Flatlanders Dressage & Combined Training Association, Inc.
Geauga Horse & Pony Association
Great Lakes Appaloosa Horse Club
Hoosier Quarter Pony Association
Knox County Horse Park
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Massillon Saddle Club
Miami Valley Horse Show Association
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
Mid-Eastern Farriers Association
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
Mid-Ohio Marauders
National Pole Bending Association
Northern Ohio Dressage Association
Northern Kentucky Horse Network
Northern Ohio Miniature Horse Club
Northern Ohio Outlaws
Ohio Appaloosa Association
O.H.I.O. EXCA
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Assoc.
Ohio Haflinger Association
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Ohio Horseman’s Council
Ohio Gaited Horse Trailriders
Ohio Morgan Horse Association
Ohio Paint Horse Club
Ohio Quarter Horse Association
Ohio Ranch Horse Association
Ohio State Buckskin Association
Ohio Western Horse Association, Inc.
Ottawa County Horse Foundation
Ohio Valley Team Penning Association
Pinto Horse Association of Ohio
Premier Mount N Trail
Pure Gold Stables
Tri-County Trail Association
Tri-State Rodeo Association
Wayne County Saddle Club
Western Reserve Carriage Association
The Corral Staff
Editor Bobbie Coalter
Advertising Sales & General Manager Joe Coalter email joe@thehorsemenscorral.com Club
Features: Kelley Bitter, Rob & Tanya Corzatt, Robert Eversole Lisa Kiley, Terry Myers,
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.
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The Horsemen’s Corral cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material.
MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE:
P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254
OFFICE: 330/635-4145
Ride In Sync
You Really Want to be a Horse Trainer?
by Terry Myers
For several years I was invited by Dan Rhodeback down at Ohio State University to be a guest teacher for his equine science class for breaking and training young horses. Dan took college students who may or may not have a lot of horse training experience and taught them how to break a colt over a period of two semesters. I go into the class room without a lesson plan (no surprise for those of you who know me). I’ve been riding and training horses for so long, I can talk about it in my sleep. I start talking to these kids about my philosophies and human versus horse instincts. I get skepticism from some of the students, some don’t believe me and some are so green they don’t have a set opinion. We get to talking about different problems each is having with their young horses. With each student and their stated horse issue, I was able to point out how they had
created the issue. Most of the kids could not understand the role they played in their horse’s problem. Their mentality was to make a horse learn instead of let the horse learn.
Ten years ago most horse trainers’ businesses were comprised of training young horses. With the huge changes in the horse industry and the economy since them, most of my training is retraining and problem solving for the mature horse. A key part of this is to train the owner on how to maintain the training I put on their horse. The reason I am making this point…if a horse is trained properly and with expertise when it is started, we don’t have to be retrained at a later time. Back to my OSU students…I asked the students to go get a horse for me to illustrate what I had been saying. With that horse I was able to explain basic training techniques, demonstrating with the horse as we progressed.
We talked about instinct, body position and about controlling the horse’s feet. The more I talked, the more I realized that training the horse is more about training the human. Horses catch on quite quickly, if they don’t have a lot of screwed up baggage that some other person has created. It is not about teaching a training technique as much as teaching a mentality of understanding the horse/human interaction. Horsemanship is as much about understanding our instincts as it is understanding the horse’s instincts. To my way of thinking, horses are much easier to teach than people!
The more I talked and demonstrated, the better the horse became and the more the students began to understand not only how the training works but also why it works. Several of the students told me they wanted to become horse trainers after they graduated from OSU. So here was my response to that. Unless your family is very wealthy and is willing to not only pay your expensive OSU tuition bill but is also willing to pay the investment it would take for the barn, truck, trailer and training equipment plus build the clientele you will need to start a training business, you need to plan on being poor for a very long time! My advice was to go work for very successful trainers (while making below minimum wage) to learn and develop experience. Or better yet, find a good job in a different field and do horses for fun and personal satisfaction. Horse training is something that I have done for the past 55+ years. There is no pension or paid vacation, no fringe benefit nor a 401K, no employer paid health insurance to fix the broken bones that result from a horse disagreement. I can’t call in sick
when I am too sore to ride as a result of a horse slamming me into a wall. I work seven days a week, 12 hours or more per day. Somehow, God willing, I am able to pay the bills and keep doing what I love to do. It is not a job; it is a way of life and one from which I will never retire. I love what I do and I do what I love, but I cannot say that I could recommend my profession to the young college students in that OSU class room. While I love to teach the hows and whys of horsemanship and riding skills, I am not sure I could teach those young eager kids how to become a horse trainer in a few short semesters. Dan Rhodeback, my hat is off to you!
Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.
Terry Myers is a national clinician and champion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 50 years in the horse industry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers’ Ride-In-Sync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit www. tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook.
& Combined Training Association, Inc.
Sharing Our Love of All Things Horse
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
Cooler evenings and cicada songs signal the end of the summer season and the ushering in of the fall. It is a welcome change from the sweltering days that made it sometimes difficult to get outside and ride our horses. Now that the days are cooling down, we are invited to go out there and get some time under saddle before you know what (I can’t bring myself to mention the next season yet) arrives.
The Flatlanders have been having fun together meeting at each other’s homes, sharing our love of all things horse. We
even enjoyed an evening together painting, led by our gracious host, Hope Miller, at Nichole Miller’s home in Bluffton, Ohio. Thank you Nichole for opening up your home to us and Hope for inviting us to do some creative expression together. Check out our public Facebook page, FDCTA, to check out the lovely paintings made up.
As of this moment, we have only one of the ‘Fun Day’ events to be hosted. A long time member, and my personal neighbor and friend, MaryLou
Paxton and her ever-so-helpful husband, Ed, will be hosting the event at their facility in Landeck, Ohio. Yes, Landeck is a real place—just a tiny village that has all the essentials for peaceful rural living. September 18 is the scheduled date. I will fill you all in on the details in next month’s article. I am sure it will be a great success if it runs the same course as the others have all summer.
One of my favorite activities during the fall season, due to the cooler temperatures, is trail riding on some of Ohio’s bridle trails. Check out the list of places to explore. Make a day of it or just a couple hours. Trail riding is not for every horse or every rider, but it is a welcome change of pace and
scenery for those who choose to step outside of the ring. Really, how many circles can one person/horse do before they get bored and lose focus on what truly matters.
One of my less favorite but necessary fall activities is getting the stable ready for when the snow flies. Washing buckets, knocking down cobwebs, changing light bulbs, filling in low lying areas in and around the barn that collect moisture, and of course washing those long forgotten filthy blankets (I know you forgot some like me).
Blessings on a safe and enjoyable fall season. Look up, look around and look forward, seeing the beauty all around you!
TALL AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE CONGRESS
September 29-October 27, 2024 • Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio
he All American Quarter Horse Congress is the world’s largest horse show with about 26,000 entries in 2023. Held annually at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus, the show attracts more than 650,000 people, and generates over $409 million for the central Ohio economy. The All American Quarter Horse Congress is hosted by the Ohio Quarter Horse Association, an affiliate of the American Quarter Horse Association. Our mission is to protect and promote the Quarter Horse and the interests of owners, breeders, exhibitors, and enthusiasts. OQHA is committed to setting the standard in the equine industry by engaging equine enthusiasts through world-class competition, recreational activities, education, and engagement of the next generation of participants and industry leaders.
Quick Stats
• The All American Quarter Horse Congress is the largest horse show in the world
• There are over 20,000 horse show entries
• The show attracts more than 650,000 people to the Columbus area
• Industry leading trade show with over 200 exhibitors spanning over 20 acres
• It generates $409 million for the central Ohio economy
• Over $4.25 million is given away in cash and prizes
• The largest Collegiate and Youth Judging contest is held at the Congress, with more than 65
Financial Impact of the Equine Industry
• 9.2 million horses in the United States, 307,000 of which are located in Ohio
• More than 70 percent of 307,000, horses in Ohio are involved in showing and recreation
• 4.6 million people are involved in the horse industry in some way.
• This means one out of every 63 Americans are involved with horses
• Direct economic effect on U.S. is $39 billion annually
• Indirect economic impact: $102 billion when the multiplier effect of spending by industry suppliers and employees is taken into account
teams of college students, 4-H, FFA and Quarter Horse youth members
• Over 100 registered Quarter Horses are sold at the Congress Super Sale
• 1.7+ Million Congress Website Pageviews
• 66,000+ Email Subscribers
• 120,000+ Social Media Followers across five platforms
• 1+ Million Social Followers via Equine Media Partner pages
• The industry provides 460,000 full time jobs, 12,700 of which are in Ohio. Spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs in Ohio, for a total employment impact of 42,700
• The equine industry’s economic impact on Ohio ranks eighth in the nation in state economic impact
Admission and Parking Information
Admission to the All American Quarter Horse Congress is free with the exception of special events.
Parking Passes
Daily parking is $25. Discounted to $15 every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Obtain an entire event parking pass for $75. *Online transaction fees are not included in this pricing. Attendees who purchase onetime admissions must park north of 17th Avenue. All commercial exhibitors, horse show exhibitors and whole-show pass spectators may park on the main fairgrounds (south of 17th Avenue). These exhibitors and spectators with whole-show passes may also park trucks and cars on top of the Gilligan Barn, but no trailers
are permitted on top of the barn. There will be only one-way traffic around the Gilligan Barn. Any vehicle, including trailers, trucks, cars or golf carts, that parks in an unauthorized area, or without proper stickers/permits, will be towed by the Ohio State Highway Patrol at the owner’s expense.
Contact SP+ Parking with any questions, 614/294-9336.
PLEASE NOTE: Admission and restricted parking rules will be enforced beginning the day prior to the start of the Congress Horse Show.
Horse Trailer Parking
All horse trailers parked south of 17th Avenue will be subject to the daily camping fee of $50 per day from the date of
arrival. Trailers not being used for camping can park in the designated parking area north of 17th Avenue at no charge.
Other Motorized Vehicles
No small, motorized vehicles (except golf carts or handicapped scooters) are allowed on the Ohio Expo Center grounds. No Gators, Mules, Mopeds or similar type vehicles are permitted on the show grounds by non-approved show personnel. Golf carts will not be allowed in barns or in restricted areas after the start of the show. A golf cart permit is required for all golf carts, and a valid driver’s license is required. Golf carts will have limited access in some areas, and signs will be posted. Those violating
the golf cart rules will be subject to a fine.
Golf carts can be rented through Eagle Golf Cars, http://www. eaglegolfcars.net, 888/432-3059, 740/756-0518.
Trade Show Information
The All American Quarter Horse Congress offers more than 200 commercial exhibit spaces over 20 acres of indoor and outdoor areas, creating a one-stop shopping destination. Commercial exhibitors offer everything from show clothing to tack to towing vehicles and trailers to equine art, jewelry, furniture, and much more! The 2024 Trade Show runs October 2 through October 27, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
ALL AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE CONGRESS
September 29-October 27, 2024 • Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio
OHIO EXPO CENTER MAP
ALL AMERICAN QUARTER HORSE CONGRESS
September 29-October 27, 2024 • Ohio Expo Center, Columbus, Ohio
Important Dates to Remember
September 30-October 5 Congress Cutting
October 2 Trade Show Opens
October 4
October 5
October 9-10
October 11
October 11
NRHA Freestyle Reining
Presented by dac Vitamins & Minerals
NRHA Open Reining & All Star Futurity Finals (Level 3 & 4)
Presented by Friends of Congress Reining & All Star Reining Stakes
YEDA Competition
Heroes on Horses
Title Sponsor: Angela Wade
Supporting Sponsors: Tribute Superior Equine Nutrition & The Janis Family
Crowning of the 2024 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen
October 11 Congress Professional Bull Riding
October 16
Presented by Western Edge App
Intercollegiate & Youth Judging Contest
October 19 Congress Super Sale
October 20 NYATT Competition
October 26
Presented by NSBA Smart Points
Open Versatility Stakes
Presented by Gerri Leigh Pratt
Puppy Alley
Space is first come first serve. All personal items must be removed from the building overnight.
Dogs at the Congress
Dogs are permitted on the Ohio State Fairgrounds during the Congress. However, no dogs, either on or off a leash, will be permitted in the Coliseum, Celeste Center, Cooper Arena, or Congress Hall.
Congress Puppy Alley Requirements
Participants are required to complete a Puppy Alley Registration Form. Registration forms are available at the stall office. An Ohio Quarter Horse Association representative will collect the registration form when you arrive at Puppy Alley. Participants are required to display puppies in the designated Puppy Alley area
only. Participants will occupy individual spaces within Puppy Alley. Spaces will be available on a daily first come, first served basis. No puppies less than 8 weeks of age will be permitted on Puppy Alley. All puppies must have a current Health Certificate prior to arriving at Puppy Alley. Health certificates must be available for inspection every day you plan to participate in Puppy Alley. All puppies are subject to examination by Congress designated veterinarians. The Congress designated veterinarian will have the final say as to a puppy’s suitability to participate in Puppy Alley. Participants will be charged $20 per puppy, per day. There will be a representative at Puppy Alley to assist with check in.
Inquiries may be directed to Joanne Taylor, JTaylor@oqha. com, 614/505-7200 ext 127.
Heroes on Horses
The Congress will offer a special event ‘Heroes On Horses’ to honor our service men and women and the horses helping them heal. Riders in PATH Intl. Equine Services for Heroes programs are invited to participate in the All American Quarter Horse Congress ‘Heroes on Horses’ competition. Exhibitors must be disabled veterans or active duty ‘wounded warriors’ who are participating in PATH Intl. Equine Services for
Heroes programs or who have a Department of Veteran Affairs disability rating. The PATH facility will be responsible for verifying the eligibility of riders participating in Equine Services for Heroes programs. Horses do not need to be registered or owned by the rider or facility. For information on guidelines and requirements, please contact Joanne Taylor at jtaylor@oqha. com or 614-505-7200, ext. 127.
National Youth Activity Team Tournament
The All American Quarter Horse Congress hosts the largest National Youth Team Tournament competition in the world. It brings together many youth from state and regional Quarter Horse associations across the U.S. and Canada.
Team Requirements
Teams consist of one to 14 members and must be sponsored by a state or regional Quarter Horse Association. Youth associations are not permitted to sponsor teams. Teams must be endorsed by their state affiliate. Teams may participate in the following eight classes: Barrel Racing, Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, Ranch Riding, Reining, Showmanship, Western Horsemanship, and Western Pleasure. A maximum of two team members may complete in any one class. Only contestants 18 years or younger as of January 1 showing registered Quarter Horses and sponsored by a state or regional
Quarter Horse association may compete. Individual contestants may compete in two classes. Only two contestants from each association may complete in any one class, the same contestant may compete in no more than two classes.
NSBA Dual-Approval
NYATT Hunt Seat Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, Ranch Riding, Showmanship, Western Horsemanship, and Western Pleasure classes are dual-approved by NSBA. Contact your NYATT advisor for entry information.
Awards
NYATT awards will be presented immediately following the last NYATT class on Sunday, October 20. Awards will be presented to the top 10 teams in Division I and Division II. The Top 15 places in each class receive awards and points. For more information, contact Joanne Taylor, 614/505-7200 ext 127, jtaylor@oqha.com.
A True All-Rounder
Yell Oh Stone! What a cool name and an incredibly talented stallion. I’m Cindy McCraw, and I have been in the Quarter Horse industry my entire life and love it. I have owned leading sires and have been awarded the NSBA Leading Limited Rider, among many other fulfilling accomplishments over the years. Over the past decade, I have noticed the decline of many of our shows across the country and often thought to myself that we need to bring back the fun. Bring back the days when kids got to show their horses all day long and amateurs were beating the grounds to win the all-around awards. Don’t get me wrong—I love specialized event horses, and my favorite has always been the young horse futurities. I just know what our industry needs, and we need to add back some true all-around horses. With that constantly in the back of my mind, I was showing a horse at the Buckskin World Show when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw this gorgeous palomino loping with a deadly deep hock. I got a little closer and noticed the lowhanging fruit and thought, “Hmmmmmm.” It didn’t take but one day, and I had a handshake deal with the Hallases to purchase Rip
The semen evaluation done by Rude and Riddle was as good as it gets! A perfect candidate for shipped cooled semen with outstanding motility and longevity up to 50+ hours. Yell Oh Stone will be joining the Riverside Ranch Stallion roster for his first siring season in 2025. It took me only one
conversation with Maddison to see that she was a complete straight shooter! I loved how she adored this animal and thought there to be no better trainer than her to finish up Rip’s show record at the Congress and World Show. She is a talented rider with a no-nonsense attitude and makes me laugh every time I talk to her. So let’s have some fun! Here is what Maddison had to say about Rip’s journey.
