Flatlanders Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc.
Geauga Horse & Pony Association
Great Lakes Appaloosa Horse Club
Hoosier Quarter Pony Association
Knox County Horse Park
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Massillon Saddle Club
Miami Valley Horse Show Association
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
Mid-Eastern Farriers Association
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
Mid-Ohio Marauders
National Pole Bending Association
Northern Ohio Dressage Association
Northern Kentucky Horse Network
Northern Ohio Miniature Horse Club
Northern Ohio Outlaws
Ohio Appaloosa Association
O.H.I.O. EXCA
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Assoc.
Ohio Haflinger Association
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Ohio Horseman’s Council
Ohio Gaited Horse Trailriders
Ohio Morgan Horse Association
Ohio Paint Horse Club
Ohio Quarter Horse Association
Ohio Ranch Horse Association
Ohio State Buckskin Association
Ohio Western Horse Association, Inc.
Ottawa County Horse Foundation
Ohio Valley Team Penning Association
Pinto Horse Association of Ohio
Premier Mount N Trail
Pure Gold Stables
Tri-County Trail Association
Tri-State Rodeo Association
Wayne County Saddle Club
Western Reserve Carriage Association
The Corral Staff
Editor Bobbie Coalter
Advertising Sales & General Manager Joe Coalter email joe@thehorsemenscorral.com
Features: Kelley Bitter, Rob and Tanya Corzatt, Robert Eversole, Terry Myers, Sarah Vas
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 of Cleveland, OH 44101 and New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Periodicals postage paid at Lodi, Ohio, and additional entry offices. Subscriptions may only be purchased through Horsemen’s Corral member clubs. Single copies, $3.00 at select distributors. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: 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.
POSTMASTER: All subscription addresses are properly screened through CASS per USPS requirements. The Horsemen’s Corral will not accept returns of magazines deemed undeliverable for any reason. Please discard copy of any issue deemed as undeliverable.
The Horsemen’s Corral cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.
MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE:
P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254
OFFICE: 330/635-4145
Ride In Sync
Six Tips to Improve Your Riding
by Terry Myers
As a year-end article, I thought I would give you six things you can do to improve your riding and make your horse’s job easier. If you want to improve your horse, it starts with you.
1. Don’t pull. In past articles I talked about holding the bridle reins like you are holding hands with that significant person in your life. Would that person like it if you were pulling and yanking on their hand? No? Well your horse doesn’t do so well with it either. Horses react to what we do, so if you are pulling they will pull back. A good way to practice this is to ask a friend to hold the other end of a set of bridle reins. Take a hold of one rein and apply light pressure until you feel the slightest resistance. Have your friend tell you when they feel pressure. I think you will be surprised at how little pressure it takes before your friend will feel it. Your horse is the same way.
Take a hold of the rein and apply pressure until you feel the slightest resistance. If the horse does not give to the resistance, then work the rein by wiggling your fingers until the horse gives to the rein.
2. Don’t Be A Fat Head! I don’t mean to be insulting, but think about this for a moment. Your head controls 60 percent of your body weight when you ride. So if you are constantly looking down at your horse’s head by cocking your head to the inside, this action makes you drop your inside shoulder and shifts your weight to the outside. Your horse will mirror this by dropping their inside shoulder and flipping their hip to the outside. All hopes of collection go down the drain. Don’t believe me? Sit in a chair, or better yet on an exercise ball, tilt your head toward your shoulder and look down. Feel what happens to your body. This is what your horse feels. Let’s be kind to our horses and stop this
nonsense. Ride like you have one of those neck collars on that they put on people who have been in a wreck! I’ve been tempted to have a few here at the barn for the compulsive ‘fat heads’!
3. Learn to count. If you can count to four, you can become a better rider. Do this exercise. Ask your horse to trot and count their footsteps; 1-2-3-4. The count should be a rhythmic four beat count. Feel how the count can change when you change your body position, such as tilting your head. Counting your horse’s foot fall teaches you to feel your horses movement.
4. Turn your toes out and don’t squeeze with your legs. You want to use the calves of your legs to control your horse, not your knees. When you squeeze your knees you start to push yourself up out of the saddle and lock your pelvis. When that happens, the horse cannot lift their back and move in a collected frame. By turning your toes out and bumping with your calves rather than squeezing, you start to ride with your horse instead of against them. Pretend you have baby birds nestled between your calves and your horse. If you squeeze too hard, you’ll have baby bird guts all over your legs. If you don’t keep some contact, the baby birds will fall and get stepped on. Now take that visual to the barn!
5. Get your elbows out of your sides. Whenever you clamp your elbows in your sides, you lock your shoulders and ride through your elbows. In this position, you are much more likely to lean forward and a whole lot more likely to be pulling on your horse’s face. The elbows have to be elastic and move with the horse, which cannot happen when they are stiffly clamped in your sides. You want to ride from your shoulders, lifting the rein not pulling the rein. This sits you back on your pockets and allows the horse to elevate his front end, which is the beginning of collection (elevation).
6. Do not arch or hollow your back out. This causes you to roll your pelvis forward and dumps your weight on the horse’s front end. In this position you cannot use your legs properly and it also puts you in a more precarious position should the horse bolt or
buck. Think of your pelvis as a bucket of water. If it is rolled forward, you spill water out of the bucket. Roll your pelvis back into the saddle and sit on your pockets. This position allows you to use your legs properly and is a more secure seat.
These six tips will make you a better rider and develop a closer partnership with your horse. Practice them with a friend who will let you know when you lapse back into bad habits. The biggest tip of all is to have patience. If you are getting frustrated, think about what you are doing wrong and how you can change to get a different result. A teacher once said, “Lower your expectations to lower your frustrations.” Does that mean you should always have low expectations? Not really, just realistic ones.
Thank you to everyone who reads my articles and give us such great feedback. We are thankful to the Horsemen’s Corral for another great year as part of their publication. My wife Amy and I hope everyone has a Merry Chirstmas and blessed New Year.
Be safe and always strive to Ride-In-Sync with your horse!
Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.
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 www. tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook.
PRESIDENT, Kelly Chapman
VICE PRESIDENT, Stephanie Tarr
SECRETARY, Justin Miller
TREASURER, Susan Croft
Season’s Greetings Premier Mount N Trail
EMAIL, premiermountntrail@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.premiermountntrail.com
In November Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) held our first annual Fall Virtual Trail Ride for double ride hours and wow, you all did not disappoint with the beautiful fall pictures posted to our Facebook events page! Thank you to all who participated. Congratulations to Christina Brna who won our mystery prize for the most likes on her picture posted from the weekend. Reminder our winter series has begun at Shenanigans Stables in Carrollton, Ohio. This series begins our point earnings for the 2025 show season, be sure to head to the PMT website or Facebook page to find all the show dates. To schedule practice at the indoor course, and your
ride time on show day, contact Shenanigans and they will be happy to accommodate.
The annual Premier Mount N Trail banquet will be held on January 11, 2025. Not only do we enjoy a wonderful meal and fellowship with our members, but this is also where you’ll receive your 2024 season awards! As always PMT has a beautiful catalog of prizes to choose from. Our banquet is not only a celebration of our members, but also our annual meeting where we will be updating our members on future plans for PMT and
voting on new directors who would like to join the board. More details on the banquet to come. Please be looking on our Facebook page and in your email for announcements coming on
ticket prices, location, and times. We cannot wait to celebrate all our members and your accomplishments throughout last year.
Happy Holidays!
Tri-County Trail Association
Looking Forward to 2025
PRESIDENT, Adam Brewer
VICE PRESIDENT, Harley Miller
SECRETARY, Cindy Krumm
TREASURER, Beverly Mills
WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com
by Kelly Jo Heffner
Merry Christmas from TriCounty Trail Association! 2024 is ending, and it’s time to celebrate the holidays with friends, family, and horses! Our annual Christmas dinner and elections are this month, and I’m looking forward to the announcement of the new board. Members of the club will be voting for a new president, vice president, secretary, editor, and a couple of trustee positions, to name a few.
The holiday season is a wonderful time to reflect on the 2024 season and celebrate all the wonderful events we had this year and begin to look forward to our 2025 season. Our schedule of events has already been approved and is posted on our Facebook page as well as being posted in our monthly newsletter. Our new and improved webpage will also be available with valuable information! The Trailways newsletter is available to anyone online. Just go to our Facebook page, there is a QR code to scan with your phone and get signed up. Remember after signing up to confirm your email (email usually goes to spam folder). I hope all our readers have a wonderful holiday season. Hopefully we will get to see everyone at one of the 2025 events. Happy Holidays!
Christina Brna winner of the trail ride competition picture.
Geauga Horse and Pony Association
Show Dates for 2025
PRESIDENT, Lisa Formica
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Rachel Formica
2nd VICE PRESIDENT, Dustin Sutter
TREASURER, Shauna Gingrich
SECRETARY, Kelli Burns
WEBSITE, www.ghpa.us
by Hannah Muellner
Geauga Horse and Pony Association (GHPA) has already begun planning for our 2025 season. The show committee has already had its first gathering, and we have set our tentative show dates (pending approval): Open Shows will be June 1, June 22, July 20, August 10. Friday Night Lights Contesting Shows will be June 13, June 27, July 11, August 1. All of our shows are held at the Geauga County Fairgrounds, 4373 North Cheshire Street, Burton, Ohio. Save the date! March 15, 2025, will be our year-end awards (and more) banquet. As we get closer, we will share more information and invitations to this reservation required event!
Congratulations to both of our 2024-25 scholarship recipients: Marley Grandini and Laila Raico. We are excited to help support your continuing higher education.
2024 YEAR END
HIGH-POINT CHAMPIONS
WT CONTESTING: Joselyn Olson and Jojo
YOUTH CONTESTING: Stella Montague and Reba
ADULT CONTESTING: Jaimie Olson and QT’s Dirty Streaker
RANCH: Marley Grandini and Punkin
Chunkin
WT: Cheyenne Malone and BHGV
Katlyn
NOVICE: Claire Cadorette and Be Too Cool
OPEN: Morgan Csontos and Shepherd’s Grace Millenium Force
RESERVE HIGH-POINT CHAMPIONS
W/T: Paige Parr and Dynamiks Lucky Dollar
NOVICE: Kennedy Lester and Gypsyland’s Meia Bella
OPEN: Laila Raico and Rumm On The Rocks
RANCH: Tiffany Holloway and My Irons Be Platinum
CONTESTING WT: Norah Bell and American Kestrel
YOUTH: Laila Raico and Whata Sugarfoot Gal
ADULT: Char Mahovlic and Cici
Congratulations to our newly
elected officers and Board of Directors members. President Lisa Formica, 1st VP Rachel Formica, 2nd VP Dustin Sutter, Treasurer Shauna Gingrich, and Secretary Kelli Burns. The Board of Directors elected are George Baker, Scott and Nancy Burroughs, Jaimie Olson, Frank Muellner and Kathy Blair. This group has contributed so much to the club along with donating endless hours throughout the year. Thank you!
As is our tradition, GHPA along with both youth groups will again make a family’s Christmas brighter by donating gifts to a family that is need of assistance.
GHPA have two wonderful youth groups: Tails and Trails and Saddles and Spurs. If you are interested in finding out further details, please send an email to one of the advisors: Frank Muellner (f-muellner@ sbcglobal.net) or Kelli Burns (kelliburns86@gmail.com).
Our deepest thanks go out to those who generously donated countless volunteer hours to help our 2024 season run smoothly. What makes GHPA show days so
successful is not just our fabulous array of exhibitors, breeds, and classes, but the contributions from our volunteers behind the scenes. It is a good feeling to give back to our great organization and that feeling is displayed proudly at each show through the efforts of our volunteers.
Stay up to date on the current news and events happening within our organization by visiting www.ghpa.us and following us on Facebook. Our club meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Education Building’s lounge at the Geauga County Fairgrounds. (except December which will be at Huntsburg’s Town Hall). If you are interested in getting involved, please join us for a meeting.
GHPA thanks Big Dee’s Tack for their generous support of our organization through their Bonus Buck’s program. Likewise, thank you to Schneider’s Saddlery for their generous support. We really appreciate all that both fine companies provide for us. Happy holidays to each one of you. We are grateful that you are part of GHPA.
PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp
VICE PRESIDENT, Tim Dawson
TREASURER, Jill Davis
SECRETARY, Heather Collins
WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
We would love to welcome our newly elected 2025 officers and 2025/2026 directors: President Tim Snapp, Vice President Mark Peterson, Secretary Heather Collins, Treasurer Jill Davis, Director Jennifer Peterson, Director Kathleen Azzarello and Director Austin Rush. We retain the following directors and past president as well: Director Cindy Snapp, Director Rachel Russell, Director Sue Johnson and Past President Mike Schwendeman. A motion was passed to honor Roxann Rohrl, one of Ohio’s longest serving directors, as Director Emeritus.
The schedule is set for 2025!
APRIL 26-27: Buckeye Extravaganza, Champions Center, Springfield Ohio.
MAY 2-4: Zone 8 Show, C Bar
2025 Officers/Directors and Schedule
C, Cloverdale, Ind.
MAY 16-18: Summer Warm Up, OPHC/PtHAO combined show, Findlay, Ohio.
JULY 26-27: Buckeye Bonanza, World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio.
SEPT. 6-7: Amateur Club Show, Champions Center (covered pen), Springfield, Ohio.
The general membership meeting was held November 9 at TJ Chumps in Huber Heights, Ohio. We voted in new officers and directors for the year 2025. We also voted on several minor rule changes. It’s scholarship time! Scholarship applications can be downloaded on the ophc.org website and will be on Facebook. You must be an OPHC member and high school
senior enrolled in a 2- or 4-year program and up to 23 years old. Deadline is December 31.
