas Tack Swap, Gift Shopping & Live Auction, WB Ranch & Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Fulton County OHC, Jo Neeley, 419-356-1350, www.fcohc.com

DEC. 6 — Blue Lakes Farm Horse Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net DEC. 6 — IBRA Approved Barrel Racing, Yankeetown Arena, 13334 E. State Rd. 160, Henryville, IN. FMI: Nat Stewart, 812736-3759, natstewarthorses@gmail.com, www.ibra.us.

DEC. 10-13 — CVF “A” Rated Show, Chagrin Valley Farms, 9250 Washington St., Chagrin Falls, OH. FMI: Linda Joseph, 440-5437233, lindajoseph@chagrinvalleyfarms. com, www.chagrinvalleyfarms.com.

DEC. 11-12 — Chasin’ Cold Cans Winter Series, WB Ranch, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Baily, 567-644-5761 DEC. 11-12 — Dutch Cross Classic Horse Sale, Topeka Livestock Auction, 601 East Lake Street, Topeka, IN. FMI: 260-5932522, www.topekalivestock.com DEC. 11-13 — A Very Horsey Christmas Shopping Extravaganza, Ingham County Fairgrounds, Mason, MI. FMI: jkiser@ ingham.org DEC. 11-19 — Shipshewana Majestic “Noel” Equestrian Variety Show, Michiana Event Center, Shipshewana, IN. FMI: www. michianaevents.com DEC. 12 — Beginners Contest Show & Winter Series Show, Blue Lakes Farm, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net

DEC. 12 — Chilled Classic Winter Series 2021, Sundance Arena, 310 Fredonia Rd., Fredonia, PA. FMI: 724-679-0186, chilledclassic@gmail.com.

DEC. 12 — IBRA Approved Barrel Racing Show, Twistn B Ranch, 3435 South Pleasant Ridge Rd., Scottsburg, IN. FMI: Penny Barth, 812-406-8512, pbarth94@aol.com, ibra.us DEC. 13 — IBRA Approved Barrel Racing, Yankeetown Arena, 13334 E. State Rd. 160, Henryville, IN. FMI: Nat Stewart, 812736-3759, natstewarthorses@gmail.com, www.ibra.us.

DEC. 18-19 — Standardbred Trotting Breeder’s Edition Horse Sale, Topeka Livestock Auction, 601 East Lake Street, Topeka, IN. FMI: 260-593-2522, www. topekalivestock.com DEC. 18-20 — KISSmas Juvenile Futurity & Barrel Race, C Bar C Expo Center, 253 W. Stardust Rd., Cloverdale, IN. FMI: Amy, 812-595-0832, www.cbarcexpo.com DEC. 19 — IBRA Approved Barrel Race, Saddle Up Arena, 178 North Badger, Madison, IN. FMI: Kelly, 502-645-2304, www.saddleuparena.com.

DEC. 19-20 — Hunter/Jumper Academy Schooling Show, Chagrin Valley Farms, 9250 Washington St., Chagrin Falls, OH. FMI: Linda Joseph, 440-543-7233, lindajoseph@chagrinvalleyfarms.com, www.chagrinvalleyfarms.com.

Please turn to page 32

Ashland Paint and Plain Saddle Club

10TH ANNUAL SWAP MEET FEBRUARY 13, 2021 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ASHLAND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS Mozelle Hall, Ashland, Ohio

• OVER 60 booths to shop from!

• New and Used Tack will be available • Food Booth on grounds

Booth Spots: $25 ********* Admission Fee : $2 or 2 NON-Ex pired Can Goods

For more information or to reserve a booth contact: Taylor Rebman (419) 606-5164 call/text or email: taylor9377@gmail.com

www.ashlandpaintandplain.com

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HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

December 2020

**Costume class Sept. 18 at end of regular classes, big prizes! **Champion of Champions Class Sept. 18. All shows including the 18th, current season high point winner in each class. Buckles!!

**Creek Side Season high point awards will be given out at the OMT Annual Banquet.

These are just for Creek Side shows. Also Creek Side Overall Top 10 awards.

WATCH FOR MORE DATES AS 2021 ROLLS OUT! December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

31

Western Reserve Carriage Association

WRCA Final Drive of 2020 PRESIDENT, Jon Roemer VICE PRESIDENT, Jo Ann Murr TREASURER, Cathy Rhoades SECRETARY, Barbara King MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY, Henry Rish. WEBSITE, www.wrcarriage.com

by Cathy Rhoades Western Reserve Carriage Association was able to have another drive Sept. 13 at Carlisle Equestrian Center. This day started with showers but by the

time we gathered at 12:30, the sun came out and the weather was beautiful!

This drive was quite well attended since we were having a surprise birthday for Polly Peterson, one of the long time members of WRCA. Henry and Kay Rish, Renee Jackwood, Jo Ann Murr, Deb and Rudy Schuster, Heather Raw and Sarah Vas, Yvette and Floyd Shipman, Stacy and Meredith Giere, Kim Stegh and myself all brought turnouts and enjoyed driving the limestone loops throughout the park. Deb Svoboda, Tim and

Michele Stevens came to help celebrate and enjoy the trails.

One of our new members Bridget Miller brought her horse to school.

Carlisle Equestrian Center is part of the Lorain County Metroparks. There are groomed trails that are wide enough for carriages. The park is open until dusk and is used by horseback riders, walkers, and runners.

Please check the WRCA Facebook page for specific days that are available for carriage driving.

Corral Calendar Continued from page 30

DEC. 20 — JRO Memorial Team Roping (in memory of Justin Ryan Opatrny), Sundance Arena, Fredonia, PA. FMI: Bill, 412-9731566.

DEC. 21 — IBRA Super Show, C Bar C Expo, Cloverdale, IN. FMI: Amy Youngblood, 812595-0832, www.ibra.us.

DEC. 22-23 — Miller Yoder Christmas Horse Sale, Topeka Livestock Auction, 601 East Lake Street, Topeka, IN. FMI: 260-5932522, www.topekalivestock.com

DEC. 27 — CVF Dressage Show, Chagrin Valley Farms, 9250 Washington St., Chagrin Falls, OH. FMI: Linda Joseph, 440-5437233, lindajoseph@chagrinvalleyfarms. com, www.chagrinvalleyfarms.com.

JANUARY 2021 JAN. 2-3 — Crazy Woman Ranch Youth Rodeo Series, 6450 Lancaster-Circleville Rd., Lancaster, OH. FMI: Joyce, 614-595-1850.

IT’S FELT HAT SEASON!

JAN. 3 — Blue Lakes Farm Horse Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net JAN. 8-9 — Chasin’ Cold Cans Winter Series, WB Ranch, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Baily VanTillburg, 567-644-5761 JAN. 10 — Monroe County New & Used Tack N More Sale, First Merchants Expo Center, 3775 S. Custer Rd., Monroe, MI. FMI: Christin Gordon, 734-430-5377, christinnowland@gmail.com JAN. 15-17 — 2021 ARHA Judges Seminar, Courtyard by Marriott Somerset, 2254 South Highway 27, Somerset, KY. FMI: American Ranch Horse Association, 606271-2963, www.americanranchhorse.net.

JAN. 16 — Ohio Mount N Trail 2020 Banquet, Pure Gold Stables & Equestrian Center, 3325 OH 45, Salem, OH. FMI: Becky, 330-854-5400, omttrail@gmail.com.

JAN. 16 — Wayne County Saddle Club Annual Banquet/Election/Awards, Wooster American Legion, 1901 Sylvan Rd., Wooster, OH. FMI: www.waynecountysaddleclub.com JAN. 16 — Beginners Contest Show & Winter Series Show, Blue Lakes Farm, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net JAN. 22-24 — Iron Horse Ranch Productions Big Money Buckle Series, Keystone Horse Center, 106 Horse Farm Road, Bloomsburg, PA. FMI: www.rstpa.org

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FEBRUARY 2021 FEB. 6-7 — Crazy Woman Ranch Youth Rodeo Series, 6450 Lancaster-Circleville Rd., Lancaster, OH. FMI: Joyce, 614-595-1850.

FEB. 7 — Blue Lakes Farm Horse Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net FEB. 12 — Ashland Paint & Plain Saddle Club 10th Annual Swap Meet, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Ashland County Fairgrounds, Mozelle Hall, Ashland, OH. FMI: Taylor, 419-606-5164, taylor9377@gmail.com, www.ashlandpaintandplain.com.

FEB. 12-13 — Chasin’ Cold Cans Winter Series, WB Ranch, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Baily, 567-644-5761 FEB. 13 — Beginners Contest Show & Winter Series Show, Blue Lakes Farm, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, www.bluelakesfarm.net

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JAN. 23 — Chilled Classic Winter Series 2021, Sundance Arena, 310 Fredonia Rd., Fredonia, PA. FMI: 724-679-0186, chilledclassic@gmail.com.

JAN. 31 — Chilled Classic Winter Series 2021, Sundance Arena, 310 Fredonia Rd., Fredonia, PA. FMI: 724-679-0186, chilledclassic@gmail.com.

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

PEOPLES BUILDING CO.

December 2020

December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

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TrailMeister Trail Meister

Horse Halters

I

f you’ve got a horse, or a mule, you have a halter. It may be plain, fancy, or have special uses, but you’ve got one or several of these pieces of tack laying around.

Let’s take a peek at some of the different types of halters you find around the barn and spend a little time talking about how and when they’ll be used.

All halters perform the same basic functions. They provide a tool for controlling horses’ movements during handling. But all halters aren’t equal. Not every halter is going to suit your needs any more than every halter is going to fit your horse’s head perfectly.

THE BIG THREE I lump my halter collection into three piles: flat, round, and special purpose. Let’s check them out.

FLAT

As the name implies flat halters are flat. Generally made of strips of flat nylon webbing or leather, connected with metal rings and buckles.

Flat Halter Materials

Nylon: Available in a variety of colors and patterns, these halters stand up to the weather and resist abrasion. Nylon halters are very and durability as long as they’re well taken care of. Well taken care of strong and they’re easy to wash, and care for. With its wide webbing is of course the point here. Despite the classic look, feel, and smell of leather I’d rather be riding than cleaning and oiling leather. a simple nylon halter is my go to tool for trailering.

Fitting a Flat Halter: Flat halters come in a variety of sizes such as Leather: Leather halters look terrific! They offer plenty of strength Cob, Full, and more. Sizing your halter correctly is important not only for appearance, but also functionality, ensuring it stays in place properly and is comfortable. To fit your flat halter properly, be sure to use the adjustment points on the crownpiece and noseband. The crownpiece should fit comfortably behind your horse’s ears without pinching. The noseband should sit about halfway between your horse’s nostrils and eyes, with about two to three fingers width between the leather and your horse’s nose. The throatlatch should allow for three to four fingers width so your horse can breathe and swallow properly, but won’t get a hoof caught. Finally, be sure that the hardware is not too tight. Properly fitted flat halters evenly distribute pressure and are ideal for trailering.

ROUND Round, or rope, halters are my favorite type of halters for around the barn and on the trail. Rope halters are created from a single piece of rope and forego hardware attachments that are prone to failure, found in flat halters.

Because rope halters don’t involve any hardware, they are much stronger than flat styles and offer an unfettered connection between handler and horse, allowing for the development of subtle cues.

I use rope halters when practicing groundwork at home, under a bridle when trail riding, and when camping with a highline.

Rope halters are thinner than leather or nylon halters so the pressure is more focused versus being distributed across a wider area. As a

S 34

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

Sheetbend knot December 2020

result, a rope halter can apply a bit of pressure when you want to reinforce a cue.

Rope halters may not be as instinctual to put on as a flat, but with a little practice the process will become second nature. At its heart a correctly tied rope halter is secured with a sheet bend knot that points back towards the rump.

How to Properly Tie a Rope Halter in 4 Easy Steps:

1) Stand on the near side (left side) of your horse. Reach over the neck and grab the poll strap with your right hand.

2) Slide the noseband over the horse’s nose and the throat knot upwards below the jaw.

3) Take the end of the poll strap pointing towards you and run it through the tie loop.

4) Run the end of the poll strap behind the loop and then tuck through the space between the loop and the strap. For the more technically inclined what you just did was create a sheet bend knot! a. Make sure that the pointy end is pointing towards your animal’s butt and away from his eye!

Here is a link to a video on how to properly tie a rope halter https://www.trailmeister.com/the-rope-halter-are-you-tying-it-right/

SPECIAL PURPOSE HALTERS There are many types of special purpose halters available from grooming to shipping. The two most common special purpose halters that I see are leading/packing halters and breakaway halters.

Leading/Packing: Also known as side pull halters these tools help keep an animal that you’re ponying from pulling back on you while going down the trail. The halter tightens as they pull back and the

animal quickly learns that the easiest way down the trail is without pulling. These can be found with chain or leather pulls. I like my ‘come along nicely’ halters to have a wide leather nose piece so they’re a bit more comfortable.

Breakaway Halter: These flat style halters typically have a breakable crown piece that act like a fuse in the case something exciting happens.

