Flatlanders Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc.
Geauga Horse & Pony Association
Great Lakes Appaloosa Horse Club
Hoosier Quarter Pony Association
Knox County Horse Park
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Massillon Saddle Club
Miami Valley Horse Show Association
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
Mid-Eastern Farriers Association
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
Mid-Ohio Marauders
National Pole Bending Association
Northern Ohio Dressage Association
Northern Kentucky Horse Network
Northern Ohio Miniature Horse Club
Northern Ohio Outlaws
Ohio Appaloosa Association
O.H.I.O. EXCA
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Assoc.
Ohio Haflinger Association
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Ohio Horseman’s Council
Ohio Gaited Horse Trailriders
Ohio Morgan Horse Association
Ohio Paint Horse Club
Ohio Quarter Horse Association
Ohio Ranch Horse Association
Ohio State Buckskin Association
Ohio Western Horse Association, Inc.
Ottawa County Horse Foundation
Ohio Valley Team Penning Association
Pinto Horse Association of Ohio
Premier Mount N Trail
Pure Gold Stables
Tri-County Trail Association
Tri-State Rodeo Association
Wayne County Saddle Club
Western Reserve Carriage Association
The Corral Staff
Editor Bobbie Coalter
Advertising Sales & General Manager Joe Coalter email joe@thehorsemenscorral.com
Features: Kelley Bitter, Rob and Tanya Corzatt, Robert Eversole, Terry Myers, Sarah Vas
THE HORSEMEN’S CORRAL is published monthly by Horsemen’s Corral, 8283 Richman Road, Lodi, Ohio 44254. (ISSN 0164-6591). Published as Periodicals at the Lodi Post Office USPS 889-180 with additional entry points of Cleveland, OH 44101 and New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Periodicals postage paid at Lodi, Ohio, and additional entry offices. Subscriptions may only be purchased through Horsemen’s Corral member clubs. Single copies, $3.00 at select distributors. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Horsemen’s Corral, P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254. Manuscripts, drawings, and other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope.
POSTMASTER: All subscription addresses are properly screened through CASS per USPS requirements. The Horsemen’s Corral will not accept returns of magazines deemed undeliverable for any reason. Please discard copy of any issue deemed as undeliverable.
The Horsemen’s Corral cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.
MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE:
P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254
OFFICE: 330/635-4145
The Last Ride
FRANK ‘SPARKY’ CLAYPOOLE
Beloved husband of Linda Claypoole (Nee Dalessandro) for 59 years. Loving father of Frank Claypoole and Cristy (Kenny) McElroy. Devoted grandfather of Kristin Claypoole, Kaylyn (Darius) Hall, Josie (Kurtis) Ogilbee, Zach McElroy and great grandfather of Adriana, Kaius, Kendall, Kaylani and Kory. Dear brother of the late Evan Fain. Also survived by his
nieces, nephews, other family and many friends. Long time member of the Gymkhana Horse Club, Hilltoppers Car Club and a PBR Stock Contractor. Passed away suddenly on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 78 years of age. Visitation was held at Meyer Funeral Home, 5864 Bridgetown Road, on December 18, 2024.
Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude PL., Memphis, TN 38501.
“So when we do make that last ride that is inevitable for us all to make, to that place up there, where the grass is green and lush and stirrup high, and the water runs cool, clear, and deep—You’ll tell us as we ride in that our entry fees have been paid. These things we ask.—Amen.”
~Excerpt from A Rodeo Cowboy’s Prayer’ by Clem McSpadden
Continuing Support of Non-Profit Organziations
PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio
VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan
SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner
TREASURER, Sally Kish
FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
Our mission is to educate horse enthusiasts and support nonprofit horse related communities.
This year we had two clinics at Pure Gold Stables in Salem, Ohio. We hope to continue these clinics in 2025, so keep watch for our schedule in the Corral At our November meeting we decided to continue our support of three non-profit organizations. Slippery Rock University Foundation has a branch called Storm Harbor Equestrian Center. We donated to them last year for the first time. They service many veterans who have Post Traumatic
Stress Disorders in their riding program. Our second recipient is Canter of Ohio. They specialize in retraining and rehoming retired racehorses. We have been a supporter of Canter of Ohio for a long time and are so happy to help them. And finally, near and dear to our hearts is The Camelot Center in Southington, Ohio. The director told us she has been there for over 25 years. They provide horseback riding lessons to over 60 impaired people a week. It
takes many volunteers and some good steady horses to continue to provide such a valuable program. We visited there last year and were so impressed with the horse’s condition and the facility. Happy New Year to all and look forward to seeing some of you at our clinics this year. For the love of horses and riders.
~Sally Kish
Ride In Sync
Ranch Pleasure is Back to Basics
by Terry Myers
Ithought we would start out the new year talking about Ranch Pleasure and Ranch Riding. We have had questions and inquiries about Ranch Pleasure. I think there are a lot of misconceptions about what these classes are and how to be competitive in these show rings. Ranch Pleasure in AQHA is a pattern class. There are basically five patterns which are in the rule book, but a judge can also make up their own pattern. The patterns have a walk, trot, lope as well as extensions at the trot and lope. Also included is a lead change (simple or flying), a stop, a back and a turn around. They can also include logs (walk or trot over). The pattern will usually use the entire arena. The rider should ride with light contact and not a draped rein. The walk should be a working walk, freely moving forward and covering ground as if you have some place to go. The trot should be free and forward moving with
a natural headset and the extended trot should be a definite and visible difference in speed. The rider can post or stand the extended trot (holding onto the saddle horn is permissible at the extended trot). The lope should be a forward gait with natural movement with the extended lope being visibly faster but not a gallop. Transitions between regular gaits and the extended gaits are important. Each pattern contains a turn (360 or 540) which should be performed as a controlled turn on the haunches (with some speed as if you were turning around to go after a cow). There is a lead change in the patterns, simple or flying is permissible. Overall, the horse’s performance should be like a horse riding across the ranch with a job to do. This class should show the horse’s ability to work at forward, working gaits while always under the rider’s control. Tack should look like working tack including a
back cinch and breast strap (but not required). Silver on saddles is discouraged. Banded manes, tail and mane extensions and hoof black will get you a trip to the gate with a score of zero! Ranch Riding at American Ranch Horse Association (ARHA) shows is a rail class. In my opinion, this class reminds me of the western pleasure classes of the 1960s and ‘70s (not that I’m that old…OK, yes I am!). The horse again should display forward movement with drive from behind. Light contact is expected and the exhibitor will not be penalized for picked up the reins to keep the horse soft and in the bridle. This does not include jerking, yanking or an out of control horse. The walk is a four beat gait with a level top line and is relaxed with the horse bright and attentive. The jog (trot) should be effortless and efficient with lift and selfcarriage yet soft in the feet and controlled. The good lope should be a rhythmic three beat gait, with drive from behind and a deep hind stride. No ‘troping’ allowed. Reversing direction it should always be done to the inside. An extension can be requested at the walk and trot, which should show a bright and alert horse with an extension in stride. The extensions should exhibit a difference in speed but still be balanced, soft and show control.
This year a new class called Ranch Pleasure has been added to Ohio 4-H. Not to be confused with the Ranch Pleasure in AQHA, in Ohio 4-H this is a rail class with rules similar to Ranch Riding in ARHA. Important; the exhibitor cannot show the same horse in western pleasure and ranch pleasure. I pushed to have this class added and helped write the rules for it, as I felt that it was really needed in 4-H as an option for the kids who don’t have that super slow western pleasure horse. The ranch pleasure horse should have a free flowing stride and natural head set which is in keeping with the confirmation of the horse. This
is a walk/trot/lope class and extensions can be requested for the walk and trot. The quality and cadence of the gaits is a major consideration and should mimic the ranch horse that looks like they have a job to do. Light contact is permitted. Success will be for the kids who have developed a cadence and control at all gaits, while the horse looks like a bright and willing partner. The excitement I see in all of these classes is being able to exhibit a horse that is getting back to good natural movement instead of a horse with unnatural manmade gaits. The training methods to be successful in all of these classes will come from good horsemanship. A good ranch pleasure horse is about a well trained horse that has natural movement, can extend when you ask for it and then come back to you when you ask for it. They can stop when asked, turn and move out again. The process to making a good ranch pleasure horse is through lots of hours and wet saddle pads. 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.
Happy New Year! We hope everyone will have a healthy and prosperous New Year! I am going to repost the meeting date from the December issue of the Corral. We may get the January issue before the meeting.
Date/Time: January 12, 2-4 p.m
Subject: Business Meeting
Place: Good Hope Lutheran Church, 300 South Main Street, Arlington, Ohio 45814
Agenda: 2025 club elections for positions opening: president, vice president, treasurer, committee members.
All members of the club are urged to attend. Please consider being an officer or board member. Please help fill the open positions. I have not received any confirmed meeting dates other than the January meeting. If we follow past practice, we have our meetings the second Sunday of each month. I will report the dates once they are confirmed. Please be aware that if dates are confirmed, some will not be reported to make the February issue. Watch for updates via Facebook, email, or by phone. I am not sure how the new board will handle it.
With the new year beginning, it’s a great time to think about submitting your events for 2025. Events can be submitted and added to the calendar. Please submit your event date request as soon as possible to secure your requested date and time. It’s also a good time to think about what direction you would like the club to take for the
upcoming year, such as more information, carriage details, veterinarian updates, etc. We all can keep learning and sharing knowledge from each other. Safety is another important issue. During the winter months it’s a good time for an inspection of your vehicle and harness. Safety is number one priority. It’s a good time to prepare. There isn’t a lot more that I
can report this month. As always there is an open invitation to come and see what we are all about. Our club has a lot of experience and knowledge for all to learn. We have great resources to learn from.
This will wrap up this month’s article. Please contact me at higgy122@gmail.com to submit new information or pictures. Have a great winter season!
Roger Higgins Jr. had a great find at an auction. Nice little item!
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association Show Dates for 2025 Announced
PRESIDENT, Donnie Uffner
VICE PRESIDENT, Eric Erwin
TREASURER, Rick Learn
SECRETARY, Leann Bauer
PHONE, 740/877-7993
EMAIL, ofqhashows@gmail.com
WEBSITE, http://ohfqha.com
by Lisa Betts
The Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association is excited to continue to share the western lifestyle and promoting ranch style riding show series in 2025. As our name implies we enjoy showing off the foundation Quarter Horse but we are a family friendly all breed show offering classes for everyone from adult to youth roping, reining, cutting, trail, rail while
including EWD (equestrians with disabilities, youth, green, walk/ trot, and open classes.
Our 2025 show dates are May 3, June 7, July 5, August 2, and August 30 and will be hosted at the Guernsey County Fairgrounds in Old Washington, Ohio. We
encourage folks to join us at our monthly planning meetings dates and find show details and special event information on our website, OHFQHA.com
We want to thank Grizzle Ridge Arena for hosting the Grizzle Ridge Fall Round Up on November 9, 2024. We couldn’t have asked for better people and a lovely facility to host a fun Fall Round Up. The High Point Buckle winners are Cortney Shipley (Open), Stefanie Wolfe (Green), and Daxton Farr (Youth). Congratulations to our
High Point winners and all the class participates. We look forward to a wonderful 2025 and thankful for such a fun 2024, Happy New Years!
High Point Grizzle Ridge Open, Cortney Shipley.
High Point Grizzle Ridge Green, Stefanie Wolfe.
High Point Grizzle Ridge Youth, Daxton Farr.
Flatlanders Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc.
Life is Hard — Persevere
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
What is the one thing everyone who ever achieved greatness has in common? What is the one thing that defines their daily mindset: perseverance. Perseverance is that virtue that keeps one going when the going gets tough. In America we have so many euphemisms that give us the courage to help us achieve our goals such as: “no pain, no gain”, “give it the old college try”, “tough it out”, and even “cowboy up”. We hear it from coaches, friends and instructors, and see it on billboards, bumper stickers and T-shirts. But, as my children always ask, “Why”?
Why do we seem to be surrounded by these sometimes cliche little phases? Let me tell you.
As anyone who has lived on planet earth for any length of time can tell you, life is hard. Achieving goals that are above the average wanderings through daily existence are even harder, no surprise. Athletes, businessmen, students, parents, entrepreneurs, interns, and the like all need to have that God-given quality of perseverance to achieve their goals. So, what are your goals? Do you have a set game plan to meet those goals?
As a person who wants to continuously learn how to make horseback riding both productive and enjoyable for both me and my equine buddies, I have to set my mind on things not just in the here and now, but of the future. Cleaning tack, mucking stalls, grooming the animals, and attending to veterinary care are just some of the pre-riding activities that help me get to my goals. Carrying heavy water buckets, breaking ice and keeping blankets on and in good
condition are just some extra fun, this time of year. You want clean stalls? You have to sling some poo, like my adorable daughter, Cecelia in the attached pictures was doing, even at her then tender age.
Most of us will never achieve (nor want to) the level of Olympic rider but we all want the ride of the day to go as seamlessly as possible. Whether you are a dedicated trail rider, a dressage equestrienne, a cowmoving cowboy, a pony driver extraordinaire, or someone who enjoys gymkhana, that ‘seamless ride’ is never an accident. It calls for a proper game plan and the perseverance to follow through with it, especially when it is difficult or doesn’t seem fun at the time. Here in Ohio sweating, freezing, fighting bugs as big as baseballs, and working half the year in the dark add to the notso-fun parts of horse ownership.