The OPHC, MPHC and the Midwest Series banquet will be held March 15 at the Maumee State Park Lodge in Oregon, Ohio. All three boards voted to have them all in one location. The final standings for the Midwest Series, MPHC and OPHC award standing are posted.
Please keep Tim and Suzie Dawson (our OPHC Vice Presient) in your prayers as he recovers at home from a spinal injury. He is making remarkable progress but has a long way to go. Keep up the fight Tim! See the ophc.org website or Facebook to stay up to date and for more information! Hope your fall and holiday season is fantastic!
Western Reserve Carriage Association WRCA End of the Year Party
On Sunday, November 3, Western Reserve Carriage Association held their end of the year party at Brushwood Lodge in Summit Metroparks. The beautiful and warm fall day was a lovely backdrop for this event. The club provided the main dish of balsamic chicken and pulled pork. As usual there was a plethora of delicious potluck sides and desserts. After the meal, Brant Giere gave a talk about carriage maintenance. His main point was safety. Check your wheels, bearings, brakes, and connective devices for their integrity. If in doubt, replace it! After his informative speech, there was a door prize drawing where prizes came from Big Dees. Thanks to your purchases
at Big Dees and putting points for WRCA, there were eight gift certificates and a myriad of horse care products. Almost every attendee received some item. December will be our elections. Keep your eye out for communication regarding voting. At this writing there are two openings for the board. The club can always use new ideas and help. If you are not interested in being on the board, consider helping to plan an event or drive. Contact Jo Ann Murr, 330/2411982.
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
OHSRA Hosted Exciting Multi-State Rodeo in October
NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty
PRESIDENT, Brian Corsi
SECRETARY, Holly Rowe
PHONE, 614-432-0177
WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Hannah Boyes
This October, the Ohio High School Rodeo Association proudly hosted our first multi-state rodeo of the season in collaboration with Michigan. This event was packed with excitement, featuring fun activities, dances, and, of course, some intense yet friendly competition. On Friday night, our association kicked things off with a Halloween-themed barrel race where contestants showcased impressive costumes, adding a festive twist to the evening. The main event began on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m., with both Ohio and Michigan bringing their A-game. The
competition was fierce, and the performances did not disappoint. Ohio contestants who took home first place in their respective events on Saturday included talented athletes such as Kailyn Greer, Dixie Keim, Reese Todd, Noah Ashbaugh, Carley Corsi, Lexie Saint, Owen Gardner, and Jessica Hall. Michigan also boasted some standout winners, including Eliza Judah, Cayce Huver, Lila Shepler, Morgan Bush, and Tessa Rogers, showing
just how strong the rivalry between the two states are.
To cap off the day, the Ohio High School Rodeo Association held a fun golf ball toss, where participants had the chance to win a Yeti cooler. The evening concluded with a dance, bringing together members of both rodeo teams for a night of fun!
Despite the late night, the competition continued on Sunday morning at 10 a.m. for the second round of the multi-state rodeo. More outstanding performances were seen, with more first-place
finishes by Autumn Laymon, Emree Huver, Tyler Bok, Lilian Johnson, Weston Rogers, Lola Stillion, Kaila Slaughter, Jaron Lincoln, Hayden Long, Brody Crass, Cooper Rickly, Lilah Judah, Payson Whittington, Morgan Bush, Gauge Murray, and Bo Williams.
Overall, the weekend was a huge success, showcasing the dedication and talent of all the participants. We’re excited for the rest of the season and can’t wait to see what the next rodeos bring!
Wayne County Saddle Club Banquet and Tack Swap Information
Hello friends and members. December is here. I hope the holidays bring family and friends together. The Saddle Club board is still planning a very full show season. Fill those wish lists for good weather, fun times and good horses, we will provide the place.
The Wayne County Saddle Club (WCSC) Banquet is January 11,
2025 at 4537 Graber Road in Fredericksburg, Ohio.
We have a carry-in dinner, year end awards, cowboy raffle, 50/50 drawing, silent auction and of course a chance to dance off all the yummy food that you ate over the holidays. It is always a good time!
It is also a great time to go through your tack and get it cleaned up. Sort out what you don’t need and get ready for our tack swap. I hear that it will be bigger and better, warmer too. Information to come. Vendors welcome! Tell your family and friends. Even tell someone you don’t know! We had great success last year. It will be in the same location, only think bigger. So with that Merry Christmas and God bless.
Pie in the Face contestants.
Bob Ross Halloween costume.
TrailMeister
Camping with Horses — and Mules
by Robert Eversole
The mornings are crisp with frost, and my favorite trails are hidden under a carpet of golden leaves. As I pack away the gear for winter, I can’t help but think about next year’s adventures. Now’s the time to start planning.
Camping with horses might initially seem overwhelming, with its many moving parts and considerations, but it doesn’t have to be. If you break the process down into manageable steps and start, you’ll find your way. Like any camping experience, you’re planning around three essential needs: food, water, and shelter— for both you and your horse. The complexity of meeting those needs is up to you. You can ease into it by choosing a fully equipped facility or eventually challenge yourself with a more rugged backcountry trip. Starting small and gradually working your way up is a key strategy for success in horse camping. Each incremental step outside your comfort zone not only leads to growth in your horsemanship and camping skills but also builds a strong foundation for future adventures.
Preparing Your Horse
Regardless of where you choose to camp, being away from home will be a valuable lesson for your horse. It will teach the critter to adapt to new environments, whether that means adjusting to a different routine, getting along with unfamiliar horses, or testing the
boundaries of his enclosure. Each trip will give you new insights into your horse’s habits when away from the familiar.
You’ll also learn the best containment system to keep your mischievous toddler out of trouble. Some horses test portable corral panels, so it may be better to train them to highlines. If your horse will be housed near others, ensure they’re compatible. Don’t hesitate to move your horse if necessary.
As you learn how to prepare for life on the trail, so is your horse. This mutual learning process is what makes horse camping so rewarding. That’s why starting small—right in your own backyard—is a great way to introduce both of you to the process.
Beginning: The Fundamentals
Camp at home. Yes, you read that correctly. For your first horse camping trip, stay home. This familiar environment provides a secure and controlled setting to practice packing for an overnight trip while giving your horse a safe, controlled environment. My first camping trip of every year is in my back pasture. Every year, I’m thankful for the tune-up in a secure environment where failure is an option.
Pro Tip: After each trip, keep track of what you needed, what you forgot, and what made the experience smoother. Over time, you’ll refine your system and become more efficient in preparing for both the trail and camp.
Intermediate: Established Campgrounds with Corrals
Once you’re comfortable camping at home, it’s time to up the ante by traveling to an established equine camping facility, preferably with a corral. You’ll sleep in a tent or your trailer’s living quarters while your horse stays nearby. This gives you a taste of camping while still eliminating the worry of horse containment overnight—one of the biggest hurdles in horse camping.
Some camps I adore that fit this level include Oregon’s Quinn Meadow and Missouri’s Brushy Creek Lodge and Resort. Both offer fabulous amenities while providing safe corrals for your furry kiddos.
Advanced: Established Campgrounds without Corrals
This level moves you slightly further from the comforts of civilization, but you’ll still have your vehicle close by, making it easier to manage the necessities. The most significant shift here is securing your horse overnight. Options include using a highline or setting up a portable corral. I’m a fan of highlines for many reasons, but if you’re not, portable corrals can also keep your critters out of mischief. Both horse containment methods require you to practice at home first.
S Please turn to page 40
For more information on trail riding and horse camping, please visit us at www.TrailMeister. com. TrailMeister is the world’s most extensive guide to horse trails and camps and a resource for information to keep your rides enjoyable and safe. The best-selling book “The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping” features 180 more topics for the active or aspiring trail rider. From how to train your horse for the trail to how to use that GPS. Get your copy on Amazon.
Swamp Driving Club! Even though we have completed all of our activities and events for 2024, we are making plans for 2025. Here are the details for the business meeting. The meeting will be held January 12, 2025 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Good Hope Lutheran Church, 300 S. Main Street, Arlington Ohio 45814. The agenda of the meeting includes 2025 club elections for positions opening: president, vice president, treasurer and
committee members. All members, please plan to attend this meeting. Please consider volunteering to fill the offices that are becoming open. Everyone should consider offering to help fill the positions, it’s a team effort. I will post a list of the new officers and contact information. We will not have a meeting or event in December.
interested in our horse-drawn driving club. My email address is higgy122@gmail.com if you have any questions.
After the meeting we will be have our potluck as usual. Please bring your delicious contributions and add them to make it a great potluck.
We always extend an open invitation to everyone who is
We hope everyone will have a safe and happy holiday season! Looking forward in seeing everyone next year!
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
The MTRA is an Adventure of a Lifetime
PRESIDENT, Dug Jordan
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Jimmy Corlew
SECRETARY, Jan Gould
TREASURER, Cindy Lawrence
WEBSITE, www.mtra.org
EMAIL, mtra.office@gmail.com
PHONE, 231/492-9494
Riding the MTRA (Michigan Trail Riders Association) shoreto-shore trail is one of the most iconic and challenging adventures for trail riders in Michigan. The trail adventure goes from shore to shore, Lake Michigan to Lake Huron or in reverse for (237.24 miles). They also have the option going from Stoney Creek Trail Camp near Afton, Mich., to Hopkin’s Creek Trail Camp near Fife Lake, Mich., (207.3 miles).
The MTRA has six rides each year beginning with the May/ Blossom Ride, 1st June Ride, 2nd June Family ride, August Ride, September Ride that can be one to three weeks of riding and the October/Color Ride. Each ride has its own challenges and activities.
In order for these rides to exist there are a great number of volunteers and some paid positions requiring special qualifications. At the beginning of the year the MTRA board is in gear to maintain all trails. Each board member is assigned to a particular trail to recruit helpers to clear and clean trails. Board positions require attendance at each board meeting (four times a year) and each board member serves on special committees to assure the MTRA remains active, organized and fun.
The MTRA actively posts employee positions each year which consist of secretary, treasurer, bus driver and trail boss.
The bus driver is required to have a (CDL) with a good driving record and knowledge of Michigan roads. The bus driver leads the rigs to the next camp and collects riders from that camp as they drop off their rigs, then drives them back to their horses at the previous camp, allowing them to ride camp to camp.
The trail boss has a number of duties that range from trail boss meetings held the night
before each ride from camp to camp. They explain any updates or obstacles on the trails and answer questions from the riders. They also set up the water well generator, solve problems on the trail, manage the camp sites and riders during the ride helping with any situations along the way. The trail boss signs in all riders and monitors the completion of each ride presenting trophies and certificates of completion when applicable.
If you would like to go on the ultimate adventure, join the
MTRA and sign-up for one or all of the rides. You can ride one day or all days of the scheduled rides, but to get the trophy and certificate, you need to complete the ride. Take the ultimate adventure and apply for one of our positions, we are always looking for awesome people. Check out mtra.org and go to the ‘About Us’ section and review our current seasonal employment. Contact mtra.office@gmail.com for more information.
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
17th Annual Awards Banquet Scheduled for January 2025
PRESIDENT, R. David Davis VICE PRESIDENT, Mike Sheets SECRETARY/TREASURER, Karen Foley; PHONE, 330-719-3290 EMAIL, karenld0819@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.lakeerievaqueros.net
by Karen (Chilipepper) Foley
The 2024 Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros season is now over. Now it is time to work on awards for all our winners after gathering all our points through CMSA and participants had to attend six out of the eight events. The 17th annual awards banquet will be held on January 18, 2025 at the Lenox Community Center in Jefferson, Ohio. More details will follow later.
I again want to thank John Truman for coming out to every event and announcing all day. You did a fantastic job! I want to also thank our balloon setters Bekah and Cooper for running our balloons all season, we hope to see them again in 2025. They also did a fantastic job! Thank you Lannie Stady, Carmen Virzi and all those who helped during the events and all those who stayed to help tear down when everything was finished. Thank you!
We had a wonderful season this year even though the events were smaller than usual. Everyone who came seemed to have a lot of fun.
We want to congratulate all of our winners and thank them for coming out to all of our events of the season. We hope to see everyone at our annual awards banquet in January. Cost of dinner will be $20 per person. Our meeting are always the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in coming are more than welcome to join us and see what we are all about. Visit our web page, lakeeriemountedvaqueros.net, to see where the meetings are going to be held or feel free to call me at 330/719-3290 for any information regarding our club or about cowboy mounted shooting.
I would like to say thank you to Sylvio and Christy Pellegrino for hosting our November meeting! Special thanks to our sponsors: Big Dee’s Vet and Tack Supply, CMSA, Lonesome Pine Ammo and Curly’s Ammo, The Horsemen’s Corral, Stagecoach West, Park Side Trailer Sales and Services, Inc., Siracki Realty, Altmeyer’s Trailer Sales, Wendy Shaffer, MMCP, Agile Equine Bodywork, Junction Buick GMC, Kiko Meats, and Jefferson Milling.
Knox County Horse Park
Future Looks Bright at Knox County Horse Park
PRESIDENT, Donny Cline
VICE PRESIDENTS, Travis Ross and Claude Robinson
TREASURER, Pam Niner
SECRETARY, Madisyn Weekley
CONTACT, KCHP.mtv.ohio@gmail.com
FACEBOOK, Knox County Horse Park Inc
Good day partners! The season is over, here are a few pictures of the 2024 High Point winners.
I’d like to start by thanking all of our participants for all their hard work and dedication to this season! The shows are a great success thanks to all of the participants, sponsors and volunteers who run the shows.
