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
Club Sales & Circulation Manager
Art & Composition Director Michelle Ross email michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com
& PHOTOGRAPHERS
Features: Kelley Bitter, Rob and Tanya Corzatt, Robert Eversole, Terry Myers, Sarah Vas Guest:
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
It may still be frosty outside but spring is just around the corner. Like planning a garden in January, there are things you can do now even if your riding season is weeks away.
What’s under the blanket and/ or thick winter coat? We’ve seen this in the past. A horse is brought to me in February or March for a couple of months of tune-up training. When you take the blanket off and put your hands on the horse, it is thin. Be sure you are taking the blankets off your horse or bringing your horse in for a good grooming. Go over your horse and ensure that it is carrying a healthy amount of weight to be starting the riding season. The horse’s coat, short or wooly, should have a shine to it. Foot care. Even though the hooves slow their growth in the winter time and you may be able to delay farrier services to 8 or even 10 weeks between trimming, you should not be
Spring’s A Comin’
by Terry Myers
ignoring their feet altogether. If a hoof is in bad shape and badly chipped, it can take a year to get a good hoof back. Don’t let that happen to you. Keep ahead of hoof problems. Like grooming, you should still be cleaning and looking at the condition of your horse’s feet. It is common for a horse to grow toe and wear off their heels, particularly on hard, frozen ground. Keeping up with good farrier care will help avoid having a foot that looks like a clown shoe.
Spring vet care. It’s time to start thinking about talking to your vet about spring shots. We have heard all different arguments about equine vaccinations; which horses need it and which do not. The West Nile virus and other viruses do not discriminate based on age. They can be an equal opportunity killer. Talk to your vet! If you are contemplating an early horse show, clinic or trip with your horse, make sure it is protected
with vaccinations a few weeks prior to the event. If you are taking a trip out of state, don’t forget Coggins (requirements vary by state) and health papers (which are good for 30 days in most states).
Don’t forget the teeth. Good dental care for a horse is one of the most important aspects to their well being and performance. Teeth that are in good shape can enable the horse to better utilize their feed/hay, which may actually lower your feed bill. Barring any problems, I do my horses over 5 years old once a year. Between 2.5 and 4 years, I have learned to do their teeth twice a year to avoid the problems caps to create at a time when you have training expectations for a young horse. Frequently I get horses in for training that have significant dental issues which are contributing to performance problems. A horse with dental issues can be very resistant to giving to the bit, they have no flexibility in their pole due to pain and restrictions with their jaw. Simple dental care can eliminate the performance roadblocks that teeth issues can cause.
Inspect and review your tack. How about keeping yourself safe when you ride? Take a good look at your tack. Inspect your saddle, including billets, girths, stirrups leathers and fenders. Give your saddle a good cleaning and look it over. Make sure your headstalls and bridles are not dry rotted and/or cracked. If you need to get rid of unused tack or buy good used tack, the tack swap season is upon us! If you are buying new tack, invest in good tack. It will last a lot longer than the cheap stuff.
Getting back into shape. If you are not currently riding, remember both you and your horse need to get back into riding shape. Don’t expect your horse to go out on a three hour trail
ride after standing in the pasture all winter. Both you and your horse should start with short frequent rides to get ready for the riding season. While cantering is good, long trotting is a great way to get a horse back into shape. Remember that your horse can get sore after a good workout just like you do.
Have realistic goals to start. While you may have had a good riding and/or show season last year, if you have not worked your horse with any type of intensity in the last 4-5 months, he may need some ‘refresher’ training. Like getting his body back into shape, you need to get his mind back into shape as well. Start with the basics and build from there.
One final thing to remember... horses don’t make mistakes, people do.
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-InSync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit www.tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook.
Western Dressage is a Growing Discipline
by Shannon Call
A new year of partnership, friendship, learning and competition is underway for Mid Ohio Dressage Association (MODA) members. Please be sure to get your memberships updated to take full advantage of the great programs offered by MODA. Currently the MODA winter warm up challenge is running. Members record 25 activities done with their horse during these cold winter months and receive a lovely rosette for all their dedication. Contact president Jessica Kuhnash for details and how to join in the fun. The past year was celebrated
during the MODA annual awards banquet December 14 at the Brookside Golf and County Club. Beautiful awards and ribbons carefully selected by the award committee were earned by members for all their hard work during the competition year. Our president Jessica Kuhnash spoke of her admiration for our GMO, our volunteers and the membership all for providing a sense a community. Lovely raffle baskets donated by Equus Now and MODA members and gift certificates for 2025 MODA shows donated by the MODA show committee where all hits with those in attendance. Four
Star Quarter Horses sponsored special awards for Quarter Horses competing at MODA show.
DISCIPLINE SPOTLIGHT
Western dressage is a unique and growing discipline that combines the elegance of traditional dressage with the practicality and versatility of western riding. The discipline is relatively new, with the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA) being established in 2010. Rooted in the traditions of Western ranch work, this discipline offers riders a chance to refine their horsemanship while maintaining the relaxed, functional style of western riding.
Western dressage riders typically use a more relaxed seat and light contact with the reins, maintaining the natural flow of western riding. In western dressage, riders use western saddles and bits that are more suited to western riding, and these can differ in design and function from those used in traditional dressage. Like traditional dressage, western dressage works on developing a horse’s ability to collect and extend in a way that is natural and comfortable. The main goal of training in western dressage is to achieve a harmonious, willing partnership
between horse and rider, while ensuring the horse remains comfortable and balanced.
The WDAA has developed a series of tests for western dressage competitions, designed to assess the horse and rider’s harmony, balance, and communication. These tests are structured similarly to traditional dressage tests but are tailored to the western style, emphasizing a softer connection between horse and rider.
The WDAA offers lifetime learning opportunities to members as well as awards for participation in WDAA competitions. Starting 2025 there is a new year end awards program as well as the continuing lifetime achievement award program and the world show held annually in Guthrie, Okla., at the Lazy E Arena. See the WDAA website for information on how to participate in the various programs.
Join MODA at the following WDAA approved shows June 21 the June Jubilation Schooling Show at Home of Joy Farm and September 6-7 for the East Meets West Schooling Show at Brave Horse. Both these shows are also AQHA approved so if you compete with a Quarter Horse partner, please be sure to take advantage to the AQHA points available at these two shows.
Youth Club Continues to Collect Tribute Feed Tags
PRESIDENT, Jonda Cole
VICE
SECRETARY, Jenna Duvall
TREASURER, Eric Haudenschield
WEBSITE, www.owha.org
Happy Valentine’s Day to all our Corral readers! May this month be full of love and sweetness for that special person and your four-legged equine. Many of you are starting to look forward to the 2025 show season and planning what shows you are wanting to attend. Please visit Ohio Western Horse Association (OWHA) Facebook page for our most up to date show schedule. Unfortunately, Ohio Western Horse Association had to change the annual meeting and banquet date due to a scheduling conflict. It was previously to be held on January 18 but now will be held on February 8, at the Moose Lodge, State Route 309, Kenton, Ohio. This will be a great time
for fellowship with our OWHA family and friends. Also, we look forward to our 2025 OWHA board members and their ideas on continuing to make OWHA a great organization. The schedule for the day is the Youth meeting will be at 3 p.m., adult meeting at 4 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. and awards at 7 p.m.
OWHA Youth club continues to collect Tribute feed tags to earn money for the Youth club. If you would like to donate feed tags to the Youth club, please feel free to contact OWHA via Facebook private message. The money earned from the feed
Buckeye Mini Horse, Donkey, Pony & Horse Mixed Auction
tags goes towards the Annual Youth Team Tournament awards and OWHA Youth Show. The Youth club will also be having a booth at the annual GLApHC swap meet at the University of Findlay Western Equestrian Farm on February 9. The club will be selling used horse items and show clothes. The swap meet is a great event to find deals on all your horse and show clothes needs. We hope to see you there! OWHA would like to send out a few special prayer requests and positive thoughts to some of our OWHA members. We would like to give a heartfelt condolence to the Duvall family for the passing of Zero Zip Zilch or better known as Shadow. He hasn’t graced the OWHA ring in several years as he was enjoying retirement. In his 30 years, he had taught many young children how to ride. He had won numerous classes and trophies in the pleasure events. His least favorite of all through the years was Peewee Barrel classes. However, he was a champ and turned on his fastest pleasure lope that he could! He will definitely be missed. On a lighter note, OWHA
would like to give a big shout out and congratulations to Megan Gossard and Mavric. He was the 2024 Great Lakes CBRA Horse of the Year! Also, Megan was Top 3 in the 2024 Great Lakes Rodeo Finals and Reserve in A Bar Rodeo in Barrels. What a special team! We look forward to seeing what they will accomplish for the 2025 show season. And as always, board members are willing to answer any questions regarding shows, membership or general questions about OWHA, feel free to reach out.
Colorado Ranger Horse Association Youth Point Program Applications Due
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.
Ranger Logging and Open Show forms are due soon. Don’t forget to send in your Youth Point Program applications and fees for 2025 to Cathy Martens Nitschke. Sarah Craig: Ranger Log Program. Toni Lukavich: Open Show Program. Forms are on the website above. Check all other programs for the upcoming year, too.
More High Points from the 2024 CRHA National are:
STALLION GRAND CHAMPION: PRR Show Me the Cash owned by Barbabra Summerson; shown by Barbara Summerson and Alisha Bubb, PA.
STALLION RESERVE CHAMPION: PRR CashNinOnElegance owned and shown by Barbabra Summerson, PA.
Premier Mount N Trail
PRESIDENT, Kelly Chapman
VICE PRESIDENT, Stephanie Tarr
SECRETARY, Justin Miller
TREASURER, Susan Croft
EMAIL, premiermountntrail@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.premiermountntrail.com
Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) is looking forward to the 2025
Join Our Winter Series
show season! Look for our new flyer with show dates and new locations. This year, our parks are located in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Keep up to date on any new information or current things happening with PMT on our Facebook page.
Even though the cold weather has arrived, it’s still a good time to get ride hours in! Take a snow ride or have some fun with groundwork or liberty. Ride hours are for all members
of all ages and skill levels. You can find the hourly log sheet on the website to easily track hours earned. Remember, hours include training, shows, riding or driving a horse. Grooming, feeding, and cleaning stalls do not count. Take advantage of the time away from the busy show season to practice and gain more hours.
Our winter series at Shenanigan Stables is still happening and there are still more opportunities to show. It’s a great place to start getting points in for the 2025 show season and tuning up on skills for the warmer months.
If you are looking to show this upcoming year and want to get in on the fun it’s not too late to sign up to become a member!
Northern Ohio Outlaws
To become a member, go to our website or Facebook page to find the membership form. If you have any questions, feel free to send us an email. Come join the fun!
The Northern Ohio Outlaws are gearing up for another fantastic shooting season. Here are some important dates to put on your calendars!
Invitations have been sent to members to attend the Gunslingers Gala annual awards banquet held on February 22, at the Amish
Door Restaurant in Wilmot, Ohio. The spring New Shooter Clinic is scheduled for April 12, at Ruggles Arena in Cardington, Ohio. Check out our webpage for more information and signup forms. We would love to have you come and learn more about cowboy mounting shooting! The 2025 Northern Ohio Outlaw shoot schedule weekends are April 26-27, June 7-8, July 11-13 (Ohio State Shoot), August 2-3, September 27-28. All events are held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds, in Wooster, Ohio. Visit our website, nooutlaws. com, for more information about our club or check out our Facebook page at Northern Ohio Outlaws CMSA.
Hope to see you all soon!
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
MTRA 2025 Activity Calendar
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
MTRA ANNUAL MEETING AND BANQUET
March 22 — Come join us at a new venue at The Holiday Inn in Midland, located at 810 Cinema. The Holiday Inn amenities include a Sports Bar and Grill, fitness center, indoor pool, hot tub, game room, etc. Unfortunately, no pets are allowed. Room reservations can be made by calling 989/7948500. Check-in time is at 3 p.m. Banquet doors open at 5 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m. Following that will be our annual meeting. Jeff Wilford Entertainment will follow the meeting playing our favorite dancing tunes. Dinner/dancing is $35/person.
Dance only tickets are $10/ person. You may order tickets on our website, mtra.org, or by calling the MTRA secretary at 989/324-8549.
MAY BLOSSOM RIDE
May 14-19 — Come ride with us at Hopkin’s Creek Trail Camp, Manton, Mich., to our Cadillac Trail Camp. This ride explores the Manton area with beautiful trails and then travels to Cadillac on the weekend.
1ST JUNE RIDE
May 28-June 8 — Come ride with us from Oscoda (Lake Huron) to Empire (Lake Michigan). This is a trophy ride with no layovers. If you can’t do the whole ride, join us for a weekend! All members are welcome anytime.
2ND JUNE RIDE
FAMILY RIDE
June 14-29 — Come ride with us from Empire (Lake Michigan) to Oscoda (Lake Huron). This is a trophy ride with layovers at Scheck’s, Goose Creek, Luzerne and South Branch. Bring your
family, we have activities planned on the layover days and fun for all ages. Members can join our rides anytime; you don’t have to come for the whole ride.
AUGUST REUNION RIDE
August 6-10 — Come ride with us at Goose Creek Trail Camp, Grayling, Mich. This is a meet and greet 61st anniversary celebration with circle riding and activities. Everyone is welcome! More information to follow. You will not want to miss this!
SEPTEMBER RIDE
September 5-14 — Come ride with us from Stoney Creek Trail Camp, Afton, Mich., to Oscoda (Lake Huron). This is a trophy ride with one layover day at Luzerne.
All members are welcome to join us on any part of this ride!
OCTOBER
COLOR RIDE
October 9-13 — Come ride with us at South Branch Trail Camp in Hale, Mich. This camp has beautiful circle riding along the Ausable River. The fall colors will be perfect at this time! All members are welcome to join us for all or just part of this ride.
Register online at mtra.org. Visit/join our Facebook page ‘MTRA Friends’ to seek advice and answers from riders/members who have experienced the Shore to Shore Trail Rides. Contact mtra. office@gmail.com. (All rides are awaiting DNR approval.)
Tri-County Trail Association
Many Events in 2025 Visit Updated Website
PRESIDENT, Adam Brewer VICE PRESIDENT, Harley Miller SECRETARY, Cindy Krumm TREASURER, Beverly Mills WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com
by Kelly Jo Heffner
Happy February! It’s that time of the year when cabin fever really takes hold of us here in Northeast Ohio. There are many arenas in the area for us to get back in the saddle over these last couple months of winter but the trials of getting there amongst all the cold and snow can be very challenging. Like many of our readers, I prefer not to chance hauling horses if the forecast is calling for cold or snow, but I am looking forward to the warmer months of spring!
Tri-County Trail has many events coming up for the 2025 season, and they begin in April with the opening of the campground. The annual
tack swap is in April at the campground and has many venders that attend! Available spots both inside and outside the pavilion are currently available. Our local 4H club provides the concessions, so you are helping the 4H club to gain funds for their needs when you come and purchase food and drink while you shop.
Tri-County Trails has many things to do throughout the year! There are many benefits to becoming a member such as discounts on the events (on camping fees and meal packages to name a couple). Our recently updated webpage will be available soon with many improvements and information about the club, membership benefits and fees, as well as officer information and many other new features. Keep an eye out for it!
February is also the month for lovers! Enjoy the month spending time with the one you love and be thankful for everything you both do for one another and the love you share. Happy Valentine’s day to you all!
Stay Safety Minded This Winter Season
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
I pray that everyone is having a safe and enjoyable winter season. Although winter activities look much different with our fuzzy horse friends than in the other seasons, we should all remember to be thankful that we are of the few that are blessed with these majestic creatures. As we slip and slide our way to the barn, carry buckets of water, watch our breath freeze in clouds in front of us, throw extra hay, defrost, defrost and defrost some more, most everything to make it usable, please be safety minded. If you choose to blanket your horse, remember to check under
it to confirm that it is doing more good than harm. Rubs can be lurking under there on pressure points, debris can build up and cause irritations, stretched or damaged leg straps can get tangled up in, and tears of any size will only get bigger with neglect. Another reason to check under your blankets regularly is to observe the body condition of the animal. In the cold conditions that winter brings, a horse can lose body condition very quickly and can go unnoticed under a thick blanket. Water sources must always be kept flowing, as horses can get impacted and colic very rapidly. Most of their diet is coming from dry hay and requires a good deal of water to keep their bowels running properly.
As we have done every year in the Flatlanders, we held our annual year-end Christmas meeting and feast. Thankfully the weather was cooperative enough to travel to Bluffton, Ohio, where the meeting was hosted by Pat Boutwell in her beautiful home (thank you, Pat!) once again. We all had a great time feasting on
the selection of goodies brought by the members and guests. We all had stories to tell. A few of us are looking for new horses, some of us have just adopted and others related stories of recent and painful losses of our dear equine friends. Laughter and some times of thoughtful silence filled the evening. Our annual White Elephant gift exchange was a huge hit. After the meal, but before the exchange, we held elections for next year’s officers. Thank you everyone who agreed to take on a leadership role. Without volunteers like you, we could not enjoy the same level of quality in learning, sharing, and experiences.
May God bless you all richly in this new year of 2025 with health, safety and fun.