Just as an athlete has a strict training schedule starting the moment he/she opens his eyes in
the morning, so needs be the goal-minded horse owner. What and when they eat, what and where they practice, when they rest or how much sleep is needed daily are examples of a training program. Likewise, diet, hacking, instruction (from a live coach, online or books), grooming, health care, maintaining the pasture, barn and fences, having proper fitting tack, scheduled shoeing or trims from the farrier, may all be included in a goal-oriented plan. Not a lot on that list seems enjoyable on the surface, but what does sound great is that ‘seamless ride’ we all strive for. Ignoring tasks and letting things slide are never ways to get to that beautiful ride we all look forward to. It just does not happen that way. Have a game plan for your daily, monthly, and yearly interactions with your horses— no plan, no win.
Life is hard. Let’s all have the courage this year to set goals and stick to them. Persevere.
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Cowboy Prom Coming Up in February
NATIONAL DIRECTOR,
PRESIDENT,
SECRETARY,
PHONE, 614-432-0177
WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Hannah Boyes
That’s a wrap on the first half of the 2024-2025 Ohio High School Rodeo season! We ended this portion of the season with a bang at the Preble County Fairgrounds in Eaton, Ohio. This rodeo, a multi-state event hosted by Ohio and including Indiana, showcased the incredible talent of our young athletes. The impressive facility featured two arenas: one for events like bull riding, breakaway roping, ribbon roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, chute dogging, and team roping, and the other for barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying. The dual-arena setup allowed the rodeo to run smoothly despite the
large number of contestants from both states.
The high level of competition made this rodeo especially exciting. It is only fitting to take a moment to recognize the athletes who secured first-place finishes in their respective events on either Saturday or Sunday. High school and junior high competitors who excelled include Brooke Bates, Dixie Keim, and Kylie Vickers in pole bending; Brooke Bates and Dixie Keim in barrel racing; and Rebekah Legan and Bristol Cummins in goat tying. In bull riding, Houston Marlor,
FRY’S
EQUINE INSURANCE AGENCY
Cayden Stewart, Gauge Murray, and Henry Pinnick claimed top spots, while Amy Hall, Finley Lynch, Saige Cummins, Blake Anderson, and Dawson Husband led in breakaway roping. Additionally, Dawson Husband, Bristol Cummins, Trent Hedrick, and Blake Anderson dominated ribbon roping, while Trent Hedrick, Owen Gardner, and Cade Cummings excelled in tie-down roping. Clay Wines took first in steer wrestling, and Dalton Allen and Trent Hedrick led the way in chute dogging. Team roping featured stellar performances from Jhett Stillwell, Dalton Husband, Addison Webb, Owen Gardner, Brody Crass, and Cooper Rickly. Finally, in shooting events, Mya Dimmerling and Alexis Fields shone in light rifle, and Guthrey Fagg topped trap shooting. Every one of these athletes brought their best, and their efforts paid off. Looking ahead, the Ohio High School Rodeo team will host its midwinter meeting this February. This event will include a dinner,
the much-anticipated Cowboy Prom for contestants, and a parents’ social and live auction. It’s an exciting opportunity for both athletes and their families to come together and celebrate the season.
Our rodeo team is always looking for new athletes in grades 5-12 to join our community. If you’re interested, visit ohiohighschoolrodeo.org or check out our Facebook page, Ohio High School & Jr High Rodeo Association, to learn more.
Daphne Lanctot running Barrels.
Addison Webb in Breakaway Roping.
Caroline Rowe, Ohio High School Rodeo Queen.
TREASURER,
EMAIL,
WEBSITE,
Join the PMT Ride Program and Earn Awards
Happy New Year! Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) would like to thank all our members for a wonderful 2024 show year! We are excited and looking forward to the 2025 show season being even bigger and better as we grow and expand our parks, and programs.
Our winter series at Shenanigan’s Stables in Carrollton, Ohio, is in full swing with people already earning points for 2025. To find more information on dates and practice times please visit PMT’s or Shenanigan’s Stables website or Facebook page.
In the December board meeting, PMT had the annual officer’s vote. We are glad to welcome back all our
officers. Elected for 2025 was President Kelly Chapman, Vice President Stephanie Tarr, Secretary Justin Miller, and Treasurer Susan Croft. We also welcome back Barb Miller into the Administrative Assistant position. We are hoping together to build PMT even bigger and better throughout this year in what we can bring to our amazing members. Our director’s position’s will be voted on at our annual banquet on January.
Did you know Premier Mount N Trail offers a ride program as
well as our competition program?
Our ride program is simple, fun, and awards the countless hours spent with you and your equine partner. To earn awards in the PMT ride program you simply log your hours spent with your horse doing groundwork, riding, liberty work, showing, trail riding and so on. We do not count grooming and stall work, but we also will award hours of volunteer time spent at your local PMT park! For more information on how to get started into our ride program please visit our website at www.
Ohio Paint Horse Club
premiermountntrail.com. We are currently logging hours for the 2025 year and it’s never too late to get signed up!
OPHC 2025 Schedule
PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp VICE PRESIDENT, Tim Dawson TREASURER, Jill Davis SECRETARY, Heather Collins WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
The American Paint Horse Association (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 members to learn more about the association, rule change proposals and network with other members and APHA staff.
I know it is only January but here is the Ohio Paint Horse Club 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, World Equestrian Center, Wilmington, Ohio
SEPT. 6-7: Am Club Show, Champions Center (covered pen, Springfield, Ohio
The Ohio Paint Horse Club, Michigan Paint Horse Club 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, Michigan Paint Horse Club and Ohio Paint Horse Club award standing are posted.
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!
Hope you have a blessed New Year!
Breeding in 2025?
Check out our list of stallions still available through the Michigan Stallion Service Sale!
Get a breeding at a reduced cost AND participate in the mare owner classes! If you sell the resulting foal, eligibility for this event goes with the baby. No other fees to participate!
Stallion breedings are available at the minimum bid listed (which is 60% of the advertised breeding fee) plus a $35 administrative fee.
Be part of our Stallion Service Sale classes as well as our other Futurity classes held at the MQHA 100K Futurity held each September in Lansing, Michigan.
The MQHA 100K Futurity paid back over $120,000 in purse money at the 2024 event! Open to all breeds!
The stallion list, catalog and fees can all be found on the Michigan Quarter Horse website: www.miquarterhorse.com
Contact the office with questions by calling 616-225-8211 or email: info@miquarterhorse.com
Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet Slated for January
PRESIDENT, Jonda Cole
VICE PRESIDENTS, Marc Beck, Cinda
Bame
SECRETARY, Jenna Duvall
TREASURER, Eric Haudenschield
WEBSITE, www.owha.org
Happy New Year to all our Corral readers! Ohio Western Horse Association (OWHA) hopes that each and every one of you had an amazing holiday season. And may 2025 be a prosperous year with many accomplishments for you. The New Year brings new resolutions and here at OWHA, we hope that your New Year resolution is coming and showing with us to make the 2025 show season the best one yet!
Ohio Western Horse Association held the December meeting on December 5, 2024 at Ada Park in Ada, Ohio. OWHA board members continue to discuss the 2025 show season and work to
finalize show dates. Make sure to follow on Facebook for finalized show dates. Please free to contact a board member if you or your organization would be interested in having an OWHA approved speed or pleasure show.
Just a reminder that OWHA will be holding the annual meeting and awards banquet on January 18 at the Kenton Moose Lodge in Kenton, Ohio. This is a great event for members to get together in fellowship. Also, the banquet is an excellent time for non-members to come and meet OWHA members to get information on joining the association. Please feel free to contact OWHA on Facebook for any questions.
OWHA Youth continue to accomplish big things and we love to share them with our readers. First OWHA would like to say good luck to those youth members participating in winter sports! Second, OWHA would like to congratulate Machaela Haundenschield with all her success in showing her Shropshire ewe lambs. She placed fifth in
the 2024 National Shropshire Futurity. She then went on to place second, fourth and eighth in the Midwest Regions Shropshire Futurity. Way to go KK! Another reminder for our youth, the Youth club will be planning a fun meeting at a later date. Please
keep an eye on the OWHA Youth Facebook page!
Again, OWHA would like to wish all of our readers and members a Happy New Year! May 2025 be full of blessings and joyous memories with family and friends. God Bless.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
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
Hosted by Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau
Geauga Horse and Pony Association
2025 Show Season Planning Has Begun
PRESIDENT, Lisa Formica
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Rachel Formica
2nd VICE PRESIDENT, Dustin Sutter
TREASURER, Shauna Gingrich
SECRETARY, Kelli Burns
WEBSITE, www.ghpa.us
by Jaimie and Joselyn Olson
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.
PRESIDENT, Jimmy McDonald
TREASURER, Shurina Tucke
SECRETARY, Shae Marshall
PHONE, 330/260-8833
WEBSITE, ohioexca.weebly.com
by Shae O’Hara
Happy New Years! We would like to take a moment to congratulate our 2024 OHIO EXCA buckle zeries winners:
YOUTH: Champion Rachel and Bandit, Reserve Champion Theo and Rosette
GREEN HORSE: Champion Kayla
S.B. and Teddy, Reserve Champion Madison F. and Louella
NOVICE: Champion Shae O. and PR
Sheza Hot Tale, Reserve Champion Stacey K. and Sookie
INTERMEDIATE: Champion Cheryl H. and Gun Slinger, Reserve Champion Stacey K. and Sookie
RIDE SMART: Champion Rick P. and Savvy Gun Play, Reserve Champion Cheryl H. and Gun Slinger
Attend Our Indoor Obstacle Practices
NON-PRO: Champion Rick P. and Savvy Gun Play, Reserve Champion Carl K. and Tyme For Champagne
PRO: Champion Kayla S.B and Masquerade
OPEN: Champion Rick P. and Savvy
Gun Play, Reserve Champion Carl K. and Tyme For Champagne
Come take the chill off by attending one of our indoor
obstacle practices! Twice a month we are having EXCA practices. These are open to everyone! One is held at Nickajack Farms in North Lawerance, Ohio, and the other at Win-Seek Fallen Pines located in Cortland, Ohio. These are not timed events. Come do the obstacles at your own pace, in a stress-free environment. Sign up to be an OHIO EXCA member to receive a discount at all OHIO EXCA events!
We are looking forward to this year’s events! We will be having our 2024 awards banquet along with our new opening event May 31 at 9 a.m. located at the beautiful Creek Side Horse Park! We will be holding an open exhibition race! This means a practice race for everyone to come give EXCA a try, without the expensive cost and pressure
of a real race, and 12 years and under can enter for free! We will be having a Fix A Race (like a dressage fix a test but EXCA style), along with raffles, food, and an overall good time. We are also excited to announce that all 2025 races will be double points, we will also be hosting a clinic the day before each race! Check out our Facebook and website for dates, cost, rules, and more information!
www.ohioexca.com
2024 Champion Kayla and Teddy.
2024 Multi Champion Rick and Savvy Gun Play.
2024 Champion Cheryl and Gun Slinger.
TrailMeister
I Don’t Need All That Fancy Stuff
by Robert Eversole
Irecently read one of Ty Evans’ reflections on training and the standards we should aim for with our animals. a sentiment he often hears is “I don’t need any of that fancy stuff; I just want to go down the trail.” I used to be one of the people who said it. I used that exact phrase far too often, not realizing how naive I was.
I used to call ‘fancy stuff’ what Ty calls control. This ‘fancy’ training includes yielding the fore and hinds, flexing softly, or being able to smoothly side-pass on command. When I’m deep in the backcountry,
miles from the trailhead with no cell service and no quick access to help, I want as much control as possible. Out there, ‘good enough’ simply isn’t enough. That level of control, or as Ty calls it, ‘handiness,’ is what I now strive for in every bit of groundwork, ride, or training session.
I ask a lot of my animals. I’m not one for ‘intense,’ but the places I prefer demand readiness. The steep country and narrow trails are the gatekeepers to the best fishing spots! My animals need to be as handy as possible for my peace of mind, and that’s only achievable with serious work long before we leave the barn.
Ty echoes this need for readiness in his training philosophy: “If the mule can’t operate and maneuver accurately on flat ground, how the heck are they going to do it in the mountains and rough country?” His words resonate with me. When I’m in the high country, I need my mules at their best. To get there, I need to work towards that goal when in familiar conditions at home. During my clinics, I stress the importance of mastering a solid whoa, go, and steer. But I don’t stop there—I want those responses to be as effortless as possible. That means having my animals centered, balanced, and able to respond calmly and lightly to my seat, legs, and reins. This isn’t about being fancy; it’s about being safe.
Safety means having an animal that’s light and calm in the bridle. I want a critter that’s easy to stop, easy to turn, and easy to back. If I have softness in these basics, I can count on that softness translating to side passes, pivots, and other moves that require control of the front
Please turn to page 32
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.
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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”.