My preference is I don’t want my equipment to break. If a horse tied with a breakaway halter gets free a time or two, he has been trained to walk away whenever he wants. That could be a very bad thing. For me the risks from running free outweigh those of staying put. Lost horses in the wilderness rarely come to good ends and even in a front country camp a free roaming equine can cause injury to others. For those reasons I choose to avoid breakaways, you’ll have to decide what works best for you.

Of course I spend a significant amount of time with my animals and they have earn the privilege of being tied. Until I can reliably saddle and unsaddle without the aid of tying, my animal’s aren’t ready for the trail or the opportunity to rest and relax while parked to a trailer, tree, or highline.

I also hear from people who say they keep halters on their animal’s so they can catch them. To that I say that both human and beast need more training. Teach your critters to come when called.

As always for practical information on trail riding and camping with horses, as well as the largest guide to trails and camps visit us at www.TrailMeister.com Robert ‘The TrailMeister’ Eversole owns and operates the largest horse trail and horse camp guide in the world, www.TrailMeister.com.

When he’s not speaking with horse and mule riders at events across the US, writing regular feature columns in leading equine publications including the Horsemen’s Corral, Robert can be found riding and packing trail maintenance crews into wilderness areas throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Geauga Horse and Pony Association

Show Dates Announced for 2021 PRESIDENT, Niki Barry TREASURER, Shauna Gingrich SECRETARY, Carmella Shale WEBSITE, www.ghpa.us

by Paige Belew We have some good news that might uplift your spirits during these difficult times. Our 2021 show season has been planned!

The dates are: May 30, June 13, June 20, July 11, July 25, and Aug. 8. We cannot wait to see everyone in May. UPDATE ON MEETINGS Due to COVID-19, our meetings are looking a little different this year. Members should have received a link for a Zoom meeting in their emails.

We hope to see you all through the computer screen!

STAY UP TO DATE Check the GHPA website, www. ghpa.us, for updates, work hours, points, and clinics. You can also find membership forms, rules, December 2020

GET

and links to horse-related topics.

We have gone to online sign-up for membership and many of our clinics. General membership meetings are being held over Zoom until further notice. Our board continues to discuss matters as they arise through this time.

Find out more about our youth group, Saddles and Spurs, on our website or by contacting Debbie Schwartz or Chelsea Nau Workman.

Other ways to follow GHPA like us on Facebook, Geauga Horse & Pony Assoc.; Twitter: @GHPAhorseshows; Instagram: GHPAhorseshows.

A HUGE THANKS GHPA would like to thank Big Dee’s Tack for their generous support of our organization through their Bonus Bucks program. Likewise, thank you to Schneider’s Saddlery for their generous donations. We really appreciate all that both of these fine companies provide for us.

Thank you to all the jackpot class sponsors like Purina and Buckeye Feeds, along with Arms Trucking and Patterson Fruit Farm.

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Ohio Gaited Horse Trailriders

Great Smokey Mountain Getaway

by Richard Anderson We moved our horse trail adventure for this year into fourth gear with another visit to the Deep Creek Horse Camp just outside Bryson City, N.C., on the south east side of the Smokey Mountain range. This has become one of our favorite horse camps, since they have excellent stalls, water and electric facilities and close proximity to the mountain trails, with seven trail heads nearby. This year we went again around the mountain range not far from Asheville, N.C., and on fairly flat roads, rather than over the mountains which proved too hard on our horses, even though it was beautiful. The weather this year was excellent. This horse camp, nestled along side of the roaring Deep Creek river, has become a favorite destination for tubers, as well as visitors who like to take train rides on the Great Smokey Mountain Railway into the mountains, and which are scheduled daily in downtown

Bryson City. It is also not far away from the legendary 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail that leads from Georgia to Maine, a portion of which we were able to walk, but not ride, as horses were not allowed on the trail. During our visit, the river was so high that the authorities had to shut down any white water rafting, and rafters could be ticketed if caught on the river during such dangerous times.

We were also able to visit the famous Nolan Divide, a stretch of trail at the top of the mountain that falls off on both sides and leaving a very scary 30 yard dash to get to the other side. I found it best to just look through my horses ears, and not down on either side, in order to negotiate that portion of the trail.

We took a trail ride off of the ‘Road to Nowhere’, a stretch of well maintained road leading into the mountains that just stops at a tunnel and goes nowhere. They apparently ran out of money and

Tim and Jody Scarbrough preparing to ride up the Nowlan Divide trail to the top in the great Smokey Mountain National Forest. were unable to finish it. We were also able to visit Fontana Lake as well as the Cherokee Indian Reservation, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Parkway, some 10 miles distance from our camp, and home to the self-governed tribe of Cherokee Indians who were not part of the infamous ‘Trail of Tears’ of yesteryear.

A visit to the Deep Creek Horse Camp, about a 7 hour drive from Columbus, would be well worth the trip. The camp is located at

My horse Rio always tries to wear a face mask each time he goes into the barn.

750 West Deep Creek Road, Bryson City, N.C. You are welcome to join us, we do not require a gaited horse to ride with us. Call 614/436-9002 for more information and to join us for another great year of trail riding adventures.

Tri-County Trail Association

Tenative Schedule Announced for 2021 Events PRESIDENT, Jim Mike; VICE PRESIDENT, Leroy Wilson; SECRETARY, Amy Crawford; TREASURER, Chuck Stephens EMAIL, ckrumm1958@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com

by Cindy Krumm Tri-Co’s camp is closed to overnight camping through April 2021. You may still come and day ride—as the weather permits, throughout the winter, but we have removed trash services and porta-potties (of course, we still have the main pit style outhouse for you to use). We have also

36

removed the manure spreader.

In addition, all but the hydrant across from the flag pole have been shut off so that we do not have busted pipes to contend with come spring. Please plan to pack out your trash and manure if you do decide to ride our trails between now and April 31. Leave the camp with your memories and waste!

Because of the rise of COVID-19 across the state, we have cancelled our November Thanksgiving dinner and our Christmas dinner and elections.

Our current officers will remain until such time that we can meet and hold new elections.

In addition, we have also cancelled our general meetings for the months of November

and December. If we can start meeting again in February, we will. Any general meetings held between now and through April will be held at the East Sparta Community Building located at 9516 Chestnut Avenue SE, East Sparta, Ohio 44626. Our general meetings are held on the first Sunday of each month starting at 6 p.m. (unless it is a holiday weekend). If a holiday weekend, the meetings will be the following Sunday. All are welcome to join us, but please refer to our website to make sure that it will be held.

In addition, due to some surgeries for my husband and a total shoulder replacement and the recovery time involved in the recovery for me, I may not be able to complete our monthly newsletter, The Trailways, or provide an article for the Corral until after the middle of February. Please watch our website and Facebook pages for more details and before heading to our meetings if the COVID numbers are still high and rising.

We will make an effort to have Board meeting minutes posted to both of these sites during the

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

interruptions.

Tentatively we have the following events on our 2021 calendar (all are subject to change if COVID continues): MARCH 27: Annual Chili Cook-Off APRIL 18: Easter Dinner MAY 21-23: Spring Ride Weekend JUNE 11-13: Summer Bash and Obstacle Challenge JULY 17: Away Ride (location TBD) JULY 24: Vaughan’s Ride AUG. 20-22: Ox Roast and Annual Raffle SEPT. 18: Fall Ride and Potluck Dinner OCT. 8-10: Halloween Weekend NOV. 14: Thanksgiving Dinner DEC. 5: Christmas Dinner and Elections.

The most current and up-to-date information is available in three different ways. You can visit our Facebook page or our website.

On both you can find recent issues of the Trailways, our club’s monthly newsletter. Visit our website, www.Tri-CoTrails. com, for information.

December 2020

Ohio Paint Horse Club

Awards Banquet, Planning 2021 Show Dates PRESIDENT, Mike Schwendeman; VICE PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp; TREASURER, Roxann Rohrl; SECRETARY, Heather Collins; EMAIL, r_paints@msn.com; WEBSITE, www.ophc.org

by Roxann Rohrl I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful fall weather we had in November! I also hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving.

Wow, this is our December 2020 Corral. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Where has this last year gone? 2020 will be remembered as a challenging year...2021 is just around the corner!

Number one on our agenda is the OPHC Awards Banquet. It will be held at Ten Pin Alley, 5499 Ten Pin Alley, Hilliard, Ohio, from 4-7 p.m. (where it

was held last year). Postcards have been mailed to all members for this fun, gala event. It will be held Feb. 22, 2021. Cost of the buffet, consisting of pizza/wing and taco/fajita bar is $20. The Banquet Chair is Sue Johnson, 740/924-2305, suejohnson@ embarqmail.com. Sue will be accepting your reservations. Do you like to Bowl? Two hours of bowling has been reserved along with gaming coins for the Youth. Let Sue know your shoe size, they will be waiting for you, if needed. Watch for more information on Facebook or www.ophc.org. Come join us in recognizing the 2020 High Points and Reserve High Points.

Sheri Love is our Points and Awards Chair. Sheri is always surprising us with amazing awards. Amateur Awards are always the greatest also. Connie Runkle brings us very special personalized awards. Let us not forget those Youth Awards also.

Central Ohio Saddle Club Association

Mark your calendars and send your reservations to Sue. We will be looking at show dates and places for 2021. With the APHA World Show date change most of July will be World. A Zone 8 Coordinating Committee is planning a meeting to see if we can plan a show for 2021. I do not have too much show information to share at this time.

2021 OPHC memberships are due at any time. There is an OPHC membership form on the website you can print off and send to Kathleen Azzarello, OPHC Membership Chair.

The OPHC will be awarding three youth $500 scholarships at our awards banquet on Feb. 22. Information is available on the OPHC website. Complete the Scholarship Application, which you will find in the OPHC Rules section on the website.

Mail to Scholarship Chair Roger Taylor, 2910 S. Medina Line Road, Wadsworth, Ohio 44281 (330/608-9524).

Mail your completed application postmarked no later than Dec. 31.

The OPHC Trail Ride held in

October was greatly enjoyed by 17 riders. Everyone enjoyed the daily rides and games. Corn Bag Bingo, Name That Tune while Dallis Lufk played his guitar around the evening fire were a few of their fun activities. Awards were won by all. Everyone practiced the distancing rules.

Some riders gave donations after the ride, they added they will be back next year and will join the OPHC so they can be a part of Ride Ohio. Everyone complimented on how great the trail food was. On Saturday some rode five hours and had lunch at the Malabar Farm Lodge. While packing up on Sunday, with a few showers, all were excited about the 2021 ride and sure were coming back. Sounds like this was a fun weekend, make plans to join them next year.

This will end our 2020 year. Thank you again to all our members, BOD, chairs, volunteers, exhibitors and all of our supporters that attended our OPHC shows, events and trail rides. Looking forward to 2021!

Prayers, be safe!

Looking Ahead to 2021 PRESIDENT, Mandy Dacek VICE PRESIDENT, Rachel Zielinski SECRETARY, Debbie Balan TREASURER, Bob Huff EMAIL, mdacek19@att.net WEBSITE, www.coscaonline.com

by Mandy Dacek I think it’s safe to say that the most used sentence of 2020 is “This is NOT how things were supposed to go!” Like many others, we had some big plans for 2020, but things sure didn’t pan out like we had envisioned.

But we are looking ahead to 2021 and taking the lessons of 2020 with us.

We are working on finalizing our show dates and securing judges for the shows that we put on, as well as working with our affiliate clubs on their dates.

Please keep checking our website and Facebook page for updates.

We are really looking forward to the new classes that we hoped to debut in 2020, but 2021 works just as good. We can’t wait to see exhibitors show in Performance Halter, or miniature horses in those classes! We’re looking at the road ahead of us and can’t wait for the new year!

Hard to believe but the holiday season is upon us. Everyone at COSCA wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and horsey New Year! Bring on 2021!

MOVING? TAKE THE CORRAL WITH YOU! Place Mailing Label Here (from last issue) New Address ________________________________________________ City _______________________________ State ____ Zip ___________ Mail to: Horsemen’s Corral, PO Box 32, Lodi, OH 44254 or email address change to: michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com December 2020

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

37

The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch

A Work in Progress

by Rob and Tanya Corzatt

F

or those who have been reading this column over the past couple years, you recall from previous articles that we sold our home and barn in Sunbury, Ohio, at the end of October 2019. We did so in order to build on 18 acres we purchased in the Marengo, Ohio, area in early 2018. Our training and horsemanship lesson business, as well as our herd of horses, had grown to a point that we needed a much bigger barn and a lot more pasture! Construction on the barn began just before Christmas of last year. Unseasonably mild weather made the conditions for construction and then operation a muddy mess! With the help of our amazing barn ‘family’, we were able to get enough done inside the barn to move our horses in at the end of April 2020. There was still quite a lot of work to be done to make the barn a bit more user friendly. It was a true Work in Progress.

The next major project was fencing. T and my son were at the barn every day after we moved the horses over, but that work took up most all of their time every day. By that time, like many others early in the pandemic, I was working from ‘home’. At that time, home was a camper parked in my fatherin-law’s driveway which was about 10 minutes from the barn.

I didn’t really have time to work on anything at the barn until the weekend. Again we were blessed with many of our barn family members wanting to spend time here at the ranch to escape the boredom of the COVID shut in.