Rip, as we call him, has always been a gentleman to handle since he has been in my care from his late weanling year. My 7-year-old daughter at the time, Aubrey, could lead him everywhere, and he never acted like your typical stud horse. As a 2- and 3-year-old, Aubrey got to ride him at home and keeps saying how she wishes she could show him. I told her she is a youth rider and they are not allowed to show stallions, but she easily could. As a 2-year-old, he was so easy to break out; he never had a hump in his back. He walked off like an old broke gelding, jogged, and loped off the same. He always had a special twinkle to him. With tons of gorgeous eye appeal, he has a charismatic personality that draws all the attention right to him. Who doesn’t love a blonde with long, flowing hair?
We get plenty of stallions to work with, and they all seem to need brain surgery at some point, but not Rip. I’ve broken out, trained, and shown a few studs as well, and Rip’s demeanor, temperament, athletic ability, and great kind spirit are unmatched. As I came up with the goals for him, I called a few people about showing
Rip at Congress with me in the Open Versatility. Cami and Matt Claypool were honored when Madison reached out to Matt, an AQHA judge, about teaming up for the Ranch portion of the Versatility at Congress. We found Rip to be such a great-minded horse that it wasn’t long before more goals were added. You know the old saying, ‘everything but the kitchen sink’? I think of him as the ‘kitchen sink’ horse, Cami says. We just kept throwing more events at him. And so it began: the idea of just showing the Open Versatility turned into, “Well, why not get him qualified for the World Show in the Performance Halter Stallions?” So we did; chasing points, it was a blast right up until the buzzer—the final day to get qualified. We did it. Cami and Matt Claypool have been keeping everything on task and in the right direction.
Rip was the 2024 Buckskin Bred ABRA Reserve AllAround this year in Tulsa, which included Halter, Pole Bending, English Disciplined Rail, and City Trail. By the end of July, we had put points on him in the Jr and L1 Hunter Under Saddle, Ranch Riding, Working Western Rail, and Barrels—impressive for a 3-year-old just starting a show career in multiple events. For such a short amount of time and doing so many events, he really does try to go with the flow, switching from class to class. Even in the middle of the 2024 show season, on a young 3-year-old junior stallion, we collected him and went to a horse
show the following week; he was quiet around the other horses and showed well. Now, don’t get me wrong—sometimes you might hear him talk here and there, but I can tell you he is an all-natural athlete, and nothing has been done to his character to get him into the show pen. What you see is what you get. No tricks, no gimmicks, just some real horse training, which is a testament to how great-minded he is.
Matt Claypool will be showing Rip at Congress in the Ranch Riding, Ranch Trail, Working Western Rail, and Performance Halter Stallions. Madison Hallas will be showing Rip in the Western Pleasure, Hunter Under Saddle, and Pole Bending in the Open Versatility. His final showing for 2024 will be at the AQHA World Show in the Working Western Rail and Performance Halter Stallions with Matt Claypool. What started out as just a fun idea with friends has turned into way more than I ever expected. I want to thank Cindy for taking a chance on something different and bringing back the true All-Arounder people should have in their life. I will be looking forward to breeding all my mares to Rip and eventually getting to ride them!
To book your mare to Yell Oh Stone, please visit www. riversideranch.com. Enter to win a booking contract by texting Yell Oh to Jacki at 509/307-6970. See Rip in person for our Meet and Greet on Friday, October 25 at the Hallas stalls in the adequan barn! Snacks, drinks, swag, take pics...let the fun begin!
Year-End Awards Banquet Fast Approaching
PRESIDENT, Leanne; VICE PRESIDENT (CONTEST), Shae. VICE PRESIDENT (PLEASURE), Jeff; SECRETARY, Francine; TREASURER, Kathy
EMAIL, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.massillonsaddleclub.org
Hello everyone, I hope you are enjoying the cooler weather, The 2024 show season has only a handful of shows remaining. And, the year-end awards banquet is just a few weeks away.
The last point show of the year is the October 13 Pleasure Show (This is the rescheduled rain date.) The last Contest Show was September 29, rescheduled from September 1. October 13 is the last date to complete Pleasure volunteer hours for year end awards.
The final Fun Show of the year is the Halloween Fun Show on October 20. Costumes for you and your horse are encouraged, but not required. Costume
awards will be done at the beginning show, followed by a short break to permit anyone who would like to remove the costumes and props before the riding classes begin.
October 20 is the reservation deadline for the Year-End Award’s Banquet and Election of 2025 Trustees and Officers.
Tickets for the banquet are presale only; no tickets will be sold at the door. The show committees have found some amazing awards. Completing your volunteer hours is worth the effort and time spent when you see the year-end awards. Individuals need four volunteer hours, and families with two or more riders need only eight hours for the entire show season.
Mark your calendars for the date of the Year-End Awards Banquet: Thursday, November 7, at Nickajack Farm in North Lawrence. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with a buffet dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. Loretta will be creating tables of amazing desserts. Reservation forms can be found at the shows as well as
the Facebook page.
The banquet is the last opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for the handgun. Tickets are $10 each, or, $50 for six tickets. The winning ticket will be determined at the banquet. The winner need not be present.
In addition, there will be silent auction items, 50/50 tickets, and the bag raffles.
Donations are being accepted for the banquet raffles. If you would like to highlight your business, or, would like to donate an item to the raffle, all items are accepted. Past donations have been certificates for riding lessons, a family game night with popcorn and a game, manicure items of nail decorations, customized insulated water bottles….the options are limitless. The surprise donation last year was a ‘haunted’, large rocking horse with a ghostly little girl singing a song.
The holiday pictures at the showgrounds will be in November this year. Please watch the MSC Facebook page for dates and prices. The
Facebook page has some examples of the pictures from last year. (You may need to scroll back on the site to locate them.) The photographer will take family photos, and, photos with your ‘fur family’ of horses and/or pets,
MSC is still collecting the proof of purchase labels from Tribute products. MSC earns $0.25 per proof of purchase, or, $10 per pallet proof of purchase.
Please watch the MSC Facebook page and website for updates on upcoming events. The show season may be coming to a close, but there are still events being planned for the year.
And, if you have any suggestions for the 2025 show season, please let us know. The current Trustees and Officers has already started working on 2025 events. What would you like to see at MSC n 2025?
Hope to see you at a show or the banquet!
Until the next show or event, MSC hopes that you have good rides and amazing adventures in October.
Mid-Ohio Marauders
Results from August Mining For Gold Shoot
PRESIDENT, Tim Calvin
VICE PRESIDENT, Missy DeForest
SECRETARY, Judy Foster
TREASURER, Laurie Maris
PHONE, 740/206-7214
EMAIL, midohiomarauders@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.midohiomarauders.com
by Steve Keech
The Mid-Ohio Marauders had another fun and warm shoot in August!
MINING FOR GOLD SATURDAY RESULTS
LIMITED WRANGLER, Nathaniel Hewitt
OPEN WRANGLER, Hope Killey
LIMITED RIFLE, Alex Gornichec
OPEN RIFLE, Cole Caster
LIMITED SHOTGUN, Missy DeForest
OPEN SHOTGUN, JD Hughes
RESERVE SR COWGIRL, Marcy Lutrell
SENIOR COWGIRL, Renee Calvin
RESERVE SR COWBOY, Tim Calvin
RESERVE COWBOY, Terry Martin
OVERALL COWBOY, Chris Himes
RESERVE COWGIRL, Kayla Lightfield
OVERALL OVERALL, Cara Penley
MINING FOR GOLD II SUNDAY RESULTS
LIMITED WRANGLER, Nathaniel Hewitt
OPEN WRANGLER, Hope Killey
RESERVE SR COWGIRL, Joyce Nelson
SENIOR COWGIRL, Marcy Luttrell
RESERVE SR COWBOY, Cary Barrow
SENIOR COWBOY, Tim Calvin
RESERVE COWBOY, Austin Spackman
OVERALL COWBOY, Jared Penley
RESERVE COWGIRL, Holly Payne
OVERALL OVERALL, Carla Rae Spackman
We also celebrated several move ups. Congratulations to Olivia Boysel and Jayme Stiglich from L1 to L2, Linzey Evans and
Julia Ray from L2 to L3! Look for the move-up dances on social media.
Check out the CMSA website for complete results, https:// cmsaevents.com/events/event.ph p?id=13342&show=points&gro up=Revolver&type=Overall
As always, if you are interested in joining the Mid-Ohio Marauders, the central Ohio club for CMSA, please visit us at Midohiomarauders.com or on Facebook at Mid-Ohio Marauders. See you soon!
Mining for Gold Wranglers.
Austin Spackman, Holly Payne, Carla Spackman and Jared Penley.
Terry Martin, Cara Penley and Chris Himes.
PRESIDENT, Jonda Cole
VICE PRESIDENTS, Marc Beck, Cinda Bame
SECRETARY, Jenna Duvall
TREASURER, Eric Haudenschield WEBSITE, www.owha.org
The mornings and nights continue to get cooler and the leaves are beginning to change. Ohio Western Horse Association (OWHA) would like to wish all our readers a happy fall aa’ll! It’s that time of year for sweatshirts, football and pumpkin spice everything. But those of us who know what this season really brings is The All-American Quarter Horse Congress! Horse enthusiasts can shop till they drop, learn from demonstrations and watch some of the top professionals in the horse industry compete in many different disciplines. OWHA would like to wish those competing at Quarter Horse Congress a good luck and safe rides!
Get Involved with OWHA
Unfortunately, for OWHA October is the beginning of our off season as we just had our last show of the year with our Annual Fall Round Up held in Findlay, Ohio. The OWHA board would like to thank all those that came, helped and participated. We couldn’t do it without those that put in endless hours to make this show happen. We have a great group of members, family and friends. More information with
results to come in the November newsletter.
OWHA Youth are back to school and settling into the new school year. We would like to give all our youth a big congratulations for all their achievements at their county fairs this year! We have some very talented youth that show a wide range of animals including goats, sheep, chickens, pigs and
cows. OWHA would also like to say good luck to those OWHA youth that are playing fall sports. We can’t wait to hear how you do and cheer you on.
Until next time, stay warm and remember feel free to contact our OWHA Board members for any information and questions on how you can get involved with OWHA. Follow us on Facebook!
General Membership Meeting Slated for November 9
PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp
VICE PRESIDENT,
Tim Dawson
TREASURER, Jill Davis SECRETARY, Heather Collins WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
The Amateur Show was our final show for the year! It was quite a success in Eaton, Ohio, at the Preble County Fairgrounds September 7 and 8. Fred, Sue and the Amateur Club, as well as the volunteers, sponsors, and participants grew the show by leaps and bounds. Everyone had a blast and what a nice facility too! Don’t forget about the OPHC Trail Ride October 11-13 at Mohican State Forest. Bring your show horses or trail steeds for a relaxing ride at Mohican this year. See the ophc.org website for more information.
A date and facility for the OPHC/MPHC and the Midwest Series banquet is TBD. The board voted to have them all in one location in lower Michigan near Dundee at a waterpark. More to come!
The General Membership meeting will be held November 9 at TJ Chumps banquet room 7050 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights, Ohio 43424
Any rule changes need to be submitted by October 9. We are looking for volunteers to run for officers and directors for 2025. Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in running. These positions will be elected at this meeting. Plan to come!
We are also planning for next years show dates if you have any suggestions or would like to help with this let us know.
It’s another beautiful October here in Ohio, trees are changing colors, nights are cooler, and the trails are just right for riding. October is the month of TriCounty Trails annual Halloween event! There are always many activities for adults and children; pumpkin carving, trick or treating, competitions for children, adults, and pets with costumes. There is even a prize for the best decorated lot in the campground.
The fall trails are a sight to see this time of year with all the fall colors about. This summer has
been one without a lot of rain, so the trails are dry, most have been mowed and trimmed back, and re-marked with ribbon. Bring your trusty steed and come out for a nice trail ride to see the area’s beautiful countryside. The Halloween event also boasts your meals starting Friday evening and ending with Sunday morning breakfast. The meals are a fan favorite! Many compliments are received about the meals, make sure to sign up early to enjoy the weekend! The Friday and Saturday dinner service is followed by a DJ for some after-dinner dancing music. Bring those song requests and your dancing shoes! There is always a great time to be had at the Halloween event. And of course, bring your candy to hand out to the trick or treaters and your costume for some Halloween fun!
Make your plans now to visit Tri-County Trails this October 11-13 for a spooktacular good time!
by Lisa Kiley
Fall is one of the best times of the year to enjoy having horses. The cooler weather gives us a reprieve from the hot summer sun, but it is not so cold that we have to worry about layering up just yet. Autumn is a great time to get some of those last ‘to-do’ projects done before winter sets in and take simple steps to make horse keeping easier in the coming months. Here are some things to consider accomplishing in the barn before things get too blustery:
; Check Water Sources. Sourcing water is essential year-round, but when freezing temperatures hit, you want to make sure that you will be able to provide fresh, frost-free water for your horses. If you use heated buckets or tank heaters, this is a good time to pull them out and make sure that they are working properly. If your goal is to save energy costs, consider using thermal buckets. Have a plan to protect hydrants from the cold, make sure hoses and nozzles are heavy duty and can handle the cold. This also might be the time to consider installing auto waterers in pastures and/or stalls and putting an end to fighting hoses or hauling buckets.
; Shelter Maintenance. Horses can be heartier creatures than we give them credit for, but they do need a place to protect themselves from wind, snow and sleet. Whether you plan on utilizing turnout sheds or a barn with stalls when the temperatures become inclement, now is the time to make sure doors and windows that have been open all summer will easily close but be mindful to make sure the barn always has adequate ventilation. Adding rubber mats to stalls can provide a layer of insulation against the damp ground and save on the cost of shavings.
; Prepare Pastures and Turn Outs. This is the last chance to prepare the pasture for winter. When growth rates start receding, it is important to allow pastures to rest. The fall can be a great time to take soil samples, harrow, and add fertilizer or re-seed as needed. It is also a good time to re-vamp or prepare a sacrifice area, a place where your horse can get needed turnout time without ruining the pasture or standing knee deep in mud. Think about amending the footing by adding material that will combat mud or consider investing in mud grids that will provide a permanent solution, resisting mud and providing traction under foot.
; Assess Lighting Needs. With the sun going down earlier, take the time to make sure that lighting in the barn is sufficient for those darker days. Assess areas that may need more lighting, which can lead to a safer environment for you and your horses. Exterior lighting will make going to the barn and bringing horses in easier. Interior lighting assists with everything from keeping coats in-check to getting mares in season, but it is essential for making sure things around the barn are clean and medications and feed are given in the proper measures.
; Pull Blankets and Organize. This is the time to get blankets out of storage and make sure that they are in good repair. Ideally, they are clean, in good shape and ready to go, but if not, it’s not to late to get that taken care of. Organizing blankets and labeling them is a great way to ensure that each horse has the right size and weight of blanket for whatever weather comes our way. Blanket bars for stall fronts are a convenient way to keep the right blanket in front of each horse. For horses that utilize multiple blankets, swinging blanket bars keep blankets organized, aired out, and off the floor.
; Evaluate Feed Needs. Feed fuels a horse and helps to keep them warm. Before the temps drop too low, assess your feeding program to determine if changes need to be made to keep your horse at a healthy weight, which is especially important for senior horses. Feed changes should always be made gradually, so modifying feed plans in the fall to anticipate what the horse will need in the winter is a smart strategy. If you have questions, consult with your vet or a check with your feed supplier and see if they can help you set up a consultation with an equine nutritionist.
Wow what an amazing 2024 Series! We are so thankful to all the members for making it a wonderful summer of great rides, lots of laughs, and just the best people. We cannot thank our sponsors enough and hope you consider them when looking for services and supplies: Big Dee’s Tack and Vet Supply, Amish Ridge Metals, Yoder Roofing, Diamond Hill Farm LTD, Rockin D Custom Spurs, M Performance Horses, PC Saddles, LB Insurances, Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, Molly’s Custom Silver, Jamie Binegar Champion
Hill Performance Horses, Laura’s Custom Embroidery, R. Stang Equine Services, LLC, and Mystery Lane Farm, LLC. The members loved Sorrel B Photography’s ability to capture some incredible shots as you can see from the ones here. Thank you!
If you aren’t ready to hang up your show boots yet, we invite you to the Grizzle Ridge Fall Round Up on November 9 at Grizzle Ridge Indoor Arena. The full showbill is available at ohfqha.com. We hope to see you there!