Western Reserve Carriage Association
New Board of Directors
PRESIDENT, Barbara King
VICE PRESIDENT, Michele Steven
TREASURER, Shellie Kwitkowski
SECRETARY, Cathy Rhoades
WEBSITE, Westernreservecarriage.com
year we welcome suggestions for educational opportunities and recreational drives.
by Cathy Rhoades
Happy New Year! A new year and a newly elected Western Reserve Carriage Association (WRCA) board. Your 2025 WRCA Board of Directors consist of Barbara King, Shellie Kwitkowski, Cathy Rhoades, Michelle Stevens, and Janet Yosay. At this writing the board has not met to appoint positions. Thanks to departing board members Jo Ann Murr, Ann Petersen, and Duke Shipley. Our biennial fundraiser was January 26 at Fieldstone Therapeutic Center in Chagrin Falls. This was an open gathering with a live auction and silent auction. As we look into the new
The Carlisle Equestrian Center welcomes carriage driving on restricted dates. These are for individual drivers only and is not a WRCA event. Registration is not required to drive on the specified dates and carriage driving is open to the public. Horse carts/carriages are only permitted on the North and South Loop trails at the Carlisle Equestrian Center, located at 13630 Diagonal Road, LaGrange, Ohio 44050.
Here are the dates for 2025:
February 1, 4, 6, 9
March 1, 4, 6, 9
April 1, 5, 10, 13
May 1, 4, 6, 10
June 3, 7, 12, 15
July 1, 5, 10, 13
August 2, 5, 7, 10
September 2, 6, 11, 14
October 2, 5, 7, 11
November 1, 4, 6, 9
December 2, 6, 11, 14
Christmas FDCTA meeting.
Wayne County Saddle Club
Wayne County Saddle Club and Massillon Saddle Club Unite for a Tack Swap Slated in March
February is upon us. This month brings thoughts of your favorite Valentine and loved ones. For the horse world it is show season. 2025 is starting with some new members elected in and some stepping out. Rani Person stepped out to dedicate more time to family and training her horses. We thank her for the hard work she gave our club. We welcome Jamie Carlisle who is stepping in
as vice president of contest, and Youth Director Elect Makenzie Reynolds.Congratulations to you both. I’m sure Cadence Horsky would be happy to give you advice if you need it.
Our banquet was January 11 at The Lighted Lantern in Fredericksburg. It was well attended and there was plenty of food to be enjoyed. The awards
were awesome; buckles, jackets, plaques, and halters. This year thanks to Randi’s detection the Overall Rotating High Point Division trophies were drug out of hiding and awarded for the 2024 season. There were some pretty big smiles over those. Just remember you have to give them back so someone else can get them for 2025.
The Wayne County Saddle Club (W.C.S.C.) and The Massillon Saddle Club are pairing up to have a Tack Swap on March 29 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the New Event Center at the Wayne County Fairgrounds 199 Vanover Street, Wooster, Ohio. There is a $2 entry fee at the door. This is a big area for everyone. Heated and lots of parking. We are still accepting vendors, $60 per 10x10 spot (non-refundable, and must be prepaid.) Set up time for vendors will be 9 to 11 a.m. Call or text to reserve your spot—Leanne, 330/844-4041 or Shenea, 330/600-0284. See our ad on page 38 of this issue!
Also in the thought process is a collaboration with Massillon
Saddle Club’s Samme Thompson to have a Pleasure Show series with Wayne County. I am open to your thoughts on this. I like the idea, just not sure how to make it all work.
Congratulations to all of our members on your awards and all your volunteer hours. 2025 will bring new opportunities to earn points for this year.
W.C.S.C. belongs to all of us. It is up to everyone to keep it working. So many venues are just not available anymore.
Happy trails!
Helmets, Head Injuries, and Hard Truths
by Robert Eversole
Irespect that everyone has their own comfort level and makes their own choices. In many ways, safety is like climbing a ladder—we all choose the rung we’re most comfortable with. For some, that might mean wearing a helmet every time they ride. For others, it could mean accepting the risks of going without one. Either way, it’s a personal decision.
But personal choice is one thing, and accurate information is another. If we’re going to discuss safety measures like helmets, the conversation needs to be grounded in facts—not anecdotes or hollow reasoning. I recently came across a social media post where someone shared a conversation with a forensic pathologist who said, “If you impact in the right way (wrong way), the impact will shove your head back into your neck and instantly kill you.”
No kidding. Helmets aren’t a guarantee, nor are they marketed as such. They’re designed to reduce the severity of an impact, not to prevent every possible injury. This is an important distinction often lost in these discussions. Helmets are not magic shields, they don’t make us invincible. Instead, they significantly reduce the likelihood of severe injuries by absorbing and redistributing the energy from falls or collisions.
The pathologist’s observation highlights a rare and specific type of fatal injury where the mechanics of the impact might cause death regardless of wearing a helmet. While this is a valid medical consideration, it doesn’t negate the overwhelming evidence that helmets save lives and reduce the severity of injuries in most situations. Focusing on an isolated, extreme scenario distracts from the broader truth:
helmets work. Arguments like these are often specious—they sound reasonable at first glance but fall apart under scrutiny.
The post went on to claim, “You show me an equestrian who gets thrown off with a helmet on, and I’ll show you a cracked helmet. The fact that the helmet cracked has less to do with you would have died, and a whole lot more to do that it is a plastic type material and unforgiving on impact.”
Again, no kidding. This observation about cracked helmets doesn’t reflect a flaw in the helmet—it’s a feature. A good analogy is the crumple zone in a car. Just as cars are designed to collapse in specific areas during a collision to absorb and dissipate energy, helmets are engineered to do the same for your head. When a helmet cracks or breaks, it’s not failing; it’s doing exactly what it was designed to do. The energy from a fall or collision is redirected into the helmet, protecting your skull. A cracked helmet, like a crumpled car hood after an accident, tells me it did its job—it absorbed the force that might otherwise have gone straight to my head.
I understand that helmets aren’t
for everyone. Heck, I don’t particularly like wearing mine. But disliking a safety measure is different from questioning its effectiveness. To suggest that helmets might be hazardous, even subtly, by cherry-picking anecdotal information is misleading. It diminishes the importance of helmets and spreads doubt about their welldocumented benefits.
For context, let’s look at the numbers. Studies have consistently shown that horseback riding has a significantly higher risk of injury than many other sports. Riders are twice as likely to be injured as motorcyclists or downhill skiers. Wearing a helmet doesn’t eliminate all risk— nothing can—but it stacks the odds in your favor. Personally, I’m all for stacking the odds.
If we’re going to have conversations about safety, let’s make them informed. Anecdotes are compelling because they’re relatable, but they don’t replace data or a broader understanding of the issue. Using rare scenarios to imply that helmets are ineffective—or worse, dangerous—is irresponsible. It Please turn to page 22
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 bestselling 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.
Do you have a mare due to foal?
Your mare can be boarded at the hospital prior to foaling. All foalings are attended to ensure the best possible care for your mare and foal.
• Mare can be dropped off 7-10 days prior to due date, so she can get acclimated to the hospital.
• Hospital is staffed 24x7 for monitoring.
• Once foal is born – we ensure it stands and nurses on its own. If not, immediate intervention is provided.
• Daily board for mare is at a reduced rate, until the foal is born.
• Blood work and IgG is performed on the foal before discharge.
Was the foal born at your farm, but now experiencing issues?
The hospital has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to accommodate foals requiring intensive medical or surgical care.
• The unit consists of two heated and fully padded neonate stalls.
• Each stall is equipped for oxygen delivery, vital sign monitoring, continuous intravenous fluid, and intravenous nutrition administration.
• The mare of the critically ill foal can be housed in an immediately adjacent stall. She may be allowed either visual contact or direct contact with the foal as appropriate.
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Spring Rodeo Features Four Rodeos
NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty
PRESIDENT, Brian Corsi
SECRETARY, Holly Rowe
PHONE, 614-432-0177
WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Hannah Boyes
As 2024 comes to a close and the first half of the rodeo season wraps up, Ohio’s rodeo athletes are already gearing up for the second half of the season, which will kick off in March of 2025. Each competitor brings a unique set of skills and a strong determination that are crucial for succeeding in the challenging sport of rodeo. Like any sport, rodeo is full of obstacles, but overcoming these struggles and achieving success is what makes it so impressive and rewarding. As the second half of the season approaches, the competition is wide open, but it’s important to recognize the standout performers in each event from
the first half of the season. Therefore, both Junior High and High School athletes will be recognized below for their outstanding performances in their respective events during
the first half of the season: Congratulations to Carley Corsi, Brody Crass, and Jaelee Winkleman in Breakaway; Trent Hedrick and Wyatt Asbury in Tie Down Roping; Brody Crass and Gracie Asbury in Ribbon Roping; Trent Hedrick, Cooper Rickly, Clay Wines, and Reid Strickler in Team Roping; Gauge Murray and Henry Pinnick in Bull Riding; Brody Crass in Chute Dogging and Clay Wines in Steer Wrestling; Payson Whittington, Brody Crass, and Madi Corsi in Goat Tying; Kynlie Anthony and Brooke Bates in Pole Bending; Carley Corsi and Madi Corsi in Barrel Racing; Jessica Hall and Mya Dimmerling in Light Rifle; Kenneth McLaughlin in Trap Shooting; and Lexi Saint in Cutting.
The upcoming spring season will feature four rodeos, be sure to mark your calendars. The events will take place on March
Helmets
28-30 in Winfield, W. Va.; April 12-13 in Edinburgh, Ind.; May 17-18 in Lima, Ohio; and the high school-only competition will be held June 6-8 in Negley, Ohio. For more details or to become a member, visit the Ohio High School and Junior High Rodeo Association Facebook page.
(Continued from page 20)
muddies the waters and makes it harder for people to make wellinformed decisions.
No piece of equipment can eliminate all risks, but the tools we use and the decisions we make can significantly increase our safety. Riding involves inherent risks, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Wearing a helmet is my way of balancing the joy of riding with the responsibility of protecting myself.
Unless you’re a family member, I don’t care whether you wear a
helmet or not. You do you, and I’ll do me. If you choose not to wear one, great—your choice.
But let’s keep the arguments valid and the conversations grounded in truth.
For more thoughts on trail riding and camping with livestock, check out my book, The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping, on Amazon or visit my website, TrailMeister.com. There, you’ll find resources to help build the skills and confidence for exploring the world on horseback.
2024 OHSRA National Finals Team in Rock Springs, Wyo.
Carley Corsi, 2024-25 JH National Student VP at the NFR in Las Vegas, pictured with Shad Mayfield (NFR tie down roper).
Knox County Horse Park
PRESIDENT, Lauren Smith
VICE PRESIDENTS, Travis Ross and Claude Robinson
TREASURER, Pam Niner
SECRETARY, Madisyn Weekley
PHONE, 740/398-5366 (call or text)
WEBSITE, knoxcountyhorsepark.mypixieset.com
by Anna Chadwick
In November the Knox County Horse Park elected our officers for 2025 and 2026. President Lauren Smith, Vice Presidents Travis Ross and Claude Robertson, Treasurer Pam Niner, Secretary Madisyn Weekley. Our Trustees are Bryant Smith, John Weekley, Madisyn Weekley (2025-27), Sue Ross, Rannay Cline, Shelby Kerr (2025-26),
Ken Niner, Claude Robertson, Colton Snyder (2025).
We want to thank Donny Cline for his work as president the past two years.
Contact Knox County Horse Park by phone 740/398-5366 (call or text), by joining our Facebook page, or visiting our website, www.knoxcountyhorsepark. mypixieset.com. Knox County Horse Park is located at 7500 Thayer Road in Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
The group enjoyed an end of season bonfire, wiener roast and potluck at the Knox County Horse Park’s campground at the end of October.
We celebrated our Christmas party on December 14. A potluck was enjoyed by all present. We passed around Christmas gifts, enjoyed conversations and games.
The club has enjoyed a good year and are working toward the 2025 season. The trustees met and have already chosen the
following show schedule for the 2025 year.
Fun shows for 2025 are May 17 (high point show), June 7 (high point show), June 21 (high point show), July 12 (time only), August 16 (high point show), September 20 (high point show), October 18 (high point show), November 1 (Halloween show).
Mark your calendars to come and join us for some fun. There will be a cookshack open. Check our Facebook page for any additional information.
If you would like to host a show, we have available weekends open for people to rent.
The Knox County Horse Park hopes everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope to see all of you this year.
The next meeting will be January 13 at 7 p.m. located at John’s Building on Pittsburg Avenue in Mt. Vernon. All interested families and individuals are welcome.
Deadline for the March issue: February 10
Black Swamp Driving Club
Open Invitation to Join Black Swamp Driving Club
PRESIDENT, Julie Emmons
VICE PRESIDENT, Roger Higgins, Jr.
TREASURER/SECRETARY, Susan Murray
CORRAL REPORTER, Sharon Hayhurst
FACEBOOK,
https://www.facebook.com/ groups/121257701223196
by Roger Higgins Jr.
Happy New Year everyone!
The club is getting ready to get things rolling in 2025! We will be having our January meeting
after the deadline date for the Corral, so the updates from the January meeting will be in the March issue. I will get things caught up by then.
It’s been very quiet for news and updates, so this will be a short article. I was informed that club member Julie Emmons has a new addition to her White Rose Percheron group. I will try to get a picture for the article. She has been very busy with the carriage business, so I will attempt to take a snapshot when I find her at home. My family watched a segment on the Kentucky Horse Park on television the other day. It brought back a lot of
fond memories of the combined driving club events we had there. It was such a great time that we had then! I loved to visit the Big Barn there, quite a building and the people were so friendly and informative. Those were great times! Maybe I should host an event with a theme of ‘Memories’ that our club has shared through the years. It’s always fun to share those special moments that we have shared together.
We hope everyone has a safe and prosperous 2025. We always extend an open invitation to join the club. I will post all confirmed dates in the Corral. Also watch the Facebook page for dates as well. You can contact me at higgy122@gmail.com with any questions.
Hite’s Log Cabin Kenton, Ohio
Parker Bridge Upper Sandusky, Ohio
Respect the Power of the Horse’s Instincts A letter to horse owners everywhere.
by Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D.
Irespect and honor the way horses are made—they are different— unique, really. In a suitable, native environment, they are quite capable of taking care of themselves. They are free to eat and roam and, well, be horses. Domestication involves removing them from their natural setting, but their instincts for survival remain unchanged, and those instincts are based on compelling physiological and mental needs. Make no mistake about this: when we ignore or deny those needs, we seriously imperil our horses.
I have very deep convictions on respecting a horse’s instincts. Common horse care practices often suppress a horse’s instinctive behaviors, forcing the horse to compromise both physiologically and psychologically. Such compromises are innately stressful, and lead to life-threatening problems like ulcers and laminitis, and undesirable— even dangerous—behaviors.
Frequently, I caution against the stress of forage restriction. Some have said that the alternative I am describing—free choice forage feeding—appears to be a road to increased obesity and an increased risk of laminitis. But they are grossly mistaken.
When we see images of wild horses running free, we all experience the hush, the chill, and the awe of their power and majesty. That is Nature at her best—allowing these incredible animals to live as they are intended. Why is it that we don’t see our own domesticated horses in the same way? Why is it that we think we can confine them to a small area for hours at a time, give them a few ‘square meals’ each day and expect them to be right, physically and mentally? Are they not the same horse species that long ago lived a different life?
It’s been said that our horses have become different, that horses living in the wild don’t suffer from the ravages of insulin resistance,
the main cause of laminitis. Yes, it’s partly true, we don’t see laminitis when horses are free to feed themselves. But we do see insulin resistance, and that’s actually a blessing in the wild. Insulin resistance is the body’s way of avoiding starvation. During a harsh winter, when the food supply is sparse, horses will hold on to body fat to help them survive. They do this by having an elevated blood insulin level. When insulin is high, the cells cannot release fat. This is a survival mechanism.
We duplicate this when we restrict forage. The horse responds the same way, he is in survival mode! And he holds on to body fat. Anything that causes insulin to rise will keep a horse fat. Hundreds of studies with humans confirm the connection between elevated insulin and obesity. Stress causes obesity in humans. Why? Because cortisol (a stress hormone) causes insulin to rise. At the cellular level, the same is true for horses. We have equine studies to show how insulin rises during stress. So why isn’t this being extrapolated to obesity in horses?
Perhaps it’s because it doesn’t seem to make sense that eating more causes weight loss. It’s not the amount eaten but the type of food eaten that has the most impact. And we also know that starving oneself will result in weight loss (mostly muscle loss) but will slow down the metabolic rate so dramatically, that the weight comes back on with far fewer calories than it originally took to maintain one’s weight. Yet the horse-related studies we choose to follow involve starving the horse to get him to lose weight. Which, of course, he does. And we celebrate. The conventional advice appears to work: Give the horse hay equal to 1.5 percent of his body weight, keep him in confined small space much of the day so he cannot graze, and he loses weight! And if he doesn’t, reduce the amount of hay to 1 percent! The idiom, “not seeing the forest for the trees,” comes to mind. What is the big picture? What are you left with? A horse with less muscle mass, stressed to the max, with a sluggish metabolism so he will never live a normal life of grazing on pasture again. Never.