So we tackled the fence in May and June. One pasture at a time.

The horses would be out eating in a newly fenced section while we were working on the next one. Grass doesn’t last long with that many horses chewing on it! I was becoming a regular at Cashman’s in Delaware. I think we should get a Christmas card from them considering all the

The Corzatt’s

CP erseverance R owboy

anch

“CPR for the soul”

Camdon

Tanya Corzatt

(614) 519-1042 Marengo, OH

cwbypranch@gmail.com

38

Tanya and Rob

materials (rope fencing, posts, gates, etc.) we needed to fence in about 12 of the acres we bought.

It was a Work in Progress.

Getting our septic tank and leach field finally installed was a long drawn out process.

Part miscommunication, part misunderstanding, entirely frustrating! The folks with the county were very friendly and we finally worked through all the appropriate permits and waivers and got it installed in June of this year. Installation was the easiest part of the whole process. So we now have a septic tank and leach field, but no toilets! If you recall, we planned to build our home in a corner of the barn. The framing was all completed after some on-the-fly design changes.

We found out that if you plan to build your own home and act as the general contractor you need to be an electrician, carpenter, plumber and HVAC specialist to have any hope of getting it right. Fortunately, we had some great contractors to work with and we worked through our little planning errors. Most all of that work was done and we were just waiting on the drywall to go up.

It seemed like there was always one more thing to do before we could finally move in. A true Work in Progress.

As I write this, it is early November 2020. We have been staying in our barndominium (I think that is a word now!) for the fourth week. We are sleeping in our master bedroom and using the guest bathroom. Our kitchen cabinets will not be in until early December. Until then we are using plastic tables and shelves.

Our ‘kitchen’ sink is the utility sink next to our washing machine.

The place isn’t anywhere near being finished. We haven’t even started finishing our master bathroom. All the windows and doors need trim. But we can’t trim the doors until we install the doors! Only one up as I write this is the door to the guest bathroom!

There isn’t a curtain or window treatment anywhere in the house yet. Yep, a Work in Progress!

The pandemic has resulted in cancellation of just about every horse event we hoped to attend this past year and we have been very busy with construction and operation of the home and barn. I think the last

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

Tanya and Rob Corzatt time that T and I spent a night away from the camper was last November when we went to the Horseman’s Mission colt starting event in Millersburg, Ohio.

Unfortunately, this year’s event was cancelled. Regardless, most all of our excursions from the ranch have been to shop for more construction materials, fixtures, appliances or to round up all the stuff we had stored at our son’s or her father’s place or the storage unit. We love the opportunities when family and friends come by to visit. We are blessed with what the Lord has provided and we love to share it. It became quite obvious, quite quickly in this project that if we put off visitors until everything was finished, we might not have any visitors for a few years! Everything seemed to be a Work in Progress.

By now, some of you may have moved on to the next article or advertisement in the magazine and others have decided to keep reading just to see where I was going with this. Each and every one of us is a Work in Progress. We are never going to be a finished product and we are never going to be perfect.

Some use that as an excuse to avoid an invitation to the greatest guest they could ever have, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

They feel they aren’t worthy of His acceptance and love. Well they are right, because none of us are worthy! But He still cares!

Romans 3:23-24 (NIV) “…..for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are all justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” I think Isaiah 55:7 states it even clearer “Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy December 2020

Black Swamp Driving Club

Black Swamp Driving Club Back to Driving PRESIDENT, Roger Higgins, Jr. VICE PRESIDENT, Julie Emmons SECRETARY & TREASURER, Susan Murray. WEBSITE, www.blackswampdrivingclub.com

by Mary Thomas Several BSDC members journeyed to the Hoosier Horse Park, Edinburg, Ind., Oct. 1318 for the 16th Annual National Drive. Besides miles of trails available for driving (and riding), special events were scheduled daily as well. There are only two requirements at the National Drive—be safe and have fun.

Each day begins with coffee, donuts, and the morning driver’s meeting where the day’s activities are announced. Two standard driven dressage rings, a cones course, a ‘despooking’ area, and a driving derby beckoned

drivers each day. Special events included a tack swap, a hot dog roast complete with s’mores, a wine and cheese party, the Tacky Turnout class, the Pooch Parade, and the popular mimosa drive.

The entire park was open to the National Drive this year since no other groups had contracted for space.

The Drive organizers had worked long and hard to provide a safe environment for attendees.

Food items for the parties were individually wrapped, masks were encouraged, equines were stabled with empty stalls in between, and seating in the big tent was spread out.

Mary Elliott, accompanied by Linda Spear, drove their Percheron hitched to a natural finished cart to second in the Tacky Turnout.

Sara, Mary Thomas’s dog, picked up a blue ribbon in the Pooch Parade. Angie Hohenbrink along with Becky Steingass enjoyed driving throughout the park,

The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.” We are so fortunate that He isn’t looking for perfect people. Heaven would be a pretty empty place if that were the case. He is willing to accept us as we are and where we are.

I like to throw in the lyrics to songs that have had a profound effect on my thinking and my life as well as being some pretty rocking tunes! One of my favorite Christian groups, Philips, Craig and Dean, had a song on one of their albums back in the 90s called ‘Mercy Came Running’. The line from the song that shows just how much He loves us is “…when I could not reach Mercy, Mercy came running to me”. There is a song by the group Casting Crowns that we have been playing in our barn when some of the younger girls are doing a drill team maneuver on their horses. The song title is ‘Nobody’. The entire song speaks about someone that is just a ‘nobody’ and hardly worthy of God’s attention or grace. Listen closely to the lyrics...“Moses had stage fright, David brought a rock to a sword fight….” Moses killed on of the Pharaoh’s officers while still in Egypt. David committed adultery while King of Israel. These champions of the Bible were just as unworthy as the rest of us! If you are waiting until you are worthy, you will be December 2020

checking out the water hazards, old golf course, combined driving marathon sections A and B, etc.

Next up for the National Drive is the Spring Fling April 29-May 2 and then the fall edition Oct. 5-10, both at the Hoosier Horse Park.

Mary Elliott and Linda Spear hosted the annual hayride at their farm Oct. 25. They had put up a tent for the potluck items and had plenty of space for seating.

Elliott’s pair of Percherons joined Mike and Lowella Stichler’s Percherons to power the wagons for the relaxing trip around the scenic, rolling area.

Angie Hohenbrink attended the David Saunders clinic at the Alexandria, Ky., fairgrounds.

Saunders is a well known British coachman with years of driving experience. Hohenbrink not only had a private lesson but was able to watch other drivers’ sessions, picking up more information.

Don’t forget that your 2020

membership in BSDC becomes a 2021 membership, and the present officers will carry over for 2021. The Good Hope Lutheran Church, Arlington, Ohio, is being checked for possible winter meetings.

here as “CPR for the soul!” Visit our website at www.cpranch.

wixsite.com/home or follow us on Facebook.

Mary Elliott drives her Percheron at the National Drive. Photo credit: Becky Steingass.

(continued)

waiting forever. But you don’t have to. He is just waiting on an invitation!

So many things to work on here in our home and in our spiritual lives. We will never really be finished. T and I see this place as a large Work in Progress. We tend to apologize for the unfinished look to folks when they come to visit, yet they believe the place is so cozy and inviting. It’s the same with our Lord. We think we are a mess, yet He believes we are beautiful!

Despite the pandemic, despite the current social and political turmoil in our country, have faith that God is in control! If you hear Jesus knocking on your heart, it is time to open the door to it! From the CP Ranch family to yours, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas! God bless you all!

The Corzatt’s (Rob, Tanya and their son Camdon) own and operate the Cowboy Perseverance Ranch (CPR) in Marengo, Ohio. CPR is a faith based operation and our mission is to build a strong foundation and relationship with our training horses and students. We are blessed to be able to provide western horsemanship lessons infused with biblical scripture to students of all ages. One student has described her time

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

39

Ohio Morgan Horse Association

Winter Academy Series Underway PRESIDENT, Alyssa Rose VICE PRESIDENT, Elizabeth Thomas SECRETARY, Nancy Rinz TREASURER, Elizabeth Burick WEBSITE, www.ohiomorganhorse.com

by Susan Walker Wow, are we really in December? Why it seems like just 36 months ago it was March!

I think, for the first time ever, I am less looking forward to Christmas and more looking forward to New Year’s Eve. That big crystal ball cannot drop fast enough to suit me!

Thank you to all who participated in our online voting procedures to elect directors for the three open positions

on the board in 2021. And congratulations to our three candidates and board members, Alyssa Rogers, Shelby Hoge and Elizabeth Thomas as they start their new terms. I suppose that one silver lining in this grey cloud that is Covid is that I am pushing the boundaries of my computer skills, having been forced into learning new apps such as Zoom and SurveyMonkey. Maybe you have learned new skills as well?

The 2020–2021 Winter Academy Tournament Series was scheduled to begin on Sunday, Nov. 22. I am assuming by the time you are reading this, it has already occurred. However, in these uncertain times, one never knows for sure. The second tournament is planned for Sunday, Dec. 13 at Blue Lakes Farm in Newbury, Ohio.

I was checking the Facebook

page of the tournament series to ensure I had the right dates, and while there, I checked out the organization’s photos. Based on those pictures of past shows, it looks like the participants are having a blast. That Facebook page (listed as ‘Ohio Academy Riders’) is a good place to follow the tournaments, but to be in touch of all aspects and to receive notifications, I would recommend contacting Alyssa Rose to be put on her mailing list.

Every year as the holidays come around, we are reminded that they can be a stressful time.

One thing that can be stressful is gift giving. I have had to shop for the person who has everything, so I can attest to this. The good news, if you are shopping for an equestrian who has been nice, there is always something that either they or their horses want or need. This year, more than ever, it is important to think and shop locally. Our sponsor, Big Dee’s Tack in Streetsboro, is a great place to start. Their 2020 Gift Giving Guide is available on their website and provides 24 pages of great gift ideas. Their annual holiday sale (one of the highlights of my social season) is scheduled for Friday, Dec.

11 and Saturday, Dec. 12. Also, remember that services can make great gifts (and can be super easy to wrap.) Support your local trainers and riding instructors by pre-purchasing their services for the upcoming months—stick it in an envelope and paste on a bow. And if you are looking for a new Morgan horse, think to shop locally as well. Ohio has a wealth of excellent Morgan breeders, owners, and trainers, so why not start your search for the perfect Morgan partner close to home and spread outward.

Back to the stress of the holidays, remember horses make great therapists. During the hectic times, some quiet time with a favorite horse can truly work wonders. May all of you and your families have a wonderful, safe, and healthy 2020 holiday season!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR DEC. 11-12: Big Dee’s Tack Annual Holiday Sale, 9440 OH14, Streetsboro, Ohio.

DEC. 13: Second Winter Tournament Series show at Blue Lake Farms, Newbury, Ohio.

JAN. 30, 2021: New York Stallion Services Auction.

Location to be determined.

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41

Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc.

PRESIDENT Eric Estill 513/899-2267 president@ohconline.com

Member of American Horse Council www.ohconline.com SECRETARY & MEMBERSHIP Catherine Estill 513/899-2267 secretary@ohconline.com

TREASURER Jo Ellen Reikowski 330/806-3146 treasurer@ohconline.com

NEWSLETTER EDITOR Theresa Burke 614/329-7453 newsletter@ohconline.com

VICE PRESIDENT Jim Wallace vicepresident@ohconline.com OHC COUNTY LINE EDITOR Karen Ravndal-Emery, Chair countylineeditor@ohconline.com

Greetings From Your President The added benefit of volunteering.

I’m a primary member of the Warren County OHC chapter. The Warren County chapter Trails Committee, known as the ‘Over-theHill Gang’, volunteers to maintain the horse trails at Caesar’s Creek State Park. I’m a member of the ‘Over the Hill Gang’. We remove downed trees that cross the path, mow the trails, cut back brush, fix muddy spots and put culverts under creek crossings. I use my compact tractor with a front-end loader. Over the years I’ve learned how to smoothly grade rough spots on the trail and how to fix mud pits. We’ve learned how to fix trails through trial and error, or to quote Baxter Black, large animal veterinarian and cowboy poet: “There’s those that can learn from books, There’s those that can learn from others, And there’s those that have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”

The volunteer experience helped me at home this year. We have a barn with run-in sheds on either side. In the spring the ground just

outside the run-in sheds becomes a muddy mess. This year, after the ground dried out, I used my trail fixing experience to fix the run-in shed. I dug a section about 50 feet long by 12 feet wide down about 8 inches deep. Covered the bottom with geo-tech material and put about 6 inches of one inch gravel over the geo-tech material. I then covered the gravel with about 2 inches of lime-stone screenings (kind of like sand, but coarser). The repair is working well. Next spring will be the true test, but we had a few hard rains over the summer and the area outside the sheds looked great after the rain.

Normally, when I attempt a project like this, I try what I think will work, then find a way to fix it when it doesn’t work. My experience on the OHC Trails Committee allowed me to get it right the first time.