JANUARY 2025
JAN. 2 — Winterfest Standardbred Sale, Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: Lonnie & Lauren Yoder, 260-336-1632
JAN. 11 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
JAN. 11 — Team Sorting & Jackpot, M&K Equestrian Center, 15343 N 100 @, Wheatfield, IN. FMI: Kris, 219-204-0892, mkequestriancenter.com
JAN. 12 — Young Guns 4H Drill Team Obstacle Course Play Days, Kentucky Cowtown Arena, 210 Wainscott Rd., Williamstown, KY. FMI: Joyce Voet, 859630-4566 (text)
JAN. 18 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail.com, creeksidehorsepark.com
FEB. 14-16 — RSTPA Big Bucks Series, Diamond 7 Arena, 36 Deardorff Rd., Dillsburg, PA. FMI: Paul Pilnik, 516-639-6666
FEB. 15 — Archery Practice (No Horses), Creek Side Horse Park, 7369 Mottice Dr. SE, Waynesburg, OH. FMI: creeksidehorsepark@gmail.com, creeksidehorsepark.com
Gunslingers Gala Banquet Scheduled for February 22
PRESIDENT, Dwayne Joyner
VICE PRESIDENT, Tony Ruper
SECRETARY, Janessa Hill
TREASURER, Mark Maxwell
EMAIL, northernohiooutlawsinfo@ gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.nooutlaws.com
As the shooting season comes to an end for 2024, the Northern Ohio Outlaws would like to extend
Fancy Stuff
their heartfelt gratitude to all the officers, directors, volunteers and sponsors for helping us have another fantastic year. We could not do it without each one of you!
2024 Club Sponsors: Kiko Meats, Custom Conchos and Tack, Centerra Co-Op / Purina Feeds, 3-C Horsemanship School, The Healing Cowgirl, Proghorn Customer Leather, Furbay Electric Supply Company, John’s Custom Embroidery and ScreenPrinting, John Roach Shoeing, Ruggles Arena, Rupers Ranch, Brave Horse CBD, Cowgirl Dust
(Continued from page 26)
and hindquarters. This is like driving a truck with a big engine, great brakes, and power steering. Just as we want control when towing a trailer on mountain roads, we should expect no less control when we’re in the saddle, whether we’re at home or navigating unpredictable terrain.
Over time, I’ve learned more about what my animals are capable of. Before I knew how to ask for more, I hesitated to challenge them beyond the
basics, worried that asking for more might bring a response I couldn’t handle. That intimidation—my reluctance to rise to their potential—kept me out of some remarkable areas requiring a little extra work to get to.
When pushing our limits feels intimidating, a good trainer can be your best ally. I’m a fan of Ty Evans because he speaks in a way I understand, but for you, it might be someone else.
and Diamonds, CW Impressions Graphic Designs, HatPac, Triple Crown Nutrition, Benefab, Kelly Herd Jewelry, Miller International/Cinch Jeans, ReMax Edge Reality, Red Star Vet Clinic, Straight A’s Ranch City, US Rider, Vaughan Insurance, Saltwell Western Store.
The Outlaws are looking forward to another successful season and would love to have you join in on the fun!
• Next Meeting: Wayne County Fairgrounds, January 15, 7 p.m.
• End of Year ‘Gunslingers
The important thing is to find someone whose guidance helps you rise to meet your animals where they are—and where they can go. Strive to be the person your animal deserves.
For those looking to build control and readiness in their animals, consider practicing and refining the foundational skills: a responsive whoa, rotating on the fore, and a smooth backup. These exercises can set the stage for a more advanced partnership,
Gala’ Banquet: Amish Door, February 22, 6 p.m. (invites will be mailed to members).
• New Shooter Clinic: Ruggles Arena, April 12,
• 2025 Shoot Dates: Wayne County Fairgrounds, April 26-27, June 7-8, July 11-13 (Ohio State Shoot), August 2-3, September 27-28.
For more information about our club, check out our website at nooutlaws.com or visit our Facebook page at Northern Ohio Outlaws CMSA.
Hope to see you all soon!
where trust and responsiveness grow hand-in-hand with control.
For more of my thoughts on trail riding and camping with livestock, check out my book, The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping at Amazon, or visit my website; TrailMeister. com. There, you’ll find more resources for building the skills and confidence that make exploring the backcountry as safe as it is rewarding.
We are getting everything ready for our 17th Annual Awards Banquet that will be
held on January 18, at the Lenox Community Center in Jefferson, Ohio. Cost of dinner will be $20 per person. If you would like to join us contact Karen Foley at 330/719-3290 (so we can get a plate count for the caterer). Doors open at 4 p.m. and dinner will be at 6 p.m.
I can’t believe the season is over and a new one will be beginning soon. We have gotten all our dates approved through CMSA and the Ashtabula County Fair Board. Mark your calendars for our 2025 season!
JUNE 21-22: Spring Into Action I and II
JULY 19-20: Blazin’ Glory I and II
AUGUST 16-17: Summer Heat I and II
SEPTEMBER 20-21: Autumn Trail I and II
Our meetings are the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. Anyone interested in coming are more than welcome. Visit our web page, lakeeriemountedvaqueros.net, to see where the meetings are held or feel free to call me at 330/719-
3290 for information regarding our club or about cowboy mounted shooting. We would like to thank Carmen and Nancy Virzi for hosting our December meeting! Special thanks to our sponsors: Big Dee’s Vet and Tack Supply, CMSA, Lonesome Pine Ammo, Curly’s Ammo, The Corral, Stagecoach West, Park Side Trailer Sales and Services, Inc., Siracki Realty, Altmyer’s Trailer Sales, Wendy Shaffer, MMCP, Agile Equine Bodywork, Kiko Meats and Jefferson Milling.
Tri-County Trail Association Plan to Attend Tack Swap Scheduled for April
PRESIDENT, Adam Brewer
VICE PRESIDENT, Harley Miller
SECRETARY, Cindy Krumm
TREASURER, Beverly Mills
WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com
by Kelly Jo Heffner
Happy New Year readers! It’s the time of the year that we reflect on last year’s events and begin to look forward to the events coming
FEB. 27 — Better Barrel Races, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Joe, 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
soon. Here at Tri-County Trails we have already set our schedule of events for the 2025 season. There will be many opportunities for everyone to come out and join in on the fun and riding that the club offers. The campground opens for overnight camping April 1. The fun will begin that month with our first event being the tack swap. Make your plans now to attend! A local 4-H club provides snacks and drinks during the tack swap which helps support two clubs!
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: 810-923-4964
be held in August and the annual raffle drawing is always during that event. Don’t miss your chance to win one of 12 cash prizes! The raffle tickets are available at any of our events as well as various tack swaps that have a member of the club present.
Our Summer Bash and Obstacle Course event will be held on June 6-8 this year. This is one of the favorites of all our events! Don’t miss the opportunity to participate and win some prizes. We look forward to seeing everyone there! Our full schedule
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: 419-307-4774
MARCH 2 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website
MARCH 2 — Versatile Horse Competition, The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena.com
of events is in this issue of the Corral for all of the upcoming events!
Tri-County Trails welcomes both new and previous visitors and encourages you to become a member and take advantage of everything the club has to offer its members. There are discounts on meal prices (for our event weekends), discounts on the camping fees, and many other reasons to become a member! Happy New Year everyone, we look forward to seeing you in the warmer weather soon!
MARCH 3-8 — 46th Annual Spring MidOhio Draft Horse & Carriage Sale, Mt. Hope Auction, Mt. Hope, OH. FMI: 330-6746188, www.mthopeauction.com
Include your Equine Event in the Corral Calendar! Email event information to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com
View From the Cheap Seats
Applied Philosophy
by Sarah Vas
Iconsider myself one of the wizened elders of the horse community, not so much because of accomplishments, age, or time spent in this industry. It’s thanks to the hard lessons I’ve taken to heart and try to emulate in my everyday life. Listen to Comprehend, NOT Just to Respond: As apex predators, we are hardwired to focus on our own needs first and foremost. This is why humanto-human communication can become so convoluted. We tend to formulate our next argument before the speaker has even finished. Horses, as prey, are constantly taking in the world around them with a cost-to-benefit decision. Their communication is very clear yet so subtle, so silent, that we often miss volumes of feedback and only focus on getting the response we want from the horse. And even then, we don’t often consider if the response was given in the spirit
at which we intended. Learned Helplessness is a very real thing in the equine training world but very few people understand how to recognize this. To communicate on equal ground is a practiced skill.
Fear is Subjective: Therefore, it is very real to the one experiencing it. For the skilled and practiced, this Unconscious Competence can cloud one’s understanding of another’s true fear. A task makes sense. It’s simple, familiar. But for the Conscience Incompetent, the same task isn’t just unfamiliar. It’s incredibly scary. Ignoring or minimizing another’s real fear only perpetuates more stress and mistrust. ‘Easy’ is subjective and divisive. ‘Unfamiliar’ is objective, sympathetic. Unfamiliar becomes Familiar through an applied ‘if this, then that’ equation of practice and repetition.
Speed Kills: By this, I mean that every horse has its best gear. Yes, a horse can grow athletically (and
decline of course) but all along the way, it’s critical that the horse be encouraged to find that sweet spot of performance ease. My greatest learning curve comes from the Saddle Seat industry whereby English horses are routinely ridden off their feet, as they say. Pushed harder, faster, higher, tighter until the brilliance that is their front end becomes the excuse for ignoring the car crash happening to the rest of the horse. Unchecked speed creates compensations within the whole. Choosing training shortcuts, ignoring holes in the whole horse’s development, or just riding the hair off a horse is refusing to recognize when it’s getting worse, not better. You’re only focusing on the end result and not the collateral damage you’re causing to your horse’s body or mindset.
Five Minutes is Better Than No Minutes: Consistency is far more important than intensity. Five minutes of your best is never wasted on your horse. Trust me, your horse will still learn something. Little bites. Chew thoroughly. Swallow. Repeat. And if consistency is a struggle, that’s on you. Be real with yourself about your ability to show up consistently for your horse, whether through schedule or effort. Those five minutes will always feel like starting over, every time, if you let days or weeks go by before taking another little bite.
anything, it is the horse that is doing much of the adapting while we, the predators, are doing much of the demanding. This brings me to my next major epiphany. The counterintuitive choice. So much of what is asked of a horse goes against its intuition. I found that every horse I interacted with responded far better with a curious, willing attitude of confidence when I recognized when and how to behave in a completely counterintuitive manner. I can force a horse but what does it expect the next time we interact?
Horses Don’t Lie: Yes, lots of training issues stem from physical pain. But don’t be so high on yourself that you think your horse’s ‘wrong’ response isn’t your fault. I defer to the first lesson regarding comprehension. Most of us just don’t consider how much we influence our horse’s mindset. Way more often than we think, we communicate with our horse and don’t comprehend our message. If the horse responds from a place of frustration or learned confusion, we rarely consider if the horse is interpreting the message exactly as we presented it. We get stuck in the pass/fail, reward/ punish cycle with the horse over every ‘wrong’ response. We’re ‘hunting’ for the goal, not considering why our ‘hunt’ may be failing us and our horses.
Be Counterintuitive: If
As predators, we focus forward with our eyes. We need to see it to believe it. But what if we chose a wider peripheral focus? What if we assessed every interaction with a horse like a bird’s eye view of the moment, putting ourselves in the objective, observable picture? What if we consciously trained our thinking and choices to include how we fit into the bigger picture and what our movements and actions are saying to the world around us? Address and repair physical pain but what about confusion? What about really questioning whether we are listening to the horse for comprehension, not just to respond? What about questioning whether the horse is reacting to us? What if a horse is behaving out of mistrust or even more likely, trust that we will ignore and confuse as has been our track record thus far?
As the apex predator in this horse/human equation, it goes without argument that the responsibility of communication will always and completely fall upon the human’s shoulders.
January 11 is awards banquet month for The Wayne County
Saddle Club (W.C.S.C). at The Lighted Lantern, 4537 Grabber Road, Fredericksburg, Ohio. I hope to see everyone there getting amazing awards earned over the show season, eating good food and dancing the night away. If you haven’t heard, there has been line dance practice at the club pavilion through the month of December and January 3.We will have raffle baskets. All the proceeds help support the club. I know there will be great things to choose from. Anyone can donate a basket. It’s a good way to promote your farm or business.
View From the Cheap Seats (continued)
Wow, that’s a pretty humbling notion, isn’t it? Taking accountability for every response and reaction our horses have to us, good, bad, or otherwise. How to execute this profound responsibility is all in the definition of counterintuitive. Do the opposite of your kneejerk reaction. Maybe not react at all. Be patient and quiet and still,
far longer than feels comfortable for you. Slow down when you feel the urge to push harder and faster. Listen and wait and watch for the most subtle of head turns or eye blinks. Believe what we feel without needing to see it with our eyes. There’s much to be said about the art and skill of comprehensive listening. Horses respond with
All members vote for officers at the banquet. There are going to be some members stepping down. Thanking them for a job well done is important. We all do our very best to bring a well run club with opportunities to enjoy this beautiful show grounds. As some say, it takes a village. This holds true at The W.C.S.C. If you have interest in providing your time and effort please step up, throw your hat in the ring. We would love it!
Our spring cleanup is fast approaching. That is an all hands on deck day! Many hands make light work and believe me, there
comprehension but we tend to only focus on the response, not their reasons why. I guess what I’m trying to say is, may 2025 be the year we all practice listening more, comprehending the bigger picture, and traveling together at a comfortable pace.
Sarah Vas, a second-generation horse woman, writes about her
is a lot that needs done. As most also know, our outdoor toilets are in need of an upgrade. Plans are in the works!
March 29 the W.C.S.C. and Massillon Saddle Club are having a Tack Swap at The Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster. It will be held in The Event Center (heated building). A space is $50, bring your own table or $60 with a table. Contact Leanne, 330/844-4041 or Shena Holcombe, 330/600-0284. Most importantly I personally hope 2025 brings much joy to you and yours. Hug everyone, you never know who might need it.
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.
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
Consider the Wondrous Works
by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
Romans 1:20 reads “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse”.