I would like to thank all of our sponsors again as this year comes to a close. Thank you to A/Z Grooming, Angel Gamble, Becky Payne, Bev Miller, CarBon Farms, Cathy Foster, Countryside Vet Center, Custom Cutters, Dave and Debbie Smith, Donny and Rannay Cline, Dream Catchers 4-H Club, Gamble
Mobile Horseshoeing, Healthy Center Massage Therapy and Acupuncture, The Cline Family In Memory of Purdy Stable, Judy Roberts, Karen Abram, Knox County Draft Horse and Pony 4-H Club, Knox County Ohio Horseman’s Council, Lexi Snyder, Lisa DesJardins, Michigan Mud Control, PELIA, Pullins Law Firm, Red Maple Farm, Roberts Family, Rockwell Construction, Sims On-Site Sanitation, Sara Hall, Scarlet Acres, Travis and Sue Ross, Truss Trucking and Twin Oak Trucking. I would also like to thank all of the businesses and people involved in making our prizes
possible this season. Thank you Molly’s Custom Silver, Made from the Hart Co., Danville Harness and Shoe, Phil Pearce, Two Acre Farm and Feed Supply, Embroidery Heaven and Trophies Unlimited.
Thank you to everyone for making this year a success and we cannot wait to see you all back next year!
The future of 2025 is bright and we are continuing with the pleasure portion of the show was missed by the contestants and we are talking about bringing it back. The arena challenge was missed also so we are looking
~Donny
The Equine Specialty Hospital provides advanced diagnostic, sports medicine, and surgical services for horses, mules, and donkeys of all breeds and disciplines. Board-certified surgeons provide care by appointment or emergency admission. The hospital is staffed 24 hours a day, allowing continuous monitoring of critically ill patients. You may have your veterinarian call and refer your horse, but a referral is not required for elective or emergency services.
Diagnostic Services
• Lameness diagnosis
• Digital X-Ray
• Digital Ultrasound
• MRI
• Nuclear Scintigraphy
• Videoendoscopy
• Dynamic Endoscopy
• Gastroscopy
• Myelography
Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Center
• Cold Compression Therapy
• Therapeutic Laser
• Shockwave Therapy
• Platelet Rich Plasma
• IRAP
• Stem Cells
Medical Services
• Neonatal & Adult ICU
• Neurologic Evaluations
• Ophthalmic Evaluations
• Respiratory Evaluations
• Perinatal Care for High Risk Pregnancies
Surgical Services
• Laparoscopic Surgery
• Arthroscopic Surgery
• Fracture Repair
• Colic Surgery
• Soft Tissue Surgery
• Laser Surgery
—Uterine Cysts
—Upper Airwave
—Skin Tumors
• Dental/Sinus Surgery
Other Services
• Podiatry Center
• Isolation Facility for contagious diseases
• Fully padded stall with dynamic sling support
Neonatal ICU
Colic Surgery
Arthroscopy
Adult ICU
Sling Support
Digital Ultrasound
PRESIDENT, Beth Metzer
VICE PRESIDENT, Mary Lou Paxton
TREASURER, Lisa Gross
SECRETARY, Jill Christopher
EMAIL, fdcta@aol.com
FACEBOOK, www.facebook.com/ groups/FDCTA
by Heather Bonifas
Crisp mornings and chilly evenings just right for campfires and trail rides have been calling all year, and here we are, finally. We are now able comfortably to wear our long sleeves and vests as we go out to ride our now fuzzy horses. What a great time to be a horseman. It is also the time to get our ‘ducks in a row’ before the snow flies. It will be here before we know it. What ‘ducks’ could you possibly mean, you may ask. Let me just mention a few here. The last baths of the season for our mud-loving equines (unless of course you are one of the few who have a heated wash room), scrubbing grungy
Getting Our Ducks in a Row
buckets, fall worming, washing and repairing blankets, securing enough hay and bedding for the cold indoor months, knocking down the cobwebs from every corner (it’s way past Halloween, you know) and winterizing water sources, are just to name a few. Did I really just say that it is a great time to be a horseman? After all that work, what on Earth could I be thinking? Am I just a glutton for punishment? Oh, no I am not. What is the purpose for all that extra work; our love of the horse. Crunching leaves and the fresh earthy smells stirred up from the forest floor while riding astride your favorite mount along with a handful of other horse lovers is what I mean. Enjoying a late-season schooling show to try out all those skills you have built up from another season of training is another. Challenging yourself to a ride-a-test activity like our lovely pair in the pictures above (Margie Shoop astride the gorgeous Charlie at the University of Findlay’s schooling show) could be undertaken. Who needs to be reminded of the
wonder it does to the heart to run your hands through the warm, long fluff covering your once sleek steed? Soft shuffling and munching noises fill the air of the cozy barns after any fall activity.
Take the time to learn with, love more, and just be in the moment with what you are blessed with, especially our
friends and our common interest—the horse.
Buckeye Equestrian Association
Different Options for Donations to Horse Organizations
PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio
VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan
SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner
TREASURER, Sally Kish
FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
By the time you read this Thanksgiving will be over. I hope everyone had a great day. If you haven’t already, remember to thank your veterinarian. They come out to take care of our beloved horses in all kinds of weather, often at inconvenient times. I have been very fortunate to have a great horse vet and a great dog vet. My horse vet held my hand and embraced me when I had to put my show horse down when he was 26 years old. And my dog vet took care of my two dogs from puppies until the end of life. And when that time came, she came to my home to make it easier for my old dogs. Now she takes care of my new puppies all while battling cancer. And she is a graduate of The Ohio State University Veterinary School and donated to them in my dog’s name.
As we get ready to celebrate Christmas, our Board is considering different options for our annual donations to nonprofit horse organizations. In the past we have donated to Canter of Ohio that rehomes retired racehorses, Camelot Therapeutic Riding Center in Southington, Ohio, Storm Harbor Equestrian Center, which is part of the Slippery Rock University, as well as 4-H Saddle Horse in Mahoning County and Pony Club. Unfortunately, the Pony Club in our area is no longer. We also are aware of the equine victims of the recent hurricanes in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee. There are many organizations accepting donations to help these horse owners. Here are just a few. Fleet of Angels, Tryon International Equine Center, The Sandhills Pony Club, The Mountain Mule Packers and The Foundation for the Horse. You can Google many more organizations that help with disaster relief for animals We at Buckeye wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. For the love of horses and riders.
~Sally Kish
family,
Memento Mori memento vivere!
View From the Cheap Seats
What’s That Racket on the Roof?
by Sarah Vas
Igot to thinking about Santa and his sleigh. I wonder if he’s a very good carriage driver? I mean, is he practicing true Coachman’s hold on the lines or is it more like olden day merchant’s animals practically driving themselves through the delivery route? I’m guessing it’s the latter considering how many stops and starts he has to make along the way. He’s probably not even driving the sleigh at all, what with the magic of Christmas and flying sleighs and floating reindeer and all.
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen. I researched the classic poem, The Night Before Christmas, to confirm my memory of the reindeer names. That got me thinking about why Santa uses reindeer. The original version, A Visit from St. Nicholas, was released in 1823 when horse-drawn carriage was the common mode of transportation.
I do wonder if the very common knowledge regarding the limitations of putting together a proper, cohesive 8-horse team is what fueled the replacement of such for reindeer.
Now, let’s just agree that a reindeer is an unusual choice for magic carriage driving. Naysayers have argued the natural habitat and seasonal idiosyncrasies of the species against the plausibility of their holiday profession. So, why not proper carriage driving horses? Imagine the team if just envisioning each horse based on name alone.
I think it’s obvious who would be Dasher. I’m seeing a light, leggy, spry Thoroughbred bred straight from top running ancestry. A power starter, maybe a solid sprinter for sure. Not certain about this one’s long game but considering, a definite Leader in the team. Nervous? Perhaps. Probably sweats off some weight by the end of the night. Comes
back to the North Pole jigging sideways, steaming hot. Every year, the elves comment about how Dasher could go another click around the globe if his nerves didn’t cost him a week of stall rest to recover.
Then there’s Dancer. It’s probably no surprise that this is a Grand Prix dressage horse, imported of course. This Left Leader towers over Dasher by several hands and plenty of bulk. Totally different cadence from Dasher but easily keeps up alongside and muscled enough to counter the strain Dasher puts on the harness. Dancer hits every rooftop in a perfectly square halt, thank goodness. This solid stance prevents Dasher from skittering off into the gutter.
You’re probably wondering about Prancer. Well, this horse is placed directly behind Dasher. An elegant, fancy going American Saddlebred makes sense. All knee and hocks, head held high to keep above the snow flinging off Dasher’s hooves. Or perhaps an Arabian? Another light-footed character able to bounce like a doe through knee high wheat fields. Yes, a snowwhite Arab gelding just happy to be there, even though Santa must deal with its snorting waking the children and the flagging tail getting over the lines.
Vixen is not so much a breed as a certain kind of mare found in every breed. While in flight, there’s lots of pinned ears and squealing if little Prancer bounces too close. Vixen hates this job and has gnawed through several driving bits over the years with her teeth gnashing. She’s hormonal and not happy about being out in the bright moonlight, as it’s messing with her luteal cycle. Vixen squats and pees on every rooftop. Not a great situation for the horse harnessed directly behind her. Poor Comet. He’s an awkward Appaloosa with white rimmed eyes and a scrubby tail. Good chap, doesn’t make trouble. I think he gets a little lost in the mix but the elves all dote on him because he’s stuck behind Vixen. It’s difficult to make out his true coat pattern after hauling around behind Little Miss Super Soaker all night. The harness cleaning elves have petitioned for a
biothane wash-and-go synthetic harness, to no avail. Something about tradition, I’ve heard. Cupid is a lovely Welsh pony trotting triple time behind Prancer. Also white, mane and forelock as bushy as the fat man’s fur coat. He and Comet are the back of the Swing Team, both just nose to the grind stone throughout the night, making sure that the sleigh behind them isn’t jostled by the chaos happening in front of them. Two solid citizens just going along to get along. Thankfully, Santa leaves the North Pole going clockwise around the globe, spiraling always left for tiny Cupid’s sake. He can thank his predecessor, a disgruntled miniature donkey that fought for this contract line item in perpetuity before abruptly quitting and returning to his manger scene position. Longer labor season but less work. This brings me to the brutish pair pulling the sleigh, Donner and Blitzen. Their respective names have evolved to this modern-day version but just know that the various Dutch and German spellings gave nod to the words for thunder and lightning. In that regard, Donner is a beefy, ranch bred Quarter Horse. His harness is twice as wide and half again thicker than the others. There’s tie strings for hobbles, and a bedroll although Santa has told him a number of times that he’s slowing down the rooftop take-offs. Donner insists on ‘dropping camp’ every time they land on a home with more than four children. And Blitzen, the retired Clydesdale that once traveled
PRESIDENT, Jonda Cole
VICE PRESIDENTS, Marc Beck, Cinda
Bame
SECRETARY, Jenna Duvall
TREASURER, Eric Haudenschield
WEBSITE, www.owha.org
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our Corral readers! December is finally here bringing with it all the festivities of the busy holiday season. Ohio Western Horse Association (OWHA) would like to send each and every one of you a very special blessing this holiday season. Our OWHA board members are working hard preparing for the 2025 show season. OWHA continues to strive to be a fun, friendly and family-oriented organization for all levels of riders.
Ohio Western Horse Association held the November meeting on November 7 at Ada Park in Ada, Ohio. OWHA board members
Preparing for the 2025 Show Season
reviewed the 2024 show season and discussed positive changes for 2025. Board members are working on the 2025 show schedule, in hopes to have the dates posted by January. Please feel free to contact a board member if you or your organization would be interested in having an OWHA approved speed or pleasure show. OWHA is looking forward to once again having the annual meeting and awards banquet. Unfortunately, last year was extremely challenging for OWHA due to weather forcing us to cancel multiple shows, therefore OWHA made the tough decision to cancel the banquet portion. This year the weather was on our side, along with loyal show attendees. The banquet/meeting is scheduled for January 18, 2025 at the Moose Lodge in Kenton, Ohio. More information will be sent out and added to the OWHA Facebook page. This is a great event for members to get together in fellowship. OWHA would love to have more members get involved to have a great 2025 show season!
Massillon Saddle Club
Anybody who reads the monthly newsletter from OWHA knows how proud we are of our youth and it doesn’t matter if their accomplishment is on horseback or not. We love to recognize them for their ability to be well rounded. With that being said, OWHA would like to congratulate Jacob Duvall and his GTFC 2012 soccer team for being the league champions. Another big congratulations goes to Bella Conyers and Stormy for placing 12th in peewee barrels at the 2024 All American Quarter Horse Congress. This was her first year showing and she can’t wait till next year. Our last congratulations goes to Kobee Hooker, who may not be a youth anymore but none the less we are very proud of him and his Heidelberg football team. He is playing hard and it shows with multiple wins under their belt this season.
On a more somber note, OWHA would like to send our most sincere condolences to the Gossard and Haundenschield families on the passing of Dorothy
Gossard. For those who knew Dorothy, they knew her family and friends were important to her. Her favorite pastime was watching her grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing sports or while they were showing their animals. They were her pride and joy. Many thoughts and prayers to her family during this difficult time. She will be missed by many, especially during this holiday season.
In closing, OWHA would like to wish all of our readers, members, family and friends a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season! And remember that if you still need a gift for that hard to buy equine loving showman, OWHA memberships are a great way to go!
Watch MSC Facebook Pages for Events
PRESIDENT, Leanne; VICE PRESIDENT (CONTEST), Shae. VICE PRESIDENT (PLEASURE), Jeff; SECRETARY, Francine; TREASURER, Kathy
Hello, everyone! I hope that everyone was able to enjoy the unusually warmer November weather. Sunny 50 and 60 degree days were an unexpected, but, very pleasant bonus.
By the time that you read this, the 2024 Massillon Saddle Club (MSC) show season, and, the Year End Awards Banquet, will be completed. The winner of the gun raffle would have been announced, and, anyone who renewed their membership for 2025 would have been entered into a drawing for a free membership. Showbills, show dates and planned events should be completed for 2025 by December. (Please see the MSC
Facebook page for updates.)