Autumn Stable Checklist
(continued from page 28)
Established in 1988, the Equicizer offers a unique, fun and effective alternative to standard exercise equipment.
From beginners to professionals, the Equicizer is being used in all riding disciplines and is a training tool used by instructors.
The Equicizer also serves as a great addition to many therapy programs, centers, and private homes offering a safe and effective core exercise for everyone!
Hand-crafted and custom painted faces.
Visitors are welcome to visit our shop! Visit www.equicizer.com for more information.
; Have a Weather/Emergency Plan. It’s a good idea to have a plan for emergency situations. In the winter, this usually involves a snow or ice storm that can impede transit and cause power outages. If the power is out, do you have a generator? If you can’t get to the feed store, do you have enough feed and bedding for a few days? These are questions that you don’t want to have to worry about after a storm has hit or you are buried in snow. If you have a plan for bad weather in advance it will make those situations safer for the horses under your care.
; Spend Time with Your Horse. Don’t forget to take time to enjoy the nice weather. Go out for a trail ride or enjoy your outdoor arena. Take advantage of the last few warm days to give your horse a bath or a long grooming session. Your horse will appreciate the extra attention and it’s good for you too!
If you need supplies to help get ready for the change in season, Cashmans has you covered! Check out our website at www. cashmans.com for more information on the products that we offer and to connect with one of our knowledgeable team members to help you plan your next project.
Lisa Kiley is a lifelong horse enthusiast who has worked in the equine industry and shown horses for many years. She is a proud member of the Cashmans Horse Equipment Team. Cashmans Horse Equipment, located in Delaware, Ohio, has been providing top quality products to the equine and agricultural community for 40 years. They have a commitment to sourcing environmentally conscious merchandise and items made in the U.S.A. Cashmans strives to educate customers and provide products that put safety first so you can enjoy more time with the horses you love. www.cashmans.com
Equicizer Creator Frank Lovato Jr.
Fall Brings More Driving Opportunities for Club Members
PRESIDENT, Jo Ann Murr VICE PRESIDENT, Duke Shipman TREASURER, Ann Petersen SECRETARY, Janet Yousay WEBSITE, Westernreservecarriage.com
by Ann Petersen
We have a few more drives in October to round out our calendar. October 20 is a new drive at Canfield Fairgrounds and October 27 will be our last drive for the year at Observatory Park in Montville.
Another fall activity is election time for our Board. Anyone interested in serving can contact JoAnn Murr.
Check our website for more information about Western Reserve Carriage Association drives and other driving events. Westernreservecarriage.com
OCT. 27: Drive at Observatory Park, Montville, Ohio
NOV. 3: Fall Gathering at Brushwood Lodge, Furnace Run Park, Richfield, Ohio
Buckeye Equestrian Association
Next Up is the Halloween Combined Test
PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner TREASURER, Sally Kish FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
We have had our clinic with Rose Watt and now the clinic with Ruta Mazelis Masterson is over. Those who attended learned a lot. A big thank you to Pure Gold
Stables, Salem, Ohio, for making their facility available for horse lovers to learn and grow.
Looking forward to the Halloween Combined Test at Hackamore Farm, October 5. This beautiful farm belongs to one of our Board members. It is a very popular event for horses and riders to dress up and participate. You can find more information about this unique event at their website, HackamoreFarm.com
Enjoy the beautiful fall trail rides. For the love of horses and riders.
~Sally Kish
PRESIDENT, Dwayne Joyner
VICE PRESIDENT, Tony Ruper
SECRETARY, Janessa Hill
TREASURER, Mark Maxwell
Who Wouldn’t Want to Outlaw Shoot Results
EMAIL, northernohiooutlawsinfo@ gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.nooutlaws.com
The Northern Ohio Outlaws held the Who Wouldn’t Want to Outlaw Shoot on August 2 and 3 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Congratulations to our moveups from the weekend! Ladies 4 to Ladies 5, Marcella Gruchalak; Mens 1 to Mens 2, Justin Carroll; Sr. Mens 2 to Sr. Mens 3, Steve Tschiegg; Sr. Mens M4 to Sr.
Mens 5, Robert Koniak; Sr.
Ladies 5 to Sr. Ladies 6, Cindy Hefty. Congratulations to all the winners from the weekend.
SATURDAY WINNERS
Overall Cowboy: David Ringer
OVERALL COWGIRL: Lisa Jones
CLASS WINNERS: L1 McKenzie Bauman, L2 Deb Harris, L3 Emily Hric, L4 Marcella Gruchalak, L5 Elizabeth Brockert, L6 Kelle Winkle, M1 Devin Cooper, M2 Cole Staver, M3 Sylvio Pellegrino, M4 David Ringer, M5 Ezra Yoder, M6 John Roach, SL2 Rhonda Hamilton, SL3 Stacie Tschiegg, SL4 Karen Wertz, SL5 Barb Swabowicz, SL6 Lisa Jones, SM2 Steve Tschiegg,
For Sale
SM3 Bill Hummell, SM4 Robert Koniak, SM5 Clayton Lightfield, SM6 Philip Webb.
WRANGLER: Kamille Huff
WRANGLER OPEN: Braelyn Ringer
SUNDAY WINNERS
OVERALL COWBOY: Ezra Yoder
OVERALL COWGIRL: Emily Mathews
CLASS WINNERS: L1 McKenzie Bauman, L2 Lisa Bushmire, L3 Emily Hric, L4 Emily Mathews, L5 Ellie Mackey, L6 Kelle Winkle, M1 Justin Carroll, M2 Chuck Bushmire, M3 Tye Alleshouse, M4 Cole Caster, M5 Ezra Yoder, M6 Tyler Vhr, SL2 Rhonda Hamilton, SL3 Stacie Tschiegg, SL4 Karen Wertz, SL5 Cindy Hefty, SL6 Tammy Angeletti, SM2 David Morris, SM3 Steve Tschiegg, SM4 Robert Koniak, SM5 Matt Miller, SM6 Philip Webb.
WRANGLER: Kamille Huff
WRANGLER OPEN: Riley Weisel
Our next shoot was scheduled for September 28 and 29 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds in Wooster, Ohio.
Check out our website at nooutlaws.com for more information about our club or check out our Facebook page at Northern Ohio Outlaws CMSA Hope to see you all soon!
Join PMT for a Virtual Fall Trail Ride
PRESIDENT, Kelly Chapman
VICE PRESIDENT, Stephanie Tarr
SECRETARY, Justin Miller
TREASURER, Susan Croft
EMAIL, premiermountntrail@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.premiermountntrail.com
Happy fall Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) members! Currently PMT is in the process of wrapping up our spring/summer show season and heading into our fall/ winter season. We still have one final mountain trail competition to end the summer series with at Stone Gate Farm in Hanoverton, Ohio. Mark your calendars for the weekend of October 19 to continue the race towards those year-end points and prizes! For more information on registration
and camping contact Jagged Ridge Mountain Trail Series on Facebook or email Stephanie Tarr, jaggedridgemttrail@hotmail.com.
As we head into fall, one of the most beautiful riding times of the year, PMT has decided to put on a Virtual Fall Trail Ride for our members! Because PMT is spread throughout several states we thought it would be a fun event for all members across all
of the states to go on a trail ride on the same day, post our best fall pictures from that day and earn double ride hours for our trail riding program. We will be releasing the October date soon, so be sure to keep checking in on our social media pages. The person with the most likes on their picture will win a mystery prize from Premier Mount N Trail!
PMT is also excited to announce our mountain trail winter series competition at Shenanigans Stables in Carrollton, Ohio, is back again to kick off our 2025 show season! This series will run from November through April.
All of the points accumulated throughout this series will go towards your 2025 year-ends. Shenanigans Stables is a beautiful indoor facility with wonderful footing and great obstacles. Dates and information will be available soon.
Thank you to all our members, we can’t wait to enjoy all your fall photos on our virtual ride together. If you’d like more information on how to join PMT or building your own mountain trail park you can visit our website at Premier Mount N Trail or contact us at premiermountntrail@gmail.com
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Third Shoot of 2024 was a Great Weekend
PRESIDENT, R. David Davis
VICE PRESIDENT, Mike Sheets
SECRETARY/TREASURER, Karen
Foley; PHONE, 330-719-3290
EMAIL, karenld0819@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.lakeerievaqueros.net
by Karen (Chilipepper) Foley
Our third event of the season went well. Everyone had fun, and after the Saturday event they played bingo and it was a success. We also had a potluck dinner which was amazing with so much food. We had a decent turn out for both days, with no accidents this event. It was a great weekend even though we had some rain!
Ralphie Soehnlen, SL3 Nancy Virzi, SL4 Linda Larson, SL5
Rhonda Brown, SM5 Charlie Brown, SM6 Ralph Soehnlen
WRANGLERS: WRL Kamille Huff
WRO: Kylee Kitzmiller
SHOTGUN: 1. Bob Koniak, 2. Barry Larson
SUNDAY WINNERS
OVERALL CHAMPION & OVERALL
COWGIRL: Marcy Gruchalak
OVERALL COWBOY: Ralphie Soehnlen
OVERALL SR COWBOY: Charlie Brown
OVERALL SR COWGIRL: Rhonda Brown
OVERALL RESERVE: Charlie Brown
RESERVE COWBOY: Mike Sheets
RESERVE COWGIRL: Christy Pellegrino
RESERVE SR. COWBOY: Bob Koniak
Reserve Sr Cowgirl: Linda Larson
CLASS WINNERS: L1 Danielle Davis, L2 Maria Haefner, L3 Christy Pellegrino, L5 Marcy Gruchalak, M2 Ed Haefner,
M3 Mike Sheets, M5 Ralphie Soehnlen, SL3 Nancy Virzi, SL4 Linda Larson, SL5 Rhonda Brown, SM5 Charlie Brown, SM6 Ralph Soehnlen
WRANGLERS: WRL Kamille Huff
WRO: Kylee Kitzmiller
We would like to congratulate all of our winners and thank them for coming out to our third event of the season. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at our last event of the season on October 5 and 6.
Our meetings are the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to come and see what we are all about. Visit our website, lakeeriemountedvaqueros.net, to
see where meetings are held or feel free to call me at 330/719-3290 for any information regarding our club or about cowboy mounted shooting.
Thank you Carmen and Nancy Virzi for hosting our August meeting! Special thanks to our sponsors: Big Dee’s Vet and Tack Supply, CMSA, Lonesome Pine Ammo and Curly’s Ammo, The Horsemen’s Corral, Stagecoach West, Park Side Trailer Sales and Services, Inc., Siracki Realty, Altmeyer’s Trailer Sales, Wendy Shaffer, MMCP, Agile Equine Bodywork, Junction Buick GMC, Kiko Meats, and Jefferson Milling.
BLUE LAKES FARM
Ed and Maria Haefner.
Colleen Kelly
Linda Larson
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WHY BUY FROM HARRISON TRAILERS
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Ohio High School Rodeo Association
OHSRA Competes at Ohio State Fair
NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty
PRESIDENT, Brian Corsi
SECRETARY, Holly Rowe
PHONE, 614-432-0177
WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Hannah Boyes
The first Ohio High School Rodeo was a huge success! Junior high and high school students representing OHSRA competed on August 4, providing entertainment for fairgoers at the Ohio State Fair. This rodeo was split into two separate performances, with half the contestants competing in each one.
I’d like to recognize all the high schoolers who took first in their events: Wesley Gardner in steer wrestling; Gabrielle Nussbaum in breakaway roping; Wyatt Asbury in tie-down roping; Clays Wines in heading, and Reid Strickler in heeling; Abby Nisonger in barrels; Kailyn Greer in pole bending; and Emery Scott in goat tying. I would also like to give a quick
recognition to our junior high students who found their way to first this weekend: Carley Corsi in girls’ breakaway roping and barrel racing; Sawyer VanDyne in boys’ breakaway roping; Trent Hedrick in tiedown roping, heading, and boys’ goat tying; Noah Ashbaugh in heeling; Brody Crass and Gracie Asbury in ribbon roping; Payson Whittington in girls’ goat tying; and Kinley Bell in pole bending.
A huge thank you goes out to the fairgrounds for providing us with such an amazing facility, which helped make the event run smoothly and enjoyably for
both participants and spectators. The next rodeo is taking place at Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio, and we are excited to build on the momentum from this first rodeo. We had a great start to the season and are looking forward to the 2024-2025 season, with even more thrilling performances and competition ahead.
Visit our website, https:// ohiohighschoolrodeo.org/ for more information on how to join! Come support the hard work and dedication our members have for this sport. Spectators are always welcome.
OCT. 19-20: The Show Arena in Swanton, Ohio NOV. 2-3: Bullen Equestrian Center in Eaton, Ohio
XL HAYBOSS FEEDER
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This
OHSRA grand entry.
Sawyer VanDyne
Josie Stiner
The Equine Specialty Hospital provides advanced diagnostic, sports medicine, and surgical services for horses, mules, and donkeys of all breeds and disciplines. Board-certified surgeons provide care by appointment or emergency admission. The hospital is staffed 24 hours a day, allowing continuous monitoring of critically ill patients. You may have your veterinarian call and refer your horse, but a referral is not required for elective or emergency services.
Diagnostic Services
• Lameness diagnosis
• Digital X-Ray
• Digital Ultrasound
• MRI
• Nuclear Scintigraphy
• Videoendoscopy
• Dynamic Endoscopy
• Gastroscopy
• Myelography
Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation Center
• Cold Compression Therapy
• Therapeutic Laser
• Shockwave Therapy
• Platelet Rich Plasma
• IRAP
• Stem Cells
Medical Services
• Neonatal & Adult ICU
• Neurologic Evaluations
• Ophthalmic Evaluations
• Respiratory Evaluations
• Perinatal Care for High Risk Pregnancies
Surgical Services
• Laparoscopic Surgery
• Arthroscopic Surgery
• Fracture Repair
• Colic Surgery
• Soft Tissue Surgery
• Laser Surgery
—Uterine Cysts
—Upper Airwave
—Skin Tumors
• Dental/Sinus Surgery
Other Services
• Podiatry Center
• Isolation Facility for contagious diseases
• Fully padded stall with dynamic sling support
Neonatal ICU
Colic Surgery
Arthroscopy
Adult ICU
Sling Support
Digital Ultrasound
Trick & Fancy Rider Eme Martin
Annual Fall Round Up, Horse Show at Fair a Success
by Angela Bonewitz
Hello members and friends, welcome fall. The Hollow has the best color around in the fall. With the dry weather I am sure it will be spectacular. Trail
riding at The Hollow is available anytime of the year. The trees have been lumbered and the trails are open.
October 5 and 6 at The Hollow will be the annual Fall Round Up. Saturday will be the free horse show from 12 until 5 p.m.
Tanglewood Horsecamp
Placing 10 with ribbons. At 6 p.m. Dale Powers, Mike White and Dylan Stoltz will be singing. On Sunday there is a worship at 10 a.m. After that another chance to have more fun show classes. Any questions contact Stan Bosler, 330/607-5106 or boslers/@version.com.
The horse show at the 175th anniversary of The Wayne County Fair was a success. The committee of President Keith Holcomb, Sheena Holcomb, and Leanne Louive worked double time and organized a show like only the Saddle Club can do. It will be on the books for next year. The evening show was new for us this year, traditionally the W.C.S.C. was held on Saturday mornings. Changing the time came with new problems to work out to make it a success and to make it all work.
Remember all hands on deck make light work. We encourage all members to help and learn. We will teach you. We need to support our club and the members.
We had an added money open contest show on September 21. I will report on that show next month. The pleasure shows wrapped up with our biggest show all year. Points are being tallied and results will be posted soon.
Thank you everyone who came and supported our shows. Thank you Micheal Geiger for making trophies for the leadliners and walk trotters. There were big smiles from everyone.
We have one more traditional Sunday Fun Show left on October 13; $1 a class, start time at 1 p.m.
Happy Trails!
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”.