When I was still just a kid, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel with my family to several places out west. Our western vacations often centered around a rodeo or at least visits to towns that held some of the more famous rodeos. We were able to go to the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado. We also went to the Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo in Vinita, Oklahoma on another vacation. My younger brother and I made a trip out to the Black Hills in South Dakota with our grandparents one year and I think we made a quick trip into Wyoming on that same trip. Being born and raised in south
central Ohio, our scenery was limited to relatively flat farmland or rolling tree covered hills. To say I was awestruck by seeing and being in the mountains is an understatement. I was absolutely fascinated with the Badlands, the Garden of the Gods, the snowcovered peaks in the Rocky Mountains and the Royal Gorge. Those trips led to a lifetime love of the natural beauty of our planet. When I went to college back in the early 80s I first studied Natural Resources thinking that I wanted to be a Park Ranger out west. However, I ultimately switched my major to study geology and graduated with a degree in Earth Sciences from The Ohio State University. Psalm 104:24-25 reads “O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth is full of your possessions—this great and wide sea, in which are innumerable teeming things, living things both small and great”.
Over the years, T and I and our boys have been blessed to travel to many other amazing places. We have seen the massive redwoods in Sequoia National Park, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Mt. Lassen volcano, the Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest. Back here in the east we have made several trips to the Smoky Mountains and had an opportunity to go on an airboat ride in central Florida. T and I also had some trips of our own. We were able to go canoeing in Algonquin National Park in Ontario before we even had kids. A couple years ago, we were able to go to Maine and Acadia National Park with a good friend of ours. I realize there are many, many places in our great country alone that could rival anything we have already seen to date. I would love to go to Alaska some day and perhaps Glacier National Park in Montana. However, I have a hard time believing that I would be any more awestruck than I was with our recent trip out to Wyoming!
Psalm 19:1 reads “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.”
If you are a regular reader of our articles in the Horsemen’s Corral, you will know from a recent article we contributed that I retired from a long career in environmental consulting this past October. T and I treated ourselves to a trip to a couple of the parks that have always been at the top of my bucket list, Yellowstone and Grand Teton! Due to other commitments, we only had a week to spend out there, but we definitely tried to make the best of the time we had. However, we didn’t really get off to the best start. Our trip included a flight from Columbus to Denver and then a connection to Jackson Hole Airport. Our flight left the gate right on time... only to return to the gate because of a possible flat tire. We finally took off about four hours later. There was no way we were going to make our original connection, but fortunately there were three other flights from Denver to Jackson Hole that afternoon. We got to eat a very expensive lunch in the Denver airport and then landed in Jackson Hole around 5 p.m. Mountain Time,
two hours behind our time back home in Ohio. The airport at Jackson Hole is the only airport that is inside one of our national parks, Grand Teton National Park. I swear it felt like we could touch the mountain sides when we landed. T had to wait on me once we got off the plane. The other passengers headed straight to the terminal. I walked out on the tarmac a little and just stared at the mountains! It is absolutely amazing how high they tower over the Snake River valley! At the risk of this article sounding like it is an advertisement for Yellowstone/ Grand Teton National Park, I honestly cannot say that I have seen anything more beautiful than western Wyoming. We saw only a small percentage of both parks, but what we saw was breathtakingly beautiful. Old Faithful and the other geysers, the Yellowstone River canyon and waterfalls, Yellowstone Lake and Jenny Lake. The wildlife was phenomenal as well. A bull bison happily grazed for several hours around Old Faithful before wandering off through the crowd and parking lot. We found a bison jam on our way to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River in Canyon Village. After hiking a few miles to a lake where others on the trail told us they had seen some moose, we saw none until hiking back to the parking lot only to find a bull moose about 300 yards from where our car was parked. We saw a cow and calf on our way out of the park that afternoon. We were treated to a small group of female elk eating along a small stream when we were heading out of the park our final day. We stopped to
S Please turn to page 40
Tanya and Rob Corzatt
Colorado Ranger Horse Association
Youth Point Program Applications and Fees 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.
The 51st Colorado Ranger Horse National Show was held
Consider the Wondrous Works
Continued from page 38
watch and heard a male bugling to the ladies. He made a brief appearance before disappearing back behind some tall brush.
On our way over to the eastern part of the state near Moorcroft and the ranch we planned to visit,
we saw numerous mule deer and antelope. Our rental house was only about 20 miles from Devils Tower National Monument. We didn’t see any aliens (remember Close Encounters of a Third Kind?), but did get to see a group of four climbers working their way up the southern face
on September 21-22, 2024. The show was at Clinton County Fairgrounds in Mill Hall, Pa. Ranger Logging and Open
Show forms are due soon.
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:
GELDING GRAND CHAMPION: Honey’s Red Star, owned and shown by Katie Montgomery, PA.
GELDING RESERVE CHAMPION: KK Leggs Diamund, owned by Toni and Jerry Lukavich, PA and shown by Jerry Lukavich and Charmaine Wulff, PA.
of the tower. The eastern part of the state has its own unique characteristics. No towering mountains, other than Devils Tower, but lots of open, rolling, brush covered range. We even got to see the northern lights one evening at the rental house. Our time working the cows was brief and a bit disappointing due to a small window of opportunity and a horse that decided he was happier back at the trailer. We will leave it at that.
Job 37:14-16 reads “Listen to this, O Job; stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. Do you know how God controls the clouds and makes His lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised, those wonders of Him who has perfect knowledge?”
Although this sounds like an advertisement for the Wyoming Department of Tourism, my true intent is to give glory to our all mighty Creator and the wonders of His hands. The landscape and wildlife were incredible. We were blessed with incredible weather that was about 15 degrees above normal average temperatures for early October. In fact, I saw a picture on the internet about a week after we left and there were a couple inches of snow on the entrance sign to Yellowstone NP! We were blessed with the experience of a lifetime and I, personally, cannot wait to go back, and see all the other incredible parts of the park that we did not have time to see in the few short days we were there. I know our country has so much more natural beauty to offer. I honestly believe God spent just
a little extra time molding the landscape and creatures we saw on our trip. But then we have seen His hand in all our travels to date. I am anxious to see many more. In fact, I was able to purchase the lifetime pass for all of our National Parks and Monuments since I am now a Senior. I pray T and I will get to see others and that we are also able to take our granddaughters with us in the future. That’s right, granddaughter number two was born three days before her big sister’s third birthday in November!
1 Peter 3:15 reads “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear… The wonders we see all around us are evidence of His holy presence and works. I pray that in this New Year, you all have an opportunity to experience and appreciate the beauty of His Creation. God Bless you all!
The Corzatt family owns and operates the Cowboy Perseverance Ranch (CPR) in Marengo, Ohio. CPR is a faith based operation and our mission is to build a strong foundation and relationship with our training horses and students. We are blessed to be able to provide western horsemanship lessons infused with biblical scripture to students of all ages. One student has described her time here as “CPR for the soul!” Visit our website at www.cpranch. wixsite.com/home or follow us on Facebook.
Gelding Grand Champion. Gelding Reserve Champion.
Western Dressage
Strengthen Your Partnership
by Kelley Bitter
Winter. It’s tough, isn’t it? The snow piles up, the ice refuses to melt, and the biting cold makes even the simplest tasks feel monumental. And if you don’t have an indoor arena? Well, those challenges double—but that doesn’t mean your connection with your horse has to take a back seat. If anything, these cold months offer the perfect opportunity to strengthen your partnership in ways you might not during warmer seasons.
Keeping that bond alive isn’t just about brushing off dirt or sneaking an extra carrot into their feed. It’s about finding time—even when the weather fights you—to show them you’re there, sticking by their side. With a bit of creativity and some planning, you can help your horse stay happy, healthy, and limber until spring finally graces us with its presence. And, trust me, when Western Dressage season rolls around, you’ll both be better for it.
To help make it easier, I’ve pulled together a list of exercises— whether you’re lucky enough to have an arena or not—that will keep your horse feeling their best all winter. We’ve got this.
Sometimes winter feels like it’s trying to test how far your bond with your horse can stretch, doesn’t it? With less riding time, it’s easy to feel like you’re slipping away from the progress you’ve made together. But here’s the thing—this season isn’t about big rides or perfect performances. It’s about showing up, every day, in small, meaningful ways that remind your horse they’re your priority.
One of the simplest (and often most overlooked) ways to stay connected during winter is through grooming. And I don’t just mean a quick once-over with a curry comb. Real grooming is about spending quality time with your horse, brushing away muck and stress while
checking in on their health. Those heavier winter coats can hide surprises—little patches of irritated skin or signs of discomfort—that you might not catch otherwise. Plus, nothing beats the sight of a gleaming coat in the winter sun, no matter how short the daylight feels. If you’re facing caked-on mud or patches of dried sweat (and trust me, you will), a sturdy, long-bristled brush is your best friend. And if you haven’t tried a no-rinse winter wash spray yet, do yourself a favor—it gets the job done without stripping away the natural oils in their coat. On those especially frosty mornings, warm up your brushes for a few minutes before starting. It’s a tiny gesture, but your horse will appreciate the comfy touch. And you know what? A warm grooming apron for you isn’t a bad idea either or a heated vest. Staying cozy makes the whole process more enjoyable for both of you.
Grooming isn’t just about the dirt or the shine—it’s about trust. It’s about your hands smoothing over their coat, quietly communicating, “I see you. I’m here.” Some days, that’s all your horse needs to feel secure, cared for, and connected to you. And honestly? It’s a soothing ritual for us humans too.
Having an indoor arena during the winter feels like hitting the jackpot, doesn’t it? The warmth, the protection from icy winds—it’s a game changer. But while you’re soaking in that unsung luxury, why not put it to good use and give your horse some exercises that promote flexibility, balance, and, most importantly, your connection? Start with slow, intentional work—like serpentine patterns or figure eights—that encourages your horse to bend and stay supple. Polework is another fantastic option. You can set up trot poles or even raised poles to help them engage their core and improve coordination. And don’t forget transitions! Smoothly shifting between gaits not only keeps their minds sharp but also strengthens balance. The best part? You’re right there with them, guiding them with all the patience and kindness that builds trust and deepens your bond. You’re not just training—you’re creating moments that matter. Let’s look at a few exercises I detail.
Ground Pole Work
Ground poles are such a fun and simple way to challenge your horse while keeping things low stress. Setting up a basic course can do wonders for them—not just physically but mentally, too. Walking or trotting over the poles gets your horse thinking more carefully about where their feet land. It’s like a puzzle for their brain, while also giving their back and shoulder muscles a lovely stretch. Want to make it perfect? Adjust the distance between the poles to match your horse’s natural stride length. Work on rhythm and consistency of the gaits. For an added twist, lay them out to mimic Western Dressage basics— think curves for bending or straight lines to practice extending. These small, thoughtful tweaks make this exercise more than just a workout; it becomes a way to connect, focus, and prepare together for the season ahead. Give it a try—it’s satisfying for both of you!
Hand Walking with Suppling Exercises
Hand-walking sessions might seem like a simple activity, but they’re actually golden opportunities for a little on-the-ground training. Think of them as your chance to work on the finer details—like turns on the haunches, shoulder-ins, or crisp square halts that keep your horse sharp and responsive. Adding verbal cues like “whoa,” “walk,” or “trot” is a great way to create consistency that’ll pay off big time when you’re back in the saddle
Lunging with Purpose
Lunging can be such a rewarding way to keep your horse engaged and moving, especially during the slower winter months. Adding a focus on smooth transitions and balance will make the session even more productive. Start by outfitting them with a padded surcingle and,
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if you like, loosely set side reins to gently encourage stretching into the contact without forcing any over-flexing. A steady, rhythmic trot on the lunge doesn’t just maintain their fitness; it also works wonders for muscle tone. It’s a simple but powerful way to keep your horse in shape while staying connected—even when riding might not be an option. Give it a try and see how both of you benefit!
Liberty Work or Play
Winter is the perfect time to deepen your bond with your horse through liberty exercises. Try practicing simple cues like “come” and “back up”—you might be surprised how quickly they catch on! Add some fun by setting up cones or barrels and guiding your horse around them, encouraging them to mimic your movements. Horses love a good challenge, and these little games provide just the right mix of mental stimulation and movement. Plus, as you’re both weaving through cones and sharing this playful moment, you’ll work up a bit of warmth together. It’s not just exercise; it’s connection, trust, and a whole lot of fun for both of you.
What if I don’t have an indoor arena you may ask? When I first faced a winter without arena access, I worried my horse, and I would lose the rhythm built through summer training. But as the weeks passed, I discovered joy in the little things—bonding during warm grooming sessions and using my barn aisleway to my advantage. By spring, she was physically sound, and we had a stronger connection that carried into all our rides.
Here are a few exercises focusing on building strength, improving flexibility, and enhancing communication with your horse. All activities include tips for adaptation, safety precautions, and recommendations for equipment you may already have on hand.
The Carrot (Treat) Stretch
Carrot stretches are a simple and rewarding way to improve your horse’s flexibility while keeping them engaged. Using a carrot or their favorite treat, gently guide your horse to stretch their neck toward their chest, down between their front legs, and toward each flank. Hold each stretch for about 5–10 seconds, but always stay tuned to their reactions—if they seem uncomfortable or resistant, release the stretch and try again later. These exercises are not just great for loosening up muscles; they also give you both a chance to work together in a calm, positive way. Give it a go and watch how quickly your horse starts enjoying the process!