If your chapter has a trails maintenance committee, I encourage you to join it. It’s usually fun and you might learn something. If your chapter doesn’t have a trails committee, volunteer to start one. ~Eric Estill President

County Lines ASHLAND Several of our members have spent a lot of time planning and building an extremely nice mounting station at Pleasant Hill Lake horse camp. We are very thankful for the efforts of our President Tim Tuttle, Kathy and Mike ‘The Snack Guy’ Bogdan and Mike Gerard for all their work. A special thanks goes out to Bill Martin, Manager at Pleasant Hill, for having his staff drill the post holes. It turns out purchasing the lumber was the most difficult aspect of the project as treated lumber is, for some reason, in short supply.

When they finally found some, they had sticker shock on how expensive it was. Jean and I were day riding and arrived at camp just as they were completing the mounting station and I was the first individual to ride through and utilize it. It felt like an honor. The next day a group of riders from Knox County used the station and thought it was a nice addition to the camp. In the spring, our chapter plans to enhance its functionality and 42

been donated by family friends in memory of Bud Keiter, member.

That tree has been planted on campsite 516. Additionally, a tree has been donated by the family of Barb Gerard in memory of her deceased parents, Ralph and Marie Huelsman. That tree has been planted on campsite 517. Memorial plaques will be added next year. We thank all individuals that made donations.

We hope to see you down the trail and remember not to drink and ride, and stay safe. ~Dan & Jean Reynolds

Ashland County OHC appearance even more by adding some gravel screenings, flowers and solar powered lights.

Tragedy struck for one family in our club with the loss of one of their best trail horses. Steve and Erin Williams were on a trail ride at Pleasant Hill when Steve’s horse suffered a heart attack and died on the trail. The Pleasant Hill Park manager was very helpful in removing the horse, as were many riders who stopped to help in various ways, from clearing a path to get equipment in and getting tack, rider, etc., back to camp. This was truly an example of ‘horsemen helping horsemen’ and makes me proud to be a member of OHC.

ASHTABULA

Ashland County OHC Three trees have been donated by friends of Jill Steele in memory of her parents, Fran and Doyal Sears. The trees have been planted at the Pleasant Hill horse camp in campsite areas 530 through 537. A tree also has

HORSEMEN’S CORRAL

Happy New Year! I can’t believe it is here already. As I am writing this we are in the middle of an election, a very hotly contested one and it has caused a lot of friendships to be strained at the very least. And lets not forget, COVID-19. It has caused us to become recluses and shut ins. I feel like I am starving.

I am not talking about food, I am talking about human contact.

I miss all of the daily contact and also my church family. I December 2020

County Lines haven’t attended church like I did before COVID-19. There is still worship at our church but it is not the same. I am also fearful of bringing the virus home to Richard. He is totally bed bound since his fall and the hip surgery, so his immune system is compromised. I see the nurses and other caregivers on a daily basis, but they are feeling the constraints of this virus too.

On the lighter side, our chapter did have its Dice Ride and regional ride, a combined event this year. It was wonderful to have so many attend. I met a lot of new folks and I got a ride in, my first of the year, most likely the last one for the year too.

Doing the ride the way we did was a challenge and also a learning experience. Whenever you try a new thing there are bugs and unexpected happenings.

I think no matter how many times you do an event there is always something to be learned. I have been a member of this chapter for at least 18 years and have learned a lot about people, horses, planning, successes and some failures. We have some awesome folks out there in all of our districts and I have made some new friendships and memories.

Two of our members have had some injuries since our last meeting. Sharon Potter had a problem loading her horse and ending up with a broken finger and a loss of part of another finger and Jessica Sheets came out of the saddle and ended up with some broken ribs and a punctured lung. Brenda Hanson got separated from her ride in the creek. The story is it was very wet and cold. I sincerely hope you all recover quickly. Gina Sheets got a new puppy. It has the cutest ears I have ever seen We closed out our year on Nov. 14 with our annual Christmas party. We played ‘Dirty Santa’ again...hard to believe that three cents can cause so much laughter.

Of course there will be food!

Til next time give thanks for all the good things and give your horse a hug. ~Pearl Ann CLARK Happy Holidays from Clark County. I moved from Bozeman, Mont., to Springfield, Ohio, two years ago. I am so thankful for the Ohio Horseman’s Council.

It was through this group that I have made some wonderful December 2020

time for everyone. The next meeting will be Jan. 14, 2021.

Please check Facebook for the location.

Happy Holidays and remember, it’s more fun in the saddle! ~Jonna CLINTON

Clark County OHC lifelong friends. When I see posts or someone asking how to meet riding partners it is a ‘no brainer’.

I always tell them to join OHC, to meet people and contribute to the trails they will be enjoying. I received my renewal in the mail and will rejoin online. I hope all of you continue to support this worthwhile organization.

Wasn’t it a beautiful fall? It looks like there were many people out camping and spending time trail riding, while still social distancing. Clark County groups went to Brown County Indiana, Great Seal State Park and Hocking Hills all in the last month. All the trails were dry and in great shape. Camping may be coming to an end soon for some of us, but with mild weather we can keep our horses in shape throughout the winter.

Buck Creek is still in good shape thanks to members clearing the trails when the need arises. They have mowed along the power lines and it looks completely different.

If you are not a member, please consider joining in 2021. Ohio Horseman’s Council is a hard working group that keeps the trails in good condition for all riders.

We will not be meeting in December since it is such a busy

What an amazing fall for riding.

We had just enough rain to hold the beautiful color on the trees, cool crisp days, not too muddy, great people to ride with! If you ride in Ohio, you ride in some mud! What a blessing that we have the trails we do, thank you to all the trail maintenance crews!

With COVID-19 we haven’t had any meetings; we did send out the link to renew your membership!

Check your email, the link is also on our Facebook page.

Getting young folks out riding is awesome, my grandson has been riding with me for a few years and now that he is 11 years old he decided he wanted to ride on his own with my daughter’s little Quarter Horse, Stormy. Never the less, they have bonded! I am thrilled to have a riding buddy and Stormy has a new kid! Stormy is 20, my daughter’s retired barrel horse, still in great shape and with some spunk! We are on the trail in one of the photos, enjoying Cemetery Circle at Caesar Creek, along with Laura Burton-Melluzzo in the other photo. In this photo you will see her bonnet, Laura makes these and beautiful jewelry check it out on Facebook ‘Sassy Squatch Studio’, she has amazing items! I have a southwestern bonnet that looks awesome on my horse!

Amanda Snell and Diana Spencer are in the other photo with Raina in the background photo bombing them. They headed to Abby Fox’s cabin at the Big South Fork in Tennessee.

Laura Burton-Melluzzo

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Susan Lamb and Casyn Lamb

Amanda Snell and Diana Spencer They got some amazing rides in. The weather cooperated for an awesome trip! I love seeing so many people following their passions. Keep riding!

Getting out on the trails is so therapeutic nothing like a good therapy day I say!

The holiday season is upon us, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and have a Merry Christmas! Many blessings. ~Susan Lamb COLUMBIANA As I’m writing this article I’m looking out my window at a rain/ almost snow mixture falling. I’m glad I can stay in my warm house today. I’m also reflecting on one of the strangest years I have ever witnessed. Our one saving grace was the fact that in riding our horses we need to be at a safe distance, which is normal. I only hope all of you were able to enjoy your horses and the trails you love. The beautiful fall weather and dry trails Mother Nature gave us almost made up for the preceding months of caution.

It was a struggle for all chapter officers to maintain a working group in 2020. We know they all did the best they could with the restrictions placed on them.

We are thankful for all of them and for a job well done under the circumstances.

Our December second meeting is at Mark’s Landing Restaurant.

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County Lines The new officers for 2021 will be presented and a safe informal gathering is planned.

More information will be sent to members.

We have always helped the Lisbon Lions Club with their food packing project on Dec. 23. The many boxes packed are for local families in need. I can only imagine the need will be so much greater this year. We hope we will be able to safely join them again this year. It is such a rewarding feeling.

Here’s hoping 2021 is a much better year and we will meet all of you on the trails.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Stay safe. ~Sally COSHOCTON Hello from Coshocton. The weather is turning gloomy and we are nearing the end of another year. I hope you were able to get out the last couple of months and enjoy the beautiful fall temperatures. Hopefully 2021 will be a much better year than the crazy year we are in right now!

As COVID-19 has increased again we are uncertain of the future and if it will be a repeat of 2020 for Fallon. I hope we will be able to continue our scheduled rides and camping next year, but that is unknown and months away from now. Our last two meetings were canceled due to to COVID-19 as well as our ride and roast. I have no idea yet if we will even try to have a Christmas party.

Just a reminder that Fallon closes for equine for the winter months and the last day to ride is Dec. 31. All news or updates can be found on our Facebook page, please remember to sign in when you visit the park.

If anyone is looking for great places to camp and ride next year, check out Mammoth Cave Horse Camp. Every spring and fall they offer a week long event where they feed you three meals a day and provide entertainment as well. Myself along with my husband and two friends have been going there for four years and we are booked for next year.

Several friends also went to Elk Lick in September and had great things to say about it. I wrote about that in the last Corral, but it did not get sent from my computer for some reason, maybe because it’s ten years old!

I hope you all have a very 44

Coshocton County OHC Merry Christmas and I’ll see you next year. ~Gigi CUYAHOGA December is one of the best months of the year as we finish up the riding season. The quiet in the woods and fields is like no other time of year. So dress warm, saddle up and head out to enjoy the crisp air with no bugs and frisky horses.

This is also the time to join or renew a membership to your favorite OHC chapter. Of course we hope that means you will join Cuyahoga OHC, we are a large membership, which means a bit more interest from the Cleveland Metropark’s in building or maintaining bridle trails. Over the years we have seen progress with new trailheads, trails connecting to other counties, safety measures put in and a general feeling of good will between OHC and the park. Your membership and participation, be it primary or secondary/dual membership, is very important.

As you start to compile your Christmas/holiday shopping list be sure to shop at the stores who support the efforts of OHC. In this area it means Big Dee’s, so we accumulate more bonus bucks to be used for club events (use code COHC and be sure they have your name listed for Cuyahoga OHC) or shop at Schneiders Saddlery where showing your Cuyahoga membership card gets you a discount, or Clipity-Clop Western Wear where we have held many of our meetings in the past years as they offer discounts with a coupon from our newsletter.

On your list as well should be

adding up your trail miles for the year. I can’t express how important this is as we report the totals to our parks throughout Ohio. This is the only way the powers that be know we are out there enjoying the trails. This is the only way we can express how important trails are to our riders. If we don’t participate we may well find ourselves riding in a Wal-Mart parking lot on a mechanical horse. If you ride one mile or more than a 1000 miles, each of those miles reported make a difference in funding and maintenance. There are forms on the ohconline.com website as well as the Cuyahogacountyohc. com website and in our newsletter. Please participate!

How about sending a donation to your favorite horse rescue or therapeutic riding center. Many of us are feeling the pinch of funds right now and that goes for those helping horses and riders who need the therapy of horses.

Even a little bit helps these programs continue.

While we are at it, there may be members or friends in need of a bit of holiday cheer. They may be alone, or have lost a beloved horse or family member.

Reaching out to them is one of the greatest gifts of all. Just a phone call or card or even an email to say hi and I am thinking of you is priceless.

Let’s start planning some great events for 2021 and praying that we will be able to gather together once again. We miss each other and need the fun and companionship of others who have this wonderful bond created because of the horse.

We in the Cuyahoga Chapter wish you all a wonderful, safe and happy holiday season and a Merry Christmas. We have much to be grateful for!

Be well and warm and may God bless us—-one and all! ~Penny DELAWARE Howdy from Delaware Chapter! I can hardly believe that December is here and with it, my favorite holiday! I hope everyone reading this article has remained safe and well during this tumultuous year.

In looking back over this past year, and despite the many adjustments that had to be made because of the Coronavirus pandemic, our members were still able to engage in many

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Working on Coco’s Way platform, Maple Glen. horse-related activities, albeit in smaller groups. Indeed, if our chapter’s trail mileage and saddle hours tally is any indication, our members took advantage of any leisure time they might have had to spend it with their equine partners! In addition to riding at Alum Creek, a few members, namely Kim Vorbau, Ruth Kimpel and Theresa Burke, enjoyed a weekend campout at Pleasant Hill Lake. We hope others will join us camping and/or day riding next year, as we hope to make this an annual event.

The trails at Alum Creek State Park could not have been in better condition this year thanks to the efforts of our incredible trail maintenance volunteers. Each of the four principle trails at Alum saw numerous improvements and/or general trail maintenance accomplished this year. Some highlights include the creation of a new rest stop, complete with mounting block and tie rails at the over look on Hunter’s Hollow Buckeye loop (a collaboration with an Eagle scout candidate), the completion of our 2020 OHC grant project involving the installation of mud grids on a portion of Winterhawk West and a complete refurbishment of Coco’s Way on Maple Glen.

Our trail maintenance volunteers will continue to work throughout the winter months, as weather conditions permit. Additional volunteers are always welcome and much appreciated. Please consider lending a hand on a Tuesday morning. Contact our crew chief, Mary Chmielewski, for more details.