We have forced our horses to abandon their instincts. They no longer get the inner signal that tells them to stop eating. To help you appreciate this, I’d like you to think about your childhood. When you were a toddler, you ate what you needed, and when you were no longer hungry, you stopped eating. Yes, you were coddled to finish your green beans, or no dessert! So you ate more to get that reward. But your instincts (yes, you had them back then) were to eat only what your body required. As you grew, you discovered that eating has more rewards than just getting dessert; eating is comforting, it cures stress, boredom, or disappointment, and is just plain fun! You likely don’t eat only when you’re hungry; you eat whenever you gather with friends or celebrate a special occasion. And guess what? Now that you’re grown, those instincts to eat only what your body needs have long faded.
Horses are a different story. They do not succumb to the pressures of society to influence their appetites. But when they are forced to eat on our schedules, they quickly become out of touch with that innate ability to eat slowly, a little at a time, and stop when satisfied. Instead, they eat quickly, ravenously, with barely a breath in between each bite, because they do not know when their next meal will be available. When it gets close to feeding time they pace, bob their heads, paw the ground, and make strange noises. This is not normal; it is a result of what we have done to our horses. We, well-meaning horse owners and caregivers, are putting our horses into survival mode!
Horses are unlike humans in one very significant way. Their digestive tract is not the same as ours. The biology that drives the horse’s digestion is indisputable: The horse’s stomach produces acid continuously, necessitating the action of chewing to release acidneutralizing saliva. The digestive tract is made of muscles and needs to be exercised to prevent colic by having a steady flow of forage running through it. The cecum (the hindgut where forage is digested by billions of microbes) has both its entrance and exit at the top, thereby requiring it to be full so material can exit, lest it become impacted.
Respect the Power
I appeal to you to look at this logically. You should not put your horse in a dry lot or a stall with no hay. You should test your hay, make sure it is suitable for the horse (low in sugar, starch, and calories). If testing is impossible, then soak it to remove a significant amount of sugar and starch. Put it everywhere you can, encouraging your horse to take more steps to get the next bite. Use slow feeders if you like. And think of ways to foster movement. Exercise, even a small amount, will make a difference. A larger amount will make a bigger difference.
When a horse loses weight the right way, his metabolic rate stays sound and he will be able to graze on pasture again. Perhaps you will have to limit it a bit, but maybe not. Some supplements may be helpful. I have seen hundreds of cases over the years where horses have returned to a normal life—healthy, full of vigor, with no grass restrictions.
Let your horse tell you how much he needs to eat.
Show him that he can start trusting his instincts—that’s the strong message you want him to understand. And you do that by being invariably trustworthy about feeding. Start by giving him more hay (that you’ve tested for suitability or soaked) than he could possibly eat, enough to last all day and enough so there is some left over in the morning. That means he needs to always have forage available. If he runs out, he will never get the message and will continue to overeat and continue to be fat.
Let me repeat that...if he runs out, even for 10 minutes, he will never get the message and will continue to overeat and continue to be fat. And worse, the hormonal response to this stress can induce a laminitis attack or relapse. I’ve seen this more times than I can count. It may take a few weeks (though most of the time it is far shorter than that) for the magic moment to occur—when he walks away from the hay, knowing that it will still be there when he wants it. And then, watch his instinctive behaviors start to return...just like yours were when you were a small child...where he will eat only what his body needs to be
healthy. You’ll notice a beautiful change in his behavior, too. I have many, many clients who have put their trust in me and done this for their horses with success. It is not easy to do at first, I understand that. But when done properly, it works—the overweight horse loses weight. The horse with chronic laminitis doesn’t suffer any more. The horse with Cushing’s disease can live a longer, healthier life. Equine metabolic syndrome becomes a thing of the past. And the owners... ah, the owners… can throw away all that worry and experience the sheer joy that horse ownership can bring.
I know that I am a trailblazer.
This may be new to you. Actually, if you think about it, it is so old, that it is new! But that’s how change happens. We used to feed oats to horses, gallons of oats every day. We now know that a large amount of starch is detrimental. I am encouraged by this change, not only because of its own value, but because it tells me that there is every likelihood that feeding forage free choice will also come to be accepted as mainstream.
I am doing everything I possibly can to help horse owners and professionals understand this basic, foundational concept. My approach is based on observation and nearly 30 years of excellent results. There is no better science than that.
Permission to reprint this article commercially is granted, provided prior notice is given to Dr. Getty at gettyequinenutrition@gmail.com. No editorial changes may be made without her approval.
Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. is an internationally respected, independent equine nutritionist who believes that optimizing horse health comes from understanding how the horse’s physiology and instincts determine the correct feeding and nutrition practices. Dr. Getty provides a world of useful information for the horseperson at www. gettyequinenutrition.com.
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL 2025 EQUINE ANNOUNCER SEMINAR
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View From the Cheap Seats
Please Add Bespoke Tailor to My Dossier
by Sarah Vas
My little Welsh pony mare has proven herself to be a lovely temperament and we are really starting to bond. But alas, I’ve repeatedly found myself clutching a dress tape in Dottie’s stall, rechecking her measurements. Leave it to me to unknowingly put myself in the No Man’s Land between horse and pony sizes. I’m relatively proficient in the art of blanket alterations. Fussy as it may be, I’ll add leg straps where only a tail cord hangs. I’ll tuck up and stitch tight a wither gusset for a wither-less topline. I’ll add Velcro to secure the overlap on open-front sheets. I’ll repair torn material and elastic straps as long as my sewing machine will gag down the bulk between its foot and heavy-duty needle. But outfitting my long list of cob-type Arabians and lanky Saddlebred/Arab crosses did not prepare me for the frustration of
buying ‘pony’ apparel. Despite my craftiness for retro-fitting tack and horse wear to the odd shaped equine, I was unaware of the struggles awaiting me.
Dottie is 12 hands tall, spot on at the wither exactly where her last mane hairs grow. That translates to 48 inches tall. Her girth circumference is 64 inches as is her blanket measurement. Her body length, profile only thankyou-very-much, is 53 inches and her wither-to-tail-head measures 35. She has an elegantly set neck, not too low and not too high with a poll-to-wither measurement of 32 inches. If you have never attempted to purchase a blanket of any type for a solid object of such construction, let me tell you this. Along with saddles, horse trailers, and common barn tools, I will be adding pony blankets to my long list of Things To Make Right When I Am Queen Of Everything.
Not until Dottie have I ever had so much second guessing and returned purchases associated with a single equine. The bevy of 60-inch blankets I squirrelled away for her adulthood was a waste of good intentions. Now, as the Ohio winter bears down on us all, I have purchased and returned exactly 13 blankets so far. I’ll take responsibility for inaccurately measuring her at a 66-inch blanket size. I dutifully ordered three different blankets of varying volume and water repellency only to discover that each one swallowed Dottie’s entirety like a circus tent. Who knows how I made this mistake? But you’d think two inches couldn’t make that much of a difference!
I’ll admit that Dottie is woefully less fit than she should be at this point in her life. (Shut Up! She’s only 7 years old! I don’t wanna rush her, she says with embarrassment.) Her backside is round and plump as a pony of her fine lineage should be but her neck lacks muscling and her shoulders are a far way from meaty and broad. If I’ve ordered four blankets marked 64 inches, I’m lucky if one of those is actually cut and constructed to my pony’s three-dimensional reality.
This blanket has a drop that hangs ridiculously well past her knees. That blanket has poorly placed hind quarter darts and the bottom back corners stick out from her glutes like a flying monkey ready to launch. The next blanket fits to a degree yet the belly straps hang dangerously low even when shortened all the way up. And the next has a tail cover so long, poor Dottie can’t reasonably lift her tail out of the way and I’m constantly cleaning crusty remains off the blanket binding and the underside of her tail bone.
Just about every blanket has had a neck hole so huge, the front of the blanket inevitably hangs uncomfortably low, pinched under the bottom of her chest like Grandma’s old soldiers. It seems the blanket industry has forgotten about those horses and ponies not well endowed with broad pec muscles. The straps and the buckles and the shoulder-
adjusting Velcro and bulky overlapping fabric of these openfront designs have all missed the mark. And I’m not even sticking to my Cheap Seat roots at this point! Believe me, not a single coat in my own closet has a higher price tag than some of the blankets I’ve tried.
I’m admittedly lazy though many call it efficient. I’m not interested in spending hours a week swapping blankets and sheets and liners. I’ve been very successful with the three-blanket combination. A waterproof turnout sheet, a mid-weight winter blanket that the turnout sheet can easily go over for wet wintery days, and a second quilted liner just to add as a base layer underneath on the most frigid of winter nights. I’ve finally found a semiworkable combo for poor Dottie although the turnout sheet has a frustratingly short drop such that her mid-weight blanket hangs out below the sheet’s hemline. My own personal pet peeve but I find it ugly not to mention ill fitting. This only invites water run-off from the turnout sheet to saturate the blanket edge below. Yes, I know. Buy multiples so I can swap out dirty for clean, dry for wet. Am I going to become one of those ankle biter dog owners with a massive wardrobe for Fluffy? Well, if the blanket manufacturers would produce more choices that actually fit Dottie, I just might!
I have found some options. One mid-weight turnout blanket comes from a well-known upper-mid-level priced brand
FRONT COVER PHOTO CONTEST
WIN TWO ALL-ACCESS PASSES to the
WIN ALL-ACCESS PASSES TO THE 2025 MICHIGAN HORSE EXPO and a chance to have a picture of your horse on the March cover of the Horsemen’s Corral!
Here’s what you need to do:
• “Like” the Horsemen’s Corral on Facebook.
the
An ALL ACCESS PASS includes:
• All Three Days, March 7-9, 2025, of the Michigan Horse Expo (Shopping, Clinics, Equine Showcases, Demonstrations, Presentations, and Competitions. Including: Blain’s Farm and Fleet Michigan Mustang Series Colt Start Competition/Auction and the Brave Horse CBD Extreme Cowboy Challenge)
• Friday Night Michigan High School Rodeo
• Saturday Night Mane Event: Professional/Celebrity Cutting Horse Competition. Featuring Jake Ream from the hit TV Show Yellowstone. Jake will also be bringing other celebrities/bunkhouse friends to compete for the Champion Title.
Regular Pricing (only sold online until 2/23): $75 Adult All-Access Pass • $55 Child (ages 5-15)
*Michigan Horse Expo, Michigan Horse Council or the Horsemen’s Corral will never make you enter your credit card to win a giveway. Please do not click on any links to claim prizes. We will not ask you to click on anything to claim. Please beware of scammers. If you do have someone (pretending to be us) reach out to you asking you to click on something to claim a prize, please report them.
• Share a picture of your horse in the comment section on the post with this ad and get as many of your friends as possible to like your picture!
• Photo of horse only (portrait orientation), no people and not a lot of clutter in the background.
• DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PHOTO: FEBRUARY 14, 2025 You will be contacted via Facebook messenger on where to send HIGH RESOLUTION photo if you are picked as the winner!
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”.
FEBRUARY 2025
FEB. 1 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: www.shenanigansstables.com
FEB. 1 — Frosty Frenzy, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Joe, 419-290-3700, theshowarena@ yahoo.com
FEB. 1 — Michigan Quarter Horse Association 23rd Annual New & Used Tack Sale, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., MSU Pavilion, 4301 Farm Lane, Lansing, MI. FMI: 616-225-8211, mqha@hotmail. com, www.miquarterhorse.com
FEB. 2 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm. wixsite.com/website
FEB. 5 — Treharne’s Wednesday Night Barrel & Pole Jackpot, 49053 Fredricktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: 330-6921271, https://www.facebook.com/ davetreharnetrainingcenter
FEB. 6 — Better Barrel Races, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Joe, 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
FEB. 8 — Tis The Season To Be Freezing Barrel Series hosted by Tracie Spitznogle, Treharne’s Training Center, 49053 Fredericktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: Tracie Spitznogle, 304-780-2990
FEB. 8-9 — Champions Center Open Show, 4144 Laybourne Rd., Springfield, OH. FMI: 937-324-4353, championscenter06@gmail.com, championscenterarena.com
FEB. 9 — Champagne Run Farm Winter Dressage Show, 5991 Old Richmond Rd., Lexington, KY. FMI: 859-263-4638, www.champagnerun.com
FEB. 15 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail. com, creeksidehorsepark.com
FEB. 15 — Muhlenberg County Special Horse Sale, Muhlenburg County Agriculture and Convention Center, 3205 KY-1380, Greenville, KY. FMI: Clayton Ryan, 270-766-2641
FEB. 15 — Wayne County 4H Horse & Pony Tack Sale, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wayne County Fairgrounds First Bank Richmond Expo Center, 861 Salisbury Rd., Richmond, IN. FMI: Britney, 765969-9501, brandtbritney@gmail.com
FEB. 15 — Miami Riders 4H Club 3rd Annual Western Roundup, Miami County Fairgrounds, Peru, IN. FMI: 765-469-9255 (text), miamiriders4h@gmail.com, https:// www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=100070019019402
FEB. 15-16 — Ranch and Pleasure Show, The Show Arena, 1640 CR Rd. B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
FEB. 22 — Circle G Winter Series, 10816 Verona Rd., Lewisburg, OH. FMI: Baily, 567-644-5761
FEB. 22 — Monroe County Saddle Club Winter Show, 2 p.m., 8010 W. Elwren Rd., Bloomington, IN. FMI: Candace McFarland, 812-3209675, mcsaddleclubsecretary@ gmail.com, www.facebook.com/ themonroecountysaddleclub
MARCH 1 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: www.shenanigansstables.com
MARCH 1 — Confidence Building Workshop, The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Kim Veenstra, 810-923-4964
MARCH 1 — Tis The Season To Be Freezing Barrel Series, Treharne’s Training Center, 49053 Fredericktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: Tracie Spitznogle, 304-780-2990
MARCH 1 — Indiana Equine Foundation Tack Swap, 9 a.m., Boone County Fairgrounds BCA Building, Lebanon, IN. FMI: redpegasusranch@hotmail.com, www.indianaequinefoundation.com
MARCH 1-2 — Champions Center Open Show, 4144 Laybourne Rd., Springfield, OH. FMI: 937-324-4353, championscenter06@gmail.com, championscenterarena.com
MARCH 2 — Sandusky County 4H Horse Committee 2025 Equine Event, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sandusky County Fairground’s Flower Building, Fremont, OH. FMI: Candy, 419-307-4774
MARCH 2 — Blue Lakes Farm 20242025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https:// bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
MARCH 2 — Tack Swap, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sand Hill Stable, 4311 St. Rt. 303, Mantua, OH. FMI: Darlene, 330614-1332
MARCH 2 — Versatile Horse Competition, The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena.com
MARCH 3-8 — 46th Annual Spring Mid-Ohio Draft Horse & Carriage Sale, Mt. Hope Auction, Mt. Hope, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www. mthopeauction.com
MARCH 5 — Treharne’s Wednesday Night Barrel & Pole Jackpot, 49053 Fredricktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: 330-6921271, https://www.facebook.com/ davetreharnetrainingcenter
MARCH 5-7 — Boone County Draft & Quarter Horse Sale, Missouri State Fairgrounds, Sedalia, MO. FMI: Joe Raber, 719-431-3137, www. boonecountyhorsesale.com
MARCH 6 — Better Barrel Races, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Joe, 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
MARCH 7 — Fast Times Fridays Series Open Horse Show, Madison County Fairgrounds Indoor Arena, 3237 Old Irvine Rd., Richmond, KY. FMI: Ronnie Smith, 859-771-3388
MARCH 7-8 — Waugh Livestock Sales LLC Spring Catalog Sale, Derrickson Agricultural Complex, 25 MSU Farm Drive, Morehead, KY. FMI: Jonathon Waugh, 606-748-9721, facebook. com/WLSMuleSale
MARCH 7-9 — William Ball Pole Bending Clinic, The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: William Ball, 859-339-2283, www. theshowarena.com
MARCH 8 — OHIO EXCA Winter Practice, 10 am. to 12 pm and 1-3 pm, Win-Seek Fallen Pines, 5022 Everett Hull Rd., Cortland, OH. FMI: www.ohioexca.com
MARCH 8 — 1st Annual Tack Swap Mounted Unit Fundraiser, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lorain County Fairgrounds (Building 19), 2300 Fairgrounds Rd., Wellington, OH. FMI: Deputy Hurlburt, 440-329-3847, dhurlburt@ loraincountysheriff.com
MARCH 8 — Blue Lakes Farm 20242025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https:// bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
MARCH 8 — Southern Kentucky Team Penning Association Show, 10:30 a.m., WKU L.D. Brown Ag Expo Center, 406 Elrod Rd., Bowling Green, KY. FMI: Greg, 270-646-8495
MARCH 8 — Equine Health & Coggins Clinic, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Central KY Ag/ Expo Center, 678 Wallace Wilkinson Blvd., Liberty, KY. FMI: Casey County Veterinary Serices PLLC, 606-787-0030
MARCH 8 — Monroe County Saddle Club Winter Show, 2 p.m., 8010 W. Elwren Rd., Bloomington, IN. FMI: Candace, 812-320-9675, www.facebook.com/ themonroecountysaddleclub
MARCH 15 — Two Minds, One Mission Clinic, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sand Hill Stables, 4113 OH-303, Mantua, OH. FMI: 724-456-0237, horseofadifferentcolor.org
MARCH 15 — Coshocton County 4-H Horse Committee Horse & Livestock Tack Swap, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Coshocton County Fairgrounds Grandstand, 707 Kenilworth Ave., Coshocton, OH. FMI: Alonna Hoffman, 740-622-2265, hoffman.644@osu.edu
MARCH 15 — Rockin’ Ranch Youth Rodeo, Rodeo Run Arena, 11641 Alspach Rd., Canal Winchester, OH. FMI: 740-538-1491
MARCH 15 — Henderson 500 Buckle Series, Henderson Arena, 739 Van Fossan West Rd., Jackson, OH. FMI: Kelsie, 937-728-9422
MARCH 16 — 39th Annual Great Tack Exchange, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Greene County Expo Center & Fairgrounds, 120 Fairgrounds Rd., Xenia, OH. FMI: 937-488-2018 (leave a message), Search The Great Tack Exchange on Facebook
MARCH 23 — 29th Annual Darke County Tack Sale, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Darke County Fairgrounds, Greenville, OH. FMI: 937-564-7250 (text), darkehorsecommittee@gmail.com
MARCH 28-30 — 5th Annual Indiana Equine Roudup, Cowpokes Arena, 253 Stardust Rd., Cloverdale, IN. FMI: www.cbarcexpo.com/ier
MARCH 29 — Buckeye Mini Horse, Donkey, Pony & Horse Mixed Auction, Wayne County Fairgrounds, 199 Vanover St., Wooster, OH. FMI: Daniel Schrock, 330-763-0905, schrocksauctioneering@gmail.com
MARCH 29 — Wayne County Saddle Club and Massillon Saddle Club Tack Swap, Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center, 199 Vanover St., Wooster, OH.