The results of the 2025 election of officers and trustees will be listed in the January newsletter.
The 2024 pleasure showbill offered more point classes, and, the ability to compete in some new classes to win additional year end awards. The jackpot classes became point classes, and, most classes that were not age designated permitted cross entering. There was a ‘special’ jackpot class where all entries were the same fee as the regular classes: $5 gave everyone an opportunity to earn year end awards, and, to offset the class fee with a small return. (All jackpot classes had a total payout of 50 percent of all entries.) Ranch classes were expanded, and, anyone could enter. No ‘ranch’ tack or clothing was required. If you only had a saddle and clothes, or, had braided/ banded manes and western pleasure tack, you were eligible to complete in the ranch classes. Only the horse’s movement and your riding skill was judge, not
your clothing or tack.
The 2024 contest showbill had a slight change in the class order based on your request. Hopefully, this small change was able to make the show day run more smoothly for you.
The show season may be over for 2024, but there are still more activities for Massillon Saddle Club. Please watch the Massillon Saddle Club Facebook page for event dates and times.
There may also be additional dates for cow penning at Circle Y arena. Dates are being confirmed at this time.
Updates can be found on the Massillon Saddle Club Facebook for specific dates and times of any additional events.
MSC is still collecting the proof of purchase labels from Tribute products. MSC earns $0.25 per proof of purchase, or, $10 per pallet proof of purchase.
Plans for the 2025 show season started in October, if you have any suggestions to improve the shows, or, the showbills, please let us know. Any and all
suggestions are welcome, and, help us to determine what you would like to see.
Possible suggestions for 2025 are a Tack Swap (currently attempting to negotiate a space), a stand alone show (more information to follow as details are confirmed), Circle Y Arena events, an information evening with local experts (feed dealers, grooming experts, etc), as well as a few more ideas not yet confirmed. If you would like to head an event, please let us know. 2024 was a very good show season. Thank you for choosing to spend your days with Massillon Saddle Club. Watching each of you on show days, and seeing the incredible relationship that you have with your horse, has been a truly wonderful way to spend the show season. Trustees and officers has already started working on 2025 events. What would you like to see at MSC? Until the next show or event, MSC hopes that you have good rides and amazing adventures in December.
Corral Calendar
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 2024
DEC. 6-7 — National Breeders Showcase Annual Auction, Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: https://tockify.com/kuhnekt/pinboard
DEC. 6-8 — Rodeo 419 Show, THE Show Arena, 1540 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419290-3700, www.theshowarena.com
DEC. 7 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: www. shenanigansstables.com
JAN. 11 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
JAN. 11 — Team Sorting & Jackpot, M&K Equestrian Center, 15343 N 100 @, Wheatfield, IN. FMI: Kris, 219-204-0892
JAN. 12 — Young Guns 4H Drill Team Obstacle Course Play Days, Kentucky Cowtown Arena, 210 Wainscott Rd., Williamstown, KY. FMI: Text 859-630-4566
JAN. 18 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail.com, creeksidehorsepark.com
the world with a certain beer brand. What an easy gig, pulling a magic sleigh full of dreams and wishes one night a year. To avoid replacement, he tells his beertoting buddies back home that he’s giving carriage rides to tourists in the French Quarter. Incidentally, he’s the self-appointed Trip
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Navigator due to all his travel knowledge and a voice like James Earl Jones. But who am I kidding? Someone would lose a shoe or colic or get shipping fever and spoil the trip. Harness costs would be outrageous and the whole team would demand rest stops for water and hay every
Corral Calendar
Continued from page 32
JAN. 25 — Ashland Paint & Plain Saddle Club 15th Annual Swap Meet, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Richland County Fairgrounds Fairhaven Hall, 750 Home Road N., Mansfield, OH. FMI: Taylor Rebman, 419-606-5164, www. ashlandpaintandplain.com
FEB. 15 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail.com, creeksidehorsepark.com
Sarah Vas, a second-generation horse woman, writes about her decades of adventure and mayhem in the equine industry. Her experience encompasses
multiple breeds and disciplines. A humble storyteller and educator at heart, her Cheap Seats column is often infused with the spirit of her two favorite philosophies. Laughter is the Breath of Life and Poverty is the Real Mother of Invention.
FEB. 27 — Better Barrel Races, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Joe, 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
Find more equine events on the Horsemen’s Corral website www.thehorsemenscorral.com
List Your Equine Event in the Horsemen’s Corral! Send the information to: michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
Be Specific
by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
Christmas is right around the corner. Have you ever received a gift that wasn’t quite what you had in mind? When riding a horse have you ever made a request with a cue and their response wasn’t what you intended? Have you ever had a discussion with someone and their interpretation of what you meant was misunderstood? Is it possible that you weren’t specific enough?
The past month here at CP Ranch I have been working with our lesson students at being more specific communicating with the horses with their hands, feet and seat. I see riders become frustrated when the horse doesn’t give them the reaction they intended. We have been slowing things down and breaking them into smaller pieces to better communicate how to move the horse’s body parts as well as when and how to apply pressure
and release pressure. We did small exercises that isolated the person’s hands, feet and seat. I was concerned that riders would find it boring, especially the kids. At the end of one of the adult’s lessons, she shared how grateful she was. She said the exercises helped her understand the importance of being specific because she saw the result in the horse’s reaction.
Matthew 20:30-34 is a great example of being specific. “Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called out to them. “What do you want me to do for you?” He asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.
Immediately they received their sight and followed him.” Jesus knew, prior to their request, what they wanted. So why did He ask them what they wanted? God wants us to be specific in our requests to Him.
I struggle a lot to be specific not only in my prayers but when communicating with others. Many years ago, when Rob and I had our oldest son, we were trying again to grow our family. I prayed and told the Lord I wanted two children. Well, two is what he gave us…twins! When I prayed, I forgot to say two total! I say this jokingly. Obviously, God wanted us to have three boys and we love them dearly! However, the way I presented it was vague.
If you have read any of my past articles you know the majority of my topics are inspired by horses and this one is no exception. We have a few young horses I am currently working with and our 2-year-old mare, Piper, is the inspiration for this article. When lunging she would immediately trot or go into a canter. I decided to use a cue to ask for the walk, a different cue for the trot and another for the canter. I noticed there were times that I was not being completely specific when making requests. One example is I normally use one cluck for her to walk, three clucks to request the trot and a kiss to canter. I noticed there were times when I was not asking for a cue confidently and consistently which caused her some confusion. At times it became frustrating but when I really analyzed my actions and her reactions, I could not blame her for answering the way I anticipated. As she began to understand what my intentions for her were, she became more confident and comfortable and we have been able to develop a better relationship with each other. Being specific in a relationship is being honest and communicating clearly. When doing so Ephesians 4:15 reminds us that we are to “speak the truth in love.” In my Bible’s explanation it clearly states that this is not always easy, convenient or pleasant. When I am in an uncomfortable situation where I need to talk to someone, a lot of times I am not specific and may not express it with as much love as needed.
One of the primary ramifications is others have had a negative and complete misinterpretation of my intentions. When soul searching as to why I may not adequately communicate I discovered the primary reason is because I am fearful of confrontation. I also lack confidence and may not speak boldly with love. We work hard, with people we care about, to grow our relationship. In the same way God definitely wants us to cultivate our relationship with Him. However, we need to pray within God’s will. If you pray for $1.5 million by Tuesday at noon and to get paid with large bills, that may be specific, but very possibly not within His will. When praying within God’s will, go to Him confidently and assert your faith and expect Him to move on your behalf. He wants us to act boldly and courageously. God wants you to have all that is within His will for your life. James 4:2 confirms that “you have not, because you ask not.” It may not happen immediately but He’s waiting for you to ask! My friends, may you be blessed on your ride!
The Corzatt family owns and operates 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 here as “CPR for the soul!” Visit our website at www.cpranch. wixsite.com/home or follow us on Facebook.
Tanya and Rob Corzatt
Colorado Ranger Horse Association
Send in Youth Point Program Application and Fees
PRESIDENT, Toni Lukavich; 1ST VICE PRESIDENT, Charmaine Wulff; SECRETARY, Barbara Summerson; TREASURER, Jane Montgomery. WEBSITE, www.coloradoranger.com EMAIL, prranger@verizon.net
by Cathy Martens-Nitschke
The Colorado Ranger Horse (“The Using Horse of the High Plains”) is one that is registered with the Colorado Ranger Horse Association, Inc. (CRHA), which
is one of the oldest of the western horse breed registries still in existence in the United States.
The 51st Colorado Ranger Horse National Show was held on September 21-22, 2024. The show was at Clinton County Fairgrounds in Mill Hall, Pa. Ranger Logging and Open Show forms are due soon.
Camping with Horses
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Practice setting up and securing your Highline at home, ensuring your horse is comfortable and familiar with it before heading out. Here’s a link to a video detailing how to set up a safe and effective Highline – https://www.trailmeister.com/a-better-highline/ Horse Camps that I’m fond of in this category include Washington’s Haney Meadow and Ohio’s Hueston Woods State Park Horse Camp. Pro: Wilderness Camping: Wilderness camping is the ultimate goal in horse camping, the ‘pro level’— trips in Capitol W wilderness areas. It requires plenty of preparation and is a true test of your skills and your horse’s abilities. At this stage, you rely entirely on what your animals can pack, making it a challenging yet rewarding experience. Wilderness camping also means finding natural food and water
Don’t forget to send in your Youth Point Program applications and fees for 2025 to Cathy Martens Nitschke. The form is on the website above. Check all other programs for the upcoming year, too.
More High Points from the 2024 CRHA National are: MOST VERSATILE: Belles Legacy owned and shown by Amanda Wikman, NH.
MARE GRAND CHAMPION: Belles Legacy owned and shown by Amanda Wikman, NH.
MARE RESERVE CHAMPION: BW Cash’s Hannah owned by Barb Summerson, PA and shown by Cathy Martens-Nitschke, MI.
sources for your horse(s). Before heading out, research the area beforehand and talk to experienced packers, such as local Back Country Horsemen groups or park rangers.
Notable wilderness areas well worth a visit include Montana’s Bob Marshall Complex and Oregon’s Eagle Cap.
The key to horse camping success is working your way up, gradually building your skills and confidence—both in yourself and your horse. Start simple, stay organized, and embrace each step of the journey. Now is the perfect time to start working towards those bucket list adventures. For more thoughts on camping with equines, buy a copy of the best-selling book The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping on Amazon or visit me at www.TrailMeister.com.
Country Living Close to City Amenities
24481 Barrett, Olmsted Township, Ohio 44138
Welcome to a meticulously maintained horse facility, enhanced with careful attention to every detail since its purchase. Located in Olmsted Township. Walking distance to wonderful MetroPark bridle trails. Some of the updates done by the sellers... Equestrian Features: 16-Stall Barn with 800 hay storage in loft plus another 150 in a hay stall. Wiring updated, LED lighting, extra plugs, and stall fans. New roof on both barn and arena includes light panels in roof ridge providing natural lighting. Indoor and outdoor arenas for versatile riding/training options. Ample pasture, round pens, and turnouts. Wash rack equipped with both hot and cold running water. All essential equipment is provided with the sale, including a tractor and implements. Main House: 1748 sq ft. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. Gas fireplace, woodburner, newly renovated kitchen, carpet, and bathrooms. Guest House: 690 sq ft. 1 bedroom, living room, kitchen. New kitchen and updated bath. This private property is accessible by appointment only. A scheduled showing with a real estate agent is required. Do not enter the property without an agent. Pre-approval / proof of funds required before viewing the property.
For more information and pictures visit https://now.mlsmatrix.com/matrix/shared/T5vkZT6Wg0c/24481BarrettRoad
Western Dressage
Reflections on the Western Dressage Show Season
by Kelley Bitter
As we find ourselves at the close of another exhilarating western dressage show season, it’s an opportune moment to temporarily set aside our spurs and embark on a heartfelt journey through the past year. This season has been a tapestry woven with threads of dedicated training, countless hours spent riding, and, of course, an abundance of carrot bribes that we all know our equine companions appreciate. Whether you were in the show ring, commanding the attention of judges and spectators alike, or enthusiastically cheering from the sidelines, one undeniable truth stands out: this season has been a vibrant showcase of growth and excitement in our beloved sport.
This year has witnessed an inspiring rise in personal best achievements among first-time competitors. Each of these newcomers who stepped into the arena, filled with both determination and nerves, serves as a testament to the flourishing nature of our sport. It’s uplifting to experience the spirit of inclusivity that defines western dressage—a sport where every competitor, regardless of experience level, is embraced with warmth and camaraderie. Seasoned riders have not only encouraged these newcomers but have also taken it upon themselves to share wisdom and tips, pushing the boundaries of their own abilities while inspiring others to reach for their dreams. Western dressage is a place where all are welcome and cheered on for their efforts. It is one of my favorite things about this sport.
Let’s give a well-deserved round of applause to those who triumphed at the prestigious WDAA World Show! The performances
presented there were breathtaking, showcasing unparalleled talent and dedication. Each rider and horse combination exhibited not just skill but also a deep bond that resonated with everyone present. The atmosphere was charged with excitement as we witnessed the beauty of horse and rider moving as one—a stunning display of precision, grace, and mutual trust that encapsulates the very essence of western dressage. These unforgettable moments reaffirm our passion for the sport, reminding us of why we devote ourselves to this pursuit.
This season has been marked by the introduction of innovative training methods that have revolutionized our approach to preparing both horse and rider. Many have embraced unconventional techniques that emphasize creativity, leading to significant breakthroughs in performance. We’ve seen riders incorporating elements such as groundwork exercises, breathing techniques, and varied exercises to enhance balance and fluidity. The resulting improvements in technique, coordination, and overall poise within the arena have been nothing short of remarkable. It’s fascinating to witness how our sport evolves by integrating new ideas, proving that thinking outside the box can lead to spectacular results.