OCTOBER 2024
OCT. 3-11 — Michigan Trail Ride Association Color Ride, Stoney Creek to Walch Rd Trail Camp, MI. FMI: mtra. office@gmail.com, https://www. facebook.com/groups/124891957546197
OCT. 3-4 — Winding Road Stables Littles Silver Buckle Speed Show Series (3rd) and Open Silver Buckle Speed Show Series (4th), 5:30 p.m., 17600 Pitts Road, Wellington, OH. FMI: 440-309-6567
OCT. 4 — Friday Fun Show, 475 Commerce Drive, Ironton, OH. FMI: Laura Adkins, 304360-0013
OCT. 4-6 — Ohio Ranch Horse Association Show, Henderson’s Arena, 739 Van Fossen Rd., Jackson, OH. FMI: Amy, 740-819-8446, www.ohioranchhorseassociation.com
OCT. 4-6 — Congress Prep Barrel Race (4th & 5th) and Congress Prep Performance Show (6th), The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com, theshowarena.com
OCT. 5 — Preble County OHC Speed & Fun Show Series, 10 a.m., Hueston Woods State Park Horseman’s Camp Arena, Morning Sun, OH. FMI: Becky Clifton, 937-417-4359, www.facebook.com/groups/pcohc
OCT. 5 — OHC Meigs Chapter Festival of the Leaves Memorial Ride, AEP Southern Ohio Recreational Area, 30225 SR 124, Langsville, OH. FMI: Marlene Swartz, marlenemswartz@gmail.com
OCT. 5 — Don’t Break The Bank, Mercer County Fairgrounds, 1001 West Market St., Celina, OH. FMI: Baily, 567-644-5761
OCT. 5 — NBHA Show, Treharne Training Center, 49053 Fredricktown Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: Rachel, 330-357-9981
OCT. 5 — 83rd Annual Camargo Hunter Trials & Tailgate Competition, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Clippinger Field, Indian Hill, Cincinnati, OH. FMI: www.camargohunt.com
OCT. 5 — Fall Spectacular Horse Sale, Blue Grass Stockyards Regional Marketplace, 4561 Iron Works Pike, Lexington, KY. FMI: Willie Rudd, 859-743-6787, dvauction.com
OCT. 9 — Bath Pony Club Cross Country Schooling Show, 5-7 p.m., 151 Remsen Rd., Medina, OH. FMI: deanna13@sssnet.com
OCT. 10-13 — Liberty Festival 2024, Kentucky Horse Park Alltech Arena, 4089 John Henry Lane, Lexington, KY. FMI: info@libertyhorseassociation.com, libertyhorseassociation.com
OCT. 11-13 — Tri-County Trail Halloween Ride Weekend, 2662 Downing Street SW, East Sparta, OH. FMI: www.tri-cotrails.com
OCT. 12 — Central Kentucky Riding for Hope 26th Annual Tack Sale, 4185 Walt Robertson Road, Lexington, KY. FMI: Isabella Norrid, 859-231-7066, www.ckrh. org/tacksale/
OCT. 12 — Mt. Eden Saddle Club Horse Show, 7:30 p.m.,11199 Mt. Eden Road, Mt. Eden, KY. FMI: Sharon Gilbert, 502-7389741, www.mtedensaddle.weebly.com
OCT. 13 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite. com/website
OCT. 16-18 — The Horseman’s Mission & The Horseman’s Mission Select Sale, Harvest Ridge (Holmes County Fairgrounds), Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330275-2877, https://www.facebook.com/ thehorsemansmission
OCT. 18 — The Best Witches Halloween Barrel Race, 7 p.m., The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 740641-7435
OCT. 18 — 1st Ohio Shootout at The Fall Cowboy Classic, Preble County Fairgrounds, 722 S. Franklin St., Eaton, OH. FMI: Clayton Lightfield, 513-678-5402
OCT. 18-20 — Pinto Horse Association of Ohio Fall Wind Up Show, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: www.ohiopinto.net
OCT. 18-19 — Spook Run DBDR Rides, Bill Wilson’s Farm, Henryville, IN. FMI: Connie Caudill, 812-595-8448, conniecaudill@ yahoo.com, https://www.oaats.org/
OCT. 18-19 — Rackin by the River Speed Show, Central Ky Ag Expo Center, 678 S. Wallace Wilkinson Blvd., Liberty, KY. FMI: Ashley, 859-779-0397
OCT. 18-19 — Fort Valley Ride, Fort Valley, VA. FMI: Claire Godwin, 240-687-1450, https://www.oaats.org/
OCT. 19 — Knox County Horse Park 2024 High Point Show, 7500 Thayer Road, Mount Vernon, OH. FMI: 740627-0096, https://www.facebook.com/ KnoxCountyHorseParkMountVernonOH
OCT. 19 — Two Minds, One Mission Clinic Building Safe and Trusting Horses with Brain-Centered Horsemanship, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pure Gold Stables, 3325 OH-45, Salem, OH. FMI: 724-456-0237, horseofadifferentcolor.org
OCT. 19 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite. com/website
OCT. 19 — Team Sorting & Jackpot, M&K Equestrian Center, 15343 N 100 @, Wheatfield, IN. FMI: Kris, 219-204-0892, mkequestriancenter.com
OCT. 19 — Wranglers Riding Club Halloween Show, 3385 State Highway 80 E, Murray, KY. FMI: wranglersridingclubinc@ gmail.com, www.wranglersmurray.wixsite. com/wranglers
OCT. 19-20 — Bainbridge Saddle Club Open Horse Show, 8:30 a.m., 3038 North County Road 450 West, Greencastle, IN. FMI: Kasey Summerlot, 765-720-2201, www. bainbridgesaddleclub.net
OCT. 20 — Massillon Saddle Club Fun Show, 12680 Sally St. SW, Massillon, OH. FMI: Leanne Louive, 330-8444041, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com, rideatmsc.weebly.com
OCT. 25 & 26 — Professional Rodeo, Henderson’s Arena, 800 Van Fossan Rd., Jackson, OH. FMI: 740-988-4700
OCT. 26 — Classical Attraction Dressage Society Fall Fun Show Show, Brecksville Stables, 11921 Parkview Dr., Brecksville, OH. FMI: cadsrider@gmail.com, www. cadsdressage.org
OCT. 26-27 — Champions Center All Breed 2024 Show, 8:30 a.m., 4122 Layborne Rd., Springfield, OH. FMI: 937-324-4353, www. championscenterarena.com
Corral Calendar
Continued from page 48
OCT. 27 — Trail and Traffic Clinic, 12-3 p.m., The Show Arena, 1640 County Road B, Swanton, OH. FMI: Kim Veenstra, 810-9234964, www.confidenthorse.com
OCT. 27 — Lorain County Horse Club Fun Show, Carlisle Equestrian center, 13630 Diagonal Rd., Oberlin, OH. FMI: www. facebook.com/groups/548515089520237
OCT. 27 — Open Fun Show, 9 a.m., Kentucky Cowtown Arena, Williamstown, KY. FMI: Amy Lent, 859-536-0287
NOVEMBER 2024
NOV. 1-3 — Breakaway From Cancer Charity Barrels and Breakaway Bash, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: Lora White, 412-956-3211
NOV. 2 — Gobble til’ You Wobble, Elkins Creek Horse Camp, 223 Twp. Rd. 245 E., Pedro, OH. FMI: Mollie Krumlaw-Smith, 513-315-5907, mkrumlaw@webcincy.com,
NOV. 9 — Ranch Horse Association of Kentucky 3rd Annual Kentucky Cowhorse Cup, Lakeside Arena, Frankfort, KY. FMI: https://www.facebook. com/p/Ranch-Horse-Association-ofKentucky-100075521394201
NOV. 10 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite. com/website
NOV. 15-16 — The Mane Event Superior Morgan Horse Sale, Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: Dennis Fry, 574-364-0851, www. superiormorganhorsesale.com
NOV. 16 — Blue Lakes Farm 2024-2025 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Road, Newbury, OH. FMI: 440564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite. com/website
NOV. 26 — Midwest Classic Mixed Sale, Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: 574-825-4610, www.michianaclassicsale.com
NOV. 29-DEC. 1 — Thanksgiving Weekend Preferred IBRA Show, Oak Grove Equestrian Center, Oak Grove, KY. FMI: 502-239-4000, shane@ibra.us, ibra.us
NOV. 30 — Blessing of the Hounds, 9-10 am., Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg, KY. FMI: 859734-5411, www.shakervillageky.org
DECEMBER 2024
DEC. 6-7 — National Breeders Showcase Annual Auction, Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana, IN. FMI: https://tockify.com/kuhnekt/pinboard
DEC. 6-8 — Rodeo 419 Show, THE Show Arena, 1540 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419290-3700, www.theshowarena.com
DEC. 14 — The Cowboy Christmas Showdown, Alltech Arena, 4089 Iron Works Pkwy., Lexington, KY. FMI: Ashley, 859-7790397
DEC. 14 — Team Sorting & Jackpot, M&K Equestrian Center, 15343 N 100 @, Wheatfield, IN. FMI: Kris, 219-204-0892, mkequestriancenter.com
DEC. 21-22 — Champions Center All Breed 2024 Show, 8:30 a.m., 4122 Layborne Rd., Springfield, OH. FMI: 937-324-4353, www. championscenterarena.com For More Equine Events Visit Our Website www.thehorsemenscorral.com
Western Dressage The Importance of Communication in Western Dressage
by Kelley Bitter
Imagine trying to dance with a partner who speaks a completely different language. Sounds challenging, right? Now, replace that partner with a 1,000-pound horse, and you’ll have an inkling of what it’s like to communicate in Western Dressage. Effective communication is the bedrock of a harmonious relationship between rider and horse. Without it, even the simplest maneuvers can become frustratingly difficult for you and your horse.
Non-verbal communication is the primary means of communication between a rider and horse in Western Dressage. While verbal cues like voice commands are still essential, body language and subtle cues play a more significant role in directing your horse’s movements. When riding, your posture, weight distribution, leg positioning, and rein pressure all send signals to your horse. For example, sitting tall with an open chest and relaxed hands can convey confidence and encourage forward movement. Similarly, shifting your weight to one side can indicate a turn or change of direction to your horse.
In any form of communication, timing is crucial. In Western Dressage, the timing of your cues can make or break a movement. For instance, if you ask for a canter transition too early in the trot stride, your horse may become confused or unbalanced. Additionally, consistency is essential in maintaining clear communication with your horse. Using consistent aids and cues every time will help your horse understand
what you are asking and build trust between rider and horse. Before you can communicate effectively with your horse, it’s essential to understand how horses naturally communicate with each other. Horses are incredibly social animals, relying on body language, vocalizations, and subtle cues to interact with their herd. They express everything from affection to aggression through flicks of their tails, positioning of their ears, and weight shifts in the body. Understanding these natural communication methods can offer invaluable insights into your horse’s state of mind and behavior. Plus, it can give you tools to communicate with your horse in a language they understand. Intention and motivation are the basis of my training program. Communication with my horses starts on the ground. This is where I teach boundaries and movements. But I can also look for the horse’s motivation and mind set toward learning new things.
On the ground, my tools are a rope halter and a trusty ‘horseman’s stick,’ a versatile companion like a dressage whip but with a longer reach and a firmer touch. This stick is my multi-tool: it can gently scratch a horse’s withers, offer a comforting touch, or teach a young one to respect boundaries. The rope halter, and a 12-foot lead, offers balance and precision—encouraging when the horse responds well, yet firm enough to assert control when needed. I use these as my aids on the ground which will translate to aids in the saddle.
The journey of Western Dressage involves crafting and channeling the horse’s energy. I use the stick to create a flow and guide it with the rope. There are levels to this symphony: Level 1 is a subtle cue, akin to a gentle whisper. Level 2 raises the stick as a suggestion. Level 3 brings contact. The progression through these levels depends on whether I’m introducing a new concept, reinforcing an established one, or refining a response.
Body language, the silent dialogue between horse and rider, is equally vital. Horses, vigilant observers, catch every tilt of your shoulder, shift in balance, or moment of eye contact. Your torso becomes their guide. Intention, too, is crucial—it’s the invisible dance between your energy and the horse’s movements.
Being clear with your intention is crucial. It extends beyond mere body language, encompassing the specific angles and energy you direct towards your horse’s position. Always have intention with your movements.
It is also important for me to motivate my horse. While training techniques and tools may differ across disciplines, the way horses learn remains the same. If I’m not achieving the desired results, I first ask myself, “Does my horse understand what I want?” Then, I consider, “Is he motivated to do what I want? And how am I motivating him?”
Although fear can be a motivator for horses, I prefer my horse to be motivated by enjoyment, comfort, and a clear understanding of the purpose of the exercise. It is of vital importance to me that the horse is calm for all learning activities I present. If they are not calm, I stop sit, breath and wait. I may even let the horse approach me for reassurance. There are three positive motivators for horses: the need to feel safe and comfortable, curiosity and a desire to play—especially in young horses—and food. I frequently use cookies and carrots in my training, not as a bribe, but as a reward. For instance, I wouldn’t try to lure a horse into a stall with treats, but I would offer a treat as a reward afterward.
Different horses are motivated by different things. For many, the simple release of pressure from the halter or stick suffices. Some horses enjoy running around the arena or rolling, while others appreciate rest, a scratch, or a rub.
Curiosity is my favorite motivator. If the horse is frightened by the stick or the rope, I will simply move it almost behind me. This
offers the horse security; I am protecting him. But this action also allows the horse to look at the object, smell the air and often they will approach it on their own. This can take time and patience. I never rush a horse to accept what scares them. I let their own sense of curiosity be their teacher. But it is my responsibility to determine what motivates my horse. Once I do, I can use that knowledge to capture his attention when he’s distracted.
I keep these principles in mind as I try various exercises. I set myself up for success by starting my sessions in an enclosed, grass-free arena when no other horses are around to distract mine. I also keep my expectations realistic. Here are few exercises for you to try at home:
The Magic Touch: Simply standing next to your horse while gently rubbing or scratching spots they enjoy can significantly enhance your bond. Watch how they lean into your touch or nuzzle you—it’s a great way for your horse to communicate back that they appreciate your efforts, and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Obstacle Course Fun: Set up a mini obstacle course with cones, poles, and tarps. Encourage your horse to navigate through this challenge with you. It’s not only a great way to improve your horse’s responsiveness but also a chance for you both to strut your stuff and laugh at any unexpected detours along the way.
Follow the Leader: This one’s a classic! On a long lead, take the lead (pun intended) and invite your horse to follow you around. Mix in some zigzags and quick stops—think of it as a dynamic game of ‘Simon Says.’ Your horse might look at you like you’ve lost it at first, but with a little practice, you’ll both be moving in perfect harmony. This a must do for your showmanship classes. It will improve your scores guaranteed!
The Friendly Foxtrot: Time to spice things up a bit! Practice different gaits with your horse on the lead line. Switch between walking, trotting, and even a little canter if you’re feeling adventurous. Not only does this teach your horse to respond to your cues, but it also gives you a mini workout. Just be sure to stretch first—those unexpected trots can leave your legs questioning your life choices!
In Western Dressage, communication is more than just a tool— it’s the heart of the horse-rider relationship. By understanding your horse’s natural communication methods and leveraging individual motivators, you can create a partnership built on trust, respect, and mutual understanding. Remember, the best relationships are those where both parties feel heard and valued.
Ready to take your communication skills to the next level? Book a session with one of our expert trainers today and discover the joy of a truly harmonious horse-rider partnership. Contact us today at Eagle Nest Equestrian Center or visit us online at our Facebook page or www.EaglesNestEquestrian.com.
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.
Looking To Build a Pole Building?
Piper Yule – A Cowgirl Original TV Series
Fourteen-Year-Old Cowgirl Stars in her Own Show
Get ready to saddle up for an exhilarating journey with ‘Piper Yule—a Cowgirl Original TV series,’ a captivating new show that brings the life of a young cowgirl to the forefront. This series is centered around Piper Yule, an award-winning 14-yearold cowgirl who embodies the spirit of ranching, rodeo, and the cowhorse world.
Set on a fifth-generation family ranch in the picturesque yet rugged hardgrass country of Alberta, the show follows Piper as she navigates the challenges and triumphs of growing up in the heart of cowboy culture. Viewers will join Piper and her family and friends as they experience the thrill of competing in some of North America’s biggest rodeos and cowhorse shows.
Watch in awe as Piper showcases her incredible skills as a roman rider, trick rider, and expert in liberty horsemanship. The series will highlight her dedication to her craft, her hard work on the family ranch, and her fierce competitive spirit as she faces off against the top cowgirls in the region.
Piper Yule roman rides her team of four horses at the 2023 Canadian Finals Rodeo. The 14-year-old cowgirl will have her own show on The Cowboy Channel, premiering October 15.
Photo courtesy Covy Moore.
‘Piper Yule—A Cowgirl Original’ is more than just a rodeo show; it’s a heartfelt exploration of life on the ranch, capturing both the exhilaration and the challenges that come with it. Follow Piper’s journey of growth, resilience and passion as she learns valuable life lessons amidst the backdrop of Alberta’s breathtaking landscapes. Join us in celebrating Piper
Yule, a once-in-a-lifetime cowgirl who represents the heart and soul of the ranching community. This series promises to resonate with audiences of all ages, inspiring a new generation of aspiring cowgirls and cowboys to follow their dreams.