MARCH 29 — Buckin’ On The Ridge, 5:30 p.m., Riverland Arena, Navarre, OH. FMI: E&H Cattle Company, 740-3909181, https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100083746374272
MARCH 29 — Tis The Season To Be Freezing Barrel Series, Treharne’s Training Center, 49053 Fredericktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: Tracie Spitznogle, 304-780-2990
MARCH 29 — Columbiana County OHC BCHA Tack Swap, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Smokin’ W Ranch, 37912 Saltwell Rd., Lisbon, OH. FMI: Chad Rose, 234-575-1402 (text)
MARCH 29 — Spring Driving Horse Sale, 606 Sales and Events LLC, 5194 Ewing Rd., Ewing, KY. FMI: Calvin Kemp, 606-202-0719
MARCH 29-30 — David Edwards Pole Bending Clinic, Blue Lakes Farm, Newbury, OH. FMI: Amy Snyder, 440479-8503
MARCH 30 — Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau Tack Sale & More, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds, 19201 E. Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, OH. FMI: 440-877-0706, cuyahoga@ofbf.org
APRIL 2025
APRIL 2 — Treharne’s Wednesday Night Barrel & Pole Jackpot, 49053 Fredricktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: 330-6921271, https://www.facebook.com/ davetreharnetrainingcenter
APRIL 4-6 — Hello Spring Barrel Race, Hoosier Horse Park, 7105 S. Kern St., Nineveh, IN. FMI: Penny, 812-406-8512
APRIL 5 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: www.shenanigansstables.com
APRIL 5 — Massillon Saddle Club Buckle Series, 12680 Sally St. SW, Massillon, OH. FMI: 330-844-4041, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com, massillonsaddleclub.org
APRIL 5 — Spring Schooling (Classical and Western) Show, Duncan Run Farm, Galena, OH. FMI: midohiodressage@gmail.com, www.midohiodressage.com
APRIL 5-6 — Roy Dale Memorial International Barrel Racing, Central KY Ag Expo Center, 678 Wallace Wilkinson Blvd., Liberty, KY. FMI: Savannah Monroe, 859-559-2662
APRIL 6 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm. wixsite.com/website
APRIL 6 — Youth Rodeo Series Finals, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 330-717-4329, garwoodarena@gmail.com
APRIL 9-13 — Indiana Quarter Horse Youth Association Show, C Bar C Arena, 253 W. Stardust Rd., Cloverdale, IN. FMI: Kathy Avolt, 765714-4324, www.iqha.com
APRIL 10-13 — Equine Affaire, Ohio Expo Center, 651 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH Columbus, OH. FMI: equineaffaire.com
APRIL 11 — Henderson 500 Buckle Series, Henderson Arena, 739 Van Fossan West Rd., Jackson, OH. FMI: Kelsie, 937-728-9422
APRIL 12 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail.com, creeksidehorsepark.com
APRIL 12 — New Shooter Clinic, Ruggles Arena, Cardington, OH. FMI: northernohiooutlawsinfo@gmail. com, www.nooutlaws.com
APRIL 12 — Blue Lakes Farm 20242025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https:// bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
APRIL 12-13 — INPHC Early Bird, Henry County Saddle Club, New Castle, IN. FMI: www.inphc.club
APRIL 16 — Treharne’s Wednesday Night Barrel & Pole Jackpot, 49053 Fredricktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: 330-6921271, https://www.facebook.com/ davetreharnetrainingcenter
APRIL 18 — Preble County OHC Good Friday Group Ride, 4 Mile Valley Rd., Camden, OH. FMI: prebleohc.com
APRIL 18-20 — Annual Carter County Trail Ride, Dirt Slingers Off-Road Park, 3710 West US Hwy. 60, Grayson, KY. FMI: rushcartel@gmail.com
APRIL 18-20 — Michigan Foundation Quarter Horse Registry Show, Midland County Fairgrounds, Midland, MI. FMI: 517-331-6085, michigan-fqhr.com
APRIL 19 — Southern Kentucky Team Penning Association Show, 10:30 a.m., WKU L.D. Brown Ag Expo Center, 406 Elrod Rd., Bowling Green, KY. FMI: Greg, 270-646-8495
APRIL 19 — Monroe County Saddle Club Winter Show, 2 p.m., 8010 W. Elwren Rd., Bloomington, IN. FMI: Candace, 812-320-9675, www.facebook.com/ themonroecountysaddleclub
Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds • Home & Hobby Building 19201 E. Bagley Rd. I Middleburg Heights, OH
Want to be a Vendor?
• Cuyahoga Farm Bureau members:
first table/space is free, second is $15
• Other County Farm Bureau members:
first table/space is $10, second is $15
• Non-members: first table and second
table/space are $25 each
APRIL 11-13 — Spring Bowser Barrel Clinic, The Shoe Arena, 1540 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, www.theshowarena.com
APRIL 11-13 — Eastern Ohio Quarter Horse Association Horse Show, Champions Center, Springfield, OH. FMI: eoqha.us
APRIL 11-13 — RSTPA Big Bucks Series, Diamond 7 Arena, 36 Deardorff Rd., Dillsburg, PA. FMI: Paul, 516-639-6666
APRIL 23-26 — 79th River Ridge Horse Show, Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, OH. FMI: Barbara Dunham, 740-3528562, showsec1@aol.com, https:// www.riverridgehs.org/
APRIL 24-25 — Joe Beaver Clinic, 9:30 a.m., The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, www.theshowarena.com
Buckeye Equestrian Association
Safety Practices Around Horses
PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio
VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner TREASURER, Sally Kish FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
The new year for some of our board members has not started out great. A board member’s husband slipped on the ice in his truck bed and fell and broke his hip. He is mending but it is a reminder to all of us to take care in the ice and
snow. Another board member is having a knee replacement. A former board member while fostering a little dog got wrapped up in the leash and fell and dislocated her leg from her hip. Not a good start to 2025.
Buckeye Equestrian Association is considering including safety practices around horses to our coming clinics. Over the years I have seen some scary incidents. At a youth rodeo a young girl riding a horse that was not trained in barrel racing competed. It ended with the horse reacting to the barrels and the girl fell off and was transported to the hospital. At
View From the Cheap Seats
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(gulp…) that thankfully has figured out how to produce a seamless integrated neck cover. I’ll withhold opinion over the fact that I did have to tighten up the overall circumference. The blanket fit well but the neck cover was so drapey, the front
edge was taking on snow when she grazed. And her low-end mid-weight closed-front stable blanket fits pretty well, however it only came in this stomach bile greenish grey color and when she walks, it crinkles and crackles like a 1980s brand new pair of snow pants. I’m guessing it’s not
a horse show or rodeo is not the time to try a new event without practicing at home and/or getting professional instruction. Many of us keep our horses at home and think nothing of going riding alone. Take your cell phones with you. Wear a helmet and a safety vest. Let someone know you are going out riding and let them know when you return. Better yet find a riding buddy.
Have you ever had a horse unload someone and run off? It happened at a nearby horse park. A horse trainer riding alone got thrown and the horse belonging to a customer ran. He looked all night
on foot with some help on foot or riding ATVs. Some horsewomen were called in to help in the morning and arrived with horses to help. One very knowledgeable horsewoman brought her very vocal horse, figuring he would whinny and perhaps the lost horse would answer. She was there 5 minutes, her horse whinnied and an answering whinny was heard. That horse’s bridle was caught in some brush and it stood there all night not 50 feet off the trail. Moral of the story. Be smart and be careful and be safe.
For the love of horses and riders. ~Sally Kish
flame retardant. And don’t even get me started on the nonsense that is ‘pony’ sized tack!
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.
Dusty Boots Riding Club
Mark Your Calender, Show Dates Finalized
PRESIDENT, Jason Brown
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Jacki Davis
TREASURER, Tonya Stenger
SECRETARY, Dana Johnson
EMAIL, dustyboots@dustybootsridingclub.com
WEBSITE, dustybootsridingclub.com
by Josie Nicholas
As we dive into the new year, we have lots of activity within Dusty Boots Riding Club. We
had our annual Christmas party in December 2024. We are in the process of making changes to our rulebook and class selection as decided at the directors meeting held in November. Since then, we have finalized our show dates. Show dates are as follows.
MAY 31-JUNE 1 — at The Ashtabula County Fairgrounds located in Jefferson, Ohio.
JUNE 14-15 — at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds located in Jefferson, Ohio.
JUNE 28-29 — at Trumbull County Fairgrounds located in Cortland, Ohio.
AUGUST 17 — at Blue Lakes Farm in Newbury, Ohio.
AUGUST 23-24 — at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds located in Jefferson, Ohio.
The Dusty Boots Riding Club sub-committees have been hard at work as well. We just finished up the test and interview portion of the Royalty Contest. Winners will be crowned at our banquet coming up in March. Best of luck to our contestants! We continue to prepare for this upcoming show season with excitement. This years’ banquet book will
be designed by Maggie Luciani. If you would like to advertise your business, horse, show team, barn, farrier services, etc, please refer to our Facebook page with the link to fill out a Google form. In addition, we are looking for sponsors for our 2025 show season. If you are interested, please contact Caitlyn Visnosky via email at Cmphotography440@gmail.com Our meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month, at 7 p.m., at Pizza Joes in Jefferson, Ohio. Anyone is welcome, all are encouraged to attend!
Geauga Horse and Pony Association 2025 Show Season Planning Has Begun
Geauga Horse and Pony Association (GHPA) hopes that everyone had a wonderful holiday season. With cold weather upon us and falling snow, the GHPA show committee is thinking about
warm summer shows! They are hard at work coming up with an updated showbill for our 2025 season. The 2025 show dates (pending approval) Open Shows: June 1, June 22, July 20, August 10 and Friday Night Lights Contesting Shows: 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.
Our two youth groups are actively signing up members. If you are interested in being a part of one of the clubs, please contact one of the club advisor Jaimie Olson (Jaimiesutter230@
gmail.com), Frank Muellner (f-muellner@sbcglobal.net) or Kelli Burns (kelliburns86@ gmail.com). Our Tails and Trails Youth Group will be running the food booth at the 19th Annual Tack Swap at Blue Lakes Farm on February 23. Be sure to stop by and say hi!
Save the date! March 15 will be our year-end awards (and more) banquet! More information will be shared as our banquet committee works hard on ironing out the details, and invitations for the reservation required event will be in the mail soon.
Stay up to date on the current news, events, and show dates within our organization by visiting www.ghpa.us, or following us on Facebook. Our club meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Geauga County Fairgrounds and are open to all members.
GHPA thanks Big Dee’s Tack for their generous support of our organization through their Bonus Buck’s program. Likewise, thank you to Schneiders Saddlery for their generous support. We greatly appreciate all that these two wonderful companies provide for our organization.
Ohio Paint Horse Club
OPHC/MPHC and Midwest Series Banquet Slated for March
PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp
VICE PRESIDENT, Tim Dawson
TREASURER, Jill Davis
SECRETARY, Heather Collins
WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
by Tim Snapp
The APHA Leadership Gathering is coming up February 28 through March 2 in Fort Worth, Texas. State directors will be attending on behalf of the
Ohio Paint Horse Club (OPHC) members to learn more about the association, rule change proposals and network with other members and APHA staff.
I know it is only February but here is the OPHC show schedule set for 2025!
APRIL 26-27: Buckeye Extravaganza, Champions Center, Springfield, Ohio
MAY 2-4: Zone 8 Show, C Bar C, Cloverdale, Ind.
MAY 16-18: Summer Warm Up, OPHC/PtHAO combined show in Findlay, Ohio
JULY 26-27: Buckeye Bonanza, WEC, Wilmington, Ohio
SEPT. 6-7: Amateur Club Show, Champions Center (covered pen), Springfield, Ohio
Don’t forget to plan to support the Midwest Connection Shows in 2025 too! The first being Indiana at the Early Bird Show in New Castle, the Zone Show at C Bar C in Cloverdale, the Memorial Day Show in Mason, Mich., and the Buckeye Bonanza Bash show at the WEC in Wilmington, Ohio. Many amazing awards will be given at the end of the series!
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 in one location. The final standings for the Midwest Series, MPHC and OPHC award standing are posted. Look for the link on Facebook for a discounted room rate.
Continued prayers for Tim and Suzie Dawson 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. Get out and ride!
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
You Can Lead a Horse to Water…
by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
Idon’t know that I have ever had anything with the horses hit me so hard for a topic of an article as this has. We are boarding two horses temporarily for someone who moved here from Missouri in August. This couple is going through a lot! They have all the chaotic responsibilities that come with moving to a new home from out of state as well as other challenges. The husband’s health is not very good. They have had to transition to new medical doctors and facilities and have had unexpected illnesses. Due to all of this, she is unable to come be with her horses as much as she would like. One of their horses is very lame in his right front and he is extremely finicky with food and how he is fed. He is a hard keeper, and we have had to nurture him more than expected. When we go out to feed this guy and his pasture mates, it is more
time consuming than expected. Many times, when we feed him his grain, he will turn away from it, but other times he will finish. There isn’t any consistency. He becomes easily distracted. More often than not, Rob and I will hold the grain pan in front of him to try to keep his attention. A lot of times he will still walk away. It makes me uncomfortable when he doesn’t finish his grain because he needs the extra nutrients to put on weight. I feel extremely responsible for his wellbeing. We also tried creating a barrier in the opening of the run in shelter to keep this horse in until he finishes his grain. That seemed to work… temporarily! Many times, he would walk away from the grain and just wanted back out with the other two horses that are in his paddock area. We gave up on that method when we found that the horses had broken the barrier we made to the entrance of the shelter. We went back to
holding the pan and following him around to try to get him to eat. One morning when I was out there by myself I found myself basically pleading with him to eat and I said, “buddy I am trying to help you, please eat this food!” Right then the Holy Spirit showed me that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. The same is true that you can lead a person to the Bible, but you can’t make them read it. We can be the finicky, distracted, hard keeper horse that won’t eat that which is so beneficial for us.
Everything that we need to strengthen and grow is in God’s word. I look up scripture for our weekly devotions, but it made me realize that I still need to be fed more. I have noticed that when I become distracted and don’t read the way I need to that I am not as spiritually strong. Things have a tendency to bother me more. I feel a little more anxious and my joy isn’t where I would like it to be. When I read and focus more on God, I feel much stronger. There are many ways to feed the soul but one of the most obvious is to go to church. Other suggestions are to join a small group study, be diligent in prayer, keep a journal, read Christian faith books and do some charity work.
Recently I purchased a new devotional book written by Sarah Young titled ‘Jesus Calling’. It is written as if Jesus is speaking directly to you and the Bible verses that are referenced in the devotion are below it. The devotion I read January 2 was something I know everyone has experienced at some point and I’d like to share it. Sarah wrote “Relax in My healing Presence. As you spend time with Me, your thoughts tend to jump ahead to today’s plans and problems. Bring your mind back to Me for refreshment and renewal. Let the Light of My Presence soak into you as you focus your thoughts on Me. Thus, I equip you to face whatever the day brings. This sacrifice of time pleases Me and strengthens you. Do not skimp on our time together. Resist the clamor of tasks waiting to be done. You have chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from you.” The text in bold print is from Luke 10:39-42
when Martha was upset that Mary didn’t help her but chose what was better…to sit at Jesus’ feet. It is very easy to get caught up in our daily ‘clamor of tasks’ and turn away from what we need to digest. Jeremiah 15:16 states “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty.” When we eat something that really appeals to our taste buds we can develop a craving for it. 1 Peter 2:2 reminds us that “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.” I love the Bible’s explanation of this verse where it says “The need for milk is a natural instinct for a baby and it signals the desire for nourishment that will lead to growth. Once we see our need for God’s Word and begin to find nourishment in Christ, our spiritual appetite will increase, and we will start to mature.” I know the Holy Spirit was working in a mighty way regarding this topic because a couple days after my spiritual epiphany with this horse our pastor referenced this very topic in his sermon. I personally do not want to be spiritually malnourished. I can imagine our Loving God sitting up there holding the pan of feed (the Bible) in front of me saying ‘Tanya, I am trying to help you! Please eat my food!’ Rob and I have many friends going through very trying circumstances. I so badly want to help them and take their hurt away. I can’t, but He can! I am holding the pan in front of them offering nutritional food. I send devotions, invite them to church
Tanya and Rob Corzatt
Saddle Club
Joint Tack Swap with Wayne County Saddle Club in March
PRESIDENT, Leanne; VICE PRESIDENT (CONTEST), Anna; VICE PRESIDENT (PLEASURE), Samantha; SECRETARY, Francine; TREASURER, Ruth EMAIL, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.massillonsaddleclub.org
Happy New Year, everyone! It is 2025. It seems as if 2024 just started, but the entire show season, as well as the banquet, is completed, and the 2025 show season is already scheduled with some additional events in full planning stage.