Hand Walking Exercises
Hand-walking your horse can be so much more than just a stroll— it’s the perfect chance to work on precision and communication while keeping things fun. Using a lead rope and halter, guide your horse through a course made up of cones, buckets, or poles. Mix in patterns like straight lines, circles, zigzags, or even tight turns, focusing on calm, controlled, and purposeful movements. This kind of exercise not only builds trust and connection but also encourages flexibility, balance, strength, and coordination. For younger or nervous horses, start with larger, simpler patterns to build confidence; for more experienced horses, step it up with sharper turns and quicker direction changes. Even if your aisle way is too narrow to allow for zigzagging,
you can always practice moving around cones (or buckets as I did). This is a great time to work on turns on haunches and forehand. Always ensure there’s enough space around obstacles to avoid bumps or accidents and work on a secure surface to prevent slipping. It’s a great way to bond while giving your horse a solid, low-stress workout! If you have a long and safe aisle-way barn aisle walking is a simple yet effective way to work on your horse’s responsiveness and coordination, all within the familiar environment of your barn. Using the length of the aisle, guide your horse through transitions between walking, halting, and backing up in a straight line, focusing on giving clear cues and encouraging smooth responses. This exercise is great for strengthening the muscles used in transitions, improving balance in confined spaces, and enhancing communication as your horse picks up on subtle signals. If your horse is new to this, start with slower, simplified transitions to build confidence, and for advanced horses, you can mix in extra challenges like turns or sidestepping. Just double-check the aisle for any hazards, like tools or bins, and make sure the footing is secure— adding mats can help if it’s slippery. It’s an easy way to make everyday moments with your horse both productive and fun!
Target Training
Target training is a fun and mentally stimulating exercise that builds communication and connection with your horse. Using a target like a soft cone, a ball, or even your hand, encourage your horse to touch it with their nose on cue. Start by holding the target close and rewarding them when they make contact, then slowly increase the challenge by moving the target farther away or positioning it at different angles— low, high, or to the sides. This activity not only sharpens problemsolving skills but also keeps your horse engaged and attentive while promoting a nice stretch through their neck and upper body. For beginners, take it slow with small, simple steps, while more advanced horses can follow the target through intricate patterns or obstacles. Just ensure the target is soft and harmless and keep your movements steady to avoid startling your horse. It’s a creative way to make training both engaging and rewarding for both of you!
Weight Shifting Exercises
Weight-shifting exercises are an excellent way to build your horse’s strength and balance while fostering body awareness. By applying gentle pressure to their ribs or shoulders, you can encourage your horse to carefully shift their weight from one side to the other. Alternatively, ask them to lift each hoof individually to add variety and challenge their balance. These simple movements engage core muscles and strengthen the hindquarters as your horse stabilizes themselves, all while improving their sense of body movement. Start with just a few shifts in short sessions, letting your horse get comfortable before gradually increasing the frequency or complexity over time. Be sure to use calm, clear cues to avoid overwhelming a nervous horse, and keep an eye on their posture to ensure the exercise remains comfortable and safe. It’s a great way to gently promote both physical fitness and connection with your horse!
When spring arrives and the Western Dressage season begins, you’ll be stacking the building blocks laid out through your winter efforts. Flexibility-focused work, combined with maintaining baseline fitness through groundwork and longing, will make the transition back to full training remarkably smooth.
Staying inspired and learning helps you refine your strategies while keeping your own skills sharp.
Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information: Name of Equine Event • Date/Time of Equine Event Venue Name and Address of where event will be held Contact name and phone number You may include an email and website address also. Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine and added to our website. www.thehorsemenscorral.com
Remember, winter might seem like an obstacle, but it’s truly an opportunity. With a little creativity and some thoughtful preparation, you can turn the off-season into one of enhancement and growth. Your horse will thank you for it—and you’ll both be more than ready to shine in the Western Dressage arena come spring!
Check out this and other ideas on our Facebook page https://www. facebook.com/EaglesNestEquestrianPerformance
Contact us at Eagles Nest Equestrian Center in Shalersville, Ohio. We are on Facebook and our website is www.Eaglesnestequestrian.com. Offering lessons in western dressage, horsemanship, showmanship, and contesting. Check out my blog at www.theconfidenthorseman.com.
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President
Making Ohio Better, Four Hooves at a Time. New Ohio Horseman’s Council marketing and promotional materials include these words. Eight, easy-to-remember words to describe a great organization and its hundreds of volunteers and their equine partners. You’ll hear me use these words at state and regional meetings, Equine
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BELMONT
The Belmont OHC ride at Barkcamp in November was canceled because of concern about hunters out there on opening day. Raffle tickets were handed out at the November meeting with the drawing to be held at the December meeting. This is one of the main fundraiser efforts to provide money for improving and maintaining Barkcamp’s horse trails and camps. Since not much happens here over the dark months Martie Ackerman gave permission to introduce a few of our members. I’m starting out with Dave Burchett who retired from farrier work in September. Dave was born in 1951 and raised on a farm near Portsmouth, Ohio, where the family kept draft horses. At age 5 Dave remembers needing help only with bridling a draft mare named Patsy then he’d climb up and go! Dave recalls Patsy came from Texas with other horses on a train.
Dave kept riding through high school years and after graduation he went to farrier school in Xenia, Ohio. For the next several years he built up a farrier business and at 24 started working for the state of Ohio as a prison guard. He attained his EMT certificate and was first assigned to the Chillicothe prison and then to Belmont
Affaire and anywhere else I may have the opportunity to use my OHC megaphone. Everything we do, from adding new chapters to launching youth programs, is driven by our commitment to improving Ohio’s recreation for all equestrians. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or just beginning, ride a Quarter Horse or Mule, or don’t own a horse, the Ohio
prison. During this time, he not only worked two full time jobs (continued the farrier business), but also attained his paramedic
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
Horseman’s Council is here to support you and inspire you to help us improve equestrian opportunities in Ohio. In 2025, we are poised for growth and exciting new initiatives. We will continue to volunteer our time and resources to support equine enthusiasts and the equine industry in Ohio as we look to the future beyond this
year. We’re working to add a few new chapters as we continue to grow our membership, taking time to recognize the hard work of all OHC volunteers and launch a new program for our 400-plus youth members. 2025 is going to be a pivotal year.
Enjoy the ride!
~Mary Alice Kuhn
certificate from Columbus Tech.
In 2004 Dave retired from the state after 28 years and continued shoeing horses and riding whenever possible. In 2007 he and Andi Namack married in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, near one of his favorite rides, East Fork near Jamestown, Tennessee. Two other favorites are Hocking Hills and Barkcamp.
Dave retired from shoeing September 2024 the same year he retired his good mule Classy ~Rebecca Herndon
CLARK
Happy New Year from Clark County. We are looking forward to an active year. Now, I wouldn’t call them resolutions but we do have some goals for 2025. We plan on having our muddy areas at Buck Creek completed this spring, we will try and have a few organized club rides this year, our spring clean-up and campout and our second obstacle fun weekend in the fall in partner with Madison County are all in the works.
Of course, there is still winter to get through and we can all look forward to Equine Affaire in April. Consider volunteering during the event or for put up or tear down. In the mean-time there are saddles and bridles to be cleaned and conditioned. If you are fortunate enough to have
an indoor arena you will still have many riding opportunities. Hopefully there will be some mild days to get out on the trails that are open during the winter. Cheers to staying in the saddle and keeping warm this winter. When the weather was too cold to ride or at least too cold for me to ride it was time to bake for the holidays. Clark County member Polly Agle, secondary member Karen Abram and myself along with more of Polly’s family enjoyed our fourth annual baking day.
The next meeting date is yet to be determined and all will be notified by email or Facebook. Come ride with Clark County! ~Jonna Ledyard
CLERMONT
2025 greetings from Clermont County. First, we want to congratulate and thank you, Cindy Barnett, for your continued
Belmont County OHC
Clark County OHC
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support to SW Region! We hope you will be able to join us for our camp and rides in 2025.
As we step into 2025, we hope each and every one has enjoyed the holidays and were able to spend time with family and friends. It’s not about what’s under the Christmas tree, it’s about who you spend your time with.
We are again making plans to continue working on our trails at East Fork State Park. We have several areas that we need to work on, adding drainage pipes and gravel as funds permit. We also hope to be able to reclaim the Blue Trail, which is between Loop A and the Day use lot. We will soon be adding a sidewalk to the kiosk area at the Day use parking utilizing combined efforts with the park volunteers. We will also possibly be adding additional parking space to the area.
Remember to keep track of your miles and work hours for 2025. Every hour and every mile adds to the total to help us with grants for available funds.
Brick orders! By the time this issue reaches our members we may still have room for your brick order. Contact Bev Sheppard or me if you are interested in adding a brick to the kiosk.
As we are hoping for a mild winter, don’t hesitate to reach out to your fellow members if you are in need of hay during the winter months.
Preserving equestrian access takes more than individual effort—it requires the shared commitment of everyone who cherishes these spaces.
Until next month, stay warm. God bless everyone.
~LaWana Bogard
CLINTON
Hello fellow horseman and woman, I hope your holidays have been amazing! Looks like winter has come in like a lion…. I think it’s too early for below 20 degrees so many days in a row! My grandson Casyn came to visit for Thanksgiving and wanted to ride, I’m unable due to knee replacement surgery, so member Amanda Snell said she would take him, with the wind chill it was 18 degrees, they bundled up, and only rode 40 minutes. They had a good cold ride! Pictured is Casyn and his boy Hopper getting ready for their ride. Hopper has missed him, he was licking him and grooming his hair, it was so sweet! Horses
have great memories! The other photo is Hopper with Nakota in the background going out for a ride before my surgery.
We are having our Christmas party next week so next article I’ll have photos from our great time. We post upcoming events and rides on our Facebook page. 2025 is going to be an amazing year. Let’s camp, ride and have fun. Take a kid riding and see the future. Happy New Year!
~Sue Lamb
CUYAHOGA
What a great year we had in 2024. Our chapter has hosted many small groups trail rides, gone camping, hosted educational meetings as well as an ice cream social. We participated in a horse show and members went to auctions, tack sales, and rides all over, not only the county, but the country.
We had a successful three county State Ride which included camping at the Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation Polo Field. Cuyahoga, Medina and Summit County chapters worked together to plan and pull off a fun weekend. The Cleveland Metroparks Mounted Police presented an obstacle course to expose horses to many challenges. There was
rain but no thunder or lightening so riders rode the many miles of beautiful trail. The Polo Field offers electric hook ups, tie lines, potable water and plenty of room for portable pens. There was lots of food, a live auction, campfires, flea market, raffles, prizes and fun for all. We had about 85 for dinner on Saturday night. Maybe we will see you next year. We hope so!
All that was followed by many of you joining us for the Cleveland Metroparks Mounted Police fundraiser, Ride the Beach event held on the shores of Lake Erie. We help sponsor this event and it gives riders a wonderful chance to ride with an officer and gallop, or stroll along the sand and take your horse safely into the water to swim if you so choose. It was a beautiful weekend and a great safe ride.
Our October meeting was a costume party and election of officers. There were some very creative get ups and prizes were won by Patti and Al for best costumes.
Our last event of the year is always at Look About Lodge also in Cleveland Metroparks. This beautiful log cabin with huge fireplaces is a true gem to be enjoyed in November. We planned a Sunday lunch and dessert and a great time for other chapters to join us in a friendly get together. We renew old friendships and make new friends every year. Door prizes, raffle, and some other surprises helped make a fun afternoon. I hope you were there to celebrate what brings us all together. The love of horses of course. Those attending bring individual packs of goodies such as cookies, granola bars, candy, and trail mix. These are boxed up and taken to all the managers and mounted police in the park. It is just our fun way of saying thanks for all they do to take care of the trails and parks that we love.
Do you know what is so great about OHC? We come from different backgrounds, all ages, all occupations, all political beliefs, beginner riders and advanced. English or western saddles, all breeds and sizes of horses. We are all friends who would not know each other if not for OHC. Our motto of Horsemen Helping Horsemen is evident as we step up to help each other when help is needed. We laugh at ourselves, we cry when we lose a loved one, be it a
husband, wife, mother or father, horse, dog or cat because love knows no bounds.
If any of this sounds good to you then join Cuyahoga Chapter up here in Northeast Ohio. Come join us now for 2025. We start the year with a great dinner and live auction in February. Casual event and a great social occasion. Just go to www.ohconline.com and click on Find a Chapter. You will be warmly greeted and just think about all the adventures we have planned for the year to come. Happy New Year! May it be filled with love, and all that you wish for, and perhaps a new horse will find its way to you.
~Penny Passalacqua
DELAWARE
Greetings and Happy New Year from your friends in Delaware Chapter. Congratulations to our 2025 officers: President Theresa Burke, Vice President Kim Vorbau, Treasurer Alex Sydney, and Secretary Bobbi Arters. The officers plan to hold their annual ‘brainstorming’ session later this month with the ultimate objective being another exciting year for our members. A year filled with an array of fun social events, informative and entertaining speakers, and of course, trail riding on our beautiful Alum Creek bridle trails. As always, members are encouraged to share any suggestions they may have for presentation topics, guest speakers, and other fun activities. Speaking of our members, a warm welcome and a sincere thank you is extended to the individuals joining our chapter for the very first time as well as to all our renewing members. The Delaware chapter members are a fun-loving, motivated, and welcoming group of horse enthusiasts! Encourage your family members and fellow horse enthusiasts to join us. Remember, you do not have to own a horse to belong to OHC. Mark your calendar as you won’t want to miss our first chapter meeting of 2025 which is scheduled for Friday, February 7 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Kilbourne United Methodist Church on SR 521. Plans are underway for a guest speaker. Light refreshments will be served during our business meeting. Watch for meeting announcements to be sent to your email inbox and to be posted on our Delaware Chapter Facebook page.