Stay tuned on this exciting new series! Air dates scheduled on The Cowboy Channel.
Weekly premiere: Monday, October 15 at 7:30 p.m. ET on The Cowboy Channel. Repeats: Monday 11:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday 6:30 p.m. ET. Saturday a.m. TBD.
How to watch: The Cowboy Channel: available on cable, satellite and streaming platforms. Check your local listings or visit The Cowboy Channel’s website for more details.
The Cowboy Channel+ App: Stream all the events live and ondemand with our app, available on iOS, Android, and popular streaming devices.
To find The Cowboy Channel on your cable/satellite system, please visit: thecowboychannel. com/find-us-on-tv.
Country Living Close to City Amenities
24481 Barrett, Olmsted Township, Ohio 44138
Welcome to a meticulously maintained horse facility, enhanced with careful attention to every detail since its purchase. Located in Olmsted Township. Walking distance to wonderful MetroPark bridle trails. Some of the updates done by the sellers... Equestrian Features: 16-Stall Barn with 800 hay storage in loft plus another 150 in a hay stall. Wiring updated, LED lighting, extra plugs, and stall fans. New roof on both barn and arena includes light panels in roof ridge providing natural lighting. Indoor and outdoor arenas for versatile riding/training options. Ample pasture, round pens, and turnouts. Wash rack equipped with both hot and cold running water. All essential equipment is provided with the sale, including a tractor and implements. Main House: 1748 sq ft. 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. Gas fireplace, woodburner, newly renovated kitchen, carpet, and bathrooms. Guest House: 690 sq ft. 1 bedroom, living room, kitchen. New kitchen and updated bath. This private property is accessible by appointment only. A scheduled showing with a real estate agent is required. Do not enter the property without an agent. Pre-approval / proof of funds required before viewing the property.
For more information and pictures visit https://now.mlsmatrix.com/matrix/shared/T5vkZT6Wg0c/24481BarrettRoad
Geauga Horse and Pony Association
2024 GHPA Show Season has Wrapped Up
PRESIDENT, Lisa Formica
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Rachel Formica
2nd VICE PRESIDENT, Dustin Sutter
TREASURER, Shauna Gingrich
SECRETARY, Kelli Burns
WEBSITE, www.ghpa.us
by Nancy Burroughs
Geauga Horse and Pony Association (GHPA) finished out our 2024 show season with a bang. With perfect weather for all our open shows, and being able to reschedule our last contesting show, we got them all in and everyone had fun. Twentyfour of GHPA’s youth members
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
also had a great time showing at The Great Geauga County Fair. It was such a fun and special experience. Congratulations to Laila Raico and her horse for winning Versatility this year!
The year-end (unaudited) point summary for our open and contesting shows will be posted on the website shortly, www. ghpa.us.
As always, our deepest thanks go out to those who generously donate countless volunteer hours to help our shows run smoothly. What makes GHPA show days so successful is not just our fabulous array of exhibitors, breeds, and classes, but the contributions from our volunteers behind the scenes. It is a good feeling to give back to our great organization and that feeling is displayed proudly at
every show through the efforts of our volunteers.
A special thanks to our food booth chefs, Brad and Dale for your hard work and creativity for running the food booth not only at our shows but also during the fair. We really appreciate both of you. Stay up to date on the current news and events happening 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.
GHPA thanks Big Dee’s Tack for their generous support of our organization through their Bonus Buck’s program. Likewise, thank you to Schneider’s Saddlery for their generous support. We really appreciate all that both fine companies provide for us.
AHP Announces Dallas as 2025 Equine Media Conference Location
American Horse Publications (AHP) is excited to announce Dallas, Texas, as the destination for its 2025 Equine Media Conference, to be held May 15-17, 2025, at the Doubletree Galleria Dallas.
“The board of directors of AHP is really excited about next year’s venue,” explained AHP president Barrie Reightler. “We are ready to jump into planning our 2025 annual conference and bring our members together for a classic AHP experience.”
This ‘members only’ AHP event features three days of educational sessions and unique opportunities to build industry relationships.
“The AHP conference never disappoints,” said past attendee and sponsor Rebecca Didier of Trafalgar Square Books. “Providing valuable networking opportunities and continuing to grow our businesses and careers ensures a thriving equine media industry and a positive, supportive community we can
learn from and enjoy. It is absolutely worth being a member and attending the conference.”
Information about the schedule, speakers, and registration details will be available in early 2025. In the meantime, current AHP members are encouraged to save the date, and prospective members involved in equine content creation, publishing, and marketing are invited to join AHP to gain access to this valuable experience and many other member benefits. Learn more at https://www. americanhorsepubs.org/becomean-ahp-member/.
American Horse Publications is a professional association of over 350 equine-related media, professionals, associations, and businesses. Established in 1970, AHP has continued to promote better relationships and communication within the equine media industry.
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
A Servant’s Heart
by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
There are numerous scriptures in the Bible discussing the importance of servitude in our lives. Galatians 5:13 says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” 1 John 3:18 reads “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth”. Acts 20:35 reads “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Jesus’ entire ministry is a message of service. Matthew 20:28 sums it up perfectly, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” As followers of Christ, we are expected to help others
out of love without expecting anything in return.
There are several families that have been part of the CP Ranch program for many years now that we count among our closest friends, almost family. We don’t use the term ‘our Barn Family’ lightly. We have had an opportunity to sell horses that we have trained here to most of these families. For some of them, we were able to help find and purchase a horse or two for them at sales or through private purchases. We went to West Virginia this past spring to buy a 2-year-old bay filly for ourselves and to check on a prospect for one of the families. We came home with two horses and the new owners are so excited when Whiz, a gorgeous 3-year-old paint gelding, comes to the CP Ranch for training this fall. Some of the families are unable to keep their horses at their own places, so they still have a home here at our farm in Marengo. Others have
modified their own homesteads to accommodate the horses they purchased. T and I love being able to help these folks live their dreams of owning horses. It is a flattering sign of their trust in us to find them a horse that would suit them or their children’s riding plans and abilities.
I think most everyone that owns a horse training and/or boarding business like we do would admit that it took a lot of help from family and friends to make it happen. There is no way that T and I could have built what we have, or continue to build, without the help of our friends. We are so blessed to have so many friends that are willing to give up so much of their time to help us out. One family is always asking “when are we going to go get more hay”. We go through a lot of hay here in a year, so their help is sincerely appreciated. I think they are nuts but they actually seem to enjoy it. Every major project we have undertaken like stall building, fence installation, arena preparation was done with the help of someone we know. One friend gave up a weekend to help me hang kitchen cabinets and install our kitchen sink. The same friends that always help us with hay are here to take care of our horses and cows, so we can get away every once in a while. If we had to pay contractors to do all the work that has been done here, our debt would be significantly greater. After our annual Barn Family Appreciation potluck with fireworks in August, one family asked us what time we needed them back Sunday to help us clean up. We are blessed to be associated with so many selfless people. Earlier this summer, one of our barn families suffered a terrible tragedy. I will not share any details other than let you know that we pray none of you reading this ever have to go through what this family had to endure and is still enduring. There was really little we or others could do other than surround them with our prayers, our love, our support and our food. At one point, one of our freezers here at the Ranch was full of donated meals for the family. The point is we did what we could do and we did it out of our love for them. They don’t
need our food anymore, but they still have our shoulders to cry on and sympathetic ears to listen when they feel like talking about what happened. And then, they always have our prayers. Sometimes it is a bit more difficult to have that ‘servant’s heart’ than it is at other times. Back in September, we had a group of young girls, most of whom had never ridden before, come to the barn as part of a group sponsored activity. The morning before they came, neither of us were feeling very motivated to spend the afternoon with them. Both of us were feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything we needed or wanted to get done before a ranch roping competition and wedding here at the Ranch at the end of September. The girls came in batches of three to four riders for an hour each. Several of the girls were absolutely terrified at first. They were smiling when they finished, and it was quite humbling. Our talent is to work with the kids and make them feel comfortable with the horses and they deserved our best. They got it as soon as they climbed, or got pushed up, onto the saddles. Right before I got back to work taking care of our massive to do list, I thanked God for the opportunity to have spent time with those kids. One of them even asked when she could start taking lessons!
I am writing this the day after the All Horse Parade in Delaware. The CP Ranch contingent included over a dozen horses under saddle and a few other younger horses or parade rookies that were led the entire route. T was ecstatic with how well everyone did, horses and riders. Several of the riders don’t
S Please turn to page 60
Tanya and Rob Corzatt
Eme is 13 years old and going into her 2nd year as a solo contract act. She is busy training her 5 year old, Storm, for a new fire roman riding act. Storm will be joining forces with Blitz, a seasoned trick and roman riding horse. Blitz is currently Eme’s trick riding partner for the 2024 season. Eme loves performing, meeting new people and traveling all over the US. Above all, she loves and adores her horses and spending time with them in and outside of the arena.
Martin
Black Swamp Driving Club Join BSDC for our Last Events in 2024
Happy Fall, it seems this year has flown by! The Black Swamp Driving Club still has a few events left in this driving season. Here is the list of remaining events.
OCT. 5: Parker Bridge drive, Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Potluck at noon, drive will follow. Contact Julie Emmons with questions.
OCT. 26: Halloween party at France Lake, 13344 St. Rt.
A Servant’s Heart
own horses but were tickled to death to get to ride one of ours. One of our good friends told T that the rapture could come now
67 W., Kenton, Ohio. Potluck at noon. Contact Julie Emmons or Roger Higgins Jr. with any questions.
NOV. 9: Annual banquet at the Good Hope Lutheran Church in Arlington. Here are details from President Hayhurst: Last gathering scheduled for the year. Starting at 4:30 potluck dinner all are invited to bring several dishes to share. Activities to follow dinner. Bring friends and join in the fun!
This will end this year’s events. We will start again in January, 2025. I will do a recap of the year in the next issue.
I would like to report that Julie Emmons participated in two events recently. She was in the Marion Ohio Popcorn Festival Parade, and the Delaware, Ohio All Horse Parade. I attended both
(continued from page 58)
after he got to ride in the parade. He is in his 70’s and it has always been a lifelong dream of his. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, a
Julie Emmons and Mac at the Marion Popcorn Festival.
events and she and her Percheron horse, Mac looked great! They were a crowd pleaser. Everyone clapped and noticed how awesome they looked going down the parade route. Where I was standing, I heard the kids saying, “Oh my, Hi horsey”, they were excited. This is all that I have for this issue. As always there is an open
invitation to everyone interested in horse-drawn vehicle driving, and carriage collectors. All are welcome.
Until next month, everyone have a nice autumn season! If you have any questions please contact us via Facebook or higgy122@ gmail.com.
friend was here with a skid steer and spent most all his afternoon helping me lay down fabric and stone for additional trailer parking we will need for future competitions. It would have taken me an entire weekend if I tried doing it with just our tractor. He took the time to help me even though he had a remodeling project he was working on at his own home. He happens to be part of the family that we picked up Whiz for. They used one of our horses at the fair this year so their daughter could show. He helped me repair a water line that blew out several weeks ago. Their horse is coming here in October for training. It is awesome that we can help each other with the talents God has given us!
I could quote scripture after scripture in this article about being a servant and having a servant’s heart. I think my favorite one is in the Book of Matthew when Jesus is talking about the Final Judgement. In the New International Version, Matthew 25:34-40 reads “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him,
saying, “Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick or in prison and come to you? And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. Friends and family have always come through for us when we needed help and they understand that we are there for them as well in their time of need, both good and bad. I only touched the surface of how much love and assistance others have shown us over the years. It is not only a command from our Lord and Savior to help those in their time of need, but an honor and privilege to do so. 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.
Delaware All Horse Parade
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
MODA Encourages AQHA Members to Support the MODA Shows
PRESIDENT, Vicki Milliron
VICE PRESIDENT, Jessica Miltimore
SECRETARY, Anna Cluxton
TREASURER, Beth Baryon
EMAIL, vickimilliron@hotmail.com
WEBSITE, www.midohiodressage.org
by Shannon Call
Mid-Ohio Dressage Association (MODA) held its East Meets West dressage competition at Brave Horse (Johnstown, Ohio) September 7-8. This event hosted two recognized WDAA western and two schooling classical dressage shows and was an AQHA special event. Four Quarter Horses entered the AQHA special event earning 64 points. Judges were Karen Winn and Sue Hughes, both USEF licensed WD Registered (large R) Judges. During the competition Saturday a team tournament was held as well as several fun classes such as beverage race, snail race and rookie showmanship. On Sunday championship classes were offered at all levels in classical and western classes. Riders enjoyed beautiful weather and fun while competing.
As an Ohio Quarter Horse Association (OQHA) affiliate member MODA would like to encourage AQHA members to come support the MODA shows and give dressage a try. AQHA recognizes the levels of western dressage competition starting with, Basic Level, Level 1, Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 and Classical dressage starting with the Training Level, continuing through First Level, Second Level, Third Level, Fourth Level, FEI Prix St. George, FEI Intermediate I, FEI Intermediate II, and FEI Grand Prix.
Basic western and training level classical dressage is readily adaptable to horses currently competing at AQHA shows. Think of the tests as long horsemanship or equation patterns. Tests are used for four years with four tests per level and can be found on the WDAA website, www. westerndressageassociation. org, for western and USDF.org
OQHA member Beth Becker with Lil Bit Of Moonlite completed their AQHA amateur supreme championship with points earned at the show and it was their first time trying western dressage, OQHA member Cindy Morehead, OQHA member Lisa Perry, MODA and OQHA member Shannon Call with Good To Kno Sonny D who finished their AQHA amateur superior in western dressage at East Meets West.
for classical. AQHA points are based on the score earned not the number of entries in classes which allows everyone to ride for self improvement not just competition. AQHA points earned in classical dressage and western dressage count towards Register of Merits, Superiors and other AQHA awards including AQHA year-end awards. Both classical and western dressage are in AQHA Category X. Dressage offers another category to earn AQHA points to meet AQHA cumulative award requirements.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Classical Dressage. Horse must be registered with AQHA. Horse must have an AQHA dressage competition license. One time fee of $85. Exhibitor must be a member of AQHA.
For AQHA-approved events at USEF/USDF shows, horse, exhibitor and owner must comply with United States Equestrian Federation and United States Dressage Federation licensing. Western Dressage. Horse must be registered with AQHA. Exhibitor must be a member of AQHA. For AQHA-approved events at WDAA shows, horse and exhibitor must also comply with Western Dressage Association of America licensing.
MODA’s next AQHA special event in western dressage is
October 26 at Duncan Run Farm. Entries opened September 15 and close October 14 on Showsecretary.com
Don’t have a Quarter Horse but love riding western, then western dressage offers all breeds the chance to shine under western tack
in the dressage arena. The Western Dressage Association offers yearend awards and lifetime horse awards. See more information at www.westerndressageassociaton. org. Come compete at a WDAA recognized show hosted by MODA!
FRY’S EQUINE INSURANCE AGENCY
View From the Cheap Seats
‘Click’ Goooood Morning, Exhibitors
by Sarah Vas
Official show time is 7:08. I’ll be your announcer for the remainder of the show as our regularly scheduled announcer has apparently locked himself in his hotel room and refuses to come back to the show grounds. On that note, I must remind all exhibitors that the announcer’s booth is off limits. We cannot do personalized announcements if your mom forgot to bring your show jacket to the ring. Thank you for that consideration and I’ll do my best to keep everyone up to speed on the day’s events. ‘click’
‘click’ Alright, the official show time is now 7:30. The morning session in Ring #1 will begin promptly at 8:00. Please, please, PLEASE be ready in the warm up arena for that first class as we can not honor a gate hold for a class conflict on Class #1. The remaining show arenas at this event don’t start classes until
9:00. Also, may we please remind all competitors that jockeying to be the last entry through the in gate is discouraged. We’d like to keep our show schedule moving along , as three judges already have Red Eye flights that can’t be transferred if they don’t make it to the airport. ‘click’
‘click’ The gate is open. The gate is now open in Ring #1 for the In Hand Breeding Prospect - Yearling, Two-YearOld, Geldings and Questionably Papered Stallions (hand over mic - Wait, is that a typo? No?)