Massillon Saddle Club (MSC) would like to welcome two new officers to Massillon Saddle Club, Inc.: welcome to the new Contest VP Anna Leach, and the new Pleasure VP Samantha Thompson. Both joined MSC in 2023. Welcome, also, to the new Junior Trustees: Robert Gauder, and, Tiegan Reed. Welcome back to Junior Trustee, Ellie Shoup. In addition, please welcome the new Trustees: Kristen Collins, Alyssa Crofut, Becca Rogers, Carisa Wise, Madelyn Zerbe, and, Lane Louive. Welcome back to the returning Trustees Loretta Gauder, Caroline Bedlion, Ty Hershey, Machell Spencer, and Lawrence Louive. Welcome back to MSC Officers Leanne Louive (President), Ruth Radtka (Treasurer), Francine (Secretary). Many thanks to the ‘retiring’ trustees Mandy Herbruck, and Holly Garton.
The gun raffle was won by Caroline Bedlion.
There were a few special awards at the banquet. (Apologies
Lead a Horse
Continued
and pray for them. It seems they are so distracted with everything going on around them that they walk away from the food.
My friends, I pray that you will not turn away from the nourishment God wants to provide you in order for you to grow and strengthen. May you be blessed on your ride!
The Corzatt family owns and operates the Cowboy Perseverance Ranch (CPR) in
in advance for any special award that isn’t mentioned below; the highlighted ones were randomly chosen.) Congratulations to the following members: Kirsten Carpenter was awarded a $500 scholarship; Heather Kinney was presented with the ‘Horseman Of The Year’ award. Heather volunteered multiple hours during the show day, ensuring that the youth and younger riders received their ribbon or medallion after each class. In addition, she encouraged those that may not have placed in a class. Many thanks, Heather! Your efforts made show days end with a positive experience for everyone.
Do you love to spend time with your horse, but, prefer not to show? Is your show horse a mini, or a young horse? Massillon Saddle Club is more than horse shows; MSC also has exhibitions/clinics, and, as requested by our members, a trail riding program. The EquiLab app will track your trail hours; you do not need to be a member to use the app. The app is free (just decline the $99 membership to access the free app). If you wish to be included in year end awards (the award is for Top Three Overall) for trail riding miles, there is a $25 (per rider) registration fee for members. You may ride multiple horses as the trail miles accumulate per rider. If you are not yet a member, and wish to be included in the Year End Trail Miles Award, your MSC membership fee will be in addition to the award registration fee. Year End Award Miles are tracked by each rider and
submitted by October 5. Please see the MSC Facebook for specific details.
There are a few special events that are being held this year. Details are being researched at this time. Please watch the MSC Facebook page for all updates.
One of the 2025 events is the return of the Super Fun Show (also known as ‘Ellie’s Super Fun Show’) August 3. In addition to Ellie’s Fun Show, there are two additional Fun Shows planned on May 18 and September 28. New this year is a Jackpot/Buckle Series (poles and barrels) planned for April 5, May 17, June 28, and August 9. Contest Show dates are June 8, June 22, July 13, August 17, September 21, October 5. Pleasure Show dates are June 29, July 27, August 10, August 24, with a rain date (if needed) September 14.
MSC will have a joint tack swap with Wayne County Saddle Club on March 29 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. 10’x10’ spaces are available at $50 each
before February 1. There is a slight price increase after February 1, please see the MSC Facebook page for additional details to follow.
If you would like more information about the MSC scholarship program, please see the Massillon Saddle Club website, MassillonSaddleClub. org, or contact Francine.
The MSC Year End Awards Banquet and Election of Officers is scheduled for November 20 at Nickajack Farms.
Please watch the MSC Facebook page for updates on upcoming events, classes, and updated showbills.
Until the 2025 events begin, MSC hopes that everyone enjoys the crisp winter days and has amazing rides. We are looking forward to the start of a new season and renewing friendships, seeing returning riders, and to meeting new ones as the year progresses. May each of your days be filled with happy horse adventures!
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.
Keeneland to Offer Spring Meet Stakes Schedule Worth Season Record $9.4 Million
Keeneland has increased the value of 16 stakes to be run during the 2025 Spring Meet –led by a $250,000 boost to the season’s signature Toyota Blue Grass (G1) to $1.25 million –and will award a meet record $9.4 million for a total of 19 stakes scheduled during 15 days of racing from April 4-25.
The Toyota Blue Grass joins the Fall Meet’s Coolmore Turf Mile (G1) as Keeneland’s two $1.25 million races, which are the richest in track history. The Coolmore Turf Mile reached that level in October when total stakes purses for the Fall Meet were a track record $9.85 million.
Other purse increases include $150,000 for the Central Bank Ashland (G1), now worth $750,000, and $200,000 for the Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select, which becomes a $600,000 race.
Contributing to the purses for the total of 19 stakes to be run during the Spring Meet is $2.25 million available from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF), pending approval from the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
“Keeneland’s Spring Meet is the destination of many of Thoroughbred racing’s biggest names,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing Gatewood Bell said. “The racing world converges here because they know this is where the best jockeys, trainers and horses will be, and they want to compete at the highest level. We are excited to continue to grow our racing program and eager to welcome horsemen and fans from around the world for Keeneland this spring.”
The 101st running of the Toyota Blue Grass at 1 1/8 miles on Saturday, April 5 and the 88th running of the Central Bank Ashland at 1 1/16 miles – the year’s first Grade 1 event for fillies, which will run the day before on opening day of the meet – are key springtime races on the dirt for 3-year-olds.
In addition, the two races both are worth 200 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby and Road to the Kentucky Oaks, respectively, with the winners of each stakes earning 100 qualifying points to the respective classic.
The early nomination deadline
for the two races is Feb. 15. Late nominations are due March 19.
TEN STAKES OVER OPENING THREE DAYS
Joining the Central Bank Ashland on the season’s first day are two other stakes for 3-year-olds: the aforementioned Transylvania (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select, at 1 1/16 miles on the turf, and the Lafayette (L), a 7-furlong dirt race.
The Lafayette was upgraded to a listed race for 2025.
The next day, the Toyota Blue Grass highlights the five stakes on the card, which annually is Keeneland’s biggest race day of the year. Joining the race are the $650,000 Resolute Racing Madison (G1), for fillies and mares at 7 furlongs on the dirt; the $500,000 Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association, for 3-year-old fillies at 1 mile on the grass; the $400,000 Valvoline Global Shakertown (G2), for 3-yearolds and up at 5½ furlongs on the turf; and the $350,000 Commonwealth (G3), for older horses at 7 furlongs on the dirt.
Keeneland raised the purse of the Appalachian Presented by Japan Racing Association by $100,000 and added $50,000 each to the value of the Resolute Racing Madison, the Valvoline Global Shakertown and the Commonwealth.
Stakes action for 3-year-olds will continue Sunday of opening weekend with the $400,000 MiddleGround Capital Beaumont (G2), at 7 furlongs, 184 feet, on the dirt for fillies, and the $300,000 Palisades (L), at 5½ furlongs on the grass.
The Palisades purse has increased $50,000.
GIANT’S CAUSEWAY MOVES TO SECOND SUNDAY
Again this year, stakes races are concentrated on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
On Friday, April 11, Keeneland will run two turf stakes that both have purse increases of $50,000: the $650,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1), for 4-year-olds and up at 1 mile, and the $300,000 FanDuel Limestone (L), for 3-year-old fillies going 5½ furlongs.
Two stakes the following day are the $650,000 Jenny Wiley (G1), a 1 1/16-mile turf race
for fillies and mares, which increased in value by $50,000, and the $400,000 Stonestreet Lexington (G3), for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. The final prep on the Road to the Kentucky Derby, the Stonestreet Lexington will award a total of 42 Derby qualifying points. Of those, 20 points will go to the winner.
Keeneland has moved the $350,000 Giant’s Causeway (G3), a 5½-furlong turf race for fillies and mares, from the second Saturday to the following day, Sunday, April 13, to be a standalone stakes that day and has increased the purse by $50,000.
For the final days of the Spring Meet, older horses will compete in four graded stakes each worth $50,000 more than last year. The $350,000 Baird Doubledogdare (G3), for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, will be held Friday, April 18. Two stakes on Saturday, April 19 are the $400,000 Visit LEX Elkhorn
(G2), at 1½ miles on the turf, and the $350,000 Ben Ali (G3), at 1 3/16 miles on the dirt.
Easter falls on Sunday, April 20, when Keeneland will be closed for racing.
Friday, April 26 is the final day of the Spring Meet when Keeneland will showcase racing and its world-renowned auctions. The race card will feature the final stakes increased by $50,000: the $350,000 Bewitch (G3) Presented by Keeneland Sales, for fillies and mares at 1½ miles on the turf.
Following the races, Keeneland will hold the April Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale. Presented by Keeneland Sales
$100,000 4YOs and Up, F&M1½ Miles (T)
*Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund. All KTDF purse allotments are subject to approval of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation.
Western Dressage
Unlocking Impulsion in Western Dressage
by Kelley Bitter
If you’ve spent enough time in the western dressage arena, you’ve probably heard the word ‘impulsion’ tossed around. Maybe you nodded along knowingly while secretly asking yourself, “Wait, does my horse even have impulsion?” Don’t worry—we’ve all been there. Impulsion is one of those concepts that seems crystal-clear in theory but gets a little murky when you’re out there trying to bring it to life in a test.
So, what exactly is impulsion in western dressage, why is it such a big deal, and how do judges evaluate it? Let’s break it down. It was a cool, gray morning when I walked into the arena with my horse, Jax. The fog clung to the ground, and I could hear the quiet rhythm of his hoofbeats as the Big Guy as he is called, followed me like he always did. You may have seen us at a local dressage show. This big Paint with blue eyes is a looker. He’s also a horse with a wonderful work ethic and fun to ride. Jax isn’t just any horse—he’s my partner, teacher, and, occasionally, my biggest challenge.
Standing at the mounting block, I paused to pat his gleaming shoulder. “Alright, Jax,” I whispered, more for myself than him, “today we figure out this impulsion thing.” This had become our mantra lately, figuring it out.
Jax had always been willing and steady, the kind of horse that was more on life’s laid-back side. But in western dressage, that wasn’t always a blessing. While he was reliable, getting him to channel his energy forward with power and purpose was like asking a cat to do your taxes. Sure, we could manage a respectable test, but every ride felt like something was missing—a sense of rhythm, spark, and togetherness that judges called impulsion. I called it “the zip we don’t yet have.”
What is Impulsion in Western Dressage?
Impulsion isn’t just about motion—it’s about emotion. It’s the controlled energy from a horse’s hindquarters, flowing through their body like a river through a canyon. It’s not wild, chaotic power; it’s focused and intentional, with a rhythm and balance that makes everything look effortless. Remember when we talked about rhythm and balance? We put it all to work here to get impulsion.
True impulsion reflects your horse’s ability to carry themselves in balance, maintain steady rhythm, and respond eagerly to your aids without resistance. It’s about a sense of power bubbling just below the surface, ready to be expressed with precision and harmony.
When assessing impulsion during a western dressage test, judges rely on criteria outlined by the Western Dressage Association of America (WDAA). Here are some of the key factors they look at to determine impulsion—and ultimately assign scores to your performance:
1. Energy and Forward-Thinking Movement—Judges consider how much your horse is using their hindquarters to push forward. They want to see active, energetic strides—not lazy plodding or rushed, short steps. Your horse should appear ‘in front of your leg,’ meaning they respond promptly to your aids.
2. Elasticity and Swing—Impulsion isn’t just about generating power; it’s about controlling and channeling it. The movement should have a springy, elastic quality. A bouncy, free-moving trot or lope (with swing flowing through the horse’s back) screams ‘great impulsion.’ On the flip side, a rigid or hollow back is a big no-no.
3. Connection and Acceptance of the Bit—Judges will pay attention to how well the horse maintains contact with the rider’s hand through the bridle. Is your horse moving willingly into the bit? Are they resisting, pulling, or avoiding? A smooth connection is a huge indicator of proper impulsion.
4. Balanced Frame—A horse with proper impulsion will carry themselves in a balanced frame. Look for a consistent tempo and rhythm, with evidence of engagement from the hindquarters. Judges will dock points for horses who appear heavy on the forehand or uneven in their gaits.
5. Harmony with the Rider—All the power in the world doesn’t matter if it doesn’t come with teamwork. Judges assess the partnership between horse and rider. Does the horse’s energy complement the rider’s aids? Are transitions smooth and coordinated? Impulsion should feel like a symphony, not a shouting match.
Scoring Impulsion
Impulsion is scored out of 10, as part of the collective marks at the end of a western dressage test. A score of 6 (satisfactory) means there’s room for improvement, while scores of 8 (good) or 9 (very good) reflect a harmonious display of controlled energy. Hitting a 10? That’s rare air—prepare for applause!
For Jax, impulsion wasn’t something that came naturally. He was more chill than spring-loaded, but I knew he had it in him—and I knew western dressage demanded it. Without impulsion, our transitions felt sluggish, our gaits flat, and even the best-planned rides lacked the magic I wanted us to have. Sound familiar?
At that point in our western dressage journey, Jax and I had good basics. But without impulsion, every ride felt like we were hitting pause instead of flowing through the movements. Every movement felt stiff and flat. We needed to change that. I started doing specific exercises to help us both understand, practice and feel impulsion.
Exercises to Improve Impulsion
To help Jax find his impulsion, I had to create a training routine that built strength while keeping him engaged in his mind and body. It took time, but each exercise was a step toward success. Here’s what worked for us.
1. Nailing Transitions Between Gaits. At first, our transitions were polite. Speed up, slow down—but all on Jax’s terms. To get impulsion, I knew transitions needed to engage his hindquarters and sharpen his responsiveness.
Steps We Took: We started with walk-to-trot and back. My aids were light but clear—a gentle squeeze of my legs for the trot, a soft rein cue and seat shift for the walk. Over time, I shortened the number of steps at each gait to make Jax anticipate the next cue proactively. We started with 20 trot steps down to 20 walk steps, then 18 steps and then 15 steps. You see where I am going.
Next came trot-to-lope transitions, focusing on an energetic push rather than letting him ‘fall’ into the new gait. Keeping my core engaged and my hands soft helped maintain his balance here.
Finally, bad habits like leaning or dragging into downward transitions started to fade as we repeated these exercises, improving clarity and consistency in my aids.
What I Learned: Every transition had to carry energy forward. If Jax started a downward transition and lost his rhythm, I’d nudge him into a few energetic strides before trying again. This retrained him to stay active. This took a while. Jax is a big-bodied stock horse. I had to let him gain strength and confidence in that big body to move into a transition. Unlike my Arabian who is more energetic and confident. Know your horse and allow him to learn confidence to move his body with your guidance.
2. Lengthening and Collecting Gaits. Jax loved to cruise on autopilot—his natural pace and rhythm rarely changed unless I nudged him out of his comfort zone. To create impulsion, we worked on playing with stride length.
Steps We Took: At the trot, I asked Jax to lengthen his stride by squeezing gently with my legs and softening my hold on the reins. The idea was to ‘send’ his energy forward.
After a few strides, I asked for collection by tightening my core and giving subtle rein cues. Rather than allowing him to slow completely, I wanted him to carry the energy into a more compact, springy trot. Again, unlike my Arabians, the Big Guy needed some extra time to develop confidence he could do this.
We cycled between these until each request felt natural—lengthened strides flowing into collected ones without hesitation.
What I Learned: Staying relaxed and rhythmic was crucial. The more consistent I was, the more balanced Jax became.
3. Working Cavaletti Poles. Cavaletti poles are like a gym session for horses, helping build strength and flexibility—all essential for impulsion.
Steps We Took: I set up trot poles spaced about three feet apart. At the beginning stages, I prioritized flat poles and a steady rhythm. Jax and I worked up to raised poles to encourage him to engage his core and step higher. At the trot, I focused on keeping my hands steady and my seat supporting his movement.
Over time, even basic Cavaletti warmups helped Jax become more powerful in his gaits.
What I Learned: Short, focused sessions work best. Too many repetitions fatigued Jax, so we kept it light and fun.
4. Serpentines and Circles. When Jax got stiff, circles and serpentines became our go-to tools to loosen him up while keeping impulsion alive.
Steps We Took: Large, flowing circles at the trot or lope helped Jax engage his hindquarters without losing rhythm. I stayed mindful of his bend—keeping it soft and even on both sides. We added serpentines to keep him thinking. Each loop reminded him to stay connected to my aids as he switched bends. I kept my inside leg active as a kind of ‘steering wheel,’ guiding him into an even frame while maintaining forward energy.