Dedicated volunteers completed our chapter’s third and final community service project (litter pickup) last month. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s project and especially to Gelene Heinlen for spearheading this effort.

Although a new meeting venue had been considered, it December 2020

County Lines

Carole Bosich at rest stop on Hunters Hollow.

Pleasant Hill Lake with Ruth Kimpel, Kim Vorbau and Theresa Burke. was decided by a majority vote from our members to forego our annual Christmas party, originally scheduled for Dec. 4.

An email questionnaire had been sent out to all Delaware members in mid November asking for their feedback on holding a ‘modified’ Christmas party as well as how best to proceed with future meetings during the winter. The majority of those responding were opposed to holding any inperson, indoor meetings given the present situation. That being the case, the Delaware chapter officers are working on ways to foster and maintain member engagement, fellowship and fun in the absence of in-person meetings. One plan being worked on currently involves a visit to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium to view Wildlights. We also look forward to hosting a New Year’s Day chapter ride, weather conditions permitting. We will resume as we did in early spring to post noteworthy, entertaining as well as educational horserelated materials on our Facebook page. Our monthly newsletters will continue as always. We plan to resume our outdoor monthly meetings and speaker programs at the Alum Creek horseman’s campground as soon as weather permits.

As of the writing of this article, our ‘virtual’ election for our 2021 slate of officers is underway via email. Our 2021 chapter officers will be formally announced in next month’s byline.

Time is running out! If you have not yet turned in your 2020 December 2020

trail mileage and/or saddle hours summary to Theresa Burke, please do so no later than Dec. 31.

Until we can resume our outdoor gatherings at Alum, stay well! Miss seeing everyone!

Wishing you and your family a blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~Theresa Burke

West Branch State Park

ERIE Greetings from Erie County!

Since I missed the deadline for the November Corral, let me fill everyone in. We had a live Facebook feed in September as we pulled the lucky raffle ticket for the quilt at the Edison Woods pavilion. This beautiful horse themed quilt was designed and handmade by the talented Diane Joseph. The lucky winner was Molly Eastwood!

Congratulations you lucky girl! Mileage awards were also available to the members who had turned their miles in.

We had a great time camping at Beaver Creek the first weekend in October. Weather was great, and the colors of autumn painted the woods. Perfect campfire weather gave us time to do some dutch oven cooking. I made a pizza in it for the first time and it turned out great! Of course, it takes a lot of patience for some not to keep throwing wood on the fire! However, you definitely need a good cooking fire with lots of coals.

West Branch State Park was on the agenda for the following weekend.

Great weather, campfires and horses, what more could you want? Many of us had never been to West Branch, so it was a new adventure. It was great riding by the lake with a lot of good views. Cool nights make great fires with lots of coals. Joyce made a lasagna in the dutch oven , which turned out perfect. A Jack o Lantern lit up Beth’s table with candy in a bowl for a great after dinner treat! Life is better on the trail!

October brought in more riding as the weather was great! It also gave Erie County a new slate of officers. They are as follows: president is Lynn Sparks, vice president is Rita Butler, treasurer is Colleen Shupe and secretary is Joyce Dupont. A big thank you goes out to the 2020 officers, a job well done in a challenging year!

Just a reminder on memberships, if you haven’t done it already you can do it online. Next year

Daniel Boone National Forest.

Lorna and Jim will be full of new adventures, we are truly blessed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~Shelley FAIRFIELD October was a blur for me, specifically and I think a lot of our members. The weather was very mild in southern Ohio and favorable for camping and trail riding, I’m pleased to report our members took full advantage of it.

In addition to the local trails, several of our members packed their bags and traveled out of state to bucket list type destinations. One couple went to Benedette, Pa., to view the Elk and enjoy the mountains of north central Pennsylvania.

Another member and his son went to Colorado, elk hunting.

They rented horses out there and packed into the mountains. A great adventure even though they were unsuccessful in their hunt.

A group of ladies from our club ventured to Mammoth Cave, Ky. This was the very first out of state horse trip for our treasurer Margaret Hite. I have not talked to Margaret or the other ladies, but I know they all made it home safe and the pictures I saw would indicate they had a great time. To round out our member travels, 20 of us converged on Red Hill Horse Camp near Mt. Vernon, Ky., to ride in the Daniel Boone National Forest.

The Daniel Boone Forest in that area is absolutely beautiful. It has several very interesting and some times challenging rock formations. Someone described

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it to me before we went as Hocking Hills on steroids; that may be true but there were parts I would describe as Hocking Hills on crack.

I feel very fortunate to have been to all of these locations except to the Colorado hunt and would go back to all of them in a heart beat. If you are looking to expand your personal bucket list, add all three. You will not be disappointed.

I am so proud of our Fairfield County OHC members and their dedication to riding the numerous equine trails available to them. The total membership, and not just a few, are why we are one of the top clubs for trail mile consistently.

Fairfield County is the last county fair in Ohio. Just like the majority of the local fairs this year, Fairfield County concentrated on the junior fair projects and not so much on the over all fair experience. My granddaughter shows a horse in 4-H. All the equine exhibitors trailered in on the day they were to show, waited for their class then we’re excused to go home.

It made for a long day, but all who chose to do so, got to show their projects. I applaud the local fair board for allowing the 4-H members this opportunity. If all goes well, in 2021 we can all go back to eating elephant ears and the other fair delicacies.

As we finish up 2020, we held our election of officers at our Nov. 8 meeting. I will bring you the results in the January issue of the Corral. We also have plans made to hold our annual Christmas party on Dec. 6. It will be a little different this year due to the COVID-19 virus, but it just wouldn’t be Christmas if 45

County Lines we didn’t try and get together with friends that time of year.

Hoping for a better 2021! ~Chris GREENE Merry Christmas! Seems funny to say that since I spent most of my day today taking down my Halloween decorations, but time is flying, even in this bizarre year. Hopefully everyone has a nice and safe holiday.

Work has continued at Caesar Ford, including another mounting block at the day use area. This block was made by Jerry Smith and paid for by Sandy Acton, thanks to them both, and also to all of the people who helped put it in. I’m including a few photos from that day.

Not much else is going on right now, hopefully all is well with everyone. Feel free to send news, as always. I’m unlikely to see anyone for a while, so unless someone sends me information, I’m sunk. Luckily, Dave and Jerry keep me pretty well informed, but I’d love to have news from other members as well. Stay warm! ~Mickie

Greene County OHC GUERNSEY Our club members had a blast riding the mountains of the Seneca State Forest in Cass, WV, the week of Oct. 19. Like all trips, there’s usually a gremlin or two in the works. When Pete arrived at the appointed meeting place, to leave for the trip, I noticed as he pulled in, his passenger-side rear tire on the horse trailer was flat.

After some extreme frustration, we were able to get it changed.

We all agreed those fancy chrome lug nut covers are a big hassle.

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We took I-77 to US50E to I-79S route. We all stopped at the truck stop where 50 and 79 intersect.

When Robert was pulling his rig to the fuel pumps, he saw an oil streak behind him in the rear view mirror. By the time he shut the truck off, he’d pumped three gallon of engine oil on the ground. Luck was on our side!

A truck repair shop was just across the intersection. Being uncertain as to how long it would take to repair his Freightliner Sportchassis, we divvied up his horses in two of our club members horse trailers, loaded up Linda, and left Robert behind.

Off to Cass we headed!

Luck was on Robert’s side.

The repair was a simple O-ring on an injection pump. It was still about a $400 repair! He set land speed records and arrived at our camp; EJ’s Cottages and Stables, Dunmore, WV, just a few hours after we got there! We were all very happy to see him pull in. If you have a horse and trailer, you know the angst of a breakdown!

It’s extremely frustrating and worrisome.

You will never find a more hospitable host than EJ! He’s a great guy who will go out of his way to make your stay the best.

Not only was he there to help us back in and level-up, but offered great advice on the trails and times to make a loop.

‘Horsemen Helping Horsemen,’ is the motto of OHC. We saw that same spirit in the other horsemen staying at EJ’s. Marcy’s horse lost a shoe on the trail. One of the other horsemen at EJ’s looked over the many horse shoes in EJ’s collection and found the perfect match! In no time at all, Marcy’s horse was good as new!

One day during the trip, we all rode the Cass Scenic Railroad.

The history of the train, the engine, the rail bed and the timbering industry there was very fascinating. The engineer of the train gave us several great talks along the way.

At one of our evening camp fires we had a very special visitor! If you look closely at the picture, you can see the Horseman of Revelation, in the flames.

If you don’t ride the trail to the fire tower in the Seneca State Forest, you might as well stay home! When you get to the hiking shelter on the way there and look south you can see 60 miles and the beauty of the trail on the way is well worth the price of admission. Second to that view

Ribbon cutting.

Guernsey County OHC was riding through the old train tunnel. You can still see soot on the ceiling from the hundreds of locomotives that passed through it. The Cass Scenic Railroad engineer said during the height of the timber boom a train ran down the track every 50 minutes.

Remember, club meetings are held 6:30 p.m. at Mr. Lee’s in Cambridge from now through and including the month of April (if permitted). Come early and enjoy a meal with us.

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 KJV Merry Christmas!

See you on the trail and remember to log those miles. ~Lee Randolph HARRISON Merry Christmas from all of us at Harrison OHC. This has been a year to remember.

No sooner did the year begin, we were shut down due to COVID-19. Our group did not ride very much this year, worried about getting COVID-19 or giving it to someone by bringing it into our home. We did manage to find some brave souls to

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construct our picnic shelter at Harrison State Forest, we did trail clearing and cleaning by keeping our distance. We finally began to ride this fall with just a small group, still keeping our distance. It will be nice when we can give someone a hug and not worry about what could happen.

Through all of this, some in our club have had sickness and death, it is sad to not be able to be comforting in those times.

Keeping true to our motto of Horsemen Helping Horsemen, we banded together to make hay for Alan VanCuren, who is our trail boss. In the past 18 months he has had numerous surgeries to repair his leg. We have a lot to be thankful for this Christmas season as we have some of the best people in our club.

We had a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 14 at Harrison State Forest. The chief and the assistant chief, along with our forest manager Will McCormick and his supervisor were there to represent the forestry service.

Several from our club came, Cindy Schrader, Bill Schrader, Faye Verhovec, Bob Glover and Dorothy Glover. We were able to borrow some of the most beautiful mums for the occasion.

Judy May, Kathy and Terry Ross did some traveling and riding in Kentucky and Tennessee. What an exciting trip that must have been, we need some pictures of that for sure.

We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas season.

Peace on Earth and God bless our nation. God bless and be safe. ~Dorothy Glover HOLMES Hello fellow trail riders from here in Holmes County.

I remember thinking that the December 2020

County Lines KNOX

Ricki on Nova and Cindy on Zane.

Ricki’s horse, Nova, sleeping at Elkins Creek.

riding year took forever to get here, and two days ago, we just closed camp at Mohican for the year. A year that started out slow and ended fast! I can honestly say for everyone, this year will be one to remember. We had to deal with closing this and closing that, not knowing if the parks were even going to be open to ride.

My feeling was that towards the end we all did a surprisingly good job at finding ways to enjoy our equine friends. Even with our rainy and unpredictable days we were busy.

This year has made us all more caring about other people’s health and wellbeing, Our group of riders got together more and rode at different places.

We enjoyed a beautiful camp called ‘Pine Creek’ in the foothills of Hocking Hills. They have a great place to camp and enjoy each other’s company. This camp was very well thought out with nice stalls, handy water, and great facilities for us humans too. Oh, and yes, the riding was excellent.

This past weekend as mentioned above was close camp weekend and we also planned our Fall Fun time with the kids having trick or treat at each camp site, an outdoor movie and a costume parade. It was colder than what we are used to, but Saturday was a beautiful day. We camped with ‘Cowboys for Jesus’, Bob Picklesiemer made a roaster full of chili and Vickie Zook made cornbread.

We all had a productive morning while working on trails and around camp. We admire Bob’s energy for working on trails on his assigned weekends. We had a dangerous tree that was being held up by a dead branch, Bob ran the chainsaw and Bruce Hanna, Jack Stetson and Mike Miller helped with getting the debris off the trail. Thanks guys!

As I write this, it is election day, another day that is heavy on everyone’s mind. I pray that this country can get back to a peaceful state when everything has calmed down. How in the

world did we get to this point?

Here is a positive thought, spring is only 136 days from when this was written! Happy trails and if you have never ridden in the winter, you must try it! ~Ricki

December 2020

JACKSON Happy Holidays to all our Jackson County horsemen! It is hard to believe this year is almost over. Thank goodness! Hopefully 2021 will be much better!

The October club ride at Hammertown Lake had a good turnout with the weather cooperating. Everyone enjoyed the ride and the trail improvements, with snacks at the rest area.

The October monthly meeting was held at Roger and Julee Smiths’ indoor arena with a good turnout. The meeting also included nominations and voting of officers for 2021. All officers will remain the same; Ed Wolford, president, Kenny Taylor, vice president, Judy Kiefer, secretary, and Carmel Johnson, treasurer. A barrel racing demonstration was held following the meeting presented

by Ed and Trevin Wolford. The membership also decided to hold a raffle for funds to continue trail maintenance. We will be raffling a $500 Rural King Gift card for $20 per ticket with 110 tickets maximum sold. The winner will be drawn on Dec. 5. Please contact any officers for tickets or message us on Facebook.