Clinton County OHC
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At the time this article was submitted, our chapter’s Christmas party had not yet occurred. I plan to share highlights of our holiday celebration in next month’s issue. Taking a moment to reflect on last year, we can be proud and appreciative of what our chapter accomplished. For instance, our awesome trail maintenance crew, consisting of 14 hardworking and devoted volunteers, performed a tremendous amount of work on our bridle trails at Alum Creek State Park. At year’s end, the team, led by Bobbi Arters, had amassed 1,575 work hours equating in value to over $68,000! Furthermore, several club members also volunteered their time and effort to accomplish our chapter’s traditional community service work. With Gelene Heinlein serving as coordinator, these committed chapter members completed the obligatory three Adopt-A-Highway litter pickups this year.
Lastly, a sincere thank you is directed to each of our 2024 guest speakers who shared their knowledge, expertise, and experience on subjects ranging from natural horsemanship, equine bodywork, horse rescue and equine therapy, barn fire prevention and safety, personal safety and security in parks, including your everyday surroundings, neighboring state park news, and highlights from a ‘bucket list’ horseback riding vacation out West. In addition, our chapter is grateful for the support of so many neighboring property owners who graciously allow our trail maintenance volunteers to traverse their private properties to gain access to more remote sections of trail as well as assisting in trail maintenance themselves. In closing, do not forget to mark your calendars to attend
the OHC Mid-Winter Meeting; Seminars scheduled for Saturday, January 11 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Double Tree by Hilton, 50 North 2nd Street, Newark, Ohio. The event flyer is posted on Ohio Horseman’s Council Inc. Facebook page. Enjoy a wonderful day of learning, sharing, and preparing for 2025 OHC and horse-related activities! Until next month, stay warm and enjoy time with your equine partners!
~Theresa Burke
ERIE
Greetings from Erie County and Happy New Year! It is 2025 and our first club ride is scheduled January 1 at Mason Road trail head, Edison Woods MetroPark. Hopefully the weather cooperated and we started out the year right! Our club officers for the new club year are as follows: President Lynn Sparks, Vice President Cheryl Everman, Treasurer Colleen Girard and Recording Secretary Kim McCurdy. We will be meeting at The Coupling (11618 St. Rt 113, Milan, Ohio) until May where we will switch over to the Smokey Road Pavilion. Our monthly meetings are usually the second Thursday of the month at 7 p.m., with a potluck starting at 6:30 p.m. Thank you Beth for giving everyone a calendar at our planning meeting. Your handout of the club schedule of 2025 rides, campouts and events was and is greatly appreciated. Our Vision committee will meet at 6 p.m., January 23 at Jim’s Pizza Box in Milan. Reserve your spot with Lynn.
In November, Farmer Jones Farm at Chef’s Garden hosted the first annual ‘Neighs in the Maze’. It turned out to be a beautiful day to ride as quite a few of our members attended this new event. Posing for pictures and adding miles as they rode the Bowtie pattern.
December 12 was our Christmas party, it was held at Danny Boys
in Sandusky. Thank you Colleen for organizing this. They have a great room for a banquet and fellowship. Plus, it was already decorated for Christmas! Look for pictures next month. Life is better on the trail!
~Shelley Hayes
FULTON
Happy New Year from all of us to all of you! We hope everyone had good holidays. We helped to make the holidays better for others by donating the $700 that we made at our Oaktoberfest dessert auction to seven food pantries and food banks in northwest Ohio.
The colder weather has greatly reduced the trail miles being achieved by most but we have a few very hardy riders. Our Soup or Ride event, formerly known as the Fat Saturday ride on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, saw two riders brave the 22-degree temperature to ride out to the lake and back to the Rider Center. There, brothers Ernie and Matt enjoyed brownies (the soup didn’t show up). Kate was also there and was kind enough to take their picture.
Our chapter meeting was December 3 at Bunkers Barcamp; Grill in Holland. Twenty-eight members and one guest attended, and the buffet was even better this month. We reviewed our plans for our holiday party, made plans to attend the state meeting on January 11 and confirmed our next Soup or Ride on New Years Day. We planned to meet
and ride out from the Rider Center on Jeffers Road at noon. Participants could come to ride, eat soup and snacks or both and were asked to bring a soup or snack to share.
We also discussed our Cowboy Christmas event. In spite of increased costs, decreased available space and crummy weather, we managed to stay in the black and will keep this one on our calendar. We are also planning to have a Winter Blues breakfast, brunch or lunch in February and maybe March. Tammy is working on a place and date. In 2025, we will also have our Kentucky Derby camping weekend and party in May, National Trails Day weenie roast in June, picnic in July, chili cook off in August, corn roast in September and Oaktoberfest in October. These months we move our meeting outdoors to Reed Road Ranglers during our event camping weekends.
Check our website, www.fcohc. com, our Facebook page Fulton County Ohio Horseman’s Council or our Facebook group Fulton County OHC to see what we’re up to in real time. We also try to keep our page on the OHC state website up to date. Happy trails! ~Kathy Brown
GREENE
The holidays have passed, and we are in the winter riding time (for those of us who ride year
Erie County OHC
Beth and Moe, Cindy and Candy.
Cheryl and Remington, Eric and Sierra.
Cowboy Christmas Tack Swap.
Soup or Riders Matt and Ernie.
Riding at Alum Creek State Park, Fall, 2024.
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around). Layers matter when riding in the winter. We held our Christmas event for the chapter and had a lot of fun. Several of our club participated in local holiday parades and had a lot of fun. Our chapter continues with the Easy Peasy Group Rides for the next year. Look for the calendar of rides on the Greene County Facebook page. We look forward to seeing you on these trail rides. Several of our club members assisted or participated in various Christmas and holiday parades around our area. A few of our mule riders made an epic trip to Caney Mountain in Arkansas for their annual Mule Ride. Dave Goodbar, Elizabeth Smith, and Jeannie and Devin Nicol spent a week doing what they love—riding their mules and having fun with their other mule friends. A great time for all.
The Greene County Parks and Trails created a flyer regarding etiquette and safety tips for multiuse trails. For a safe and fun visit, they suggest you follow these guidelines: Remember the trail may be shared by hikers, bikers, horses, walkers and other users. Use only non-motorized forms of transportation. Bicyclists should yield to all other users. All users should yield to horses. Keep right, except to pass. Announce passing to other users. Pass with caution. Move off paved trail when stopped. Please yield to emergency vehicles.
Respect private property. Clean up after your pet. Observe the 20 MPH speed limit. Heed all signs. Please don’t litter. Read and obey all rules and regulations. It should be noted that people requiring motorized wheelchairs have access to the trails. These vehicles are restricted to 42 inches wide and 96 inches long. E-Bikes that are class 1 and 2 are permitted, and class 3 prohibited. The differences between the EBikes are speed. Class 1 and 2 are designed to help in pedaling and can go as fast as 20 miles per hour. Class 3 is the fastest and have throttles that assist in easing the driving mechanism of the bike and can travel at 28 miles per hour.
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. Please consider joining a local chapter. Happy trails!
~Cindra Phillips
GUERNSEY
Changes are afoot! Our new club president for the 2025-2026 term is Lynn Weary. Lynn is no stranger to a horse; she’s been riding since she was old enough to hang onto the mane! We wish her well as she takes the reins of the helm. Don McIntyre is the out-going president. Don served several terms in a row and we thank him for his years of dedicated leadership. The Guernsey Chapter of OHC runs like a well-oiled machine. “We getter done!” And, Don, like those before him, worked hard to keep it that way. I’m sure Lynn will follow the same tradition. One of the other changes that took place a few weeks back was, I resigned being the Trail Boss at Salt Fork, effective December
31, 2024. I’ve done the job for close to a decade. It’s time for someone else to take a turn! Well, that someone is Don! He takes over January 1, 2025. On top of that, I’m not working at the park, at all, this winter. I’m going to work for myself and get some things done around the house and the farm. I didn’t plan to start any of that work until January, but this year’s terrible drought opened up an opportunity to do some dirt work I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. So, as soon as I resigned, I started working for myself! I’ve already completed 22 projects, with ten more projects identified. The big one won’t start until January 1, and it will be fixing and repairing two miles of pasture fence and a couple gates. Last year I worked 116 hours at the park and spent $645 of my Social Security income to do it. That time and money will go towards getting some of those things done around the house and the farm. Priced a fence post lately? Lee, why would you start on the fence in the middle of the winter? I can work hard and not overheat. The ground is fairly soft and it will be easy to pull out the rotted-off fence posts, and fairly easy to pound in the new ones down the old hole. I discovered several years ago, the ground in the woods almost never freezes, the leaves keep it insulated. In a few days, I’ll be buying a couple bunks of treated fence posts and getting the rest of the supplies in place for the project.
By the time you read this, we will have celebrated our annual club Christmas party, the New Year will have rung in, and just maybe, depending upon when you get your Corral, we will have sworn in a new, used, president of these United States! Here’s a picture of Lynn on our ride at The Big South Fork, Rachel’s beautiful horse on the Orange Trail and Terri’s gallant steed on the Purple Trail.
Dee Dee and I hope to see you on the trail, sometime late spring!
~Lee Randolph
HARRISON
Happy New Year everyone! I hope to report more on our Christmas party and gift swapping next month as this article was submitted before the famed event. Right now, I am dealing with really cold weather and a severe hay shortage in our area! The drought this year in our region really affected hay production. This was not the year to procrastinate on buying hay I have found. Thankfully so far, I have what I need. My slow feed hay net really helps too to make it last.
We had a speaker, Jim Cline, from Jefferson Landmark come to our November meeting. Jefferson Landmark is one of our associate members. Jim talked about hay analysis and different types of feeds. He was able to answer lots of questions. I didn’t know you could purchase a hay stretcher feed. He said it helps cut back on how much hay you have to carry when traveling with your horse. I might have to look into
On the trail at Caney Mountain, Arkansas.
Dave Goodbar on Angel.
Terri and her horse.
Lynn Weary
Rachel and her horse.
Jim Cline at HCOHC meeting.
Marks new horse.
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this if the hay shortage continues! Jim invited anyone to contact him at Jefferson Landmark with any questions or needs maintaining your horse or other livestock. A big thank you to Jim for your time coming to our meeting. We also reelected officers for 2025 at our November meeting. Everyone retained their current positions. We really have a great group of folks in our club, and everyone helps out whether an officer or not.
I just saw the announcement today that our club president Mark Westlake was reelected as OHC SE Regional Rep. Congratulations to Mark! He really is a great guy and so easy to work with. Our club and OHC are fortunate to have him. Mark recently acquired a new horse on his farm. I look forward to seeing him ride that big, beautiful boy. I would like to extend an invitation to all to attend our January meeting and help plan our 2025 rides and events. New folks always welcome. May everyone have a safe and fun new year with your equine companions!
~Sherrie Hart
HOCKING
It’s time to get the 2025 calendar out and start planning another horse filled season! If you are like me; you want to do it all. That is, until the event is right around the corner, and it’s going to be too hot! But, we all know, if we don’t plan it, something else will get penciled in on that date.
One of the things that I like to do is to repeat things that were fun. Another thing, is to try at least one new location, where I haven’t been yet. If you have had fun in the past, chances are that you will push through to do it again, no matter what degree you are uncomfortable. If it’s a new location, or event, there is the excitement factor of ‘new’ which makes you reluctant to
change your plans. I find that ‘Goldilocks’ syndrome is very real. I don’t believe that it is a true technical term, but I think of it as avoiding doing something which is uncomfortable. It’s too hot, or too cold, or too windy or...the list goes on and on. If we waited until everything was perfect, we would do nothing. So, mark those calendars!
A few of the really fun things that our club did towards the end of 2024, was community oriented. We had several members raise money and attend The American Heart Association Beach ride in South Carolina. We had other members organize and participate in a litter pick up ride at The Hocking State Forest bridle trails. And, holiday parades! Because, who doesn’t love a parade?
Our members are out there, doing more than just trail riding. They are raising money for great causes. They are doing their part, in keeping the trails maintained. And, they are sharing their horses with the general public, in parades. You never know what child watching, will feel a spark in their soul as the horses go by. Perhaps kindling that lifelong obsession with horses. We have no idea, long term, of the seeds that we plant. However, it is important that we keep doing so. Out of sight, is out of mind. We never want the general public to forget us and our amazing horses. We need to remain ‘real’ and not just an image on television. We would love for you and your family to join ours. Our club is very family friendly and meet at the Home Tavern in Logan the third Sunday of every month at 7 p.m. Come
in earlier for dinner and relaxed conversation prior to the meeting. Watch our Facebook page for more information about our club and upcoming events!
~Donna Shade
HOLMES
January, ready or not here it comes. We hope everyone had a great Christmas and a Happy New year. The club has its spring banquet plans set and will finalize these plans when we meet in March. Mohican, along with the other State Forests have now closed for the winter. We got a last trip in just before Thanksgiving. The warm fall weather was certainly a gift. Now that the snow is flying, we hope to get to a few equine related events, get together with some riding friends for a meal now and then, and hopefully, get a ride in occasionally on a semi warm day. One of those equine related events has already happened. The Mt. Hope Equine Expo event was held November 30 this year. This is a growing event with seminars and vendors from many different areas of the equine industry. Beth Miller with Sugar Bush Equine Marketing invited our club to display Ohio Horseman’s Council information at her booth at the expo. President Vicki Zook gathered material and took to the booth.