What I Learned: Jax responded best to subtle adjustments in my seat and legs rather than heavy rein cues. The less I micromanaged, the more freely he moved.
The Breakthrough
It wasn’t an overnight transformation, but one day, Jax simply felt
different. His trot felt almost buoyant, and his transitions flowed with effortless energy. At our next western dressage test, I could tell the judge noticed it too. Jax and I danced through each movement, no longer two separate pieces, but a team powered by connection and rhythm.
Impulsion, I realized, wasn’t just a skill to teach—it was a language we had learned to speak together. And that connection? That was worth every moment of work.
I talked to some experienced judges, trainers, and competitors to get their take on impulsion. Here are a few golden nuggets of wisdom I picked up along the way.
• Judge’s Advice: “Don’t confuse energy with tension. A horse with impulsion is forward-thinking but relaxed. They should feel like they want to move—not like they’re running away from something.”
• Trainer’s Tip: “Think of it as a dance. If your horse trusts your aids, they’ll be more willing to move with controlled energy. Start small and reward progress.”
• Competitor Insight: “I used to tense up during tests, and that killed our impulsion every time. When I started breathing and sitting deeper in the saddle, my horse relaxed and moved more freely.”
Impulsion is the driving force behind a successful western dressage ride—it’s the difference between going through the motions and truly dazzling the judges. By focusing on building strength, balance, and connection, you and your horse can develop the kind of impulsion that turns heads in the arena.
Remember, it’s a process. Every ride is a step closer to that magical harmony between horse and rider. Now, time to saddle up and put this advice to use—your best ride is yet to come!
Contact us at Eagles Nest Equestrian Center in Shalersville, Ohio. Offering lessons in western dressage, horsemanship, showmanship, and contesting. Check us out on Facebook. Look at our website for blog, lesson schedule and clinics. www.eaglesnestequestrian.com
FRY’S EQUINE INSURANCE AGENCY
AQHA Announces 2025 Dates
Mark your Calendar with the Tentative Dates for these 2025 AQHA Events
The American Quarter Horse Association has an exciting line-up of events planned for 2025. Mark your calendars and set your reminders today with these dates, organized by category. Dates are tentative and subject to change.
AQHA CONVENTION
MARCH 28-31: 2025 AQHA Convention, South Point Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas
MARCH 30: AQHA Breeder Recognition Banquet, presented by Teton Ridge
AQHA CHAMPIONSHIP SHOWS
APRIL 21-27: AQHA East Level 1 Championships, World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio
MAY 19-24: AQHA West Level 1 Championships, held following the Arizona Quarter Horse Association Pinnacle Circuit
MAY 14-19: South Point Arena and Equestrian Center, Las Vegas.
JUNE 15-21: AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships; Ranch Horse Challenge Finals; and AQHA Cattle Level 1 Championships presented by the Four Sixes Ranch; at the Amarillo Tri-State Exposition, Amarillo, Texas
AUGUST 1-10: AQHYA World Championship Show, OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City
AUGUST 1-10: AQHYA World Championship Contests
OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 19: Nutrena AQHA World Championship Show; Adequan® AQHA Select World Championship Show, presented by Adequan® (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan); Adequan® Level 2 Championships; and AQHA Level 1 Champion of Champions; OKC Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City
AQHA RACING
MARCH 29-SEPTEMBER 28: AQHA Racing Challenge Regional Races sponsored by Adequan, Cox Ranch, John Deere and Lip Chip LLC
MAY 31: Heritage Place Futurity and Derby, Debbie Schauf Memorial Championship (formerly the Remington Park Invitational Championship), Remington Park, Oklahoma City
JULY 25-26: Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale in San Antonio
AUGUST 29-30: Ruidoso Select Yearling Sale, All American Derby and Futurity, All American Gold Cup at Ruidoso Downs in Ruidoso, New Mexico
SEPTEMBER 19-21: Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Oklahoma City
TBD: Los Alamitos Equine Sale at Los Alamitos Racecourse in Cypress, California
OCTOBER 18: AQHA Racing Challenge Championships, brought to you by Adequan, Cox Ranch, John Deere, Lip Chip LLC and The Downs at Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico
DECEMBER 13: Champion of Champions and Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity at Los Alamitos Racecourse in Cypress, California
2025 AQHA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
JUNE 26: Region Five Championships at DREAM Park Equestrian Center, Logan Township, New Jersey
JULY 18-21: Region Six Championships at Eastern States Expo, West Springfield, Massachusetts
AUGUST 8-11: Region One Championships, Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, Washington
SEPTEMBER 11-15: Region Two Championships at Central States Fairgrounds, Rapid City, South Dakota
AQHA RANCHING HERITAGE CHALLENGES
JANUARY 16-FEBRUARY 8: Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Fort Worth, Texas
JANUARY 24-30: Black Hills Winter Stock Show, Rapid City, South Dakota
FEBRUARY 21-23: Cowboy Classic RHC, Hutchinson, Kansas
APRIL 2-6: Punchy in Pink Spring Round Up RHC, McCook, Nebraska
MAY 1-4: Romals and Rowels Ranch Showdown, Decatur, Texas (Pending)
AUGUST 22: Hawkeye Ranch Horse Classic RHC, Mason City, Iowa
*Featuring AQHA added money.
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE
YOUTH ASSOCIATION
MARCH 29: AQHYA Young Alumni Reception presented by Farnam in Las Vegas
JULY 8-10: Youth Excellence Seminar, Amarillo, Texas
OCTOBER 16-19: AQHA Youth Racing Experience at the Challenge Championships, The Downs at Albuquerque, Albuquerque, New Mexico
TBD: AQHA World Championship Collegiate Horse Judging Contest
AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM
NOVEMBER 2024-NOVEMBER 15, 2025: Behind the Action: Making Magic with the Horses of Hollywood Exhibit
FEBRUARY 13: Galentine’s Paint and Sip, ticketed special event
MAY 16: From Set to Saddle with Hollywood Horse Wrangler John Scott ticketed special event
JULY 19: Family Fun Day, free admission
SEPTEMBER 12-13: American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame Induction and Reunion Celebration, ticketed special event
SEPTEMBER 12: AQHA Golf Classic
TBD: Youth Art Show Exhibit
AQHA MEMBER SERVICES ON LOCATION
While you enjoy some of your favorite equine events, take advantage of the many AQHA services that can be handled for you by the AQHA Member Experience Team at an AQHA Member Services booth.
Visit www.aqha.com/memberservices to view a full list of upcoming events.
JANUARY 16-18: Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale, Oklahoma City
JANUARY 31-FEBRUARY 8: Black Hills Stock Show and Sale, Rapid City, South Dakota
FEBRUARY 21-23: Billings Livestock Sale, Billings, Montana
FEBRUARY 28-MARCH 1: Lolli Bros Horse Sale, Macon, Missouri
MARCH 11-12: RA Brown Ranch Friends and Family Horse Sale, Throckmorton, Texas
APRIL 22-27: Better Barrel Races, Oklahoma City
MAY 29-JUNE 1: NBHA Super Show, South Point Hotel Casino and Spa, Las Vegas
JUNE 15-21: AQHA Versatility Ranch Horse World Championships, Tri-State Exposition, Amarillo, Texas
JULY 25-26: TQHA Yearling Sale, San Antonio
AUGUST 1-10: AQHYA World Championship Show, Oklahoma City
AUGUST 15-16: LQHBA Yearling Sale, Kinder, Louisiana
AUGUST 15-16: Clovis Horse Sale, Levelland, Texas
AUGUST 30-31: All American Futurity Sale, Ruidoso
SEPTEMBER 5-6: Pitzer Ranch Sale, Ericson, Nebraska
SEPTEMBER 18-20: Hermanson Sale, Mandan, North Dakota
SEPTEMBER 19-21: Heritage Place Yearling Sale, Oklahoma City
SEPTEMBER 27-OCTOBER 26: All American Quarter Horse Congress, Columbus, Ohio
OCTOBER 3-18: NRCHA Futurity Sale, Fort Worth
OCTOBER 4-12: Pink Buckle Barrel Race and Sale, Guthrie, Oklahoma
OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 19: Nutrena AQHA World Championship Show, Oklahoma City
NOVEMBER 21-22: Clovis Horse Sale, Levelland, Texas
NOVEMBER, TBD: Heritage Place Fall Sale, Oklahoma City
DECEMBER 5-14: World Series Team Roping, South Point Hotel Casino and Spa, Las Vegas
DECEMBER, TBD: NCHA Futurity Sale, Fort Worth
DECEMBER, TBD: NRHA Futurity Sale, Oklahoma City
All dates are tentative and subject to change. For more information on AQHA events in 2025, visit www.aqha.com.
AQHA news and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more information visit www.aqha.com/ news or subscribe to our news text ‘AQHA In the Know’ for the latest Association updates.
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President
The Ohio Horseman’s Council is launching a new program open for every youth member beginning on February 1. We are thrilled to have a committee of volunteers from around the state dedicated to establishing the OHC Junior Ambassadors program. This exciting and rewarding program is designed to be a fun experience for all our youth. Members, ages 17 years old or under, will earn points from February 1 to December 31 by completing tasks to gain knowledge, assist others, and become more well-rounded. Participants, organized within the five OHC regions where they are current members, can earn a high point buckle for their
County Lines
ASHTABULA
And we are back! Apologies for the lack of articles recently. Hopefully everything is all sorted now and regular updates are here to stay! We have lots of changes to embrace this new year but with change comes growth! Our first set of changes was welcoming some new people to our officer board. Congratulations to our officers Teaona Savel as president; Kat Ring as vice president; Racheal Pelton as secretary; and Mallissa Vincent as treasurer. November’s meeting was held during our Christmas party for our active members. Everyone enjoyed covering business over a yummy meal followed by our traditional gift exchange game. In December we took a break and went right back to planning our 2025 year at our January meeting. Mark your calendars and join us for the 2025 show series. Our official dates are May 10, June 28 and June 29. This
region, and the youth high point for all Ohio will receive a $250 scholarship. The awards are fun to receive, but the real reward is the enjoyment and the memories you’ll create. We encourage our youth members to join in and have a blast. You’ll have fun, make new friends, and learn. Join the Junior Ambassadors. You don’t have to own a horse. Horses are optional, but the love for a horse or mule is required.
On behalf of the Ohio Horseman’s Council, I want to thank the committee members who have worked tirelessly to launch this effort. Their ideas, dedication and hard work are truly commendable. The committee members include
year we are doing a few things differently. Firstly, our location has changed. These shows will be at the Ashtabula County Fairgrounds in Jefferson Ohio. This location allows us warm up rings, ample parking, electrical hook ups, as well as plenty of stalls and water for the horses. Because of this, we are able to offer a show weekend. We plan to keep the point series but will be mixing up the classes for the two days to keep it fun and interesting! Check back for more information as we keep planning the details. The weather has been all over the past few weeks but we still
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
Jeannie Nicol, Committee Chair, Greene County OHC; Su Schmidt and Carole Cornwell, Greene County OHC; Carole Kenyon, Lorain County OHC; Natalie Morris, Cuyahoga County OHC; Beka Setzer, Meigs County OHC; Raven Rau, Hocking County OHC; Theresa Nicodym, Licking County OHC; Nichole Johnson, Preble County OHC and Donna Youngs, Auglaize County OHC. We are grateful for their contributions and look forward to the success of all participants as Junior Ambassadors. I look forward to working with some of the Junior Ambassadors at our Equine Affaire booth in April! For more information, you
can email any member of the Junior Ambassador committee at jrambassadors@ohconline.com or visit ohconline.com for more details on the program. You can also monitor the progress of some of our youth participants at the Ohio Horseman’s Council Facebook (www.facebook.com/ groups/ohiohorsemanscouncil) group.
“Remember that you have the power to make a difference regardless of your age.” I don’t recall where I heard this quote because I’m old and forgetful, but it’s a good goal for everyone! Making Ohio Better. Four hooves at a time.
~Mary
Alice Kuhn
had some nice days and groups have been out riding! Some have been riding in parades, hitting the trails or hauling to local indoor arenas while others have been riding at home. A few of our members tried something new to them and attended a beginners mounted shooting clinic hosted by Penley Horsemanship. It was absolutely freezing but the clinic went well regardless. While it was reported they don’t necessarily plan to shoot regularly, they did appreciate the horsemanship skills learned.
The ladies would like to return again for more lessons and opportunities to try new things. If you ever want to learn more about who we are and what we do please reach out to us. Our Facebook page is a fantastic way to contact us. Just search Ohio Horseman’s Council Ashtabula Chapter. Another option is to attend a meeting. We have our meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. We really hope you will join us! Spring and longer days are right around the
Christmas parade in Jefferson.
Group trail ride at Gridled Road Reservation.
Racheal, Teaona and Kat after a very cold day together.
County Lines
corner and we can’t wait! Keep riding. Life is too short. Make sure you are doing the things you love.
~Kat Ring
BELMONT
We hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Christmas! The weather has been uncooperative for riding unless you have access to an indoor arena!
Our Christmas party was December 7 and as usual was a lot of fun by all reports. I wasn’t able to attend, having driven to Charleston for my granddaughter’s first birthday but 36 people did attend. Catered by Bob’s Lunch in Moundsville W.Va., the menu included stuffed chicken, roast beef, potatoes, corn, salad and rolls. Dessert was ‘World Famous Cupcakes’ by Marissa Eikleberry.
I met with Chad Farmer and would like to introduce him here. He is very helpful whenever a Barkcamp work party is being raised! He has been active in law enforcement his entire professional life and moved to our area about seven years ago with his wife Penny and subsequently bought his first horse. He also attended farrier school in Georgia and is building a new trade and has been building a cottage off-grid in rural Ohio in his spare time! Penny practices both western and holistic veterinary medicine and they raise very nice Border Collies. They are very interesting people and a great addition to our horse community.
~Rebecca Herndon
CLERMONT
Greeting from Clermont County. A few of our members enjoyed the local Christmas parades and participated by dressing up for the holidays.
Faith Kobel, Dalton Rothwell, and I had a great time with the Wilmington Christmas parade and South Lebanon All Horse Christmas parade. As we move toward setting our calendar of events for 2025, we will kick off the riding season with the Wounded Warrior Ride, April 24-27 at our very own Tim Applegate Horseman’s area. This is an event you won’t want to miss. We will have a full catered meal Saturday but you are welcome to bring a dish to share. Official opening ceremony will be Saturday morning with a ride following the ceremony. Two different bands, one for Friday, one for Saturday night. Auction items, of course! Watch our Facebook Clermont County page for updates as we are still in the planning stages of this awesome event. Clermont County OHC is again honored to support our American Veterans.
At our February meeting we hope to set our events calendar for 2025, so watch our Facebook page for those important dates.
Trail maintenance: Our focus for 2025 will be to continue our trail maintenance for all the trails at East Fork State Park, including re-establishing the Blue Trail that allows easy access from the Loop A campground to most all trails accessed from the Day Use parking lot. Our chapter has proven to be the most generous and supportive group for the East Fork trail system in 2024. We are very much looking forward to 2025.
The past is behind us, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live for it.
Until warmer weather in March, God bless everyone.
~LaWana Bogard
CUYAHOGA
All OHC chapters have been busy in January with year-end gatherings and celebrations winding down 2024. So much
has been accomplished. So many members honored and so we head into this new year full of resolve that this will be the very best year ever. Kathy King has turned over the reins to Christa Abood our new president. Christa with her enthusiasm will bring new energy and ideas. Thanks, Kathy, for a good run and your dedication to OHC. Kathy will be here as vice president to continue her involvement. The January State meeting is behind us now but as I write I can only say I am sure it was filled with wonderful presentations and the passage of knowledge. These included our Cleveland Metroparks Sergeant of the Mounted Police Unit Jessica McNally Schantz speaking about so many things, training, trail safety, picking a good horse, some of the experiences out on trail and law enforcement. Now coming up in February, the five area chapters are holding their annual meetings, regrouping and sharing triumphs and challenges. Yes, this will be the best year ever!
If you are new to OHC or a seasoned member, make this the year you participate as much as your busy schedule will allow. This gives your leaders the enthusiasm to plan and grow. How about sending a thank you email or text to a member, officer, or committee head that will let them know you appreciate their dedication and volunteer efforts. Make their day, you can even start with me!
Cuyahoga is looking forward to our annual dinner auction held at Holiday Inn, Independence Sunday, February 23. Please join us (RSVP by February 13) new members and all chapters welcome, as there will be a lively auction brought to us by Joe Coalter of this Corral magazine. If you have never seen him in action, you are in for a treat. Great dinner at 1 p.m. with a choice of meals. I really hope you will be there as it is a really nice affair, casual dress, great food, wonderful fun people who will greet you warmly. Look for information on our Facebook page, or contact/RSVP to Christa Abood: cjabood1@gmail.com.
This year we will hold trail rides (with your safety in mind) to give you a chance to ride in small groups and learn the trails of Cleveland Metroparks and beyond, and do some camping, with help from seasoned campers if you need. By joining Cuyahoga Chapter you will make new
friends, learn new things, have the support of a network of great people. Go to www.ohconline. com click find a chapter-list viewscroll to Cuyahoga and sign up. Hope to see you all soon. We are tough, we are horse lovers, and we will survive ‘till spring!
~Penny Passalaqua
DELAWARE
Greetings from your friends in Delaware Chapter! We hope everyone is staying warm and cozy this winter but still braving the cold weather to enjoy time outdoors with their four-legged friends.