‘click’…
‘click’ We welcome our judges panel to center ring. I’ll take this moment to remind all exhibitors. PLEASE remember to pin on your back numbers. Judges, our show office has encouraged you all to also check your cards for back number accuracy when tabulating your placings. The ladies in our show office are all
Spook Season!
volunteers and have threatened to fake a computer virus if the inaccuracies continue. ‘click’ ‘click’ Judges, we are expecting 29 entries in this first class. 29…I’m sorry. I’ve just been informed that there will 129 entries in Class #1. (covers mic - Oh dear gawd, do we know how many stallions are in this class? Anyone? No?) And please be advised this class will NOT be split. All entries will remain in the ring until the cards are finalized. Handlers, follow your ring master’s direction. Please try to enter at a controlled trot and precede PAST the judges. Do NOT circle repeatedly around the judging panel. Remember that your Call Judge uses a walker and our center ring photographer is blind in his right eye. ‘click’
‘click’ Exhibitors, the classes on deck are as follows. In Hand Breeding Prospect - Yearling, Aged Mare, and Open for the Current Breeding Season Unregistered Get, you’ll be next with 60 entries. Please be cautious of the out gate as our handlers exit the ring from Class #1. Third on the schedule this morning is the Peewee Walk Only Equitation Pattern 4-6 year old Children’s Saddleseat Park Division Roadster-PonyTurned-Academy-Mount class. (hand over mic - Holyyyy s%#*, WHAT?) So far, we have…39…39 entries in that class. Trainers, show management has requested that there be no bagging, No Bagging of these entries in the warm up ring up to and once the gate opens for that class. ‘click’
‘click’ An announcement from the Barn Manager. There are several commercial transport haulers still blocking the front barn aisles and several wash racks. You’ve had four days to unload. Please move those vehicles. Also, if you need additional bedding delivered to your stalls, the Stall Office is open from 2:30 to 3:07 this afternoon only. Lastly, the show farrier does not permit tying off your horses to the blacksmith tent or his truck antennae and left unattended while waiting for services. ‘click’
‘click’ Our Over Fences division will begin outside in
Ring #2 at 9:00. Our paddock master will be the ONLY person calling out the order of go. Sorry, folks, no barn announcements as a squirrel shorted out the speaker system transformer for Ring #2. And the show office ladies claim the printer is out of ink, so… be advised. There is no posted Order of Go list anywhere.. Also, there’s been some confusion regarding Premier Sponsorships perks for the Over Fences division. To be clear, trainers and coaches, Premier Sponsorship DOES NOT allow you to enter the jump course during rounds to adjust rails for your riders. Show management has also prohibited the Jump Crew from accepting cash bribes from anyone on the rail. ‘click’
‘click’ Class #1 in Ring #1 up here in the coliseum is moving right along. The remaining 75 classes of this morning session includes our entire Halter division, Trail Obstacle section, and Lead Line classes. Management predicts those to be complete between 12:30 and 5 p.m. At the close of the morning session, we will have a combined lunch/dinner break of one to two hours. During that break, the ring is open for that first 37 minutes, after which the ring crew will drag the arena for the evening’s Pleasure Driving session. Driving competitors will be permitted 7 minutes to school on the fresh footing prior to their first class but will NOT be permitted in the attached warm up ring at any time, as under saddle exhibitors are schooling. Driving entries will be asked to enter and exit the main arena for schooling and their division
Pinto Horse Association of Ohio
One More Opportunity to Show with PtHAO in 2024
PRESIDENT, Kaylee Clagett
VICE PRESIDENT, Angie Wolfe
SECRETARY, Leslie Watson
TREASURER, Jodie Ricks
EMAIL, diamondkfarm20@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.ohiopinto.net
by Leslie Watson
Fall is upon us here in Ohio. There is one more great opportunity to show your pintos in Ohio in 2024, October 18-20 at Garwood Arena in Columbiana, Ohio. At this show
we will be offering a full slate of Ranch classes on Friday starting at 9 a.m. in addition to the rest of the showbill. Our shows thus far in 2024 have been well attended by a variety of equines.
You may be questioning what the Pinto Horse Association of Ohio has to offer in the future. PtHAO is often thought of as a family. For youth we offer a Youth club that holds different events at each show as well as the awards banquet. Our youth club has a broad range of ages of members who are active participants in the many activities. As far as who can show at our shows just about anything can be registered pinto,
View From the Cheap Seats
classes through the South parking garage loading dock but only when the train is passing overhead behind the Aquaduct. ‘click’ ‘click’ We’re about halfway through Class #1…oh… hold on… we’ve got a loose horse in the ring. Please watch the out gate. Watch the out gate! CLOSE THE GATE! ‘click’ ‘click’ We
(continued)
have a loose horse in the warm up ring at Ring #1. ‘click’ ‘click’ Attention in the barns. We have three loose horses in the warm up ring and two loose horses headed towards the back barns at a pretty fast clip. Heads up! And will the show vet come to the warm up arena with their ultrasound for a foal check on
either regular registry or solid registry. To find out more details visit www.pinto.org. Ohio Pinto offers classes for all types (stock, hunter, pleasure, and saddle) and sizes of pintos (horse, pony, miniature). We as an association strive to provide our members with fun, and equitable shows and we look forward to continuing to do so in the future.
Looking forward to 2025, the Board of Directors are busy planning shows and the annual year-end awards banquet. Please do not hesitate to get a hold of one of your officers or directors if you have any suggestions or ideas to make 2025 even better. All information for 2025 will be
#348 out there? One of our Open for the Breeding Season entries may have had a drive by from an entry in class #1. ‘click’
Sarah Vas, a second-generation horse woman, writes about her decades of adventure and mayhem in the equine industry. Her experience encompasses
available to everyone on the Ohio Pinto website and Facebook page. Finally, the Pinto Horse Association of Ohio would like to wish each and every one of its members who will be traveling to the Color Breed Congress in November the very best of luck and safe travels.
Please be on the lookout for awards banquet and meeting information on the Facebook page or website.
Pinto Horse Association of Ohio would like to thank all of its sponsors, along with all those who make our shows what they are today. We will see you down the road.
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.
Knox County Horse Park
Elections for Officers and Trustees Scheduled for November
PRESIDENT, Donny Cline
VICE PRESIDENTS, Travis Ross and Claude Robinson
TREASURER, Pam Niner
SECRETARY, Madisyn Weekley
CONTACT, KCHP.mtv.ohio@gmail.com
FACEBOOK, Knox County Horse Park Inc
Hello all, the season is a wrap! October will finish the High Point series. With the season ending we would like to thank all who showed this season, without you it would never have been a success. We had a lot of new faces with the pleasure classes and with contesting classes we have had in the past. We woud also like to thank all the sponsors that gave this year.
Thank you to our trustees and officers who kept things going through out the season; Vice Presidents Travis and Claude, Treasurer Pam, Secretary Madisyn and the trustees Rannay, Anna, Shelby, Colton, Ken, John, Madisyn, Claude and Sue. We participated in a few parades last month; Delaware All-Horse
Parade, The Fredericktown Tomato Show Parade and The Chesterville Heritage Day Parade.
Next year is bright for the Horse Park. Hopefully we can have some light Friday night shows. We hear from contestants they want trail challenges and arena challenges like we have done in the past. The poker run show received good reviews so that is something we can do again.
November is the club’s final meeting with a vote for officers and trustees. With that said, if you would like to join us we meet the second Monday of the month. My term of president is over. I plan on running for president for the upcoming year. I don’t believe we are going to change anything from this year. Open House, shows will
THE BULLETIN BOARD
start in May and end in October. November is Thanksgiving, December Christmas and New
Years Eve...welcome 2025. See you next year! ~Donny
Just Say
There’s a French saying: “simple comme bonjour”, which means “as simple as hello.” It’s a perfect reminder of how much a friendly greeting can do, especially when you’re on the trail. Whether we’re riding horses, hiking, or biking, tossing out a quick “hello” or “Jambo” to the folks you pass can make a big difference. Not only does it create a friendly vibe, but it could also be super helpful. Imagine that hiker you said “hi” to ends up being the one who helps Search and Rescue find you if you get into trouble. Being remembered for being friendly comes in handy.
by Robert Eversole
The standard ‘share the trail’ triangle graphic is adequate but not engaging. It may communicate the need for other trail users to slow down or yield to horses, but it lacks any sense of community.
Saying “hi” isn’t just about being polite; it’s practical too. A cheerful “Shalom” or “Aloha” can break the ice and get conversations going. You can ask about trail conditions, water sources, or how far it is to the next junction or campsite. These little chats can help your horse get used to other people and things on the trail, making the ride less stressful for everyone. When your horse hears that the lycra-clad figure coming your way is just another person, not a scary monster, it helps them stay calm.
A simple greeting can also change how people see horse riders. Sometimes, we get a bad rap for being aloof or inconsiderate, but a warm “howdy” can show that we’re friendly and approachable. If we want to keep enjoying our trails and make new friends, we must be known as good trail partners. And it all starts with a friendly greeting.
While in California earlier this year, I noticed an addition to the standard trail markers. Below the usual Multi-Use-Trail triangle was a square sticker with the words “Be Nice, Say Hi!” under a waving hand. It’s brilliant.
On the other hand, the ‘Be Nice, Say Hi!’ campaign captures the essence of good trail etiquette in a simple and friendly way. The first part of the phrase—be nice—reminds us of the golden rule: treat others how you want to be treated. The second part—saying hi—is a practical call to action. When we take a moment to greet one another, it changes the whole interaction. It softens the entire encounter. Being friendly and saying hi isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s become surprisingly uncommon. Have you ever been out riding, and someone greeted you with a genuine “hello”? It made you feel good and left a positive impression. We all like to be acknowledged; a simple greeting can do that. Conversely, it can be a bummer when your friendly “hello” is met with silence. But as Mother Teresa said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.” Seeing greetings as little gifts helps us give them freely without expecting anything back. The joy comes from the act of giving itself.
Of course, there are times when you might want to avoid engaging. If someone on the trail makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, it’s OK to keep moving. You can pull out your phone or pretend you’re meeting a group just behind you. Safety comes first, and while most trail encounters are positive, it’s always good to stay aware.
But for the most part, a friendly “Hola” can turn a simple meeting into a positive experience. We often underestimate how much a quick greeting can brighten someone’s day. It costs nothing, yet it can lift the spirits of others and yourself. The ripple effect of this kindness can spread far beyond the trail, creating a culture of respect and goodwill among outdoor enthusiasts.
Think about the big picture. If we all try to say “bonjour” to even half the people we pass, we’d make the world a friendlier place. A genuine, in-person “hello” is more valuable than ever in our digital age, where face-to-face interactions are rare.
And there are so many fun ways to say hello! From the simple “hello” and “hi there!” to the casual “hey!”—each has its vibe. “Good day!” adds a touch of formality, while “Jambo!” and “Aloha!” bring a bit of global flavor. “Shalom!” and “Namaste!” offer a deeper respect, while “Howdy!” and “Guten tag!” give a rustic or informal feel. “Konnichiwa!” and “Hola” show cultural appreciation, and “peace!” has a laid-back, positive vibe. Even “greetings!” can set a cheerful tone. In the end, don’t underestimate the power of a simple hello. It’s a small gesture that can build connections, ease tensions, and make the trails a friendlier, more inclusive place. So, next time you’re out there, take a moment to greet the people you meet. It’s as easy as saying hi, but it can make a big difference.
For more of my thoughts on trail riding, camping with horses, and more, visit www.trailmeister.com—the largest horse trail guide in the world. Let’s make the trails better, one “hello” at a time.
For more information on trail riding and horse camping, please visit us at www.TrailMeister. com. TrailMeister is the world’s most extensive guide to horse trails and camps and a resource for information to keep your rides enjoyable and safe. The best-selling book “The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping” features 180 more topics for the active or aspiring trail rider. From how to train your horse for the trail to how to use that GPS. Get your copy on Amazon.
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President
Do you volunteer your time and energy to a cause that is meaningful to you? Perhaps you donate to your local animal shelter, equine therapy facility, organizing fundraisers, 4-H club, county fair board, or the Ohio Horseman’s Council. Thank you for your time, dedication, and ongoing support. This year, the OHC Awards Committee,
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ASHTABULA
As the crisp autumn air sets in and the leaves begin to change, the Ashtabula Ohio Horseman’s Council is gearing up for a season filled with adventure and camaraderie. Horse show season is slowing down and fall trail rides and camping trips are well underway. Many of our members participated in the county fair. The week was long and the weather was a bit of a challenge. In the end it was a success! A few riders have plans to participate in the Albion Fair and will be taking part in a Cowboy Mounted Shooting demonstration. The state ride will also be happening soon. Check back next month for photos from the event. It truly is neat to see the diversity of riders
a dedicated group committed to fairness and recognition, wants to embrace the volunteer efforts of those who exceed all expectations and reward an OHC member in each region for their volunteerism. It can be somebody who works on trails or is ‘behind the scenes’ helping your chapter, region, or state OHC by donating time, effort, skills, and ideas to
we have in this particular group. With the cooler weather and the business of summer slowing down, many of us are sure to find plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and fellow riders during the fall months.
The ACOHC is hosting a dice ride October 12 at the Cleveland Metro Park Polo Fields. The cost is $20 for OHC members and lunch is included! Please check Facebook for more information. Members got together for our yearly club ride. This time riders spent the weekend at Alum Creek State Park. This was a new place for a lot of riders and while some parts of the trails proved to be a challenge, the overall report was positive. As always, the food was delicious. AOHC members can look forward to another season brimming with memorable experiences. Whether embarking on a scenic trail ride, cozying up
PRESIDENT Mary Alice Kuhn 330/413-6589 president@ohconline.com
support a purpose essential to everyone. Inform your regional representative by the end of October 2024 to nominate someone you know who deserves the recognition. And keep up the efforts. Volunteerism is crucial and rewarding. You can make a difference in someone’s life, meet new people, have fun, and, most
by the campfire, or participating in community events, the fall plans offer endless opportunities for adventure and connection. If you ever want to learn more about who we are and what we do please reach out to us. Our Facebook page is a fantastic way to contact us. Just search Ohio Horseman’s Council Ashtabula Chapter. Another option is to attend a meeting. We have our meetings on the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. We really hope you will join us! Happy fall y’all!
~Katherine Ring
CLARK
Fall is upon us and there is still lots of ride time left. Of course, the summer went by far too quickly. Clark County had a very successful day at the county fair where we served at the pork
VICE PRESIDENT Nancy Strayer 740/694-1007 vicepresident@ohconline.com
OHC COUNTY LINES EDITOR Martie Ackerman 713/553-9644 countylineeditor@ohconline.com
importantly, feel accomplished. Without OHC volunteers, we’d have nowhere to ride and no donations to worthy causes that impact many.
Connect with us at ohconline. com to learn more about OHC and engage in a cause that helps equestrians state-wide.
~Mary Alice Kuhn
chop booth for the Clark County Pork Producers. The pork chops are pretty famous and the crowd lines up to get these tasty chops and usually sells out each day. We have had customers buy 20 pork chops at a time. Thanks to all of our members who helped out that day. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we appreciate the opportunity. The funds will be used to repair some spots at Buck Creek.
We are hoping to have guest speakers at our meetings this winter. All would be welcome to join in these fun and educational experiences. If you have ideas on what you would like to hear about, please contact Clark County. Here are some ideas being discussed. We could invite a trailer rep who will discuss how to choose the right trailer, how to maintain the trailer and change a flat tire. A vet could come and we could discuss what vaccines are needed in young versus old horses, how to soak a foot, treat thrush and when to bandage a wound or leave open. What is founder, how to treat it and how to avoid it. How often do teeth need to be floated and what is actually happening during this process and does it need to be a vet that does the procedure? Maybe an extension office could present toxic weeds to help us identify those and discuss pasture
Goofing off on the trail.
Group shoot from Alum Creek.
Ashtabula County Fair fun.
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management. Needless to say, the list is endless and we have some very good topics. The next meeting is scheduled for October 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Buck Creek shelter house. This will probably be the last outdoor meeting. Come ride with Clark County!
~Jonna Ledyard
CLERMONT
Greetings from Clermont County. How did October sneak up on us? And the holidays will be upon us before we turn around twice! Hopefully you all are enjoying the nice camping and riding weather. We are making plans for our November Veterans Day ride; we will again be at the Applegate Horseman‘s area November 8-11. Camping is free, primitive, and generators are welcome. Donations are always welcome to help maintain our trails in the park. Water will be provided for the horses as usual. We usually have a community meal on Saturday. Bring a dish to share if you would like. If you are not a member you are welcome to join us, we will have waivers available for you to sign, so come out and enjoy our beautiful East Fork trails, make new friends or ride with old friends.