Western dressage is all about the harmonious bond between horse and rider, transforming the competitive arena into a dance floor where trust and respect lead every step. Unlike other equestrian sports, western dressage puts the horse’s well-being and natural movements at the forefront, promoting a deep partnership rather than a mere conquest. It’s like convincing your stubborn pal to binge-watch your favorite show—patience, collaboration, and a shared passion make it magical! Riders learn to tune into their horses, deciphering subtle cues and responses, ensuring that each maneuver is a shared effort. This synergy not only elevates the performance but nurtures mutual development, where both horse and rider grow more confident and skilled, prancing forward as a true team. We saw this at Worlds in every ride. It is what I call the trueness of ride. Horse and rider as one.
The increase in participation and active engagement within our community is both heartening and commendable. It speaks volumes about the rising popularity of western dressage and the sense of belonging it fosters among its participants. This year has gone beyond mere competition; it has become a celebration of shared experiences. We are coming together not only for individual victories but to enjoy the journey, exchanging tips, techniques, and stories over shared cups of coffee or post-show celebrations. Every trot, halt, and transition is now celebrated collectively, highlighting the profound connections we build through our shared love for this sport.
While we have celebrated our successes, we must also remain vigilant about the areas where improvement is possible. One universally acknowledged truth in equestrian sports is that there is always room for enhancement in our technical skills. Focusing on the precision and execution of our movements is paramount as we aspire to elevate our performances. Consistency in movement, transitions, and patterns requires dedicated practice, and honing these areas will undoubtedly lead to more impressive displays in the arena.
Another crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked is the importance
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President
While enjoying the challenging and scenic trails at Harrison State Forest near Cadiz and Fallon Park near Coshocton on a few gorgeous last days of October, I couldn’t help but think about the selfless OHC chapter volunteers. Their dedication ensures that I can have a safe and enjoyable ride. This commitment is not unique to the Harrison or Coshocton County chapters, as there are many more OHC chapters across the state, all volunteering their time and energy to maintain the trails we love. If you’re not yet a member
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BELMONT
With the beautiful weather we had for most of October most of us were riding every chance we got. Barkcamp is the nearest for a lot of us but Harrison Forest, Salt Fork and Hocking Hills are also favorites.
The Belmont OHC ride was November 26 with 13 riders and 15 at the potluck later in the afternoon. Food was delicious with elk soup, stuffed pepper soup, beef stew and sloppy joe’s as well as several desserts and sides. Mike Schafer and his wife Jules had all the food set up and the grill heating for hot dogs. It was good to see Mike in action again after a riding accident laid him up for several months.
The annual Christmas party will be December 7. This is a fun time with a raffle and a lot of laughs! Held in conjunction with the Belmont County Saddle Club, hoping for a good turnout. Raffle tickets are selling and make up our main club fundraiser, nearly all of which go to maintain and improve the horse trails at Barkcamp. And lastly an invitation to attend the OHC/Belmont County Saddle Club every first Tuesday. OHC meets at 6 p.m. during
of OHC, it’s a choice you should consider, especially if you’re a trail rider. Joining OHC is not a commitment to work on trails; it’s a personal choice that empowers you to be part of a community that shares your passion. OHC county chapters and their friends volunteer for much more than trail maintenance. Many chapters have generously donated to organizations supporting relief for recent survivors, including the equine and human survivors of Hurricane Helene. This wasn’t a mandatory contribution
PRESIDENT Mary Alice Kuhn 330/413-6589 president@ohconline.com
VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Strayer 740/694-1007 vicepresident@ohconline.com
OHC COUNTY LINES EDITOR Martie Ackerman 713/553-9644 countylineeditor@ohconline.com
but a collective decision by the OHC chapter members. It’s a testament to the impact we can make when we come together, and it’s a powerful reason to consider joining OHC. Throughout the year, OHC county chapters hold fundraisers for worthy causes closer to home in their communities, such as St. Jude and Wounded Warriors. County chapter members make these decisions because they will support the cause and get involved. Thus, it’s a personal choice.
I encourage you to make a New Year’s resolution about joining OHC. If you don’t want to join a local county chapter, the option is ‘At Large’ if you prefer to be anonymous or a silent partner. It’s a personal decision, and that’s OK with OHC. However, you might want to become involved when you learn more about what’s happening at our 63 county chapters or one closer to your home and horses. To join, simply visit our website. Ride Ohio!
~Mary Alice Kuhn
winter months with the BCSC meeting directly after.
~Rebecca Herndon
CLERMONT
Greetings from Clermont County OHC! As I’m writing this December article for the Corral, I can’t believe how blessed we are with our trails at East Fork State Park. We have absolutely had some of the best riding weather this summer. I hope everyone has been able to enjoy the beautiful weather. With that in mind, don’t forget to report your trail miles by December 31. Do you have enough trail miles to be awarded a trail mileage
award? If you need the form, please contact Bev or me and we can send the form to you. Memberships for 2025 are also due. Clermont County finished in second place in our Southwest region, with a 15 percent increase in membership from 2023 to 2024. We finished 2024 with a total of 53 members. Do you have a friend you ride with that doesn’t belong to our chapter? Their membership and saddle miles will help Clermont County to obtain grants for additional funds to continue to improve our park. Watch our Facebook page for updates and any trail news posted as we continue to improve trails at East Fork.
Hoping everyone has a wonderful holiday season, and we look forward to 2025. God bless all.
~LaWana Bogard
CLINTON
Hello fellow horsemen and woman. I had to go to Tennessee before my knee replacement surgery. My sister, Connee Hancock, flew up from Florida, and with hurricane Helena coming she had to fly up early to miss the weather! We went
to member Abby Fox’s cabin in White Oak at the big South Fork, we rode the O & W and East Fork Stables. We had some perfect riding weather! We got in amazing rides, saw so many beautiful overlooks, climbed some mountains. Any time in the saddle is great time!
Last weekend Marion Landis gave me a call and asked if I wanted to ride! We did the north end of CCSP. It was an amazing ride and Amanda Snell joined us.
Joan Zeyer and her mule Mo.
Abby Fox, Connee Hancock, and Sue Lamb.
Amanda Snell, Marion Landis and Sue Lamb.
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The Warren County Over The Hill Gang worked the trails and did an amazing job. There were some huge trees down. If they couldn’t cut them up, they made a trail around it. Thank you Over The Hill Gang!
We have had a great fall, keep riding, winter is coming! Please check our Facebook page for updates. Take a kid riding, see the future!
~Sue Lamb
DELAWARE
Greetings and Happy Holidays from your friends in Delaware Chapter! As 2024 draws to a close, we can look back over the past 12 months with positivity. First, our awesome trail maintenance volunteers accomplished a tremendous amount of work on our bridle trails at our ‘adopted park,’ Alum Creek State Park. As of last month, our crew, led by Bobbi Arters, had accomplished 1,493 work hours equating in value to over $65,000! Our club would also like to thank the employees of IGS Energy who volunteered their time and labor to assist our crew to accomplish a major project on Maple Glen. Furthermore, we would also like to thank our local property owners who not only assist us in various trail maintenance
endeavors but allow us access from their property to work on more remote sections of trail. The bridle trails have been in superb condition this fall. With such ideal conditions and the beautiful fall foliage, horseback riders appear to have enjoyed a pleasant experience when visiting our park this season. Second, a sincere thank you to each of our guest speakers. Our chapter members were treated this year to quite an array of speakers who shared their experience and expertise on subjects ranging from natural horsemanship, equine bodywork, horse rescue and equine therapy, barn fire prevention and safety, personal safety and security in parks, including your everyday surroundings, neighboring state park news, and highlights from an awesome solo trip out West.
Congratulations to our 2025 chapter officers. Elections were held last month with our current officers retaining their positions for the upcoming year. President Theresa Burke, Vice President Kim Vorbau, Treasurer Alex Sydney, and Secretary Bobbi Arters. On behalf of my fellow officers, I want to thank our members for their vote of confidence. We look forward to another fun-filled, informative, and productive year.
Delaware Chapter’s Christmas party and potluck is scheduled for Friday, December 6 beginning at
7 p.m. sharp. Come wearing your favorite Christmas sweater for a chance to win a prize during our ‘ugly Christmas sweater’ contest. Bring a wrapped gift (valued up to $20) suitable for either gender if you wish to participate in our famous ‘Secret Santa gift exchange/steal’. For more details including potluck item signup, look for our event flyer on our Facebook page: Delaware County, Ohio Horseman’s Council.
Highlights from our State OHC General Membership meeting that took place on November 9, will appear in next month’s column. Speaking of meetings, our 2025 State mid-winter meeting and seminars are slated for January. Watch for more details on time, location, and agenda to be coming soon to Facebook and your email. I wish everyone a very blessed and Merry Christmas!
~Theresa Burke
ERIE
Greetings from Erie County! We are winding down from great riding in October and November. It is hard to believe it is the end of the year and we are in the middle of the holidays. Just a reminder that you have until the end of the month to send in your registration if you haven’t already done so. Also, Eric is patiently waiting for your yearly tally of miles. Our club has been riding a lot this year, so I am excited to see all the totals. The parks really need these miles to continue the horse trails.
Columbus Day weekend had a lot of us driving to Pennsylvania to Joyce and Bill’s cabin on the mountain. Horseback riding, bicycling and star gazing were just some of the activities enjoyed on a great fall weekend. A chance to see the Northern Lights was shared by all as they made their appearance in the evening sky. Long weekends are the best! Our last club campout was held at the end of October at the Smokey Road trailhead. Everyone enjoyed riding among the beautiful fall colors. A potluck was held Saturday night and was well attended. The campfire drew everyone close as the evening started to chill down. Well, we thought it was the last campout. The weather had been so nice, members Dan and Marcia invited everyone to their farm for one more campout! We got a chance to camp in a hayfield, much to the
delight of our equine friends. We circled the campfire with our rigs which made a great wind break. We had good riding in fields and woods and we got the horses and mules out one more weekend! Between the Saturday evening potluck, breakfast (the best pancakes) and fellowship, what a fun time! Speaking of mules, I actually got to ride my first mule. Ringo is half Appaloosa and has a great gait. He is a real sweetheart, don’t tell Thunder Our November meeting was held at Jim’s Pizza Box in Milan. We held our annual ride and campout planning session. This is always a fun meeting. Pretty sure we will be riding New Year’s Day! Check for time and place. We are holding our Christmas party at the Coupling this year. Always check emails for any last-minute changes, December is truly a busy season. It was a great year of activities and accomplishments. May we be blessed with many more. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Life is better on the trail!
~Shelley Hayes
Sue Lamb and sister Connee Hancock on the O and W.
Bobbi Arters and Carole Bosich.
Delaware members enjoying a trail ride and fall colors.
Pat O’Connell
Dan and Ed coming down the mountain.
Lorna and Jaxon in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania mountain ride.
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FULTON
October was a busy month for many members. We were blessed with fantastic weather for our Oaktoberfest weekend event and the ride-a-thon at Harry Hughes Youth Equestrian Center which were reported on last month. Marge and daughter Emily rode the Beach Ride with the Cleveland Metropark Mounted Police. Michelle and Cheryl camped and rode at the newly renovated Van Buren State Park where many members day rode. Christine, Sam, former member Elise, Sandy and Tony, and Matt and Kathy camped at Mohican with the Ohio Paint Horse Club and OHC members from other counties.
Rod and Michelle rode at Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and participated in Civil War reenactment events including a national event in Virginia.
Our chapter meeting was November 5 at Bunkers Bar and Grill in Holland. Thirtynine members and one guest attended and we enjoyed an enhanced buffet dinner. We further confirmed our plans for our holiday party, state meeting attendance and responsibilities, and our Cowboy Christmas Tack Swap on December 1 at The Show Arena (previously known as the WB Ranch) in Swanton. November plans included our Fat Saturday Soup or Ride on November 28. We planned to meet and ride out from the Rider Center on Jeffers Road. Participants could come to ride, eat soup and snacks or both and were asked to bring a soup or snack to share. We will also have a Soup or Ride on New Years Day, January 1.
For Show and Tell, Ernie showed us a muzzle net called a Munch-N-Done. It’s an antigrazing muzzle which attaches to
a bridle to prevent snatching grass and other edibles on the trail. He reported that it really put his mule’s attention back in the bridle and prevented her from snacking.
Check our website www.fcohc. com, our Facebook page Fulton County Ohio Horseman’s Council or our Facebook group Fulton County OHC to see what we’re up to in real time. We also try to keep our page on the OHC state website up to date. Happy trails!
~Kathy Brown
GEAUGA
It is December and the last month of 2024. What a great year of trail riding. Planning is on the way for more improvements to blaze the trails in Geauga County. We will have equine educational and social events for 2025. GOHC welcomes all new members young and old to consider joining our chapter.
Reading all the articles from OHC chapters is truly delightful. It has been a pleasure to serve in submitting an article for the Corral the past few years. Gathering information and sharing fun events. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be creative and enlightening each month. It is time, however, to pass the torch and allow another member to take over this illuminating and enjoyable experience. Welcome
to the world of inspiration and resourcefulness!
Find stability and peace. Connect with the beauty of nature on the back of a horse. They can change your life.
~Cecilia Hanish
GREENE
The holidays are in full swing and we are in the winter riding time (for those of us who ride year around). Layers matter when riding in the winter.
Several of our club members are having lots of fun participating in local holiday events. Our chapter continues with the Easy Peasy Group Rides for the next year. Look for the calendar of rides on the Greene County Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you on these trail rides.