A December meeting is not planned due to limited facility availability and the holidays. The January meeting should be held on Jan. 25, 2021. The facility will be announced later on Facebook and by text notification.

All members should have received a renewal notification from OHC. Please renew your membership as soon as possible.

You may mail your renewal as instructed or renew on their website. ~Carmel Johnson

I just got back from a great weekend of riding with fellow KCOHC members at Hocking State Forest. We rode for three days despite the cold weather. It rained Thursday due to a passing remnant of a hurricane. It was cold around the campfire Friday evening, and frosty Saturday and Sunday mornings, and then it snowed Sunday afternoon.

However, we prevailed and rode on. Several members had not ridden there previously and thus enjoyed the scenic trails. Saturday evening we had our Halloween contests, including pumpkin carving, individual costumes, and rig decorations. I was impressed with the large effort put in to costumes by our members. First place, Laurie Murdick, second place was a tie between Renee Cline and Misty Teeter, and third place was team Mary and Terry Baker for best costume and decorated horse. Young Levi McDonald took first place in the pumpkin carving contest.

His pumpkin had hair! Terry and Mary went all out on the rig decorations that included much horseshoe art, including an ugly spider made from horseshoes.

The first of November we completed our 2020 schedule.

This just means you need to watch our Facebook page for impromptu day rides as we continue throughout the winter. We generally dream up something for New Year’s Day. If you have suggestions for places or activities to ride or attend in 2021, please post them to any of our officers.

Our current officers have again agreed to remain in office for 2021. At this writing, I know of no new nominations, thus shall assume officers remain as stated in 2020. Without meetings, it is difficult to get input or raise enthusiasm towards inspiring members to step up. I want to thank Misty Lynne Teeter our vice president, Kathy Shoemaker, our secretary, and Barbara Stevens, our treasurer, for their dedication.

I do believe that keeping OHC alive is most important. With that being said, we need volunteers to chair various activities such as tack auctions, parades, shows, and trail rides.

I hope that by this writing everyone has turned in their 2020 trail miles to our mileage chair person, Anna Chadwick (aandschad@yahoo.com). Thank

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Costumes

Pumpkin contest.

Costume winner. you Anna for taking an active role and handling this. Trail miles are important towards our state leaders utilization to gain and maintain a significant role in creating and maintaining equine presence in our parks and forests.

We received notice the fall OHC General Meeting had been canceled following state guidelines still in effect in regards to COVID-19. The February Executive Meeting is in limbo until new guidelines are posted for the beginning of 2021.

Our 2021 spring OHC General Meeting is a hanging chad. We will get through this in time.

I hope everyone will renew their OHC membership for 2021, there are only eight names listed on the new spreadsheet. Let’s remember and get your name on there. While 2020 had it’s problems, let’s look forward to 2021. Go online and use Paypal, try ohconline.com, drop the www.

It is now December and I hope you all enjoyed a Thanksgiving celebration. My family enjoyed a distancing event. If you haven’t tried Zoom, Skpe, MS Teams, etc., (virtual meeting software), you may find it fun. Just ensure that the back drop is something you want others to see. Hanging laundry in the living room, not a good idea. Have a most enjoyable Christmas holiday, and say thanks that you are here to read these articles.

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County Lines Come on over to Knox County where the gates are wide open, the grass is greener, the horses leaner, as we do ride them, and everyone is welcome. We meet the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m.

Reporting for Knox County OHC, ~Terry L. Baker LAKE Our meeting at the Red Hawk Grill out on their patio was interesting and filled with laughter.

Membership applications were distributed as were trail mileage forms. Getting these forms back is extremely important for continued use of Ohio’s horse trails. Ricki Bunkinis is tabulating the trail mileage forms, while Rosemary Morgan is receiving the membership applications.

Our members have been out trail riding while the weather remains inviting.

All of us look forward to the winter holidays. We will find ways to celebrate even with masks and social distancing. Our horses will enjoy apples, carrots and other treats. I hope you had a blessed Thanksgiving.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a much happier New Year.

Stay calm, stay safe, stay healthy. ~Rayneen LAWRENCE Hey gang, we hope that everyone is still healthy and ready for the holidays. COVID-19 put a damper on our early projects and riding at Paddle Creek, but later on we were able to ride and camp again. A lot of us didn’t get to ride and camp this year due to health issues, rain and of course the nasty virus. We hope once again that 2021 will be our year to make up for lost time in the saddle. We still have several projects that have to be completed at the campground and on the trails. I would like to congratulate the following new officers for the upcoming 2021 ride year. President is Gene Maynard, vice president is Jim Crowe, treasurer is April Maynard, and secretary/Corral editor is Morgan Hall. We are seeing a new beginning for our club with new ideas and lots more fun and activities.

Our annual Christmas party will be held Dec. 5 at 6 p.m. at the home of Angie’s mom. This 48

will be at the Harriet Lewis High rise building at 401 N 5th Street in Ironton. Everyone is to bring a covered dish and/or dessert.

Please bring your own drinks.

The club will furnish the meat.

Everyone is to bring a wrapped gift, with a $20 limit. We will be playing the Chinese gift exchange game and almost every year there is a purse involved and one of our men will end up with it. We always have a fun time and the food is always great. I want to also thank everyone for all of the photos and stories over the years that I have written for our chapter in the Corral. I know this past year wasn’t very good due to COVID-19 not allowing us to have our outings and other projects to write about, but I did the best that I could due to the circumstances. This will be my last article as the new secretary will be taking over in January.

I have had a great time and now it is time to give the reins to Morgan, I hope that she has a good long ride as I did. Good luck. Happy Trails, ~Susan White LOGAN Merry Christmas to all and Happy Holidays from Logan County OHC! We had one of our Logan County OHC rides Oct. 25 at the Orr farm; 10 riders, nine of them were members and one guest, we had a potluck lunch then took a two hour ride over the hills of Logan County.

We skipped our November monthly meeting and in place of that had a fun obstacle course at Marmon Valley indoor arena on Nov. 14. Our next official

Logan County OHC

Logan County OHC meeting/Christmas party will be Dec. 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Marmon Valleys Dining Hall at Marmon Valley Farms. ~Cynthia Orr

Big Elk Lick, Pennsylvania, in October.

LORAIN Baby, it’s cold out there! Oh what fun it is preparing for the winter months ahead. I’m thinking it’s time to secure our barns for the cold weather by making sure all doors and windows are in good working order to help make them less drafty. Also, consider pulling the heated water buckets out of storage and make sure they heat properly before it’s really frigid.

Looking around my barn, I better get after the cobwebs and dust so my horses breathe easier since they will spend more time inside than outside. Obviously, the list is more inclusive, but enough about that for today.

We’d like to thank Dundee Automotive Inc. for being our calendar sponsor for December.

They specialize in trucks, SUVs and 4x4s, new and used take off beds and aftermarket sheet metal.

Luckily we had some awesome weather for our rides in October.

Beaver Creek was pleasant riding and the water was low making the creek crossings easy. The days were sunny and the nights were great for sitting around the campfire. As a special bonus, Char Augustine of our horse council shared her expertise on the numerous health benefits of wild mushrooms that grow right here in Ohio. Just remember, you must be certain of what you harvest as not all mushrooms are safe to eat. Let’s just say, if you see purple hippos floating in the air you may not have picked a

Pine Creek at Hocking Hills ride.

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Rascal at Artisan Hocking Hills.

Well,

good one. I believe we had about five rigs at this campout.

Some of us ventured to Big Elk Lick to ride in October and once again, our tour guides, Ric and Char Augustine did not disappoint us. We ventured back to familiar sites such as Rock House and Dr. Seuss’s House and visited Granny Leathers grave.

It was wonderful that we were able to include so many more Lorain County OHC members for our annual Hocking Hills ride this year, since we decided on camping at Pine Creek campgrounds. It was a great finale to this year’s camping weekends. We had blue skies for our Halloween ride with eight riders enjoying the day. We had a group of girls dressed up in pajama party attire complete with curlers, blankies and popcorn.

I bet they chattered away the whole time discussing the latest fashions! Prince and a clown joined in the fun, as well.

Remember to count up your miles and riding hours when competing, if you are a youth rider. You need to send miles by location and separated by person.

You don’t have to send the information by using the form.

You can call, mail or email this directly to Brenda Lang no later than Jan. 5 to afford her the time to tally them up and submit them to the state in order to help keep our horse trails and fund new horse trails. Please take the time for our sake and for the sake of future horse riders.

Thank you to all our officers and committee members that have volunteered their precious December 2020

County Lines time and talents to make us the great horse council that we are.

This includes Sherry Hoover, president; Jim Wallace, vice president; Ramona Hernandez, secretary; Lara Monyak, treasurer; Sue Mollica, 50/50 raffle; Kathy Duncan, Corral reporter; Cheryl Muhek, emails; Bob Budi, Lorain County Park Liaison; Sandy Shudy and Rachel Wheeler, membership; Sue Mollica, refreshments; Gale Hayden-Sunshine, Brenda Lang, Trail Miles; Vince Mollica, website; and Karen Norton, Carole Kenyon, Tom Tomes, Judy Budi and Brenda Lang, parade organizers.

We will bring in the New Year with a ride on Jan. 2 at 11 a.m. at Carlisle. We will hold our January membership meeting on Monday Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. If you’d like to camp at Pine Creek for our October 2021 Hocking Hills ride, please bring money to the January meeting to hold a camp site.

As I am writing this in early November, I’m hopeful our Christmas party scheduled for Dec. 5 will go on without a hitch as we celebrate this most wonderful time of the year! Have a blessed holiday season with family and friends. Stay warm out there as you prep your barn for the cold months ahead or when riding! ~Kathy Duncan MEDINA Well, here we are at year’s end.

2020 brought plenty of surprises, good and bad. If nothing else, it taught us that we can live a new normal and adjust to new rules.

We look forward to 2021 (no other choice, really) and hope that our healthcare heros will come through like they always do. Our best to them.

With the new year come some new officers: Raydeen Ryden will serve as our president; Maureen Mizerak, vice president; Julie Croston, secretary; and Rosemary Young, treasurer. They were elected at the Nov. 4 meeting at Brooklyn Exchange Cabin in Hinckley Reservation. We would like to thank Michelle Crew for arranging it. This cozy cabin allows us to socially distance with ease and will be the location for our December meeting. By popular demand I will be bringing my famous Pink Flamingo chili.

Others may bring an appetizer or a dessert. Join us for a little joy as we end this year and look forward December 2020

to an exciting development for 2021. Stay tuned!

We would like to also thank Ray and Jan Dalton for offering their lovely home for our October meeting. With a small group we were able to social distance and enjoy a beautiful view overlooking their pasture and fine horses.

They provided us with some wonderful refreshments and made the evening even more special.

It’s that time of year and the leaves are down! Our trail committee is always looking for folks who like to blow leaves (‘cause we got a ton of them in the valley!) and can lend a hand in this seasonal work. Weather permitting, we can even do this into the winter months. We have no scheduled sessions at this time, but contact one of these members if you are up for a little brisk exercise in the following months.

Having your own leaf blower is a plus but we can provide you with one. Contact Greg Monsanty (blackhorse-bridge@aol.com or 330/658-3063) or Raydeen Ryden (reysden@att.net or 334/6637361) for information.

And now for my annual season’s message. Remember to be kind, be helpful, and keep an eye out for those in need. Give your equine friend a pat, a carrot, and a warm place to stay. Keep your thoughts positive and your wine or beer or cider glass full.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas from all of us down in the valley. ~Rosemary MEIGS I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Now we are busy buying Christmas gifts, the year has gone by too fast. I wonder how many horses get a gift for Christmas. We have too many horses to buy gifts for, though they might get an apple or some extra grain. In the next article I will announce the winners of the pictures between the ears and the new officers for 2021.

We have a couple of members who have been sick. John Singree

Terri Chapman

Chris, Teresa, Shayla and Kaelin at AEP camp.

Larry Bunger at AEP camp. has been battling cancer and Rick Hensler has three broken ribs. In case you don’t remember John, he is the one who provided karaoke at the horse camp for some of our events and provided the sound system for our auctions in February. I sure hope the both of you get better soon. We also have a few members healing from their illness. This getting older is for the birds.

Just a reminder that we bring each New Year in with a ride at the AEP camp, ride out is at noon.

We do consider the weather and we will cancel if it is bad.

Our members have been enjoying the nice weather we had in November. I guess I need to ride my horse before the year is up. I think that is going to be in the round pen. Everyone enjoy your Christmas and happy trails to all. ~Dian MONTGOMERY Hi all from Montgomery County OHC! I hope this finds you all healthy and ready for winter. Yes, winter! It really is coming, the horses are fuzzy and the water troughs have ice. The memories linger from a beautiful fall with the most brilliant foliage and some amazing rides. I am still hoping to get some winter rides in. Speaking of winter rides, our club tries to have the Jeremiah Johnson ride New Year’s Day at Sycamore State Park, weather dependent. I remember my favorite Jeremiah Johnson ride was after a snow fall, the woods

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Shadow riders at Possum Creek Metropark. were so silent and beautiful with trees covered with frosting. Stay tuned to see if it will happen.