I hope everyone is keeping track of their ride miles. Does anyone have more than 500 miles at this point? With the hot days this past summer, I am a little behind my mileage for last year. Hopefully our ride season will be extended well into November and December.
We have continued our efforts for trail work, with some additional plans for adding a sidewalk from the gravel parking lot to the existing kiosk where our bricks are currently. We will be taking additional orders for bricks: check our Facebook page for details of how to order
a brick, or contact either our treasurer, Bev, or myself for how to order. Bricks are $35 each and we need at least 25 bricks to place an order. Other OHC chapters are welcome to join to add bricks to the kiosk.
As we are in the active hunting season, remember to wear your fluorescent vest. Be courteous to all you meet on the trails, reminding those hikers and hunters not to hide along the side of the trail, but to make their presence known to our equines.
One last note before I close for October. We have been approved by the park to add another break area at the river crossing between the dam and Slade Road. We will add five new tie posts and a picnic table for riders to enjoy. This project should be completed before winter sets in.
Until November, ride safe and God bless.
~LaWana Bogard CLINTON
Hello fellow horseman and woman, fall is coming...yes! I am ready for amazing riding weather; October is my favorite month to ride. I have a long weekend scheduled to go to member Abby Fox’s cabin in Tennessee at the Big South Fork. My sister is flying up from Florida to ride with us. I am so excited, Tennessee is one of my favorite places to ride!
Enjoying the weather enjoying the trails; this has probably been the driest year we have had, Ohio without mud has been nice but our grass and hay fields are suffering. So maybe do a little rain dance to get just enough to water our yards/fields.
Photo one is Nakota and I riding the property next door, the soybean field looked like an ocean of green, beautiful! Photo two is member Abby Fox’s new horse Blackjack. He is a
beautiful boy and I hope he will be an amazing horse for her. He reminds me of Black Beauty, but he has white feet! She purchased him off an auction site, which always do your research when making a purchase like that for the reputation of the site, the trader, and farm you are getting your horse from. I hate to say not all horse traders are honest… Abby did do her research and this trader has a very good reputation. Photo three is my map from my apple watch, we rode the property next door to me, and they had cut a few new trails, so I wanted to map it out, we spent two hours riding, it is some of the most beautiful property and I am blessed to have permission to ride there. They do ATV’s and hunt this property also farm the tillable land.
Have an amazing fall, getting ready for the holidays…take a kid riding and see the future, ~Sue Lamb
CUYAHOGA
The problem with deadlines, however nicely our dear Marti Ackerman announces them, is that they are in the future. Near future of course but something that does not need to be done today, or maybe even tomorrow. But the day does arrive and the deadline looms heavy over our heads. For me, today is that day to get it done. So, I write. My take on this is if you think about it, we all have deadlines, some because of the seasons, some because of an illness, some
because of a loss some because of work. But today is the day we have been given to enjoy in all its glory, be it rain, heat or snow and cold. Today is the day to get out and do whatever it is that you have been putting off. Buy that horse you have had your eye on before he is gone, ride that trail before it is closed, add up your trail miles and keep on riding till you can’t ride anymore. That day will come and the only regret will be the rides that you didn’t fit in to your busy schedule. Bad knees or hips, get that surgery done as so many have, and are now back to enjoying their passion of riding. Don’t ever let anyone try to tell you that you are too old because you are the one in charge and remember all the men and women who are riding even at 100 years or even more. Have that goal and keep at it as long as you can.
October brings the seventh year of the Cleveland Metroparks Ride the beach event. Come watch the horses enjoying a gallop on the beach or a swim in the water of Lake Erie at the Cleveland Metroparks Edgewater Reservation October 11-13. Cleveland Metroparks Mounted Police Fundraiser tickets are all sold out but it is fun to watch the event and all the horses and riders participating. Cuyahoga Chapter is a major sponsor of the event. The fun should run from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday: 3 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Great chance to sit back and have a day off. Perhaps bring a picnic and grab some sunshine at the beach. See what it is all about and perhaps you will be riding there next year. Saddle Up!
~Penny Passalacqua
DELAWARE
Greetings and happy October everyone! Welcome to the best month for horseback riding, in my opinion. A day with a clear blue sky, gentle breeze, low humidity, no bugs, crisp air and sunshine is what I look forward to each and every October. Indeed, an October day like the one I described simply cannot be beat. I hope my fellow horseback riding enthusiasts have had and continue to have the opportunity to get out and enjoy nature with their equine partners. For a spectacular display of fall foliage color, consider a visit to our home park, Alum Creek
Clark County OHC in the Clark County Pork Producers booth.
Abbys new horse Jax.
Riding the property.
Nakota in soybean field.
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State Park. With close to 40 miles of trails divided over four distinct bridle trails, we offer something for everyone. Our trail maintenance volunteers, led by Bobbi Arters, have worked very hard to ensure that our trails are as safe and pleasurable as possible. To date, this incredible team has amassed an amazing 1100-plus hours of trail work, translating to $57,250 value. We encourage everyone to come visit for a day ride or choose to camp overnight. Camping reservations must be made through reserveohio.com. Once you have made your reservation and arrive, you may set up camp anywhere you choose in the campground. Water for horses, a dump station, pit latrines, and high lines are available. If you happen to run into one of our trail volunteers while horseback riding, be sure and take the opportunity to thank them for their efforts! Speaking of thank you’s, we want to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to our newest crew members: Jim and Debbie Strayton (Union County), Becky Petee (Clark County), and Jessica Shephard (Delaware County). At the time this column was submitted, our chapter’s annual shindig and fundraiser, Autumn at Alum, slated for September 6-8, had not yet occurred. New this year, we are condensing our big festivities to Friday night. The fun begins promptly at 6 with an awesome potluck and dessert
buffet. 7:15 p.m. sees the kickoff of our famous and entertaining live auction, with our host and chapter member, Mr. Bob Sweeney, lending his auctioneer prowess for this, our chapter’s main fundraiser. A silent auction and 50/50 raffle will also be open. Enjoy the evening with friends while listening to live music featuring the vocal duo, Chaz and Nickie. You won’t be disappointed! Remember to bring along your ‘piggy bank’ to buy those special item(s). All proceeds benefit our work on our Alum Creek bridle trails.
A special thank you to our Delaware members who volunteered their time on August 25, to complete our chapter’s second community service, Adopt-A-Highway litter pickup along SR 36/37. Hats off to Gelene Heinlen, Ruth Kimpel, Kim and Jim Vorbau, Valerie Carlson, Kathy Sweeney-Kerr, and Lora Taylor.
This month’s chapter meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 4, at the Kilbourne United Methodist Church on SR 521, beginning at 7 p.m. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Jim Strayton, as our guest speaker. Jim will share his knowledge on how best to prevent and protect against barn fires. Hope to see lots of you there, guests are always welcome!
~Theresa Burke
ERIE
Greetings from Erie County! The cooler temperatures have finally arrived and the trees have started the big color change. This is such a great time to ride. Our club campout at Edison Woods over Labor Day weekend was pushed up to Sunday and Monday by popular vote. High temperatures and humidity was the deciding factor for sure. A great turnout brought laughter and an awesome potluck Sunday
night! Dan H. was surprised when he was wished a happy birthday, sung by the club. A peanut butter ice cream cake and pizza was enjoyed by all! Thank you, Marcia. Early birds Monday morning were greeted by a flock of turkeys who quickly exited to the surrounding woods while we drank our coffee. Lynn brought her young Rocky Mountain filly, Moxie along for the fun. She sure has grown since I saw her last. A trailer ride to Edison Woods, high lined for the first time and ponied with Farley for her whole woods experience. I would say it was a success! Another Newbie on the high line was Sherri S.’s new off the track Standardbred, Winford Hanover, alias Mr. Hanover, alias Winnie! He not only stayed on the high line for the first time but spent the night. I do believe he made some new friends as well! Colleen’s new Paso Fino, Gabby took another trailer ride to Edison Woods. Colleen and Gabby experienced another successful ride with a group of equine mentors. Edison Woods is such a great place to take young horses. Diverse terrain, meadowlands, woods, small bridges and various wildlife really set a beginner trail horse up for success. Our new fire ring took the chill off the evening, as we enjoyed sitting under the starry night while our horses munched away. Grass cutting and trail trimming were completed in preparation for our
annual Poker Ride. Details and pictures to follow next month. This year we sponsored a buckle for the Erie County Fair. ECOHC members were in attendance for its presentation. Thank you Fred for being our 4-H liaison.
Look for us on Facebook to see what we are up to. Our meetings are on the second Thursday of the month. Potluck 6:30, meeting at 7 p.m. Life is better on the trail!
~Shelley Hayes
FAIRFIELD
The hot weather the last weekend in August forced us to cancel our annual state ride that we had scheduled Labor Day weekend. Since it was being held at Scioto and there is not a lot of shade available in the area where we hold the event, our members unanimously decided that this decision was safest for our members and horses. There is a chance this event could get rescheduled for a date sometime later this year, so keep an eye on our Facebook group page for further information. Luckily, we still have more rides scheduled for the remainder of the year and we are hopeful that the weather cooperates.
Just a reminder that we need new members, and all disciplines, breeds, and rider levels are welcome to join.
~Tanna R.
FULTON
Welcome fall! It’s so nice to leave this particular year’s summer behind. I’m hearing about people planning and going on camping trips and I’m anxious to go on some myself.
In August, we had our chapter chili cook off, Cowboy Olympics and chapter meeting at Reed Road Ranglers during a camping weekend. Fifty-six members and
Member volunteers for our Adopt A Highway cleanup.
Awesome volunteers of our trail maintenance crew.
Inspecting the next trail project to tackle.
Surprise!
Sheri and Mr Hanover.
Lynn and Moxie and Farley.
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eight guests attended Saturday night for the chili cook off and the meeting. There were 10 chili entries and they were all very good and distinctively different from one another. After the votes were tallied (it was very close), our winner by a very slim margin, was Tammy Royer. Second place went to Polly Alvarez and third to Terry Obermyer. After a brief meeting, we had our Cowboy Olympics games. Horseshoes and ground roping were on the schedule but everyone got caught up in the ground roping and the horseshoes never happened. After warm-up, practice and fierce completion, handmade medals were awarded to Brian Lang first, Dalton Collins second, Joel Sutton third in the men’s division and Laura Dalla first, Christine Vance second and Samantha Vance third in the ladies’ division. Laura is an exchange student from Brazil and it was exciting to see her participate and win!
The end of August and Labor Day weekend were pleasant weather-wise and some members camped at Reed Road, some went to Sleepy Hollow and some went to Fort Custer. Several planned on going to Edison Woods for the poker run or for camping in September. Our September chapter meeting was also held at Reed Road Ranglers with 33 members and two guests attending. Final plans were made for our Oaktoberfest weekend in October and planning continued for our Cowboy Christmas Tack Swap and Christmas Shopping event on December 1 at The
Show Arena, previously known as WB Ranch, in Swanton.
Many of our members attend the Harry Hughes Youth Equestrian Center Ride a Thon every year and it was planned for October 6. We started plans for our soupfor-rides in November on the Saturday after Thanksgiving and on New Year’s Day.
Our meetings are usually on the first Tuesday of the month and are currently held at Reed Road Ranglers at 7 p.m. We will be moving them indoors starting in November.
Check our website, www. fcohc.com, our Facebook page Fulton County Ohio Horseman’s Council or our Facebook group Fulton County OHC to see what we’re up to in real time. We also try to keep our page on the OHC state website up to date.
Happy trails!
~Kathy Brown
GEAUGA
Yes, my friends, this is the time of year to ride here in northeast Ohio. The fall colors, the cool breeze and white puffy clouds up in the blue sky. I hope that everyone will be able to enjoy.
Thank you for all who set up the 2024 Geauga County Fair booth. It looked marvelous again this year and what a great way to display some of the chapter events and rides.
Don’t forget to find that perfect costume for the Halloween ride October 26 at Observatory Park. Brandy and Rob Arotin will host a gathering afterwards at their home. Ride starts at 1 p.m.
“At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other’s wellbeing.”—Author unknown.
~Cecilia Hanish
GREENE
The Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy group rides have been a
parking area. We thank Deer Creek and Bob Kruse for this much needed signage. We would like to welcome our new members, and we are happy to have you as a member of the Greene County OHC.
Happy trails!
~Cindra Phillips
GUERNSEY
hit among our local trail riders. At one of the group rides, we had 16 riders and their horses and mules. We were represented by four counties: Clark, Clinton, Greene, and Warren. Many of our rides have at least four riders. This is a great way to get to know other riders and their equines, as well as learn about other trails in the area.
Greene County OHC continues to maintain the trails at Caesar Ford Park. Most of the trails are wide enough to accommodate horses and their carts. Speaking of carting, Greene County OHC will be holding a cart event day at Caesar Ford, where folks can bring their horses to ride around those with horses and carts.
Greene County OHC will also hold a bike and horse day, to get horses and bike riders used to each other on the trails. That’s the beauty of a multiuse park!
Greene County received a generous donation of four trail horse crossing signs from Bob Kruse at Deer Creek in Madison County. We put up the signs at the bike path connector and at the new Jasper Station day-use
Hay production in our area is down 50 percent, most of the yards are a dead brown and we are all waiting for a good soaker of a rain! We are at the tail-end of a seven-week drought. Things were even worse for a neighbor dairy farmer. In a field that last year he took 40 round bales off of, this year he only took ten! Some in the club are headed to Elkins Creek Horse Camp later this month. A few went to Pine Creek Horse Camp, down in the Hocking Hills area, a few weeks back. Three couples went to the Big South Fork for an awesome week early this summer. Most of us rode our horses, but Bob hiked. Here he is hiking to the White Oak Overlook! Next; Bob, Wayne and myself are sitting around the campfire, at Honey Creek Horse Camp, solving the world’s problems, while Paco and Teddy listen! And lastly there’s Wayne on his faithful mule in Double Arches Cave, Big South Fork. I hate winter, but I for one can’t wait for this hot summer to be over. At this month’s club ride, it was a battle with horseflies the entire ride! On top of that the park is plagued with ground bees. A few riders and their mounts have been stung. Most who encounter bees are quick to post what trail they were on and where they were—on our Facebook Page: Salt Fork Bridle Trails. Several downed trees were also removed because they were reported on the page. We are up to 1,350 members on the page. Check us out and ask to join!
Ladies calf roping winners: Sam, Laura and Christine.
Mens calf roping winners: Joel, Brian and Dalton.
Chili cook off winner Tammy.
Group trail ride CF.
Group trail ride, Deer Creek.
Horse crossing sign.
Bob hikes GOTG.
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Dee Dee and I hope to see you on the trail!
~Lee Randolph HAMILTON
Hello readers and welcome to awesome October. October, you are finally here! Probably on your October ‘favorite things to do list’ is to get outside and enjoy horses! I think we all can agree that Ohio’s trail riding is at its best in October.
Speaking of favorite things, we are blessed to have many very smart, experienced, horsemen and horsewoman in our club. Our last monthly meeting, we asked members to share their special gems of knowledge and experience with the club by bring in/talking about ‘Your Favorite Thing!’ (Que: Julie Andrews singing My Favorite Things from the movie Sound of Music) You know: the ‘thing’ you do that makes your horse keeping easier, barn life better, and riding simplified. The ‘thing’ you purchased that you wish you would have invented and the ‘thing’ that saves you time, money and effort. In short, the best ‘barn hack’ idea; stable tool; horse product; or whatever idea that changed your horse life as you know it. What fun we had at this meeting! Here are just a few take away gems: Want to keep your tall boot shafts from flopping over in the closet? Insert pool noodles. Cost of fly
strips killing you? Dollar Tree sells them for 4/$1. World’s best hoof pick? Noble Outfitters. Have multiple horses eating different amounts/types of grain/ supplements? Derby Original canvas feed bags. Your horse is dewormed, sheath and udder cleaned and still rubbing that darn tail? Spray EcoVet Fly repellent to horse’s hinny above and below tail dock. Saddle too heavy and you want a quick ride? Bareback pad with a sticky waffle bottom. Still spraying on fly repellent? Apply with a mitt and save product and money. Best material to use for creating your next equine costume? Never slip Microfiber. And the joke of the night? Hemorrhoid cream for horses? Yep, we are not quite ready to buy into that one.
To close, I invite you to join our favorite club to share in the fun. Upcoming events are October 13 Miami Whitewater Forest trail ride; November 7 club meeting and election of 2025 club officers, and December 7 Harrison Christmas parade. There will be no monthly club meeting on October 3.