The Greene County Parks and Trails created a flyer regarding etiquette and safety tips for multiuse trails. For a safe and fun visit, they suggest you follow these guidelines: Remember the trail may be shared by hikers, bikers, horses, walkers and other users. Use only non-motorized forms of transportation. Bicyclists should yield to all other users. All users should yield to horses. Keep right, except to pass. Announce passing to other users. Pass with caution. Move off paved trail when stopped. Please yield to emergency vehicles. Respect private property. Clean up after your pet. Observe the 20 MPH speed limit. Heed all signs. Please don’t litter. Read and obey all rules and regulations. It should be noted that people requiring motorized wheelchairs have access to the trails. These vehicles are restricted to 42 inches wide and 96 inches long. E-Bikes that are class 1 and 2 are permitted, and class 3 prohibited. The differences between the E-Bikes are speed. Class 1 and 2 are designed to help in pedaling
and can go as fast as 20 miles per hour. Class 3 is the fastest and have throttles that assist in easing the driving mechanism of the bike and can travel at 28 miles per hour.
Be sure to sign up for a local chapter or become a secondary member of nearby chapters. Supporting an OHC club ensures we have equine trails for the riders of the future. We also welcome our new members to our club. Happy trails!
~Cindra Phillips
GUERNSEY
Fall has found many of us riding in the awesome fall colors at Salt Fork! My favorite fall trail lies between the 10 and 11 mile-markers of the Purple Trail. The west hillside, as you ride the canyon rim, is always a blaze of bright yellows and reds. If you’re lucky, you may get to see a very large buck, standing beneath a rock overhang. (Many have.)
Lynn, Bob, Darla and I camped at Salt Fork six days across two weeks. The weather was post card perfect! We rode about 72 miles covering the Orange Trail, the Blue Trail, the Red Trail, the Purple Trail, and the White Trail A & B Loops. The second half of our six days, we were joined by two brothers, Dan and Lee, from Columbiana County. Two really nice horsemen!
Talk about a small world, both went to school with Kelly, Darla’s maid-of-honor in our wedding. Darla and Dan talked a lot about Kelly and her brother and sisters. Dan lives in East Palestine, where they were from, and I know all of you heard about the train wreck that happened there. Around the evening campfire Dan gave us the ‘real’ story of the train wreck. Dan lives just a block and a half from the site of the derailment. It was very interesting to hear his account of the event.
Terri also joined us for our ride of the B Loop. The picture of the stonework you see is the stone fireplace in the basement of the old house at the 3-mile marker of the B Loop. Directly in front of this, is where the picnic table and tie lines will be put. I will be working with the Park’s Historian to create and place a plaque there, giving us a history of the house.
On Saturday, a bunch of Bob and Lynn’s friends joined us for a ride and the picture was taken
Kim riding Rebel.
Beth driving at the National Drive.
Geauga County OHC Sycamore Park, winter ride.
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at the picnic area of the Orange Trail. The sand bar we are on, is normally under about two feet of water. (We are about 16 weeks into this drought and the lake at Salt Fork is three feet below normal levels.) On the B Loop, Terri takes a picture of us from the back of her horse. In the background; Lynn, Lee, Dan and myself. Dee Dee and I hope to see you on the trail!
~Lee Randolph
HAMILTON
Sweet December, we welcome you with sleighbells, happiness, everything red, and a lookback to HC-OHC’s 2024 accomplishments. Like most OHC chapter clubs, we continue to slowly rebuild our membership base from the Covid spiral. I believe the reason for our growth is threefold: we have really nice people in our club who enjoy spending time together; we have dedicated volunteers and club supporters who work hard nurturing the organization; and we sharpened our pencils, deleting activities that no longer work and slowly adding and experimenting with different activities and programs for members to enjoy. Stay tuned for our new initiatives! In the
meantime, grab your sleighbells and join us as we take a walk down memory lane reviewing HC-OHC’s 2024.
January, club members gathered and did mental gymnastics answering the question, Why are you a HC-OHC member? Ideas were shared, lists were made, a common thread was found and viola, HC-OHC’s guidepost why, vision and mission statements were born. In support of our why, vision and mission, we made our business meetings fewer and more informative by introducing an innovative program we call, ‘my favorite thing’ and reducing our number of business meetings from 12 to eight per year. We also added activities and events like: members Mike and Ann Frederick attending Ag Day at the Capital to meet with Hamilton County and Ohio representatives to advocate for horse trails and the equine industry (February); purchasing booth space at The Great Tack Exchange with proceeds from donated tack to support club initiatives and the Miami Whitewater Forest horse trails (March); creating an equine themed book club that meets monthly (March); Organizing a chili dinner social sponsored by Hamilton County Farm Bureau, and a boutique shopping experience sponsored by Cowgirls who Care, both serving as an evening warm up for the wildly popular educational program, ‘Ask the Veterinarian’ supported by Miamitown Equine Veterinary Services (March). Members were also engaged organizing an ice cream social, sponsored by Cowgirls who Care, followed by Ann Frederick speaking on ‘Getting Your Horse Ready for a Parade’ (April); providing a gift card to support Crosby Township’s Day at Stricker’s Grove (May); Resurrecting HCOHC annual pool party with Dick and Sarah Stuart graciously opening up their lovely home
for members to enjoy fellowship and a summertime dip in the pool. (August); Resurrecting the Fall Ride held at the Miami Whitewater Forest (October); and donating club funds to the Crosby Township Community Chest to provide toys for the underserved children of Crosby Township (November); in addition, club members also enjoyed the opportunity to participate in four Hamilton County community parades (Memorial Day for Crosby Township and Cheviot, Harrison 4th of July and the Harrison Christmas parade); four Moonlight Rides at the Miami Whitewater Forest Shaker Trace Trail (May, June, July and September) and eight regional state OHC weekend camping trips. To endcap our 2024 activities, HCOHC members accrued over 100 volunteer work hours maintaining the Miami Whitewater Forest horse trails and reaped the benefits of the reopening of horse trail A. Yes, many hands do lighten the work! Please join me in thanking and recognizing our 2024 board and committee chairpersons: Heather Alden, Youth Committee Chair; Jennifer Drennan, Secretary; Ann Frederick, President and County Lines writer; Kristin Frederick, HC-OHC website manager; Dr. Mike Frederick, Great Parks horse trail liaison and diligent trail worker; Grace Hobbie, Trail Mileage reporter; Ann Shatto, Equine Book Club chair; Dick Stuart, Treasurer; and Sarah Stuart, Parade Committee chair. Also, special recognition goes to those who are always ready to help: the food crew: Judy Gangloff and Cowgirls Who Care; Raffle ticket sellers: Dick and Sarah Stuart and ride organizers: Jennifer Drennan and Ann Frederick. Thank you to everyone for making a terrific 2024 happen for our club!
Lastly, please join me in congratulating our 2025 elected officers: President Ann Frederick, Vice President Sarah Stuart, Secretary Kristin Frederick, and Treasurer Dick Stuart. Live in Southwest Ohio? I invite you to join our club to share you and your talents with us. We would love to have you. Online membership applications for 2025 can be found online. To access, go to the OHC website at ohconline.com. Once there, go to ‘find chapter’ and then select or type in ‘Hamilton County’ in the search bar. There you can access our membership application link and view our event calendar. For up to the moment information, follow us on Facebook at Ohio Horseman’s Council Hamilton County Chapter.
~Ann Fredrick
HARRISON
It has been a busy fall for Harrison County OHC. What great trail riding weather we have had! We moved our regional ride at Harrison State Forest to September this year and had a fantastic time. So much fun to see old friends and make new ones! While it was overly warm for September, we had a nice breeze most of the weekend. The trails were dry, and everyone stayed safe. If you have never rode at Harrison State Forest, you should check out the trails there sometime. The day began with our famous egg in a bag breakfast. Thank you, Mark Westlake, for cooking! We hosted our first ever Scavenger Hunt during the ride this year, thanks to the creativity of Faye Verhovec and her husband Hank. Prizes were given to all the riders who competed as well as lunch. Everyone had lots of fun. Congratulations to the winners! We also had a Chinese
Orange Trail, October 2024
Salt Fork B house and loop.
Officer Ann Frederick
Officer Kristin Frederick with Bryan Newberry.
Officers Sarah and Dick Stuart.
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style auction and 50/50 which all together raised enough money to replenish our scholarship fund. A big thank you to all who donated! Saturday evening was complete with a nice dinner and live music by Dusty Carpenter. The music was wonderful as well. My 6-year-old grandson got to experience his first time camping, and I believe overcame his fear of horses thanks to Cindy Schrader and her pony! The kids also enjoyed their own scavenger hunt with Cindy and a fishing lesson with Bill Pugh. Bill was so gracious and even led Cowboy Church Sunday morning in place of his wife Cherri who was ill. A meaningful message on the need to cowboy up. We had a lovely pancake breakfast Sunday cooked by Mark as well as Cindy and Bill Schrader. I must give a special thank you to all the nonriders who came just to help and make sure everyone had a good time. You guys are all gems!
In October we hosted our annual Dorothy Ride. This ride is not only in honor of our late President Dorothy Glover, but also other club members such as Bruce Kincer and Nancy VanCuren who have passed. We miss them all and ride in their memory. We had a record of 38 horses that rode out! It was a lovely day with perfect weather. All had a safe and fun ride. It was nice to see some new faces. Again, a great meal and fellowship afterwards.
We are asking all who attended either event to consider joining Harrison OHC as secondary members. We want to keep you informed of our future events and hope you will visit us again!
Reach out if you have any questions or need help obtaining a registration form.
~Sherrie Hart
HOCKING
Fall is almost over and the winter months are staring us in the faces. A lot of our members are trying to get just one more ride, or camping trip in, before we can’t.
There were also a number of year-end events which our members participated in. Isee Beiter and her horse Maverick (Notice My Flatline) had a very successful Quarter Horse Congress, bringing home three medals! She has posted much of her journey on Facebook and a lot of the Hocking OHC members were cheering her on. It’s nice to see when a hometown girl, gets all fancy, proving that hard work really does pay off!
Donna Shade and her horse Athena won their first buckle at the Mid-West Regionals in Cowboy Mounted Shooting. It was a very exciting and tension filled weekend.
While there were no planned club rides, many club members did get together for various weekends to ride; sometimes with other OHC chapters. This is true all year long, but the best ones are always in the fall.
Members Kathy and Terry Newman celebrated their birthdays at Elkins Creek with quite a few of the Hocking members.
Hocking OHC really is like one big family. We celebrate with
each other, cheer for each other and plan outings together. Holiday parades are up next. Our goal, as a club, is to encourage more people to join our club. Whatever your horse activity, I bet we have a member who does that too!
Our club is very family friendly and meet at the Home Tavern in Logan the third Sunday of every month at 7 p.m. Come in earlier for dinner and relaxed conversation prior to the meeting. Watch our Facebook page for more information about our club and upcoming events!
~Donna Shade
HOLMES
December already! We are currently enjoying some warm days in November. It was an amazing experience to see beautiful fall foliage on several sunny 70-degree days. We are also in need of some rain to keep the fields and pastures ready for next year and reduce the risk of brush fires.
The club had a work weekend in September. Some general cleaning and weed whacking were done. A great soup supper was served Saturday evening. Thank you to Heidi and her husband for helping with that. Great riding weather!
Bob Picklesimer’s Cowboys for Jesus Camp was well attended in October. Again, work completed and great riding weather at Mohican. We really enjoyed seeing pictures of our secretary Stephanie and her young family riding that weekend.
Planning has begun for the spring banquet in April of 2025. It will be held at Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin, Ohio, on the first Saturday in April.
Please keep our former secretary and active member Cheryl Schneider, who always plays a big role in planning our banquet, in your thoughts and prayers as she recovers from surgery. I hear she is starting to make short trips to the barn. We are very proud of our treasurer Sue Rhodes, who helped the club make a contribution to the Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Local animal advocate Genia Fortune put together the effort. Thanks to Sue, our club donated 20 bags of alfalfa pellets. A semi filled with the pellets, chicken feed, hay bales, dog and cat food, grain, fence supplies, tents, and camping supplies headed south around the first of November. Laura McCartney spread the word and answered questions and made connections for donations.
Bruce and I enjoyed a great week at Pine Creek Horseman’s camp riding at Hocking Hills with Wayne County OHC in October. While it started out a little cold and wet, we had great riding after the first day. Most of the club took the rainy-day opportunity to check out the Rocky Boot Store and the new state Lodge at the Park. The Lodge is beautiful and most of the group were not going to have wet feet during the week. Pine
Bill’s fishing tournament.
Scavenger hunt winners.
Bob Glover and Mark Westlake at the Dorothy Ride.
Celebrating Terry and Kathy Newman’s birthdays.
Isee Beiter, All American Quarter Horse Congress.
Donna Shade, Midwest Reginal Mounted Shooting buckle.
Stephanie’s husband and boys at the work weekend and ride at Mohican.
Tom and Gloria at Mohican this fall.
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Creek was great. We enjoyed using the pavilion for meals and campfires. While there were a few non horse campers, the camp was very much like it has always been. Many thanks to all those who organized the camp and meals for this adventure.
Bruce and I also made it to Quarter Horse Congress a couple of times. Paso has a new stable sheet for cool nights on a tie line. Congress may not relate to trail riding as much as Equine Affaire but it is an amazing horse show that displays the versatility of the Quarter Horse breed.
Bruce and his buddies made a trip to Bennazette and a second trip to Hocking. We also enjoyed a beautiful ride at Mohican with Tom Ames and his friend Gloria who gave Red a very nice ride. Mohican has had a beautiful fall. We hope to make the best of this unusual weather and keep riding ‘til the snow flies. Enjoy!