Vice President Heidi Olinger and her daughters manned the table. Thank you to Vicki, Heidi and girls, and especially Beth for the opportunity. Beth runs Sugar Bush Equine Marketing specializing in graphic design, video editing, photography, and social media.
By the time you read this, Bruce, Vicki, and I will have attended the Lorain and Wayne Christmas get togethers. We also hope to attend some swap meets and will take some hard to part with tack to the Ashland Paint and Plain swap. Bruce and I hope to visit my brother who is winter training with Standardbreds in North Carolina this winter.
And as our Corral editor retires, we wish her a congratulations and a thank you for a job well done. ~Bev Hanna
KNOX
Happy trails and greetings from Knox County! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. At our November meeting, we
elected officers for 2025 and they are: Teresa Smith as president, Donnie Cline as vice president, Kathy Shoemaker as secretary and Barb Stevens as treasurer.
Congratulations to all! The future looks bright for KCOHC with their leadership.
As we have done in past years, there was not a meeting or Christmas party in December, so as not to add to everyone’s hectic schedules and stress level during the holiday season. However, we will be meeting for what has become a tradition, our ‘after the holidays’ party on January 18. We always look forward to getting together for fun, games, great food and catching up with our friends. It’s a bright spot in a usually cold, bleak month. Also coming up is our annual Tack Auction on February 22. If you have attended our auctions before in Martinsburg, the location has been moved to the Ramsey 4H Activity Center at the Knox County Fairgrounds in Mt. Vernon. Check out our flyer on our Facebook page for more details and get all your supplies and tack early for spring.
Although we didn’t have any formally scheduled rides for
Litter pick up ride at Hocking.
Beach ride.
Lancaster holiday parade.
Lunch break at Dillon.
2025 Officers: Donnie, Barb, Teresa, and Kathy.
On the trail at Dillon State Park.
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November, 15 members met at Dillon State Park on a nice sunny day and reported favorably on the new camp store near the marina. We still meet the third Monday of every month (starting in January) at 7 p.m. at Longbranch Pizza on Main Street in Centerburg. Come join us for a meeting, an event, or riding down Ohio’s beautiful trails!
~Cindy Cossin
LICKING
Happy New Year from Licking County Chapter! I hope everyone made it through the holiday season without packing on too many pounds. Our chapter Christmas party was great and we had so much delicious food that we all have to go on a diet for a while. But that’s OK, it gives us something to do while we look forward to riding this 2025 season. We are already starting to plan some great things, so keep an eye out for the online events on our page when we post them. We’ve had a few changes in our chapter that I’d like to mention. We had to say goodbye to our long-time member and friend Deb Sheka. She was very active in our chapter. Sadly, she passed away suddenly and left a big void in many lives! Mrs. Christina Lloyd has agreed to take over for Deb as our trail mileage chair. Thank you, Christina. All the other officer positions will stay the same except, President Charlene Santee thanked Mr. Paul Wilson for his long years of service as vice president and welcomed Mr. Kirk Lloyd who will take over the position. Thank you and welcome Kirk! I also want to thank all of the officers, committee chairs and all our volunteers and chapter members for making our chapter so successful and fun. It takes a village to make it work! We have come very far in the last few years, let’s keep it up. Chip in, participate, help, have fun and most of all, be present and be part
of this great group of friends and horse people!
Please come and join us at our meetings. They will continue to be at OSU Newark Campus, Warner Library, Room 126. The address is 1219 University Drive, Newark, Ohio, every last Sunday of the month but the time will change to 6 p.m. Hope to see everyone there. We have a lot of stuff to plan!
~Sigrid Batten
LORAIN
Happy New Year everyone!
As part of your New Year’s resolutions, we hope you set aside time each week to spend quality time exercising your horse. It’s good for your body and spirit, as well as your horse. Our calendar sponsor for January is Centerra Country Store. Thanks to Sherry Hoover, who coordinates the creation of our yearly calendar, each member receives a calendar of events with details in the back of the calendar summarizing the event. In addition, the calendar provides a page dedicated to horse care, a list of our officers and committee members with contact information and the final page is a form to fill out on our horse-riding miles and saddle hour’s for the year to submit to our state OHC. Best of all, every member has the opportunity to submit photos taken throughout the year for our calendar. At our annual Christmas party, we receive a calendar. It’s always fun to see the photos of our members and places they have been riding over the past year. We wish to thank everyone who helped to contribute to this wonderful, useful gift.
Let’s all remember to turn our miles in to get credit for those well-earned saddle sores. If you are an at-large member, send the mileage form directly to the state chairperson; otherwise, use the form entitled Individual Member Summary or a form that your county prefers and then submit
it to your county. If you are a Lorain County OHC member, then your information needs to be sent to Brenda Lang before January 15.
It’s important to renew your membership sooner than later, especially if you have the Equine Liability Insurance as it ends each year on December 31. The rates are as follows: Basic membership (no insurance)—Individual $35, family $45. Fees for membership with the equine liability insurance are Individual $55, family $85. Secondary memberships: Individual $13, family $15. Please refer to www.ohconlinecom for the membership application.
Our first ride of the New Year was January 1 at Hinckley Reservation. What a great way to bring in the New Year! Our second New Year’s ride was January 4 at Carlisle. Yippee, two rides in one week! No couch potatoes in this council. Saturday, January 11 the State OHC mid-winter meeting and training seminars will be held. Jim Wallace is the contact for this meeting. Please note that we will be having our membership meeting the second Monday of this month as opposed to our usual third Monday of the month therefore; we will meet on Monday, January 13. It will be held at the Black River Room at 7 p.m. Please bring soup or a side dish to share and come at 6:30 p.m. if possible.
Payment to secure a campsite at Pine Creek Horse Camp scheduled for October 9-12 is due at this meeting. You must be a member to reserve a campsite. Please work through our council contact, Lara Monyak, if interested in a site rather than contacting Pine Creek. Although, if you wish to reserve a cabin, contact the office directly. Mention that you’re an OHC member to receive a 10 percent discount.
In February, we will have our Sweetheart Day ride at Carlisle Equestrian Center on Saturday, February 15. This ride will begin at 1 p.m. Please note that there will not be a membership meeting this month. We hope to go sledding at the Wellington Reservoir on February 22 at 1 p.m. Have fun in the snow with your horse!
~Kathy Duncan
MADISON
Our chapter has been doing all of the same stuff that the others have been doing—everything end-of-year and winter!
For a Deer Creek State Park review, the orange and blue trails are open and in great shape (as of early December). Many downed trees have been cut from the green and red wooded trails and are open as of this writing, and we have logged over 800 work hours as of November. A water line is being run to the horse camp (Hooray!), closing the camp in April for the trenching to be done. A new bathroom will also be installed. We will let you know when it will reopen. The usual day parking is also closed for the trenching, but there is trailer parking at the park office, on the right immediately after you turn into the park. There is a port-a-john also. To have better access to the orange trail, we can park in the boat ramp parking area near the Harding Cabin, and the orange trail passes the road into the lot. This is a temporary inconvenience, but how nice to have water at a hydrant in the horse camp. The horse trails do not close for the winter!
Park maintenance is also working on mud mitigation using the culverts that our chapter donated. Thanks to Bob Kruse for his work with us! If you see any areas that need attention, make note of it using the What3Words app and send it along to our chapter so we can get right to it. It certainly takes all of us to keep
Crisp winter morning. Dinner at Hocking.
South family at Bedford Reservation ride.
Carols grandaughter.
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up our Ohio horse trails. Thanks so much for your help on this. We had our election of officers for 2025, and it’s a repeat from last year, which is a wonderful thing since all of them are outstanding in their roles! With a unanimous vote, all are returning for an encore: President Lorna Kenyon, Vice President Laura LyleGlier, Secretary Susan Hunter, Treasurer Hugh Leslie. Lorna Kenyon presented each officer with a fun token that represents their contributions. Laura, our vice president, received gloves since she handles all of the expense reimbursements and tries to avoid callouses. Susan Hunter, our secretary, received a 5-page fold-down paper listing of all of the things she does to successfully manage all of the moving parts of the Gymkhana, complete with graphs and charts. Hugh Leslie, our treasurer, received a pack of ledger paper so he can keep up his wonderful bookkeeping and tracking of our finances as well as let us all know where we are to-date with our annual budgets. Jean Kritner, our trail maintenance head, received a framed photo of the beloved Nellie Belle, the Deer Creek gator that has been stuck in the mud, winched from dicey places, insulted with ripped off fenders, and otherwise abused as our crew used her for our trail upkeep. Poor Nellie Belle has passed on, but with thanks for her service. Lisa Reynolds, writer of Corral articles and one of the programs team, received a full-page listing of potential topics for both duties (much appreciated!), with the best part being the cartoon hind end of a horse from which I can pull out ideas. It is wonderful to have a good time at meetings and laugh together while we do worthwhile things for OHC.
Our Christmas party was at Marsha and John Pierce’s home, with food provided by our chapter and games provided by Susan Day; our party planner supreme. We had an ugly sweater contest (photos next month) and a true white elephant gift exchange (bring what you no longer want to keep at home). Our group always has a great time together, and this is no exception. Many of us ride through the winter to keep ourselves and horses fit and sane. Do so with care for yourself and your horse! Be sure to wear orange during all hunting seasons to avoid tragedy. To be seen is to be safer. Many
riders have orange neck hoods for their horse too, a great idea for all. Being heard on the trail is also helpful to let others (bow hunters, particularly) in the woods know you are there—keep the conversation going! Above all, stay warm and enjoy your time on your horse. I hope that most of you were able to get on for a ride of some sort on New Years Day to set the tone for 2025.
Happy trails, and Happy New Year!
~Lisa Reynolds
MEDINA
What a great way to end a fun year! We want to thank Jan and Ray Dalton for hosting our December monthly meeting at their lovely home. We shared these good times and great food with members of Summit and Cuyahoga chapters as well. We hope your holidays were filled with family, friends, and of course, horses. Happy 2025 to you all!
Medina’s first membership meeting for 2025 will be March 5. Our officers will be meeting to discuss plans for the year ahead of that meeting so we can have a good idea of what our chapter has in store for 2025. Our officers will also meet with other executives of the Northeast Region in February.
As 2024 came to an end, we were fortunate to be able to fund an Eagle Scout project to build a mounting unit at the recently opened trail at Chippewa Lake. This was an unexpected positive note to end our year. More details in the coming months.
Medina is 39 years of fabulous age this year and we want to continue our great relationships with our own Cuyahoga Valley National Park staff as well as other chapters. We will co-host another state ride with Cuyahoga and Summit chapters this fall, so be on the lookout for details on this ride. We greatly appreciated the support of not only our members but members from other chapters to make this new state ride a success. Join us this year if you can. We have lots of fun, raffles, good food, and maybe the rain will hold off a little.
Raydeen Ryden and Greg Monsanty will be meeting with the maintenance staff of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to start planning our projects for this year. Our upcoming work sessions will depend on these plans. Join us if you can on at least one of
these projects. Our presence in the park makes a difference when trying to get the bridle trails built and maintained. Happy 2025 from down in the valley.
~Rosemary MEIGS
The Meigs OHC Chapter completed the election process for the 2025 officers. Ed Turley will serve as president again as well as Beka Setzer as vice president. Two new faces as officers will be Kelli Wilson as treasurer and Jocelyn Wilson as secretary. The chapter has added a new officer that will be in charge of memberships and have elected Susan Sheppard to fill that role. Jim Birchfield, Joe Maugans, and Kevin Sheppard were re-elected as trail trustees for 2025. This will be my last submission as chapter secretary so please forgive me, but I have taken the liberty of including a picture of my husband, Roger and our daughters, Jennifer Swartz and Jaclyn Sheets trail riding on our farm. The daughters are also members of our chapter and although the girls both live a long distance from our Meigs home, they love our horses, enjoy riding when they can, and they love our club. While they are not able to attend all of our chapter events or meetings, they offer valuable support to both their parents and to the club whenever they can. Our Meigs chapter is all about family and we are delighted to be a part of it.
Speaking of pictures, I have included another one of our famous Ohio State award winning Emmalee Setzer and her Haflinger, Doc. We are so proud of her winning personality, her ability, and her dedication in taking an untrained gelding and turning him into a beautiful driving horse. Emma is also one of our chapters Youth Ambassadors along with her younger sister, Anna. They are doing a fantastic job of getting the word out about OHC and recruiting new members. Their efforts are greatly appreciated by all and we are so proud of these two young horse lovers. Both participate in local Christmas parades so hopefully their mom can snap some great pictures for the new secretary to include for the February Corral article.
Kudos, also, to Hannah Turley for having her picture of Jumper chosen to appear on the Corral’s
November cover. Jumper is a 25-year-old Appaloosa cross mare and stables at the family’s farm in Racine, Ohio. Hannah is a member of the Meigs chapter along with the rest of her family. Our chapter’s Christmas party was on December 7 at the Wilkesville Community Center at which time the point winners of the fun shows received their awards. Kevin Sheppard had the top points in the adult category while Dixie Pyles had the youth top honors.
Everyone who participated is to be acknowledged for coming out to the fun shows and having a competitive but fun event. Hopefully there will be some great pictures of our winners and the Christmas dinner available for the February Corral. Our first fun show of 2025 will be on May 18 beginning at 5 p.m. with sign-up at 4 p.m.