First off, a big thank you to all our members, friends, and guests who attended our chapters Christmas party. It is safe to say that a good time was had by all judging from the joyful laughter and smiles that were in abundance that evening. Our holiday potluck display was a sight to behold! With our chapter supplying the turkey and ham, members outdid themselves with a delicious array of hot and cold side dishes and desserts. Everyone enjoyed swapping or rather stealing gifts from each other during our annual Santa gift exchange. Several members came sporting their festive Christmas attire to compete in our ugly Christmas sweater contest. Congratulations to Jessica Sheppard for taking first prize!
The OHC Mid-Winter Meeting and Seminar took place last month at the Double Tree by Hilton in Newark, Ohio. At the time of article submission, this seminar had not yet occurred, so highlights from this important meeting will appear in next month’s column, including more information about the new youth initiative, Junior Ambassadors program, so stay tuned!
Our 2025 activity calendar gets underway this month when our chapter holds its first meeting of the year on Friday, February 7 beginning at 7 p.m. sharp at the Kilbourne United Methodist Church on SR 521. Please join us in welcoming one of our newest members and our evening’s guest speaker, Kaylie Eaves. Kaylie is owner/trainer of her business, Kaylie Eaves Horsemanship LLC of Sunbury, Ohio. Kaylie will share her knowledge and experiences while offering some helpful training tips. Light refreshments and our business meeting will follow Kaylie’s
Chad Farmer and Moses.
Clermont County OHC
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presentation. Remember, friends and guests are always welcome to join us!
Looking ahead, do not forget to mark your calendars for this year’s Equine Affaire, scheduled for April 10–13 at the Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio. If there is enough interest amongst our membership, our chapter will organize a group social outing to attend this year’s Equine Fantasia performance. Stay tuned for more details.
Additionally, our Spring State General Membership meeting will take place on Saturday, March 8 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Elks Lodge, 73 N. Third Street, Newark, Ohio. Watch for further details coming soon!
I look forward to this month’s chapter meeting and the opportunity to meet and welcome our newest Delaware members along with visiting with old friends. Here’s to a great year ahead! Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
~Theresa Burke
ERIE
Greetings from Erie County and Happy Valentines Day! Our meeting this month is February 13 at the Coupling located at 11618 St. Rt. 113 Milan, Ohio. The potluck starts at 6:30 p.m. with the meeting to follow at 7 p.m. Our monthly ride this month is Saturday, February 15. We will meet at the Mason Road trailhead (Edison Woods) at 1 p.m. Always check to make sure the ride is still on.
It was bitter cold and windy New Year’s Day and we cancelled our ride. Lynn is always good about communicating club news. I do love riding when it is snowing out. Sounds like I am not the only one. Ed got out his Sleigh, hitched up his horse, and took his grandchildren for a ride complete with sleigh bells. You could even hear them sing as they glided over the snow in a one-horse open sleigh! The Christmas party
this year was celebrated at Danny Boys with a good turnout. A big thank you goes out to Colleen for organizing this. We enjoyed fellowship, a delicious buffet and exchanged gifts in a fun way! New this year was a slideshow highlighting club and member activities. This was put together by Marcia H. It was definitely a big hit!
Some of us don’t hang around to enjoy the snow and head south to warmer adventures. While down south, Beth met up with Holly in North Carolina. They rode the Lumber River Adventure ride. I understand the ride had a great turnout and looked like a lot of fun!
Spring is around the corner and warmer temperatures are coming. Life is better on the trail!
~Shelley Hayes
FULTON
It sure is cold in NW Ohio. We are ready for spring!
Our first Soup or Ride was on New Year’s Day at Oak Openings. Four soupers, four riders and one drive-through showed up. Everyone enjoyed chicken and noodles, cookies and
brownies from the back of Jack’s car as well as various beverages. The temperature was in the thirties but riders Ernie, Matt, Jerry and guest Amanda braved the cold and rode eight miles! They, as well as soupers Jack, Jerry, Terry and I, hung out and enjoyed the food before the ride and Kate drove through to say hi.
Our holiday party was January 4 at Otsego Park in Bowling Green. At least 58 members and guests enjoyed happy hour, a fantastic potluck with pulled pork and ham, and bingo. A twist was added this year which allowed bingo prize winners to steal a prize from a previous winner or choose a new prize. I think everyone stole the Budweiser bottle opener if they got the chance. We also had the opportunity to see the years in review as a slide show was running with pictures dating back as far as 2009.
After our party, we kind of went into hibernation. We did not have a chapter meeting in January but planned to meet in February at Bunkers Bar and Grill. We would also like to have a breakfast or brunch gathering at some time this winter. Jack mentioned something about a field trip to a buffalo farm. I’ll let you know if that happens. 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. Keep warm and be safe!
~Kathy Brown
GREENE
Winter is upon us, and for those of us who ride year around we are in the cold winter riding time. Layers matter when riding in the winter. Our chapter continues with the Easy Peasy Group Rides for the year. Look for the calendar of rides on the Greene County Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you and your equine buddies on these trail rides.
Many of the Greene County OHC members attended the January 2025 Mid-Winter meeting at the Double Tree by Hilton in Newark, Ohio. The new Junior Ambassador program was announced and several youth members from the Greene County chapter were in attendance. Trail award announcements from the OHC and Ohio State Parks were heard, as well as seminars to learn about being a chapter treasurer, membership or promotions chair were offered. It was a fun day of learning, interaction, camaraderie, and sharing experiences. We also heard from the guest speakers from the Cleveland Metroparks Mounted Police Unit and Ohio State Forests.
Supporting an OHC club ensures we have equine trails for the riders of the future. We welcome our new members to our club. We also have many young participants in the Ohio Jr. Ambassador Club. This is a wonderful opportunity for the youth of our group and others in the Ohio Horseman’s Council.
Christmas party revelers.
Erie County OHC Christmas.
One horse open sleigh.
Beth riding in North Carolina.
Soup or Ride soupers.
Soup or Ride riders.
Souper Jerry on rider Ernies mule.
Henry and Cindra at Twin Towers.
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Please consider joining a local chapter as a main member or secondary member.
Happy trails and let’s ride.
~Cindra Phillips
GUERNSEY
Things are slowing down on the trail riding scene. It’s a little too muddy and a little too cold. But then there are the diehards! Folks like Lynn, J.D. and J. B. They ride just about every day. Take J.D., he posted a picture a few weeks back and he was completely covered with snow after an eight-mile ride! (My thermometer read 30 that day.) Here’s some pictures of folks who did ride the trails at Salt Fork: Lynn and friends are at the picnic table on the Red Trail. Billie and her horse are looking at the lake.
Our Christmas party was well attended, and let me tell you, there was a whole lot of stealing going on! It was a very nice party and the food was great, and folks brought some interesting gifts. By the time you read this, our annual work days will have started. Last night we had a 30mph steady wind, all evening. Hopefully we didn’t have a bunch of trees go down on the trails. I did have some limbs in my yard this morning.
Stay warm, Dee Dee and I hope
to see you on the trails, sometime this spring!
~Lee Randolph HARRISON
Greetings from Harrison County OHC! I trust everyone had a wonderful holiday season and a good start to a Happy New Year! Hopefully everyone is good on their hay supply. I will be trying some of those large square bales for the first time this winter and will let you know how it goes.
Cindy Schrader represented our club at the Cadiz Christmas parade one cold night in early December. Her cart and pony were so cute decorated in Christmas lights! How special is that pony to handle all the lights and noise of a nighttime parade! I’m sure everyone who attended appreciated her being there. Our club had a very nice Christmas party in December. We decided on a potluck dinner this year and the food was fantastic, much better than some of the catered dinners we have had in the past. We had baked ham with a delicious glaze that included a little bourbon. It was excellent. I also saw more than one person putting noodles on their mashed potatoes provided by Faye and Cindy. Did you know that was a thing? I particularly enjoyed Cheri’s coleslaw which she informed me was her mother’s recipe. Other big hits were Janice’s dip and Rene’s pies. We also had a crock of meatballs and various other desserts. No one left hungry! For our white elephant gift exchange, we played a dice game where gifts got passed around so much you had no idea what you’d end up with. I am thrilled with my birdhouse! Thank you to Cindy for organizing the games. Faye got a gag gift which consisted of several wrapped boxes within each other. I thought she’d never get it all unwrapped. All was fun and we ended the evening with a cowboy Christmas poem recited by Bill Pugh. How impressive he could recite it from memory. I could listen to him talk all day about his days working on ranches out west. He currently rides a beautiful black and white Tennessee Walker and is involved with a mounted search and rescue group.
Member, Cheryl Francis, got a new horse recently after the sudden death of her beloved Flicka Nestle is a 2-year-old
Quarter Horse. She reports he is doing very well for her. At our meeting in January, we will begin discussions on our dates for our 2025 rides and events. Mark is trying to minimize ride conflicts with the other chapters in our region by gathering everyone’s dates as early as possible. I would like to invite all interested to attend our meetings and have a say in planning events. New members are always welcome. You can find us on Facebook and on the OHC website. I will keep you updated as things get planned. Until next time.
~Sherrie Hart
HOCKING
Smiling is contagious! And boy, did Hocking OHC end the year making lots of people smile. Our club, once again entered the Logan Holiday Parade. This year we won ‘Best Equestrian Entry’ and yes, there were more than just us. We all love seeing the kids on the parade route. Not to mention, friends and neighbors as well. Another thing our club does every year, is donate to the local ‘Shop with a Cop’. This year the Logan Walmart in Hocking County, set a record of almost
300 kids! The program is totally run by donations. There were over $40,000 contributed this year. Our club feels this event is so important for our community, and donates to it every year. Lots of smiles that day! In February however, some of us have forgotten how to smile. We have now entered the land of ‘in between.’ This is the time of the year when the holidays are long over and the Equine Affaire still isn’t here yet! Cabin fever creeps in, and the struggle is real. One way to get through these trying times is with horsey friends. After all, no one ‘gets’ it unless they are like you. That’s where these OHC clubs come in. Every month is an opportunity to meet someone new. It’s easier to talk, one on one, at meetings, rather than it is in a large group, or an event where everyone is busy with their horses. Already have friends? Well, what’s the harm in making some more? After all, no one can have too many friends. Friends make things more fun. Pick the right ones and you might even discover that they are inspirational, motivational and possibly even life changing. In a good way. 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
Billie rides Salt Fork.
Lynn and friends ride the Red Trail.
Cindy’s Christmas pony.
Harrison County OHC Christmas party, 2024.
Cheryl’s new horse Nestle.
Logan parade.
Hocking County Shop with a Cop.
Downtown Logan.
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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 KNOX
Happy trails and greetings from Knox County! Since I am writing this article in January, I hope everyone had a great Christmas and Happy New Year. If you got some ‘horsey’ presents under your tree, I know you can’t wait for warmer weather. However, the cold doesn’t stop many of our members from riding. I am not one of them. One of my presents was a heated vest that I plan on putting to good use in the very near future when the high temperature for a couple of days is going to be 16 degrees. There is not much to report on, so I will take this opportunity to talk a little about our secondary members. In 2024 we had 20 secondary members who are all valued members of our club. They are our friends and riding buddies and, in many cases, secondary memberships are reciprocated by our Knox members. It’s a great way to meet more people who share the same interests and to keep up with what other chapters are doing through their newsletters, meetings and events. We all need to support OHC and our fellow county chapters. The pictures featured with this article are secondary members Nancy Strayer on Bugs, Leslie Johns on Amber and Laurie Boley on Remington
Our after the holidays winter party is coming up which is always well attended and lots of fun. I will be reporting on that in the next issue. I will also be reporting on another successful
(hopefully!) Tack Auction that is on February 22.
If it’s not too late as you are reading this, get details on our Facebook page. We still meet the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m., but we have a new meeting place. It is at Pizza Cottage, 510 South Main, Mt. Vernon. Come join us for a meeting, an event or riding down Ohio’s beautiful trails!
~Cindy Cossin
LAKE
If February is as cold as January has been, our Lake OHC chapter will not be riding together much. January is a time in Northeast Ohio to hunker down and stay warm. Our horses are blanketed and spend much time indoors. With heated vests, gloves, socks, and insulated boots, we endure the cold and do our barn chores. January provides time to ponder our spring, summer, and fall plans for different horse related
activities. With time, Cheyanne Ware, our new president, will decide in what direction to take us. We look forward to riding and meeting together in the spring and to the many activities ahead.
We wish to thank Big Dee’s and Schneider’s Saddlery for carrying our winter clothing needs and for supporting us. We appreciate their friendly assistants and how helpful they are.
Our sympathy goes out to Dottie Drockton of the Geauga Park system for her loss of, Grover, her beloved Paso Fino. Dottie and Grover have been with us on many trail rides and fun times. We shall miss Grover with his polished white coat, especially on moonlight rides.
We anticipate a grand time at our January banquet, which occurs after this dateline. It will be in Kirtland at Honey B’s. Awards for trail miles will be presented. White elephant gifts will be exchanged, and there will be lots of conversation, jokes, and reminiscing.
Stay warm, healthy, strong and kind on your journeys.
~Rayneen Tisovic
LICKING
Hello everyone. I hope all is well in your homes and in your barns! These are the hard months we must make it through to once again enjoy our beautiful trails here in Ohio when spring finally arrives. To pass the time until riding season, we are already planning all kinds of fun stuff for the upcoming season.
Stay tuned on Facebook and via email so you won’t miss any of our events this season. Or even better, come and join us and help plan and organize a few events with us and become more involved in our chapter. You won’t regret it! We are a fun bunch and welcome everybody! Contact either Charlene or myself for any information on participating and/or volunteering your time. I can’t wait to report more after our planning
Our horses all decked out to go
Sigrid and her mare, Ruby, winter riding in a blizzard.
committees meetings this month! Until then stay safe, warm and love on your horses. See you guys soon on the trails or at the meetings!
~Sigrid Batten
LORAIN
Lorain County members want to wish all of you a Happy Valentine’s Day. Be sure to give your horse a hug and a special treat for all the times it’s been a loyal companion for you and perhaps your sweetheart, as well. Our February calendar sponsor is C & L Shoes. Lorain County OHC is very appreciative of your sponsorship. We ended the year on a great note, with a huge turnout of 53 people attending our annual Christmas party. Those who signed up to be members received their 2025 calendar of events. This is always a special gift, put together by Sherry H.
Leslie on Amber.
Laurie on Remington.
Nancy and Bugs.
Cheyenne and Michelle.
Sue and Grover and Dottie’s horse at the Swine Creek ride.
The Ugly Sweater Crew at our Christmas party.
Christmas riding in the neighborhood.
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with assistance from Laura W. who assists with editing. The photos are submitted to Sherry by members throughout the year and it has come to be a cherished gift. Sponsors help to pay for the calendar cost. The calendars are packed with information about our events each month. There is even a space each day for members to record the location and miles ridden. There is a page insert for horse information and contact information for officers and committee members. We had good food, door prizes and lots of fun visiting with each other, with some members kicking up their heels as they rocked around the virtual Christmas tree. Thank you, Sue M., for organizing the party, Lara for picking up several gift cards, horse treat favors and the table poinsettias; Tony for bringing his speakers and music and all those who brought cookies for our dessert and for the Lorain County Parks employees.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature wasn’t cooperative for our New Year’s Day rides (we had two scheduled) and I don’t know of anyone who was up to going out to ride in the rain or to drive on the roads in the snow as it was quite a storm for the second ride. This month we have our Sweetheart Day ride at the Carlisle Equestrian Center on February 15 at 1 p.m. Sue M. has offered to be our contact person for this ride. Sue, you are so sweet for volunteering. If coming, please bring your own refreshments for after the ride. There will be no membership meeting this month. We hope to see you at the Wellington Reservoir, located at 47301 Jones Road on Sunday, February
22 at 1 p.m. with your waxed sleds for a fun afternoon of play in the snow, weather permitting. Sue M. also is the contact for this sledding event. Thanks again Sue, you sure are the fun enthusiast in our group!
The State OHC meeting will be at the Elks Lodge in Newark, Ohio, on Saturday, March 8. Please contact Jim Wallace if interested in attending. Hope you all have a love-filled February!
~Kathy Duncan
MADISON
I hope everyone is having a great start to 2025, and were able to hop on their horse for a moment on New Year’s Day to set yourself up for success in the year. Since we write these articles a month in advance, and it is cold, there is little news and lots of waiting for better weather to enjoy outdoor pursuits. Our Christmas party was a blast with fun games and a white elephant gift exchange. In the game ‘We Depend on You’, players had to start with Depends around their ankles and then figure out how to get them on and up without using their hands. There was lots of laughter as we wriggled on the floor, kicked our legs, scooted like dogs, and found knobs to help get them farther up. I’m just glad no one threw out their hip or back. We have a gifted game captain in Susan Day, who comes
up with many ways to have us laughing, thank you Susan! Our officers are ready to start the year. We are already working on our Gymkhana series for May through October, we hope to get rides scheduled or put together a text chain for last minute riding opportunities, and are planning our meeting educational programs for the year. We will get back out to trail work at Deer Creek as soon as the weather permits. Our park maintenance manager has promised over the winter to install the culverts that we donated for mud mitigation. When we find an area that needs attention, we use What 3 Words and send a message about what needs to be fixed. It is a great way to communicate.
Happy trails to all, and we look forward to seeing you out there on your horse!