~Bev Hanna
KNOX
Happy trails and greetings from Knox County! What a great month October has been for riding. KCOHC has been out and about in full force taking advantage of the cooler weather and enjoying the beautiful fall colors. We had two scheduled campouts in October. First at Stone Church in Wayne National Forest that 11 members attended and then at Salt Fork State Park. This was our last club campout and our Halloween ride, attended by 17 members. Special thanks to Mike and Teresa Smith and Ben and Heather Stengle acting as our hosts and adding to our great time with fun games and contests. There were 12 entries in the pumpkin carving contest, won by Kim Courtright, Sue Rutherford won the ‘decorate your campsite’ contest, and Laurie Murdock was closest to guessing the number of candy
corn in a bottle. The trails and views of the lake were simply gorgeous and the entire weekend was filled with laughter, good food and fellowship and apple cider. What a way to end our campout schedule, which doesn’t mean that many of our members will continue to campout as long as the good weather holds.
We are now proudly wearing our new club T-shirts and we thank Barb Stevens for coming up with our new logo and getting our shirts printed and ordered.
We meet the third Monday of each month (with the exception of no meeting in December) at 7 p.m. at Long Branch Pizza in Centerburg. Come join us at a meeting, an event, or riding down Ohio’s beautiful trails!
~Cindy Cossin
LAKE
Happy Holidays! Those of us who can, have been riding in our local areas, or doing ground work. We appreciate the new mounting blocks put up in West Woods and other nearby parks by the Geauga OHC group and the Cuyahoga OHC group. It’s December so please remember to send your trail miles and saddle hours to Rosemary. Her email is Morgan Manor@roadrunner.com. Volunteering with Free Spirit Farm had one of our members, me, leading Fancy, Buck, or my own horse, Hannah, at a Fall
Festival event near Kinsman and 181st in Cleveland. The children, dressed in costumes, loved being on a horse. Hannah was taken into a building where she was introduced to the crowd who were sitting on bleachers. Inside the arena was a large noisy, music playing popping popcorn machine, and several gigantic spider webs, complete with monstrous spiders. Two performers, dressed all sparkly, were on stilts, waving and smiling as they walked through. Hannah observed; and watched and looked. She knows about trolls and dragons, lions and tigers and bears. This stuff was easy-peasy.
The Free Spirit crew also took Fancy and Buck to Daniel E. Morgan School, part of the Cleveland School District. Rather than leading a horse, I worked with putting helmets on each rider. Volunteering is definitely fun, interesting, and rewarding.
Michelle S. and I strolled around the Apple Butter Festival in Burton. We enjoyed visiting the historical homes and village buildings while listening to timely music. We both appreciated the blacksmith and his shop as he gave a demonstration of his craft. We loved the wagon ride drawn by two magnificent Percherons. Our two horses would look like ponies next to them.
May 2025 be a happy, healthy, fun new year for all our riding chapters. Enjoy the journey.
~Rayneen Tisovic
LAWRENCE
It has been beautiful weather for riding and camping this fall. I hope a lot of you were able to take advantage of it. We had our elections last month and the new leadership is as follows. President is Kelly Adams, vice president is Jim Crowe, treasurer is April Maynard, secretary is Susan White and Sargent of Arms is Roger White.
We are getting organized once again for the new ride year. The club is planning a poker ride this spring with a hog roast and all of the fixins’. Everyone is invited to come ride with us and stay for the cookout. We will be giving more information on this with the date and time as soon as we get it all put together. We are also planning several club rides and again, everyone will be welcome to join us. There is always food involved which always makes camping and riding better. We will be riding and camping at Paddle Creek (Lake Vesuvius) on opening day in April, Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. I will post the ride schedule as soon as we get it all wired together.
The club also has several projects on our to do list. We hope to get them all completed this coming year. Happy Holidays to everyone.
~Susan White
LICKING
Hello and Merry Christmas everybody. I can’t believe this season is upon us already. It seems 2024 has flown by so quickly and yet so much has happened this year too. Bad, sad and good things! Let’s focus on the good things. We had a fantastic history ride at Lobdell in November with Mrs. Tami McAdams educating us about our local park, Lobdell Reserve in Alexandria. She did a great job as always. Thank you, Tami. We had 21 riders, and she said she has never seen the parking lot as crowded with trailers. Of course, she hasn’t been to our fried chicken ride! I hope we will see as many members at our Christmas party on December 8. I can’t wait to see all those ugly Christmas sweaters for our contest. Since we have our holiday party this month, we are not having a meeting in December but our November meeting was awesome. Mr. Bob Kruse from Deer Creek State Park was
Part of the donation to Hurricane Helene Relief.
Knox County OHC
Michelle at Burton.
Hannah at the Fall Festival.
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our guest speaker and he did a marvelous job of convincing us that his park is worth the drive and that we might have to plan a camping weekend there next season.
I hope you are ready for the holiday season. I still have some shopping to do but should be done soon. Enjoy the last few days of this year and I will write about more happenings of Licking County chapter next year. Stay warm and ride on. Happy Holidays and a happy new year!
~Sigrid Batten
LOGAN
We have had yet another spectacular fall riding season and its still very nice out! The trails have been nice and dry and the foliage so colorful but, signs of changes are starting to show, a lot of trees lost their leaves, colder winter days are upon us.
Our Logan County members have been busy hitting the trails in full force, logging many miles.
At our September meeting, one of our members informed us their daughter’s family that had a house fire. Everyone got out without injuries, but the house and everything in it were lost. Logan County OHC donated $200 to the family and a donation bucket passed around for personal donations.
We had one member who attended the Mohican chili cook off this year and this was the first year in many years LCOHC did not enter a chili, but there’s always next year.
We had our October meeting at Marmon Valley Farm October 6. LCOHC bought the pizza. We had a silent auction and ended up making enough to pay for the pizza. At this meeting we held our election of officers. For 2025 the following are the Logan County OHC officers: President Becky Porter, Vice President Lynette Rostorfer, Treasurer Becky Martin, Secretary and Reporter Cynthia Orr. Sorry about your luck, you’re stuck with me yet another year! There was discussion about changing our meeting days from Sunday evenings to a weekday evening starting the first of the year.
Six members rode at Alum Creek in October—good weather and good times were had by all who attended. On October 27 I had my annual LCOHC ride at Hardin Farm, with eight members
and two guests in attendance. It was a beautiful fall day, we had a potluck and I think if he accepts, Dave Faulkner will be our chili maker for the chili cook off next year. His chili got a five-star review from everyone who ate it! It seems way too early to wish everyone a happy holiday and new year, but it’s really not as far off as you think! After all my grandkids, just saw Santa this weekend!
~Cynthia Orr
LORAIN
Greetings all! Are you ready for old man winter to head into town? You may be inclined to stoke up the fire, sip on your favorite hot beverage and read a good book; but if you have any inclination to enjoy the beautiful new fallen snow, go for it atop of your equine buddy as you may find it absolutely invigorating and your horse will love it. Seriously, with the proper attire, I would venture to guess that you may be awestruck by the beauty of northeast Ohio after a blanket of snow covers the landscape. I have to share that it makes me want to jump off my horse and make a snow angel! Give it a try, then come in and sit by the fire. I bet you will be hooked on winter riding!
Our December calendar was sponsored by Dundee Automotive, Incorporated. They have been a sponsor for our calendar for many years; thus, we thank them for their generous sponsorship year after year.
Our October was overflowing with many opportunities. Many of us enjoyed Big Elk Lick, some for their second Big Elk Lick ride of the year. The elk were elusive out on the trail, but the Garn’s had the joy of seeing a big bull elk in the forest and others weren’t disappointed at the visitor center as there were plenty of elk with some up nice and close for viewing. Those who traveled to Beaver Creek were treated to warm weather sunny skies and the fall covers. It gets even better as they also were able to enjoy the Mill Festival in town. Jim, for one, was able to get his favorite homemade ice cream this year as opposed to last year when they ran out just as he was about to order.
Hocking Hills was also beautiful this year but a bit chilly to start off our weekend and open fires were not permitted the first night due to the drought. The fire ban
was lifted by the second night and we enjoyed each other’s company as we enjoyed a warm fire.
Our potluck had a new twist because Tony offered to grill steaks on an open fire for those who ordered them. The dogs were right there at our sides to scarf down the scraps, for sure. We all were stuffed as we had plenty of delicious side dishes and desserts to go along with the steaks. We all thank Tony for this kind gesture!
Our October membership meeting was held at Tony and Lara Monyak and boy did we have a large gathering for our election of officers, or maybe it was because of the clambake/ potluck dinner we had. Thank you both for hosting this meeting; everything was fantastic. Our officers were finalized for the 2025 calendar year. Wendy Pugh will be president, Jim Wallace is vice president, Karen Norton is secretary and Monica Haschak is treasurer. We’d like to give a big round of applause to all the officers for accepting the nominations for next year.
Tami McAdams telling us about Lobdell Reserve.
Bob Kruse from Deer Creek.
Our riders at the History Ride.
Logan County OHC
Corn maze on horseback.
Holly and Sue at the Halloween day ride.
Tony cooking our steaks.
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Additionally, our council is very thankful for our 2024 officers as they have contributed their time and talent to help our council run smoothly this past year; we appreciate all of your hard work.
Many spooky and clever costumed riders and horses were out on the Carlisle trail for our Halloween day ride. It was a great ride and afterwards we enjoyed tasty donuts to go with our cider or hot beverage. We thank Sue and Vince for being in charge of the social.
The Bedford Reservation ride was lots of fun as shared by Sue M. The Derthick Farm and corn maze experience was a blast as reported by Sandy S. About 17 of our members took their horses and twisted and turned through two different corn mazes with the horses grabbing corn stalks along the way. Afterwards there were other activities and food for purchase on the farm.
We have our annual Christmas party in December and that will wrap up our activities for this year. As a gift to all horse riders, please take a few moments of your time to report your trail miles and encourage all your fellow riders to do the same. Lorain Council trail miles are due to Brenda Lang no later than January 15 but preferably earlier. Have a wonderful holiday season!
~Kathy Duncan
MADISON
You are reading an article written in early November— we still are warm and free of bothersome insects, but way too dry. All in all, it is perfect riding weather for any discipline! With such perfect weather, it is difficult to imagine what it may be like when this comes out in the December Corral, but I intend to be riding as much as possible no matter the temperature. I hope you all feel the same. We have been riding as many places as possible, with many having the goal of riding somewhere they have not been at least once or twice a month. Ann Hunter, a Madison County secondary member, spent a week at Mammoth Cave riding beautiful, rugged trails on her lovely gelding. She said it is about as rugged as it gets, but worth the trip. Others have enjoyed camping at Hocking, and riding at Caesar’s Ford, Buck Creek, Pike State Forest, Deer Creek and Prairie Oaks.
Our October meeting presentation was on safety knot tying, and everyone practiced tying a quick-release knot that can quickly release a panicked horse with a tug of the ‘person’ end, but maintains a tight hold when pulled on by the horse. A key is to have the rope release from the stationary object without having to unwrap or touch the lead rope. We want to keep all of our fingers.
For November, we had our election of officers. It was so simple! All current officers agreed to run for another term, and no one else offered to run.
Life at Madison County is sweet, with unanimous satisfaction with the current slate. We also had a brief presentation on ‘teach your horse to be brave’ with a handout from Carson James on how to help your horse overcome spookiness by allowing him to approach and retreat from the scary thing until he is unbothered by it. A horse needs to feel an ‘out’ to escape from danger, if necessary, but learn that he can trust himself and you as well.
Our newest member, Natalie
Mirick and her partner, Jeff Lieb, enjoy trail riding as well as competing in show series in flat classes and cross rails as well as in 2’6” jumps. Jeff placed second overall in the Gambler’s Choice, Congratulations! For the final show of the season, Jeff won four ribbons in six classes entered— well done! Natalie and a friend participated in the final hunter pace in the Rocky Fork Headley Hunt series, coming in 9th in a competitive 27 team field. They traveled over a rumored 80 total jumps on the course that day, with some decorated to the nines. Be sure to see photos with this article. We are thrilled to have new members who have varied interests in horse activities so we can always learn and grow. Welcome Natalie and Jeff!
Christmas is around the corner, and planning is underway for our December 14 party with food, fun, and games. We look forward to invading Marsha and John Pierce’s house once more for a great celebration. Thanks to them for hosting!
Enjoy all of the sweetness of life, be grateful for all that we have, and be sure to give your horse a loving pat.
~Lisa Reynolds
MEDINA
Congratulations to our 2025 officers! Returning to the role of president is Raydeen Ryden; stepping up to vice president is Amy O’Neil and one of our new(er) members, Megan Padget is graciously accepting the role of secretary. Rosemary Young will continue as treasurer. Thanks for taking our chapter into its 39th year!
Our second combined state ride is over and I think my canopies are finally dried out, but fear not, plans will soon be made for our third event at South Chagrin Polo Fields. Stay tuned!
Ready-Set-Eat! Our combined banquet with Summit chapter is in the planning stages. Come join us at Richfield Masonic Hall for fun, food and prizes. See our Facebook page for more information: OHC Medina County Chapter Group. Our scheduled work sessions for the year have ended until next March, and we want to thank all the hardworking members who took time out of their weekends (when they could have been riding!) to labor with us on the Cuyahoga Valley trails.
Thanks also to those members who worked on trails with other counties. We are truly thankful for all the fine trails that Ohio has to offer and help when we can to keep them in good repair. We are always on the lookout for dry days when we can do some impromptu leaf-blowing or other repair work. Our trail bosses Raydeen Ryden and Greg Monsanty will be in contact when conditions are good. Happy Ho Ho Ho-lidays from down in the valley!
~Rosemary Young
MEIGS
Meigs OHC held an officer meeting on December 5 which included members who volunteered to help with developing some chapter by-laws and developing an event schedule for 2025. The chapter has voted to add a fifth officer who will be charged with the membership duties. Susan Sheppard has been chosen to assume the duties of membership enrollment and will work closely with the chapter treasurer. A new sign for the AEP area was discussed and Beka Setzer passed around a draft of what that sign might look like. That draft will be presented to the entire chapter at the meeting for approval. Also discussed was the club’s decision to develop a number of bylaws applicable to the Meigs group such as campfire designated areas and caution to adhere to both local and state fire codes, complying with an AEP request to post new boundary markers at least every five years, efforts to enforce that overnight camping is for equine users only, and that no trails will be changed or new trails developed without AEP approval.