Our December meeting will be held Dec. 2 at Robin’s barn.

Thank you Robin for making our meeting possible. It is hard to find a place to meet because of the limitation on the number of people who can congregate, due to COVID-19. We will be having the elections of officers at the December meeting. Our club decided to collect donations of money or items for the animals for the local humane society, instead of doing a gift exchange. Be sure to bring yummy snacks to share.

If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, we hope you will! Also, remember to tally those trail miles, saddle hours and maintenance hours and turn them in to the trail miles liaison.

Every miles counts and makes a difference for where the State money goes for funding and trail maintenance.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Until next time, ~Jilleroo Karen MORROW Horse related activities for our chapter continue to be meager ‘under the COVID cloud’ as summer fades into autumn with a first killing frost of the season but nothing like the zero degree night time temperature experienced by our family members at their ranch in Wyoming. The previous glorious series of days in September and October for potential trail riding now require additional ‘human layering’, but the horses seem to love the cooler weather by frequently cavorting in the pasture. Much of the brilliant leaf color now blankets the ground with strong winds stirring the blanket. The fantastic weather for several monthly scheduled Knox County Horse Park (KCHP) Fun Shows 49

County Lines continued with another record turnout of over 55 horses for the October Halloween final 2020 event which some of our OHC chapter members helps conduct.

For our chapter members, riding has mainly been local at home riding with family and friends. Health/age issues have several members grounded although discussing previous years of riding provides lots of equine therapy along with daily care and contact including seasonal apple/fruit offerings.

Many horse owners are ‘Horse Whisperers’ conversing with their steeds in a manner similar to the cinema Dr. Dolittle portrayed

by Rex Harrison. The chapter work event at Mount Gilead State Park installed a 60 foot long picket line at the horse staging location by the US Hwy 42 entrance with trail sign markers obtained for a planned expansion of the multi-use trail system.

Logistics for a picnic shelter at the horse trail head has the project completion date moved to 2021. Monthly chapter meetings continued to be held at the Mount Gilead Library Annex at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month although the COVID-19 threat has November/December canceled until sometime in 2021 including the scheduled December meeting as the annual Christmas party.

Although the turmoil of world events somewhat impacts our thinking, the relatively safe/ comforting physical isolation in the rural Morrow County environment gives some sense of normalcy as we provide the required daily care for our equine/canine/feline friends who are blissfully oblivious to events occurring beyond their sphere of knowledge. As stated in last month’s report, although uncertainty still exists, hopefully by next month report the Nov. 3 election results will be settled with the 2021 season allowing many chapter members to get back in the saddle again. This was the phrase from Gene’s theme song. The current events provide significant challenges, but tomorrow is another day as Scarlett said at the end of the famous 1939 Civil War film.

Until next month, have a safe happy holiday season, keeping, your chin up and striving to provide the best care possible for your horses who will provide you the opportunity to enjoy some great riding when the 50

threat of COVID-19 has been eliminated. I wish happy trails to you. Also stay safe in the saddle, on your horse if you do have an opportunity to ride before the next report and I hope to see some readers on the trail sometime in the future. ~DOC PREBLE The volunteers have worked diligently on trails all summer and fall and we finally reached the end of our RTP (Recreational Trails Program) Grant Program.

Melissa (with ODNR State offices) and David Wesler assistant park manager came by the horse camp Tuesday and Donn took them out for a brief review of the trails. Melissa has presented Hueston Woods Horse Camp with a beautiful plaque to display, recognizing our success in completing the project and it was quite a nice surprise. It will be displayed by the Kiosk at horse camp. This project has been a two season job that has taken a lot of volunteers and time to get completed, and we are very proud of how it has turned out. We do still have work on Trail C and side trails over there to complete, but trail work has pretty much come to an end for this year.

Many of the riders who ride the trails have been generous in contributing to our gravel fundraiser and some businesses have contributed as well. We cannot thank you enough for

Warming up her (stick) horse for the show.

Plaque presentation for trail completion at Hueston Woods Bridle Trails. your generous contributions, many volunteers have helped and anyone who helped in any way is always appreciated, thank you all!

Mother Nature was good to us this year for trail work and our State Ride, but now she is watering her trails for next year.

Please keep in mind that with all of the rain we have gotten in the last part of October the trails can get muddy, especially on Trail C, keep that in mind when you decide to ride.

Some of our loyal riders had a Halloween celebration on Halloween weekend for all to celebrate the holiday and put together some fun things to do.

Thank you to Laci Brill and her friends for putting this together for the horsemen and their families.

We would like to give a shout out to a couple who has been active and very involved in our chapter for many years, Joe, Jean and Tammy Allison! They have always been there whenever we needed help and have been a huge supporter of Preble OHC Chapter. With the COVID-19 outbreak they have made the hard decision to keep themselves safe and weren’t able to attend our activities this year. If you see them or are friend of theirs on Facebook give them a “Hello”.

As this year is fast becoming a memory we at PCOHC wish everyone a healthy and happy end to what has been an unforgettable year. Stay safe and I hope to see you out on the trails soon!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! ~Becky

Beaver Creek With a lot of hard work done by our wonderful members, we have added more trails to White Star.

How exciting is that? We have begged, pleaded, and wormed our way into getting the parks to let us add more trails (almost two more miles). Al deserves a pat on the back for getting it done and hiring someone with a machine to cut the base trail.

Then the hard working members slaved away at clearing what was left. For a month, we met there every Wednesday and worked for a couple hours. If it wasn’t for the wonderful people who can always be counted on for their hard laborious hours, the trail wouldn’t be this far along.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped. We have a bit more signage to put up still.

We did have some wonderful rides this fall. I hope you did too! It was my family’s first time to Beaver Creek. The club ride was a lot of fun and joining up with Wood County made it even better! The camping is primitive and you want to make sure you take your own water. They have high lines for the horses, so you have to back your trailer up to the tree line. But the trails were fantastic! You have to love water crossings or you won’t like it here. We probably crossed the creek a dozen times, each at different water levels. I am not

SANDUSKY

Shrek and Donkey

Hello, Sandusky County! I hope this finds everyone healthy and happy. With the holidays upcoming it gets to be a crazy time of the year! Riding has definitely slowed down, and I miss it already! Al pulled shoes yesterday and the horses are already fuzzy and muddy, but we hope to get a few more nice days to ride.

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We start ‘em young working on trails!

December 2020

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Costume class at Van Buren. sure I would want to do this on a cold day, but in September it was perfect. I can’t wait to go back next year. It’s on our list of great camps for sure.

Two weekends after that we stayed at Van Buren. We had a great time! There was a lot of riding, and the work done on the trails was amazing. Wood County sure works hard to make sure you have a great ride at their park. Recent work on bridges and muddy areas were extensive.

Besides trail riding, there was also a costume class that was just plain fun and a lot of laughs!

We had a couple meetings outside at White Star and are now having them back at the church.

Thankfully, there is plenty of room at the church for social distancing, please plan on coming!

Our club website has been taken down, but it’s even better now since it is on the state web page, ohconline.com Make sure you check it out. There is so much information on there, and I find it much more user friendly.

Depending on the latest with the virus, our meetings are the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the First Brethren Church in Fremont. We meet for supper at 5:45. Check out Facebook or give me a call to find out where.

For more information, give one of our members a holler, we would love to see you! Visit our Facebook page under Sandusky County Horseman’s Council for up-to-date information.

Give your muddy and fuzzy horse a hug and thank God for what we have. Life is good! ~Marla Sidell STARK It is hard to believe it is the end of the year. Even though it has been a very different year as we were not able to have our scheduled meetings and events, it December 2020

ended up being a productive year for our Stark County Chapter.

The weather was good for getting a lot of trail work done and not having much damage done to trails. Several of our members worked hard at Camp Tuscazoar putting in new trails and remarking the old ones and at a new trailhead in Waynesburg that is part of Stark Park Districts trails.

Several rode in small groups mostly doing day rides. The trails were good for riding as we didn’t have much rain for most of the summer. Some even camped and rode.

We had several good fundraisers.

Stacy McGill a member of our chapter had been very creative in making Blue Bird houses which we sell. For this next year she is making Oriole feeders. One of our members donated 50 bales of hay which we raffled off. We also took part in Stark County 4-H Tack Sale back in February.

Our chapter made donations to Whispering Grace Horses Freedom Farm which serves Veterans and for trail work in our area.

Our biggest challenge was not seeing most of our friends and being able to hug each other. All in all, we felt it was a good year, so in the meantime, let’s follow the guidelines for safety and hope this virus ends soon.

Happy Holidays and stay safe!

Until next time, happy trails to you! ~Jo Ellen SUMMIT Our October social meeting was a success, i.e. no COVID-19 cases reported. All food was portioned and prepackaged, wine bottles and hands were sanitized before and after each pouring.

Social distance was observed in line and 10’ distant seating with our own chairs helped. It really makes you realize how much we took for granted before the pandemic. However restricted, we were all just happy to have the opportunity to shout to each another, catch up, and take in the fall beauty of Richfield Heritage Preserve. We decided the January winter banquet would be postponed and resurrected as an outdoor summer picnic sometime in 2021. Good OHC members are hard to come by and we don’t want to lose a one. As for our Mexican Fiesta Fundraiser at Mohican, only time will tell if

Christening Day 2020

Deep end of the pool?

permits to the park will be issued for next year.

Joy Scala was delighted to watch performances of her Pablo and Star as their new owners earned 2020 Park Horse Championships at the Morgan Nationals this year. Both horses already held multiple national championships and are the result of spectacular crosses with Joy’s own National Champion mare Diva. Congrats!

I am looking forward to a more subdued holiday season. Our club is going to do an outdoor equine themed tree for RHP’s Winter Wonders fundraiser on Dec. 4. Restrictions for eco friendly décor will show just how creative our members can be. Molly Eastwood will be coordinating our efforts. Money raised will benefit the park which is continuing to expand horse trails and other outdoor venues.

Carolyn Sullivan just earned her PHD in Murphy’s Law and Pesky Critters 101. Like a few others, she had nasty run-ins with Yellow Jackets, I’m now packing an epi pen.

Carolyn waged war as the bees made their covert nests in barn door frames, a stack of horse blankets, relocating to the feed bin and finally multiple locations in the hay mow. Also liking the accommodations, a possum took up residence in her trash can while a ground hog did some major excavating at the barn.

We also heard rumors her new, dream living quarter’s trailer may be possessed. Knowing you’re your salesman and head of the service department on a first name basis is disconcerting at best. Beware of any additions or modification you make to any existing electrical components because they all speak different languages and activate at will.

An exorcism may be the last resort. On the brighter side, Carolyn participated in the Tevis Cup Ride in California selecting her course via drone footage highlighting the swinging bridge and the 1000 foot drop-off.

Virtual was definitely the right option to get the T-shirt. The new trailer did make the trip to

Andora Farms to camp and herd cattle at the ranch. The new digs were christened by other incoming rigs gunning it in the mud wallow directly in front of her trailer. The TV and radio still came on at all hours. Carolyn said the food and scenery were amazing. She discovered her TWH Romeo was a cow horse at heart enjoying the team penning and moving steers as much as she did. Stay safe for 2021. ~Joann Ulichney

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TRUMBULL Tidings of good cheer to all from the Trumbull County chapter! 2020 has certainly been a year of challenges. Let’s all raise a toast for 2021 to be a healing year for America!

Our chapter president remains Dave Shook, our new vice president is Nancy Shook. Debbie Navarra continues as secretary and Marcie Rester is now our treasurer. Congratulations to our officers, we look forward to the 2021 riding season.

Please remember to submit your trail miles, riding hours and maintenance hours to your chapter’s committee person. No matter how few or how many, all are important!

Merry Christmas season! ~Kathryn Bartow TUSCARAWAS Strange, how first impressions form an opinion of character, which often bode far from the truth. An exquisite petite blonde with an infectious smile eased into the Tuscarawas County membership, attending meetings, sharing anecdotes, and trail riding with a select few. It is truly unfortunate that we are not all privy to a history lesson when first an introduction occurs. A couple years later, I realized that Barb Bowers Williams is the ‘real deal!’ Unassuming and straight forward, she related her ‘horse story’ to me.

Barb was in her early 40s when finally consumed by horse fever. It began when Bill Natoli 51

County Lines

Charlie Barb, working one of her project horses.

Barb started grandson, Ridge, out right, two years of age.

assisted her and her 7-yearold daughter in the acquisition of their first steeds. Daughter, Alex, accepted the responsibility and began tutelage, triumphant upon her Paso Fino. Meanwhile, Barb selected a Quarter Horse.

Without prior horse acumen, she learned, endured and developed until she surpassed her mount’s ability. Recognizing this aspect, a year later she rose to the challenge of horse hunting, on her own. Intrigued by the Sugarcreek Auction and slightly naïve to the process, a coal black Walker fascinated her and played havoc with her wallet.