~Lisa Reynolds
MEDINA
2024 was a good year for Medina OHC. We spent over 200 hours working to improve and build trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as well as other parks. Our dedicated members generously spent time at Mohican as well as Stark state parks and Camp Tuscazoar. Let’s give a big hand to these dedicated members!
Our second combined state
ride with Summit and Cuyahoga chapters was again a real (soggy) success. Even as we finished out the year, we had an opportunity to support a young man who was working towards an Eagle Scout project and needed funding for the lumber to build a mounting station at the new Chippewa Lake bridle trail.
We donated the money and he completed the mounting station before the end of the year, lousy weather and all! See picture, he did a wonderful job. We had the double pleasure of getting a new mounting station as well as supporting the youth of Medina County.
Be sure to attend our first membership meeting for 2025 on March 5. We will be discussing our plans for the year and would welcome any suggestions. There are always other volunteer opportunities and we usually start the year off with pizza or some good eats. Our officers will have met with the state executive officers in January and executives of the Northeast Region in February, so we will have lots of information to share. Raydeen Ryden and Greg Monsanty will have met with the maintenance staff of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to get a project plan in place. Our work goes so much easier when we know what to do when we get to the project location. Make it a New Year’s resolution to join us for at least one of these sessions. It makes a great difference and shows the park that OHC is invested in these trails. Our next work session will be in March. Our faithful editor, Kathy Schmidt sends out email blasts with information. If you don’t get an email, you can contact Raydeen Rydeen 334/663-7361 or Greg Monsanty at 330/352-5737 for details and other fun opportunities.
The following is a special alert to all our trail riders out there. Thanks to Kathy King of Cuyahoga chapter for sharing this information. We have been experiencing some dangerous issues with dogs who are off leash and attacking our riders. November was especially bad. There have been serious injuries like a rider who had to have pins in her leg and needed a hospital stay as well as physical therapy. The owner of the dog did nothing to help the downed rider. All dogs must be on a leash in the Metroparks as well as the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Christmas party group photo.
Jim, Sue and Sandy with 2025 calendars.
Having a good time at the Christmas party.
Madison County OHC Christmas fun with Depends.
Lorna Kenyon on Spanky for New Years.
Lisa Reynolds on Silas New Years Day.
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We are seeing more dogs off leash these days with owners who cannot control them. A number of these incidents occurred in the Rocky River Reservation of the Metroparks. Another incident happened at the Lewis show ring and several riders came off their horses, one had to be transported. Please! Report these incidents on the non-emergency park phone 440/331-5530 if in the Cleveland Metroparks. Get as much information (names, car license plate and dog description) as you can and take pictures if possible. Please spread the word and as Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say on Hill Street Blues, “Let’s be careful out there!” Valentine wishes to our members and friends down in the valley.
~Rosemary Young
MEIGS
This is my first submission for the Meigs chapter as secretary. I only hope I can do as great a job as my predecessor Mrs. Marlene Swartz. The club and I would like to thank Marlene and Roger for their service to our club and help with the transition of officers. They have been an invaluable asset to our club and look forward to seeing both them and their horses out on the trails more since they have lots of free time available now.
The chapter held its annual Christmas party on December 7, 2024, at the Wilkesville Community Center. We had turkey and ham provided by the club with sides and desserts provided by members. The meal was delicious and was made even better with Cindy and Roger’s famous homemade rolls. Before the gift exchange was held, Beka presented the clubs Fun Show awards to their recipients. For the adult division Kevin Shepard was first, Kelli Wilson second, Jocelyn Wilson third, Susan Shepard fourth and Michele Schein was fifth. In the youth division Dixie Piles was first, Emmalee Setzer second, Annalyn Setzer third, Opal Huggins fourth,
and Alexis Carter was fifth. The gift exchange was fun with 28 participants. Each member drew a number and either chose to open a new gift or steal one that someone had already opened. I believe Miss Dixie Piles opened the most gifts with her gift being stolen at least three different times. Everyone had a great time socializing with their fellow horsemen and we look forward to a full year of fun and entertainment with one another and our horses.
Beka, Emalee and Annalynn Setzer all rode in some area parades this last December. They braved the cold and wind and had an exceptional time with Emmalee’s Haflinger, Doc and Annalynn’s mini, Nacho pulling their festively decorated carts. The area parades are something the girls look forward to participating in every year and encourage everyone to come join them.
The Meigs chapter meets each month 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, please join us to learn more about the OHC and see how you can become a member.
~Jocelyn Wilson
MORROW
Happy New Year to each and every one of you! In 2025 we have scheduled one club ride per month
but plan to ride most weekends. Our New Years resolution is to ride more and worry less. With that being said we are planning a few trips outside of Ohio to the Shawnee National Forest, Daniel Boone National Forest, Allegheny National Forest, and the Ozark National Forest. In addition to planning trail rides for the year we have scheduled our 2nd Annual Tack Auction at the Marengo Legion Hall on November 22.
This year we are planning to donate some of our funds and time to help out with trail maintenance and repairs at the Zaleski State Forest Horseman’s Campground. If you have never been there, we would highly recommend you check it out first hand. You can ride through Moonville Tunnel and eat lunch at Uncle Buck’s. Last year was my first time riding there and I was very impressed with the riding at Zaleski.
We hope everyone hits the trails and rides hard in 2025!
~Misty
McDonald
the upcoming riding season. Starting off we have a new youth program. This program is a brand-new program coming from the state. Each county is looking for junior youth ambassador and members. There will be activities, competitions, and prizes! Who doesn’t love prizes? This is a great program to get your youth involved and hear their voices.
Preble County has a regional ride coming for all OHC members. Our Spring Fling will be April 26 where we will have an obstacle course, our fun show, and our regional ride and food! Look for more details coming.
~Nichole Johnson
SANDUSKY
Hello friends! We were invited to give horse rides at the Sandusky County Ag Society’s Winter Wonderland again this year. We had a steady stream of excited kids and parents waiting for their chance to ride. The Grinch was even excited to get a ride. We had the opportunity to make lots of smiles for people of all ages. My favorite part is giving rides to people who have never been on a horse before. I’ve had horses almost my whole life but I’ve never taken for granted the privilege and blessing that horses bring. Thank you to everyone that took the time to come out and walk in circles for hours, you are truly appreciated! It’s the time of year when we turn our mileage in to our clubs and to the State. I love to see all the places people ride throughout the year. We definitely have our favorites such as White Star, Edison Woods and Oak Openings. There are several members who travel outside Ohio and take extended trips. I am always amazed by the number of miles our little club reports. We know our way around Ohio’s beautiful trails.
Congratulations to our new 2025 club officers. President Miranda Currie, Vice President Candy Rosenberger, Secretary
PREBLE
Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. We are ready to start planning for
Mounting block.
2024 Christmas banquet.
2024 fun show winners.
The Setzers at a parade.
Uncle Bucks
Morrow County tack auction.
Moonville Tunnel.
Winter Wonderland
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Amy Davidson and Treasurer Sam Young. Thank you for stepping up to serve the club. We look forward to a great year. We would love for you to join us. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Sandusky Township Community Room. Visit our Facebook page for up-to-date information. Hope to see you on the trail!
~Hope Sheidler
STARK
I am still having a hard time getting used to it being a new year. It seems like they go by way too fast. I am writing this at the beginning of January, which is before we hold our planning meeting and which is towards the end of January. So, there is not too much to report.
This year we will have many exciting things we will be involved in and rides that we will be attending. These events will be listed in next month’s issue of the Corral. Here is wishing a great year for riding.
~Jo Ellen Reikowski
SUMMIT
Put your thinking caps on for the Jeopardy Question of the Day. What do Amarillo, Texas; New Orleans, La.; Tulsa, Okla., Boston, Mass., and The Northern Tip of Minnesota have in common? All these places are within about a 1,000-mile distance of Medina, Ohio. That just gives you a perspective of how amazing the accomplishment was for Molly Eastwood and her horse, Sierra to complete their 1000-plus trail miles for 2024. To make it even more inspiring Molly has met much personal adversity. But with her strong faith and determination she has overcome difficult circumstances several times in recent years. Congratulations Molly and our best wishes from Summit OHC and all those who got to share some legs of that journey with you. That will be a tough act to follow.
At this time, we are still tabulating the remainder of 2024 trail miles and saddle hours for our chapter. While some may be substantially less, each and every mile we turn in is another reason to document support for bridle trails in Ohio. Thank you for all riders who turned in their stats on time. You will receive a reward for your efforts with a gift certificate from Big Dee
Saddlery which we have earned through their incentive program. It is a win-win for all of us. Well done all!
It looks like an active year for 2025. Here is the current calendar: February, No monthly meeting
MARCH 12: Monthly meeting, Fellowship Hall
APRIL 9: Monthly meeting, Fellowship Hall
MAY 14: Monthly meeting, Wolf Creek Winery
JUNE 11: Monthly meeting, RHP Summer Barn.
JUNE 20-22: Murder Mystery Camping, RHP
JULY 9: Monthly meeting, RHP Summer Barn
JULY 10-13: Camping, Hocking Hills
AUG. 13: Monthly meeting, RHP Summer Barn
SEPT. 10: Monthly meeting, RHP Summer Barn
SEPT. 20: Prayer Ride, RHP Summer Barn
SEPT. 26-28: State Ride, Polo Field
OCT. 3-5: Camping weekend, Mohican
OCT. 8: Monthly meeting, Wolf Creek Winery
NOV. 12: Monthly meeting, Fellowship Hall
DEC. 10: Monthly meeting, TBD
Please note the meeting date and location changes. Masonic and Fellowship Halls are in Richfield, Ohio.
~Joann Ulichney
TUSCARAWAS
Strangers passing in the night, Tiffany often considered that perhaps she had been born in
the wrong era. The infamy of her deceased Grandfather, Earl Windsor, was a wonder and inspiration to a horse crazed child who uttered her first word “pony!” Earl’s progeny sought dimension of a lifetime of diversity and challenges in all aspects of horsemanship. Aware of her Grandfather’s Horse Show Arena situated on Route 212 in New Cumberland, where he promoted Sunday Horse Shows, that history has impacted Tiffany’s development. Earl’s personal herd exceeded 250 horses and ponies. The showbill from 1966, created for Arrowhead Arena indicates the nature of Earl’s ability and specific method to involve the horse community.
Tiffany’s first equine experience began at six years of age. She was dedicated and competitive right out of the starting gate. She joined Ridge Riders 4-H Club at nine. Tiffany was infused with stimulation to achieve her goals. Breakaway Roping in High School Rodeo certainly encompassed her every moment until 1996, when she married Geoff Finley. They settled in, not down. Two children improved their family. As Geoff raised pigs and cows, he did not share Tiffany’s horse orientation, although he supported her desire to accomplish competitive goals. The MBHA and PBA involvement fees and traveling expenses far outweighed the buckles and winnings, but wow, the sheer satisfaction of bonding with your cow pony to that extent, cannot be measured. When Tiffany’s best friend’s step-father presented her with a sorrel yearling, Dodger to ready for contesting, the extent to which she could compete, evolved. Dodger was well bred, out of Peppy San Badger. Tiffany earned her way, preparing Dodger. This amazing
14.3 cow pony succeeded to achieve their shared victories, as Top five in the State in Pole Bending for 2019, 2020 and 2021, consecutively. However, Tiffany and Dodger had a nasty spill at Camp Tuscazor, when a ledge gave way. They tumbled down, slid horrifically until Tiffany landed under Dodger’s belly. Her horse patiently remained still when her injured rider scrambled to a position where she could mount and return to the horse trailer. Six months of healing validated Tiffany’s decision to defer her competitive spirit and begin trail riding and camping with the same enthusiasm she has always demonstrated. She and Dodger have joined the Tuscarawas County OHC. We are honored to have an experienced, adaptable friend to share our ‘Happy Trails!’ We meet for a monthly dinner meeting on the second Monday at 7 p.m. Join us! Happy Trails. ~Holly Waldenmyer
UNION
Howdy. Can you believe the weather over the holidays? Temperatures in the 50s plummeting to the teens and a little snow thrown in. I had to confine the horses to their stalls at night on several occasions due to the wind chill. Here’s hoping for less extreme weather for the rest of the winter. Fortunately, being retired, I can now complete the barn chores before it gets dark. Jim and I attended the Delaware chapter’s Christmas party in December. We wore our ugly Christmas Hawaiian shirts for the ugly sweater contest but lost to a sparkly Christmas llama sweater. The Secret Santa gift exchange was also a big hit. Keep warm and happy trails.
~Debbie Strayton
Merry muddy Christmas ride.
Molly and Sierra, 1000 miles
Tuscarawas County OHC
Debbie modeling her ugly Christmas Hawaiian shirt.
County Lines
WARREN
Nine riders started off the new year with a ride at Caesar Creek, led by Helge Buflod. Luckily, just before that, Roger and Harold took Harold’s Kawasaki Mule out on the trail, as there were several blockages. Not surprising, as we’ve had a bit of wind and rain since we last worked in early November. They also made plans for a number of projects over the course of the year. I was out late the night before so didn’t make it there to take photos. Thanks to Barb Pfantz for the one I’m including this month.
Next month I’ll hopefully have photos from the Member Appreciation Dinner. That one I am going to, I just need to remember to take photos.
The weather forecast for the next couple of months isn’t too promising. But hopefully the Over the Hill Gang will be able to get some work in. Fingers crossed! Stay warm,
~Mickie Newnam
WASHINGTON
Hello horsemen and horsewomen! Due to circumstances beyond our control, it has been several months since our news has appeared in the Corral so let’s catch up. In our election of officers, we had a continuation of last year’s officers. We have had the same officers for several years and find that comfortable and look forward to the year ahead.
We would be remiss in recounting the year if we did not note the passing of our long-time member Larry Matthews. Larry was part of the OHC very early and was, along with Connie his wife, the longest members we had in Washington County. Larry was a former OHC State President, a Gibby Award winner and instrumental in the Ohio Trails Partnership, which is vital to OHC today. We were honored to post a plaque in remembrance at the Kinderhook trailhead at our annual Corn Ride this summer.
We had a wonderful turnout for the Kid’s Ride we held at Wayne National Forest Oct.19. We had 60 children and adults come to ride. We had 20 horses and several volunteers to lead the horses around the trail that had been cleared to walk them on. They were allowed to ride as many as three times, which most chose to do. All enjoyed the rides and had a great time meeting and getting to know the horses. The Christmas party was well attended and a great meal was enjoyed, a lively Chinese gift exchange and many Toys for Tots were collected.
The big news for us concerns Kinderhook Equine Trailhead of Wayne National Forest in Newport, Ohio. Our chapter has been instrumental in the creation and maintaining of this trail. However, as you might remember, we had a severe washout seven years ago and have been promised a re-route since then. This fall it finally happened. Our entire trail is open once again. Wayne did a wonderful job of re-routing the trail. It has good footing and will stand the test of time! In addition, we have word there was money left from the allocation for this project and it will now be used to repair what we call the ravine. The ravine is a very steep section of trail that has been severely eroded over the past 40 years and has become unsafe in wet weather. The leftover materials and money will be used to fix this and to repair several wet spots on the trails.
We are excited! In addition, our chapter has a fund set aside to assist with Kinderhook projects and we will fund a new signage system. As the trail system has grown, parts are very confusing, even for longtime riders. We believe a new map and signage will make for a better experience for everyone. In conversations with the personnel from the forest department, there seems to be an anticipation that money will be lacking from the federal budget in the next few years for trails and such. We are extremely grateful for the work being done now! We expect to form a new partnership agreement to gain more control over the trails while assisting Wayne through any lean years ahead.
Our attention is now turning to the ride schedule for 2025. We would ask as you make your schedules include our Children’s Miracle Network Ride on June 14 to your schedule. It will be at the Appalachian Hills trail on Rt. 78 near McConnelsville. We have not hosted this since Covid and are excited to make a difference again. There will be food, auction, and of course riding. If you have not been to Appalachian Hills this would be a great opportunity. There is a lot of room to camp or day parking and trails are great. Unfortunately, our Kinderhook facility does not offer enough space so we are happy that Appalachian Hills is close by and willing to help out. There is so much more on the horizon and we hope to share all of it with you on the trail this summer!
~Rita Schultheis
WOOD
Here in NW Ohio, we went from a nice warm day now and then to a solid no warmer than 25 degrees for the next 10 days, and probably for the rest of January. Many of us are glad that we rode those last couple of 45-degree days even though the trails were just a little bit muddy. For those of you that have ridden our Van Buren State Park, our Lake is no longer going to be there. The ODNR has started the process of taking down the dam wall which will drain the lake. It will end up to be a wetland with a couple of little ponds, whether we will be able to ride on it is unsure. It could be really mucky for a while. This year however, we will be working on a narrow passage across the
creek to use instead of crossing the road to get to the other side of our trails. Crossing on the road with some of the cars is rather dangerous. They don’t always respect the horses. Continuing our scheduled rides are, for the weekend of June 7 is Waterloo at the State campground. The weekend of June 21 will be Malabar, in July there is July 4 weekend at Van Buren State Park, July 19 weekend is at Great Seal, July 31 into August 2 weekend is Salamonie State Forest in Indiana. August 16 weekend is Pontiac Lake, August 30 weekend will be the Labor Day weekend at Van Buren.
That is all for this article. I sure hope we get some 40-to-45degree days. If not, March will be here soon enough. Ride safe this winter season.