A community pony ride was held at Powell’s Food Fair parking lot in Pomeroy on November 2. This was all about the kids as they were led around the portable ring by one of the club members with a spotter walking beside to reassure the child and make certain they securely stayed in the saddle. These pony ride events have become very popular in the community allowing many children to interact and ride a horse for the first time. Many stick around after their ride to get a second turn.
Meigs chapter had a fun show on November 10. The trail ride that usually preceded the fun show was replaced with a
Susan Day, Jim Glier, Laura Glier and Lisa Reynolds.
Natalie Mirick on Charlie.
Jeff Lieb
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workshop on groundwork with horses and how to develop a working relationship.
Jacqueline Nadler conducted the workshop working with members and their horses on basic groundwork and problems that both horse and owner might be having. Jacqueline is the founder and president of Nadler Horsemanship LLC and brings many years of education and experience to her craft. The workshop was open to all Meigs Chapter members. Check out our Facebook page for more information about the workshop. The last fun show was November 10, at the AEP Southern Recreational Area and will be the final point competition for the year. There will be recognition and awards made at the December Christmas party. All members are encouraged to attend and anyone wishing to participate is welcome but will have to join OHC in order to take part in the events. There is no event entry fee and there are classes for both the adults and the youths (under 18 years of age). The Meigs chapter meets each month on the third Tuesday with the exception of December. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. at Fox’s Pizza Den in Pomeroy,
Ohio. Visitors are welcome so please join us to learn more about OHC and becoming a member.
~Marlene Swartz
MORROW
Hello fellow chapter members! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
We have had a lot going on over here in Morrow County. We finished out our 2024 riding schedule with rides at Zaleski State Park, McConnelsville State Park, and Shawnee State Forest. Shawnee was the annual Mule Ride put on by Scott Wilson. There were over 50 mules and horses and the weather was perfect.
On October 30, we dedicated the new shelter house at Mt. Gilead State Park, the event was attended by: Morrow County Sheriff John Hinton, State Park Manager Lora White, Club President Misty McDonald, Vice President Craig Alexander, Secretary Karen Conley, Treasurer Rob Conley, and members; Sam McDonald, Margaret Alexander, Debbie Cole, Brandon Smith, Floyd McKee, Daryl McKee, and Byron Edgecomb. We would like to thank Morrow County Sheriff’s Department, Friends of the Park and the Mt. Gilead State Park Staff for helping fulfill our goal of building the shelter house.
As this year comes to a close, please remember to turn in your trail miles so that we can show the state just how much we use the trails!
~Rob Conley
PREBLE
Preble County OHC would like wish everyone a Merry Christmas as we move into
December. Trails are still open, just a reminder the shower house is closed for the season.
We would also like to thank everyone for their help and dedication to the State Ride in October. We had a great turn out! Please keep watch for upcoming events at Hueston Woods for Preble County OHC.
OHC will have their meetings the first Saturday of the month at 6:30 p.m. Please feel free to join us.
~Nichole Johnson
ROSS
Happy fall everyone! Hope you all have been enjoying your fall riding. Our chapter had a couple of good rides in October and the beginning of November. In October, we rode Alum Creek. It’s always a fun time on that ride because we head over to Henmicks Brewery. This year, they had a bourbon event going on when we got there and a bunch of food trucks that were amazing! The weather was perfect and the trees were beautiful.
The first weekend of November, some went to Hocking for a scheduled ride. I didn’t get to go, but it sounds like everyone had a wonderful time! They didn’t end up having the meeting that was scheduled for that day.
October 12 we had a work session that lasted all day at Tar Hollow. The place was a mess! We did get quite a bit of large trees and branches out of the way. That storm really created a mess! I believe most of the trails are passable now.
Also, a reminder that the Ross County Christmas party is December 14 at 6 p.m. Please bring a side dish if you plan to attend! We will be having a white elephant exchange, so bring a gift for each person that comes as well. We hope that you all can make it.
Until next month, enjoy this
SUMMIT
The deadline for December Corral County Lines is today, November 5. It has been momentous to say the least. The weather for trail riding has been amazing this fall including the temps here today at a balmy 77 vs. the almost 2 inches of snow this time last year. Then, there is the small matter of a contentious presidential election that has weighed heavily on our country. Whatever the outcome, we hope that by the time you read this, we can go back to agreeing to disagree and mending some fences.
Summit County OHC is applying for a grant of matching funds to build a mounting station at Silver Creek Metro Parks. Most of the other horse trails in the park system already have them and it is long overdue at this location. We also are working with the Medina and Cuyahoga chapters for grants to provide materials for an area designated for limited horse camping at the Brecksville location. All our chapters work to raise funds to support improvements such as these and we hope we will be successful. Our favorite equine Sonny was out with Molly Eastwood at the Richfield Heritage Preserve Halloween event distributing good will and treats again. It is rare to find such a kind and gentle horse that truly adores children and thrives on loving attention from everyone. This pair has been a featured event for several years at many functions with kids of all ages waiting for their return. We would love to see a children’s book written about Sonny’s adventures. Any
beautiful fall weather we are having! ~Whitney Stires
Costume class at the October fun show.
TS pony rides.
Meigs OHC trail ride.
Shelter house.
Shelter house plaque.
Ross County OHC
Ross County OHC
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budding local authors out there? Speaking of celebrities, Sonny has some competition from Carolyn Sullivan’s horse Drachma. Drach, as he is affectionately known, is the only male to ever attend a Cuyahoga Falls Women’s Book Club meeting. He arrived in a truck and trailer befitting his station taking up most of the parking lot before he made his grand entrance. The ladies had read ‘Sea Biscuit’ as their selection and waited in anticipation for the big event. Drach had graciously agreed to come along and do a show and tell on horse height. The famous War Admiral was an imposing 17 hands and our hero Sea Biscuit was only 15 hands. Drac stood at attention but the best could muster was 16.5 hands. The ladies were impressed with his gentlemanly manners and rewarded him with treats and plenty of attention. Also noteworthy, the club had purchased and donated compost to the memorial garden where the picture was taken so not to be outdone, Drach felt obliged to also make a contribution before he left. What a horse!
Plans are in the works for our winter banquet in January. As in the past few years, we are sharing this joint event with the Medina Chapter. The committees are formed and they always have
some surprising ideas to make this such a special evening. The only unknown is what Mother Nature has planned. Christmas promos have been out since July, so make the most of the season with the special people in your life.
~Joann Ulichney UNION
Howdy, everyone. Time to make plans for the holidays and prepare for winter. Hopefully everyone had the chance to get in a few rides.
The Tuesday maintenance crew at Alum Creek State Park has continued to work on the trails. We ran across one of the orange and yellow trail markers that the Union County Chapter installed on the Hunter’s Hollow Trail many years ago. Becky, Jim and I posed with the trail marker to memorialize the work we did in the past. It was so long ago that we used a pedometer to document distance because GPS was not widely available yet.
Happy holidays and happy trails
~Debbie Strayton
WARREN
The remnants of Hurricane Helene certainly did a number on the trails at Caesar Creek! But our Over the Hill Gang scheduled an extra work day and managed to get everything cleared. There’s still more trimming to be done (there’s always trimming to be done!), but all of the fallen trees are taken care of. At least as I write this. Who knows what
Mother Nature may have in store. I only got one photo but we did a lot of work!
November will bring our elections. Unless something changes at the meeting, we’re still looking for a secretary. So, if anyone is interested, reach out to Harold (or any if the current officers). If the position isn’t filled at the meeting, I’m sure they’d love a volunteer. Hopefully many members have been out riding and enjoying this fall weather. I haven’t much, as I’ve been busy helping put up a new shed. My decorating has finally gone so over the top that I no longer can fit Halloween and Christmas decorations in the sand shed. It’s been quite a journey, but it’s finished now. Since I don’t have many photos of events, I may include a couple of my decorations. I’m definitely the most decorated house in the neighborhood, and my SO Bill has jumped in with both feet to join me.
Best wishes for recovery to Ramona Auyeung. She broke her leg in a very weird accident, just when we were hoping to do more riding. So, by next spring we’ll really be ready to camp and ride! Have a great holiday season.
~Mickie Newnam
WAYNE
The trail season is wrapping up and Wayne County OHC finished off the riding and camping season with a flourish. The Tuesday rides at Mohican finished up at the end of October but not before we enjoyed some beautiful fall weather. Mohican and Malabar were resplendent in their fall colors. Mohican and Malabar both had trail closures due to logging at Mohican and some electrical issues at the Big House at Malabar but luckily, they didn’t last long! Concern remains over the State of Ohio’s intent to allow E-bikes on the biking trails. Many of our members sent emails to our representatives to explain the danger these bikes pose to
both bike riders and equestrians where they cross trails. Please be aware and exercise caution when riding trails at Mohican that intersect with bike trails.
The fall campout at Pine Creek in Hocking Hills was an enormous success. We had nine rigs and 16 riders. The weather didn’t cooperate for the first two days as it rained too much to ride. So, we loaded up and went to the Rocky Boot Company in Nelsonville for some shopping and a great lunch. Wednesday through Saturday were glorious and the trails were still in good condition even with the two days of rain. The suppers provided by each group were outstanding.
Morning coffee with Dave Smalley’s campfire was the perfect way to wait for the temperature to warm up enough to ride. Listening to the Indians games with Marlene Smalley as our play-by-play commentator around a great campfire provided entertainment for the evenings. In case you thought we forgot the trails at Mohican with all the pleasant weather to ride, rest assured Tom Bahl, Marlene and Dave Smalley and Ernie Kaufman did not! They took a
Fans of Drac
Sonny and Molly
Campin’ Cathy
Debbie and Jim
One big tree!
Ernie and Eden, Tuesday night ride.
Trail work at Mohican.
Elsie Zuercher at Hocking Hills.
A new addition to my display.
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of fitness and conditioning for both our horses and ourselves. We often witness first-hand the remarkable athleticism of our equine partners, yet we must also rise to that level of physicality. Developing structured fitness programs that enhance strength, endurance, and flexibility can lead to great improvements in performance. As riders, we should commit to maintaining our physical fitness because a strong, fit rider can significantly influence a horse’s performance during competitions. This is the perfect time of the year to start a fitness program if you don’t already have one in place. Consider integrating cross-training activities such as swimming, cycling, or even dance into your routine. These activities can build overall stamina, strength, and flexibility, allowing for greater athleticism in the competition ring. It’s important to develop specific fitness routines that cater to the unique needs of both the horse and rider. Focusing on strength, flexibility, and balance in your workouts will enhance performance and translate to improved results in the arena.
Equally important is our approach to strategy and planning for competitions. A tailored game plan enhances the ability of each horse-rider pair to shine on competition day. By analyzing previous performances, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and refining specific training routines, we can help ensure that each pair is wellprepared. A thoughtful approach, one that anticipates potential challenges and complements each horse’s natural abilities, can be the difference between a good ride and a truly exceptional one. Review your judge’s sheets for common themes. Are halts always mentioned? Or maybe straight lines are marked.
We must also consider the mental aspect of performance, as the right mindset can greatly influence outcomes. The importance of mental preparation cannot be overstated. Investing in mental coaching, visualization techniques, and relaxation strategies can help riders manage the pressures of competition, easing anxiety and improving focus. A calm, centered mind not only enhances concentration but can
also lead to a more harmonious ride with our horses.
By incorporating practices such as meditation or yoga into your routine, you can enhance your focus and reduce the stress that often accompanies competition. Establishing a grounding practice allows you to approach each ride with clarity and calm. Take time to visualize your goals and the achievable steps needed to realize them. Building a vivid mental image of your successes can provide a strong motivational boost, cultivating confidence and providing clarity in moments of uncertainty. Also, visualize what can go wrong and how to overcome it.
Finally, expanding our outreach within the western dressage community remains essential for fostering a supportive network. Let’s open our doors and invite a broader range of perspectives into our discussions. Sharing our learning experiences, both successes, and challenges, and engaging with others in the community can create invaluable connections. Together, we can cultivate a more enriching environment for everyone involved in this sport.
As we collectively take a moment to reflect on this past season, let’s celebrate the growth we’ve experienced and recognize that each show season is a vital step on our journey to becoming more accomplished equestrians—both for ourselves and our magnificent horses. Here’s to embracing continuous learning, committing to improvement, and perhaps indulging in a few more well-deserved carrot bribes along the way.
If you want to develop a plan for the off-season but are not sure how we can help. Eagles Nest Equestrian Performance and The Winning Edge can help you set up goals and plans for you and your horse. We specialize in mental performance, stress coaching, and fitness. Get in touch with us today for a great season in 2025!
Contact us at Eagles Nest Equestrian Center in Shalersville, Ohio. We are on Facebook and our website is www.Eaglesnestequestrian.com. Offering lessons in western dressage, horsemanship, showmanship, and contesting. Check out my blog at www.theconfidenthorseman.com.
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huge tree off the Orange Trail and several smaller ones in other areas. Remember effective the first day of hunting season the trails will be closed to equestrians at Mohican. Much as we don’t like it, it really does help keep the trails in better shape than when we ride in the winter mud. Malabar remains open year-
round if you can catch a good day to ride. As we head into the holiday season, I hope Santa brings you everything you want for your horse this Christmas. But more importantly, we at Wayne County OHC wish everyone a blessed and Happy Christmas and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.
~Susan Baker It is FREE to add your Equine Event
Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine and added to our website.
Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information:
Name of Equine Event
Date/Time of Equine Event
Venue Name of where event will be held
Address of venue
Contact name and phone number
You may include an email and website address also.