All that glitters, is not gold.

When the slightest nudge of her heel evoked an explosion of raw power and intensity, Barb wisely sent him packing. Relishing the more savvy methods of the sale, perfecting horse sense, and an eye for conformation, she became an astute buyer.

Her close friend, OHC member, Jerry Blake was called to action. He constructed an eight stall barn to house her project horses. A year passed, and expansion was necessary.

Jerry built an indoor arena with 12 perimeter stalls. Staff was hired and trainers included her daughter and several friends.

They rode the stock and fine tuned them in preparation for a sale. To perpetuate her growing business, Barb again called upon Jerry to dismantle the arena barn and transport the entire affair from Waynesburg to Navarre, where reconstruction evolved.

Barb’s sensitivity was employed, as she often rescued promising horses from the ‘kill pen,’ providing a second chance, with patience and intuitive training methods. Certainly, there were some rodeo performances in her arena, but thorough repetitive and consistent work, the horses responded. Tri-Co served as a trail riding resource, to further training efforts.

Four years ago, Barb expanded her business to a dual purpose production. Her heartfelt rescue extended to dogs. She relied on Facebook for marketing and exposure, intuitively matching her beloved wards with the right person. The perspective owner was encouraged to arrive with their family, to increase the potential that her sweet puppies would be enveloped within a loving environment. Barb bathed in the satisfaction, her reward for a successful bonding effort.

The adoption program has witnessed approximately 300 rescued canines. Her passion for the down and out animal population and creative methods of overcoming stigmas and traits that initially labeled them as ‘rebel,’ has launched the project toward success. Family, staff and friends’ support must be credited, as well. Following her dream, Barb has defined her ‘niche!’ We are so proud and admire her perseverance and dedication.

The Tuscarawas County OHC welcomes new members. The second Monday of the month, at 7 p.m., stands as our monthly meeting, however the venue changes occasionally. You may contact an OHC member or the undersigned for an update.

Happy Trails, ~Holly Waldenmyer

52

UNION Merry Christmas, and welcome to winter in Ohio! Like most everyone else, I am hoping for a winter that is cold enough to kill off a lot of the bugs especially, the ticks but nice enough to be tolerable so I can ride. Ohio is not known for pleasant winters.

We had our fall chapter ride in October at Buck Creek State Park. It was chilly, and the scenery was breathtaking. This has been one of the prettiest autumns in a long time, and the

Debbie and Bowie at Buck Creek. trees were showing off their finest colors. We held our officer elections at the meeting after the ride. Officers for the 2021 year are President Jim Strayton, Vice President Karen Holland, Secretary Debbie Strayton, and Treasurer Julie Belli.

Congratulations to all.

Union County members joined Preble County for a state ride at Hueston Woods State Park. The trails were well maintained and in excellent condition. Saturday evening there was a fish fry, silent auction, a band and social distancing. If you have not ridden at Hueston Woods, you should.

A few Union County members voyaged outside Ohio in October to ride. Karen and her equine partner, Blue, traveled to Eddyville, Ill., to ride in the Shawnee National Forest with several members of the Champaign Chapter of the Ohio Horseman’s Council. The fiveday trip was cut short on the last day because of rain. Karen enjoyed riding to Garden of the Gods, Secret Canyon, Buzzard’s Roost, Indian Kitchen, and several other areas. One of her favorites was the cave of the Knights of the Golden Circle where Jesse James and some of his cohorts would hide. It was so exciting to be able to ride the trails and see where history happened.

Stephanie and Becky Petee and their mounts, Jewel and Jazzy took a trip to Brown County State Park in Indiana to enjoy four-days of the beautiful autumn colors riding. While there, they visited the town of Story and enjoyed a lovely lunch. They are hoping to return since they had so much fun.

On Oct. 12, Karen lost her beloved American Saddlebred, Charlie. He was a kill pen rescue after pulling an Amish buggy for many years, an excellent trail horse beloved by his harem as most of his trail partners were

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Shawnee mares. He was retired when physical ailments made trail riding difficult and, he spent his last three years enjoying a life of leisure. Charlie will be sorely missed by Karen and his many friends.

Until next month be careful and safe. Happy Trails. ~Karen Holland WARREN I don’t have much to report this month. With no monthly meetings, and the fact that I don’t make it to the work days and don’t see many people, I’m in news limbo. I’m always eager for news and photos from any members, send them to me at akela83@att.net if you have any.

This month I’ll include a couple more photos from the Ladies Ride.

The Over the Hill Gang had its last official work day on Nov. 4.

It would have been hard to have any better weather for it. The gang takes a break for most of November and December, and will resume again in January.

More hands are always welcome.

Contact Roger at blazeandspirit@

Tucson December 2020

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Chad and Sunny with Scarlett.

Pine Creek horse camp.

Hocking Hills

gmail.com to be added to the list for notification of work days.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season. Stay warm and safe. ~Mickie WASHINGTON Merry Christmas from Washington County Chapter!

We continue in our COVID-19 altered state, but we do continue.

Hopefully, our annual Christmas dinner and meeting will be held Dec. 3. That is the plan as of this writing. We also will have elected new officers and had our awards ceremony. We are to honor several of our members as the top mileage riders in the state. We are happy to be in the top of the state in miles ridden, but it is because we have but few members that seem to live on their horses. They ride long and fast and have the patches and buckles to prove it. We are already collecting mileage forms from this year of 2020. We hope the time social distancing leads to more miles in the saddle!

Another highlight of our Christmas meeting is the collection of toys for Toys for Tots. We are aware we have a lot to be thankful for and we are able to spend untold sums on our passion of horses and such. It is a privilege to give back to needy children. A full report after the actual meeting! The Chinese gift exchange is also a lot of fun. I have no idea of the real name, but you steal as you go.

Since we have not been having meetings, I cannot tell you the far reaches of our travels with-in the club this riding season. I know several states and many miles

Washington County OHC were covered both in saddle and in the truck seat! Our home trail of Kinderhook has seen more traffic than ever. Not only have our members ridden more than ever but we see others outside of our club there as well. Since it is a Wayne National Forest, we also get a lot of hikers, many from out of state. We have talked to folks from Vermont, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut this summer. It is nice to know that many people benefit from the efforts of the OHC to keep trails open and clear! If you have never ridden Kinderhook shoot us a message, we will give you the scoop! On the sad note, the forest is also used by hunters who have taken to shooting our educational botany signs we put up last year. These signs involve a large investment of time and money and it is disheartening to see such a callous disregard for educational aids and hard work.

As the year draws to a close, we shake our heads in wonderment of the changes we have endured.

Nevertheless, we continue to celebrate our nation and our horses and our freedom to ride.

We are already planning next year’s rides. We are looking in catalogs and online for what we need, so we can share with folks, so we can perhaps get it for Christmas. In short, while a lot has changed, we have not. We are still horsemen (and women) and we still are dedicated to helping other horsemen (and women).

May you be blessed by the reason for the season! ~Rita V. Schultheis WAYNE

Washington County OHC December 2020

October has certainly blessed us with some great weather!

OK, not so much the last week, but prior to that club members

had some really great campouts and day rides. October 3 was a beautiful day for the wedding of our secondary member, Vicki Zook’s daughter Nadine. Those ‘cowgirls’ that attended sure ‘cleaned up well’!

October 5-11, Dave and Trudy Schmidt hosted a wonderful camp out at Hocking Hills, Pine Creek Horse Camp. This is a beautiful, new campground with wonderful amenities. There were a total of 15 rigs, 18 horses and 21 riders in attendance throughout the week. The weather was amazing with highs in the low 70s and cool nights good for campfires.

The caravan of seven horse trailers traveling down to the camp on the morning of Oct. 5 made quite a sight on Interstate 71! Oh and did I mention the food? It was beyond delicious.

There is a beautiful pavilion with electric outlets and a huge round fire pit that made it a great place to leave some crockpots cooking up supper while we all rode. Dave and Marline Smalley cooked up some wonderful soup over the fire in their cast iron pots. Just the thing to take the chill off after the sun went down. The trails were dry and in great shape. With so many trails we were able to break up into compatible groups of riders and horses to explore the forest.

We enjoyed new members Jody Jackson Shaw and Rachel Gardner who also joined us for a few days of camping and riding.

We took a day off and hiked to the Rock House and Old Man’s Cave. It was a very beautiful and educational hike. I am sure the horses appreciated the day off as we rode five out of the six days we stayed at Pine Creek. We had such a great time we reserved for next October already.

While some of us were at Hocking Hills, another group camped at Malabar. Sheila Haury hosted a weekend campout that also enjoyed beautiful weather.

They invited other horse campers to the potluck on Saturday night demonstrating once again, Wayne County’s reputation for

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Those cowgirls. hospitality and generally having a good time with our horses.

We were all looking forward to enjoying the Horseman’s Mission and The Mission Accomplished show this year in Holmes County, but the COVID strikes again and it was cancelled. Hopefully next year we will be able to all join together again for this great fun horse event.

As the year and trail riding season both come to a close, be sure to send in your trail miles to your club secretary.

It is important that we provide this information to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources so that they can appreciate the use our trails get and the time our clubs spend keeping them in good shape.

WOOD Hi from Wood County! Our last meeting in October got pretty chilly at the campground at Van Buren, so we decided to try and find a place to have our meetings with social distancing. Soon after, with the rise in COVID-19 and the restrictions at restaurants it was decided to cancel the November and December meetings. We will not be having a Christmas party or a banquet at this time. Too many of us have loved ones at risk.

We could not have our annual Hobo Stew ride, so many of us camped anyway and enjoyed riding the trails that our trail crew improved. It was a gorgeous weekend. Fortunately, we got to complete most of our ride schedule and are working on our schedule for 2021.

Please continue to track your 53

Northern Ohio Dressage Association

NODA’s Recognized Show Committee is Planning the June 26 and 27, Dressage 2021 and Dressage 2021 Encore, Show Weekend PRESIDENT, Niki Sackman VICE PRESIDENT, Rachel Aderhold TREASURER, Dee Liebenthal SECRETARY, Patti Valencic EMAIL, president@nodarider.org WEBSITE, www.nodarider.org

by Mosie Welch There’s no denying that 2020 has been a challenging year for equestrian sports, but that has not stopped our intrepid recognized show committee from getting underway planning for 2021! The ball is rolling as the committee works on contracts for the venue and judges for Dressage 2021 and Dressage 2021 Encore. As is customary NODA will feature two shows over our two-day USDF/USEF recognized show weekend.

Exciting for 2021 is the opportunity to try a new venue, Pure Gold Stables and Equestrian Center, a 45-acre complex located on State Route 45 in Salem, Ohio.

Pure Gold Stables boasts a 175’ x 300’ fenced all weather outdoor arena with elite racetrack blend sand footing, 5/8 mile all weather conditioning track, a covered 60’ all weather sand round pen, and trails on the property. There is also a 180’ x 90’ heated indoor arena with elite racetrack blend sand footing (fan system for hot summer months). Find out more about Pure Gold Stables at www. puregoldstables.com/.

The decision has been made to hold two, one ring, Level 1, USDF/USEF recognized shows over the weekend with a commitment to hire an “S” judge for each day as well as ensuring an appropriate sound system for those entering freestyle classes.

Penny Krug has spent the fall engaged in hiring the judges and the TD and expects contracts to be finalized by the end of the year.

NODA is happy to announce we will be providing an online program in 2021. Without printing costs, the program will get all the information competitors need to

them in advance of arriving on the showgrounds. Sponsors and advertisers will enjoy full color ads and logos to feature their services and product. Of course, day sheets and informational signage with emergency numbers and directions will be on site.

Exciting in 2021 is the return of the recognized show program ‘Cover Art Contest’ with a prize for the selected artwork! All NODA artists please stand by for details on size, media, and deadlines.

NODA is committed to excellence and a safe and fun show experience for all our competitors and volunteers following USDF/ USEF guidelines. The recognized

show committee is ably steered by co-chairs Patty Keim and Rachel Aderhold with the addition of Penny Krug who is an experienced show manager/ onsite show secretary; NODA’s longtime volunteer coordinator, Karen Shirring; sponsors and advertising manager, Dee Liebenthal; Mary Lou Gallagher, focusing on the prize list and rules; Sally Burton and Niki Sackman, committee member at large; and program coordinator Mosie Welch. Save the dates, June 26 and 27, 2021—we look forward to seeing you at Pure Gold Stables in 2021! Find out more about NODA at www. nodarider.org.

County Lines trail miles and when you are done for the year send them to Diane Joseph. I, Barb Oberhaus, will need all your trail work hours and equipment usage hours by middle of December. I will still keep track of your miles for awards and hope to have some kind of get together maybe in the spring at the park. Time will tell.

Diane has started on our 2021 calendars and will contact those that have bought in the past and/ or was not at the meeting to get on her ‘I want one’ list.

The weather here in NW Ohio right now is very nice so many of us are riding as much as we can until it gets too cold.

Enjoying the unusually warm weather at Oak.

Please stay safe and healthy and have a Merry Christmas ~Barb

Nora and Theresa clowning around at Van Buren.

Juliann our newest member.

The Corral staff wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!

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