Weather permitting, there will be members who will participate in the annual New Years Day ride at the AEP Southern Recreational Area. This is an informal event that has become a tradition for our chapter members who brave the elements to christen in the first ride of the year. Julie Jones, Lizzie Jones, Kensey Love and Cecilia Love were the brave souls last year to keep the tradition going.
The Meigs OHC chapter meets
Emmalee and Doc 4H Driving Class 1.
Between the Ears Kevin and Cowboy.
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the third Tuesday of each month excluding December as our annual Christmas party is in lieu of that meeting. Everyone is welcome to join us and learn more about our chapter and about OHC. The meetings are held at Fox’s Pizza Den on Main Street in Pomeroy, Ohio, beginning at 7 p.m. ~Marlene Swartz
MORROW
Hello fellow chapter members Happy New Year!
We have had a lot going on over here in Morrow County. We held our first annual Tack Auction on November 23 and it was a great success. I would like to thank all of our members who helped out that day. Misty, Sam, Levi, Randy, Vicki, Floyd, Daryl, Craig, Margaret, Donnie, Ranay, Byron and our auctioneer Morrow County Sheriff John Hinton.
We elected our 2025 officers in November, and they are: President Misty McDonald, Vice President Craig Alexander, Secretary Karen Conley and Treasurer Rob Conley. We also planned our Christmas party and we had it December 14. We had a great time with good friends, good food and good fellowship!
To kick-off 2025 we are planning a New Years Day ride followed by a potluck. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. We really can’t think of better way to ring the new year then to get out and ride! We will be discussing our 2025 monthly rides/campouts at our upcoming meetings.
We hope everyone is having a great start to 2025 and can’t wait to see you out on the trails!
~Rob Conley
PERRY
I missed the deadline for the November issue so there’s lots of news and tidbits to recap from Perry OHC including out of state trips, parades, and our soup ride. The soup ride at Burr Oak was a success though we did not have any other OHC chapter representation other than our own which was disappointing. The weather was beautiful and we had a wonderful weekend riding the trails which were in surprisingly good shape. The campground was being marked for the installation of new flush toilets which will be a very welcome improvement. Thanks to Don and Vicki for
the egg in a bag breakfast. What a fun auction we had and the best variety in soups that you could imagine, making judging particularly difficult. Charlene Santee was the winner of the soup contest with her beef noodle entry. Henry Doyle’s ‘Dis and Dat’ soup garnered second while my chicken noodle managed to earn third place despite my significant other saying it needed salt because it was bland. Thanks to everyone who attended and supported this fun event. A handful of members ventured to Honey Creek in late October to ride the Big South Fork. We got to ride to all the infamous spots such as the O&W Bridge and the Needles Eye. The weather could not have been better and the leaves were beautiful. The trip was relatively easy and came in at seven hours with stops.
Members Brenda Lehman, Laura Owings, Kathy Newman and Jennifer Smathers participated in the American Heart Association beach ride in November. The pictures looked amazing. This is certainly a worthwhile event and a very big fundraiser for the AHA. Kudos cowgirls!
Holiday parades started with the Lancaster event the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. Roxanne Drake went all out in decorating her horse and herself and ended up on page one of the Lancaster Gazette. I was right behind her so got in a little photo bomb of
my own. Also representing the club were Brenda Lehman and her granddaughter, Quincy, and Donna Shade. It was a little chilly but definitely worth it. We headed to Logan for their parade the first part of December to partner with Hocking OHC.
On a personal note, I was invited to join my oldest niece to ride to Airplane Rock at Hocking State Forest for the wedding of her first born and my first great niece. I rode my mare, Jazz, while my niece rode my long-time partner in crime, Chip. It was a beautiful day for a wedding and the horses were so well behaved. It’s a memory I will cherish.
The application has been submitted for 2025 for the Mohican group camp so keep an eye out for the dates we are given when the permit is approved.
Brian and I made it to Mohican this past year by joining in on the annual chili cookoff hosted by Ashland OHC. I always heard it was so crowded and was not interested in going but we were invited to join in with the Stengles and Wagners so we decided to do so and boy that was a good choice. We had such a great time with everyone and locked in our spot for 2025! It was fun participating in the chili cookoff and silent auction. Don even came away with a prize for his chili!
November elections resulted in new leadership. Carla Marshall, who has served several years as treasurer, has stepped up to be club president. I couldn’t be happier! Marsha Woofter moved from vice president to treasurer to fill that vacancy, while Connie King was elected vice president. Laura Owings agreed to continue
as secretary. If anyone is interested it would be helpful to have a PR person to handle the Corral, Facebook and other communications so if you’re out there, put your hand up!
A committee has been formed under Donna Shade’s leadership to plan the 2025 holiday party which will be held February 1 at the Holiday Inn Express, Zanesville. I think chocolate and wine is the theme, but that may just be a dream I had! Rumor has it there are some new ideas regarding the trail ride schedule for 2025 as well so stay tuned to what is shaping up to be a fantastic 2025!
It is time to renew and also the deadline looms for turning in your trail miles and work hours. These are important markers for our club and the state, please take the time to do this. Connie has graciously agreed to serve as the point person to collect this year’s data. Thank you!
To new beginnings and until we meet again, happy trails!
~Marianne
ROSS
It’s the slow season for riding now. Hope you all are bundled up and staying warm. Ross chapter had a meeting on November 10 at Jerry’s Pizza. There was discussion about what has been done and what still needs to be done maintenance wise at Tar Hollow. They have put a request in for another work session sometime in December or January for more cleanup on the trails. Paint is also being secured by ODNR to mark trails. Hopefully, that happens soon. Please remember to keep track of your miles and turn them in by January 18 to Nan Clary. There was also talk about giving year end awards/prizes for people who participate the most with work sessions and having the most miles.
At the meeting, we nominated and passed for two new officers. Kristi Lambert will be the new secretary, and Jason Clark will be the new vice president. Good luck, you two. We know you’ll do a great job!
Starting in 2025, our chapter will not be scheduling monthly rides due to lack of attendance. However, if you have a place you would like to try and have scheduled, please contact Ron Hicks. Happy New Year!
~Whitney Stires
Brian and Don at Needles Eye.
Roxanne and Johnny.
Jennifer at AHA ride.
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SANDUSKY
For some reason, the December article and photos were not printed in the Corral for Sandusky, so here’s that recap with a few updates for January: Sandusky has been hitting the trails, camping and making memories with new horse friends and new horses! The beautiful weather also enabled our club to get some trail improvements accomplished at White Star Bridle Trails. Wilma and Chuck, along with Al and Marla are sporting new trail horses and Tony and Carter were seen riding their new pitchfork ponies during trail maintenance (see photo this month). Countless mounts and rigs joined us on our November first Sunday of the month ride at White Star—so many that you might have thought a poker ride was in progress! I have to offer a personal thank you to Colleen Soule, a wonderful trainer, for her sweet patience and confidence in riding with me and Checkers during the big ride. I wasn’t sure how Checkers would do on such a busy hack, with that being only his fourth trail ride and never being saddled up with so much going on at the trail head, but he did great! Another personal thank you to Billie Weiser, for babysitting Checkers while I waited in line at the porta john, as I warned her that he is known for untying himself! Billie and I then went on to have a short discussion on getting Amish buggy horses under saddle and the use of blinders. After the ride, she was quick to send me some good information on detachable blinders. Horsemen helping horsemen. All of those little tasks we do for one another make our
experiences safe and joy filled! I am forever grateful for the many wonderful people I’ve met in the OHC. I can only hope to pay it forward as circumstances allow.
These last few months, we’ve also experienced some challenging health issues in our club. Please keep those members in your thoughts and prayers.
A big thank you to Amber Barbour for inviting members on a tour of Glen Park Campground. Glen Park is inquiring about our thoughts on use of their newly acquired trails and stables. We enjoyed a wonderful hour and a half tour of the trails, camp facilities and stone house. There were so many great ideas shared and Jackie is open to any and all input we can offer. I’m hopeful that Glen Park will be a new and exciting place to trail ride!
Hope and Eden braved the extreme cold and continued our first Sunday rides at White Star on the first Sunday of the month, December 1! (see photo this issue). The club will be hosting rides again this year at Winter Wonderland in Fremont, putting smiles on many faces. Lastly, this is my last Corral article. I’ve been writing for the club for the last two years and it has been a fun volunteer activity! Our family recently moved to Custar, Ohio, just 19 miles from the Fulton County club, so I plan to transfer there and hopefully do
a lot more riding at Oak Openings and Van Buren. I will miss all of the great people from the Sandusky club, but hope to join up on the trails with them again soon! Want to learn more? Please join us for our monthly meetings, the second Tuesday of each month, at 7 p.m. at the Sandusky Township Fire Hall, 2207 Oak Harbor Road, Fremont, Ohio. We have a terrific group of people to ride with and learn from. Come ride with us!
~Donna McHaffie
UNION
Howdy, I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. By the time you read this, the holidays will be a memory and winter will be well underway. Our 2025 officers are Jim Strayton, president; Debbie Strayton, secretary; and Julie Belli, treasurer.
The Tuesday maintenance crew at Alum Creek State Park continued to work on the trails. In November, the crew opened up an abandoned section of the Winterhawk Trail and did a final cleanup of manure at the equestrian campground. On November 22, the equestrian campground closed for renovations over the winter, which will include reconfiguring campsites and establishing a day use only section. Once completed, reservation of specific campsites will be available through the Ohio state park’s reservation website. The equestrian campground will be open during the winter for day use riders.
On November 9, Jim Strayton and I attended the OHC general membership meeting in Delaware. The presentations by Ohio State Parks Chief Glen Cobb and Assistant Chief Jon Dobney were very informative and much appreciated.
Keep warm and happy trails.
~Debbie Strayton
WARREN
Happy New Year! Hopefully next month I’ll have some photos from our New Year’s Day ride. I occasionally ride in it, but even when I don’t, I usually stop by to take photos. We tend to have a pretty big crowd.
November we elected our 2025 officers. Harold McKeehan will be taking over as president. Belinda Snell will return to being vice president, after her stint as acting president. Beth Hery will remain treasurer. And our new secretary will be Kris Green. Congratulations to all.
Don’t forget to turn your miles and saddle hours in, if you haven’t already. They get sent to Kathy Cameron; you can email them to her at kjhcameron@ yahoo.com.
Thanks to Kirstie Seeger for the photo this month. It was taken on a ride at Paint Creek this fall.
Stay warm!
~Mickie Newnam
WASHINGTON
Welcome to a new year! While 2024 was not bad, it had its difficulties. Drought and yellowjackets are high on the list, but that was then, this is now! Let’s move on!
In Washington County we are looking forward to several events that happen every year and we will continue to pursue. Our awards banquet, ride on the Sistersville Ferry and our corn ride are foremost on that list. In addition, we have a few other things we want to accomplish this coming year, and we need your help. Here is a short list of what
Donna and Luna heading out from Harry Hughes.
Carter and Tony on their hobby horse rides at White Star.
Breeze and Hope, White Star, December 2024.
Union County OHC
Warren County OHC
County Lines
our officers see as priorities. One of the goals we have is to build our relationships with our neighboring club, and the State in general. Last year we added the chapter rides of the close by club in to our ride schedule. I’m not sure we actually rode together much, but we want to ride together, and get to know each other better. Every ride we take in Washington County is an opportunity for you to join us, and we are going to make a consecrated effort to join you if we can.
We, also want to build our club with-in our county. We are looking at associate memberships, sponsoring 4-H events and other outreach to let horse folks know we are around and they should be part of our group. It would be good for them and us. This outreach takes a lot of extra effort and we would like to know what has worked for you.
We are a trail club and I do not see what is working in some places such as shows and such events as our thing, but we welcome all of your ideas.
The third thing our officers
really want to do is strengthen our meetings. OHC has several different aspects; horses and people. Many people think horses are the key, they are not. It is the people. While we work together and ride together it is the friendships we make along the way that are really important. We are striving to have informative and entertaining guests, a time of social fellowship and a worthwhile business meeting at each of our get togethers. It is difficult to maintain all of that, but we are going to try.
A fourth goal that almost goes unsaid, we want to continue to build and strengthen our home trail at Kinderhook in Wayne National Forest. It may be in the best condition since it began and we plan on keeping it that way! Come ride with us!
It is understood we are going to be busy all year. Our officers have been re-elected again, and will do their very best to lead the Washington County chapter in this new year. We welcome you to come join us at a meeting, join us on the Kinderhook trails and join us at the State meetings
because we are Horsemen Helping Horsemen! Have a safe and happy New Year. ~Brent DeWees
WOOD
Our weather is now cold and there is little riding done here in NW Ohio. Our 2025 ride schedule is up on our Facebook page. Do remember you can reserve your campsites six months previous to your ride. Our first ride is on the weekend of April 26 at Farmlane Campground, Michigan, next is weekend of May 10 at Pontiac Lake, Michigan, then May 24 Memorial Day weekend at Van Buren. The rest of the dates will follow on my future articles.
Brenda has her new barn up with stalls, and horses are now home. She wishes to thank everyone for helping her in her time of need.
Jon and Kathy Myers hosted our Christmas get together again this year. They are wonderful hosts!
Lots of trail plans were discussed at our last meeting by our President/trail boss Jon Myers. He figures it will take two weeks to get it all done.
January is when you get your trail miles in to Diane Joseph and work hours and tool/implement hours in to me, Barb Oberhaus.
Our obstacle course in between the Day Area driveway and the horse trail has had many visitors. I’m glad to say riders are liking it.
Here is hoping the new year is full of horse-riding fun!