To find out more information about Hamilton County OHC; please go online to OHC’s website at ohconline.com. Once there, go to ‘find chapter’ and
select or type in ‘Hamilton County’ in the search bar. There you can view our event calendar and access our membership application link. You can also follow us on Facebook at ‘Ohio Horseman’s Council Hamilton County Chapter’.
~Ann Frederick
HARRISON
Hello from Harrison County! We have been absent a few months due to our former secretary moving away and getting married but we are still here. Congratulations to Leeanna, we will miss her! Her family, and especially her mom Judy, have been a big part of our club since its inception.
It was our pleasure this summer to award our annual youth scholarship to Jayce McAfee. He plans to use the money for lessons to help him prepare his new mount Cocoa for 4-H next year. Our club decided, beginning next year, to allow beginner adult riders to apply for our scholarship as well, as we continue to support equine growth in our county.
This year our club moved our regional ride at Harrison State Forest from June to September 21 in hopes of better weather and trail conditions. It is my pleasure to report the Harrison State Forest trails have never looked so good. Many thanks to our president Mark Westlake for all his hard work! This year, at our ride, we added an optional scavenger hunt to the fun thanks to member Faye Verhovec. I hope to report more on our ride next time.
We are planning our Dorothy Ride at Harrison State Forest on October 19. This ride is in honor of our late president Dorothy Glover as well as other fallen members of our club.
Just this spring we lost a valued member, Nancy VanCuren, who helped start our chapter. She was our creative and talented spokesperson who left big shoes for us to fill. We plan to meet at Dorothy’s Pavilion, in the Harrison State Forest trail riders campground, after our ride on October 19 for an afternoon meal and fellowship in remembrance of all our members past and present. Best homemade chili in the state. Everyone invited!
Our club meetings are on the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Location can vary so check with any officer if you would like
to attend. New folks are always welcome!
~Sherrie Hart
HOCKING
It is the time of the year for festivals, football and fall activities! Many of us are trying to get in those last few rides, before hunting season starts, or trail closures. By now, hopefully, the ground bees will no longer be an issue. Buggers seemed angrier this year than ever before. We had a drought in our area and every mud hole became a bee gathering area. Not fun! What is fun, is to reflect on the end of summer, when fall is staring you right in the face. Some of our youth members competed in the Athens County 4-H fair in August, and did very well! Peyton Truax was the 2024 High Point Champion! Olivia Truax also took home an
Lee, Bob, and Wayne.
Wayne and mule.
HC-OHC favorite things.
Nancy, Judi, Sarah, and Ann with favorite things.
Jayce McAfee being awarded the annual youth scholarship.
Harrison County OHC trail ride.
Donna, Kathy, Quincy and Brenda at Barkcamp.
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impressive amount of ribbons, and a trophy!
Meanwhile, some of our other members represented Hocking County at the Gibby ride. Present were Donna Shade, Kathy Newman, Quincy Lehman and Brenda Lehman. We all had a wonderful time at the potluck and dance. We also made new friends and reconnected with previous attendees. The Gibby ride is always the first weekend in August, so mark your calendars now!
The hay situation this year is up in the air. Our area did not have very generous second cuttings, let alone third. However, neighboring counties are not in the same situation. Before it gets too deep into winter, network with others about where to find more hay, if needed. Sometimes a few families can go together and split the cost of having some hauled. Don’t wait until February to start looking for hay. 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
Welcome to fall! We hope everyone is enjoying great riding, weather, and friendship.
I hope we have seen the last of the excessive heat we have dealt with lately.
Some of our Holmes County members attended Wayne County’s work weekend at Mohican July 26-28. It was well attended and a great deal of work was done. Some trees were dealt with, a lot of weed whacking was done, and we ate well. Dave Smalley gave a beautiful Sunday morning talk. Sometime between then and our Labor Day camp, Wayne County paid for and placed a great deal of stone in camp. Forestry did an amazing job improving the deep-water crossing. It will be a lot less prone to muddiness. Our next workday for Holmes County was held September 20-22. A full report will be in next month’s article. Congratulations to all our Holmes County Fair 4-H members. Fair is the culmination of a great deal of work for members and families alike. Our 2024 Holmes County Labor Day Camp is now history. A raffle, 50/50, silent auction, and hay stack dinner were held. Ten rigs camped and about 25 attended the dinner. The hay stack plan worked very well. Pulled pork, donated by Bob Picklesimer, and shredded chicken, donated by Hanna’s, were our main dishes with rice, crushed crackers, and lettuce serving as bases. Toppings available were melted cheese, shredded cheese, beans, salsa, avocados, salsa verde, peppers, and others. And of course, dessert did not disappoint. We would like to thank the DAC salesmen for donating several items to our raffle. The six bottles of Citronella insect spray and Laser Shine Spray were very much appreciated. Salesmen are Trapper Troyer 330/473-7310 and Everett Troyer 330/4737358. President Vickie Zook donated three horse decor pictures and a horsey pillow to the raffle. We had a great time. To say the weather was interesting would be an understatement. It was 93 degrees on Friday. We did manage a short evening ride.
It stormed at 2 a.m. on Saturday. We had a 100 lb. dog trying to climb into bed with us during the storm. Other than the thunder, it was nice to get some rain. Saturday was excellent weather in spite of a light rain. I’d forgotten how nice it is to ride in a light warm rain. Sunday was perfect riding weather. Thank you to Bob Picklesimer for a Sunday service. Our President Vickie Zook rode for the first time in a while this weekend. She has a short message for all of us. “It had been 14 months since I last rode. Get out and ride when you can, you never know what hurdles are ahead. Health issues knocked me down. It felt great to ride. I did not do many miles but I got out for several short rides, even rode in the rain. Thank you to the fellow campers that were willing to go out for short rides with me, make sure I was safely back in camp before they continued with their rides. Remember, horsemen helping horsemen.” Words to remember. Her horse, Buddy, looked great and rode like a good horse. Take care and ride on.
~Bev Hanna
KNOX
Happy trails and greetings from Knox County! The hot, dry August weather has somewhat limited our riding. We only had one planned campout for the month which was at Malabar Farm, attended by four members. Riding in the cooler evening, we held our second moonlight ride after our regular monthly meeting at Thayer Ridge Park. We had 10 riders who oohed and awed at the beautiful blue moon when it made its appearance. We are in the beginning stages of making plans to build a multipurpose shelter house at Thayer Ridge. This will be a
great addition to the park, not just for us equestrians, but also for the hikers, bikers and frisbee players who use the park. More on this in the future as our plans take shape. Our president, Terry Baker, who also helps to mentor Franklin County OHC, assisted them in putting on a fundraising event (obstacle challenge) at Rocky Fork Metro Park. It was a well-attended, fun event and is a good example of Horsemen Helping Horsemen.
We are looking forward to September (and hopefully, cooler weather) and the Delaware All Horse Parade and two scheduled campouts at the Paint Horse Hill Ranch in Bainbridge and at Hocking Hills.
We still meet the third Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at Thayer Ridge Park. Come join us for a meeting, an event or ride with us down Ohio’s beautiful trails!
~Cindy Cossin
LAKE
The aftermath of five tornadoes striking our area in one day was incredible. With electric wires down, trees felled, fences broken, and signs crazily bent, life became complicated quickly. Some of us had power all along; some did not have power for several days. Yet the various communities in Lake, Geauga, and Cuyahoga counties came together and helped each other. There are many stories about horsemen helping horsemen, neighbors helping neighbors and persons bonding in time of need. No one to my knowledge
Olivia Truax at the Athens County Fair.
Peyton Truax at Athens County Fair.
Saturday night campfire.
Vickie Zook and Buddy.
Blue moon ride at Thayer Ridge.
Barb, Kathy, Laurie, and Phil at Malabar Farm.
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was seriously injured or died. We have much for which to be thankful. And so thank you to all the Metroparks workers who have kept the trails open amongst the devastation to our park systems. Thank you for all your efforts so that the trails remain open and accessible.
Stay safe on your journey.
~Rayneen Tisovic
LICKING
Hello everybody from Licking County. As I am writing this we are still in the midst of the drought. No rain for some time. People and animals alike were having a hard time with the heat and dry weather. If all our prayers came true, we should have had some rain by now. Also, I hope that everybody got enough hay in for the winter! I myself have been feeding hay since the middle of August. But let’s look at happier things before we fall into a deep depression. We had our Mohican campout and it was awesome. Now we are looking forward to having the soup ride on October 20 not as previously stated on October 12. We had a scheduling conflict and had to change it. I hope we get to see a lot of riders there. Keep an eye on the event on Facebook on our chapter page in case of any changes. Also, don’t forget about our guest speaker Mr. Robert Kruse, Maintenance Manager of Deer Creek State
Park at our October 27 meeting. He is going to tell us about their beautiful park. He had me out to show us the trails and they have done a lot of improvements. In my opinion it would definitely be worth a weekend campout next year. I’d like to invite our surrounding chapters to attend his presentation. It will be worth it. In the meantime, have some great trail rides and be safe!
~Sigrid Batten
LORAIN
Lorain County OHC wishes you a crisp autumn hello! We in Lorain County have been anxiously awaiting this cooler weather after the hot summer we’ve had. Our October calendar sponsor this month is Harrison Trailers located in Wellington, Ohio. Many of our members have purchased a variety of trailers from them as well as Ford trucks to pull our rigs. They carry new Featherlite, Elite, Exiss and Sooner trailers and have an assortment of other trailers that they accept on trade-ins. As a side note, they are the exclusive Quarter Horse Congress Featherlite dealer. Thank you, Harrison Trailers for your sponsorship this month.
Ron and Sherry H. took an exciting trip to Iceland over the summer and shared that they rode all Icelandic horses with 19 people, eight from the US the other 11 riders were from Sweden, Germany and Finland. They rode 72 miles in five days with the scenery unique and vast. They rode across the largest lava field in the world. A large herd of Icelandic horses rode along with the group unsaddled. They look forward to going again!
We are so thankful and happy to report that one of our Lorain horse riders who suffered some fractured ribs when her horse slipped and fell in wet weather this summer is back in the saddle. She shared that she purchased a Hit Air vest and helmet to help protect her in the event of future serious injuries while riding. As we know, many times things occur that are out of our control such has disturbed ground bees that attack our horse which in turn may result in a thrown rider. Ken C. and Vince M. cleared trails at Charlemont in August as there were some large trees blocking the trail. Jim Wallace shared that he secured a grant for cement to keep the stone from
washing away at the culvert pipe over one of the creek crossings that was problematic. Char A. indicated the trip to Big Elk Lick in Bennezette, Pa., in August was a great trip with perfect weather, enough food for two nights from their potluck and they saw two bull elk that everyone got to see by the cross at the outdoor chapel. Sandy S., Lara M. and Monica H. supplied the obstacles for the obstacle course. Several helpers assisted with the set up and take down at our August membership meeting. Many riders challenged themselves and horses and found it to be a good learning experience. There were several jumps, a tarp to simulate a water crossing, a bridge, ground poles to back into, a giant ball to explore and a ‘car wash’ where the horse walked through pool noodles.
Our October is filled with many activities including camping at Beaver Creek and Hocking Hill and attending the Horseman’s Mission where you can learn to work with your horse in a ‘horsemanship manner’. You can read more about the Horseman’s Mission by checking them out on the Internet. For this event, there is camping available at the fairgrounds or at various lodgings in the area. The Horseman’s Mission will be held at the Holmes County Fairgrounds October 16-19. Many of our members have attended this in the past and have found it to be a worthwhile event.
We plan to have a clambake prior to our membership meeting on October 21 starting at 6 p.m. Please note that orders must be taken in advance. Our meeting will begin at 7 p.m. where we will have our Lorain County OHC election of officers. Please check our calendar for location details. Our annual planning meeting will be held on October 24. At this meeting we will choose activities for 2025. This meeting is set for Sandy Ridge Metroparks and is open to all members of Lorain County OHC. On October 26 we will be dressing up for Halloween for our ride at Carlisle Equestrian Center beginning at 1 p.m. On November 2 we have a scheduled ride through a corn maze at Derthick Farm and Corn Maze in Mantua. Please refer to the calendar monthly event details for further information. On November 3 we are planning to ride at Bedford Reservation for a day ride at 11 a.m. The directions are located in our monthly event details in our calendar. We hope you will check our Lorain chapter out as it is packed with good people who have lots of fun! Be alert and keep your heads up when riding in the woods this Halloween as the headless horseman may be out and about. Boo!
~Kathy Duncan
MADISON
Fall riding is here! This is the best time to be in Ohio with a horse, in my opinion, so get ready to enjoy the end of sweltering days and relentless insects, and smile at all of the time you can spend with your horse.
We are getting rave reviews about the Deer Creek State Park horse trails! Thank you for coming to see all of the work done by our hardy trail crew and the park maintenance wizards. You should be able to enjoy our trails by parking at the park office for day rides until the new water
After storm at Barb J.
After storm.
Obstacle course.
Iceland trip.
Bennezette, Char.
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line is run to the horse camp area. The horse campground is cleared and has a nice pit latrine if you want to camp (make a reservation), and water is available at the park office to fill your tanks for horse and human use. We will keep you updated on progress. Madison County has donated 10 culverts for Deer Creek to use to make additional mud mitigation progress this fall and winter. We are so pleased to be able to do this!
We have been enjoying lots of riding! Lisa Reynolds, Ann Hunter, and Julie Rawls-Bruner spent some time at Cook Forest in Pennsylvania, and enjoyed river crossings and some beautiful scenery. There are some challenges with trail markings from the Cook Forest Area Scenic Trail Ride campground, but the Cook Forest State trails are well marked for some great riding. Others have enjoyed the trails at Scioto Trail, Buck Creek, Caesar’s Creek, Caesar’s Ford, Pike State Forest, Prairie Oaks, and Alum Creek. Those who maintain our horse trails in Ohio deserve tons of credit for amazing work. Be sure to let nonOHC folks know that this is a volunteer effort! Ask them to join us if they also enjoy the trails. Our member, Susan Hunter, is enjoying her new horse, Spirit We congratulate her after sadly having to euthanize her long-time riding partner.
Our Gymkhana series final event is October 5 at Madison County Fairgrounds. We have had an average of 60 contestants each time, and our youth ridership keeps increasing, which makes us quite happy. It is great to see a wonderful crop of young horse enthusiasts and their parents come out to have fun and challenge themselves to improve horsemanship. Although this is a fundraiser to finance our Deer
Creek trail work, it is also a service to the greater community to provide a relaxed, fun event for ages 5 through older adult to show both speed and control through different patterns. We welcome all to come and participate and to cheer on others. Our programs are turning to first aid for humans as well as getting a CPR class scheduled for our chapter. We recognize that protocol has changed for CPR and most of us had training many years ago. We are looking forward to both so we are confident that we can be of assistance anywhere we might be needed. Be sure to hug your horse for taking good care of you, hug your honey for encouraging you to get out there and ride, and pat yourself on the back for taking the time to enjoy our world from the back of a horse. Happy trails!
~Lisa Reynolds
MEDINA
Even though I’m writing this in September, I can look out of my window and see some leaves changing already. Summer is great, but fall is really my favorite season. I love the colors in parks and apples and pumpkin spice muffins, pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin spice pumpkins, …well, you get the picture. Sadly, this was our last meeting of the year at Robinson Field, due to weather and darkness. We will move our winter and spring meetings to the Hinckley Town Hall. This last meeting was a beautiful night with a very informative talk given by our own Jennifer Peterson about high lines. She gave us a lot of good tips on how to keep our horses safe and resources on what and where to find the pieces parts to make our own high line kit. We are fortunate to have so many knowledgeable members
who contribute to our monthly meetings. If you have a topic you would like to share at one of our meetings, please contact me at rosemary4medinaohc@gmail. com or 440/382-7980.
I will have news about our state ride in the November article. Our next work session is October 12. We hope to be working on a reroute of the Perkins Trail which has had many issues over the years and became (in places) difficult to ride. The reroute will eliminate the switchback which had become a real problem. Contact one of our trail bosses (Raydeen Ryden (raysden2@ gmail.com or 334/663-7361) or Greg Monsanty (330/352-5737 or blackhorsebridge@aol.com) for details on where to meet and time. Experience a beautiful season down in the valley!
~Rosemary Young
MEIGS
With the cooler weather, horses and riders both will be enjoying riding the trails at the AEP Southern Ohio Recreational Area at 30225 SR 124, Langsville, Ohio. The area is open to both equine riding and hiking. We encourage everyone to please sign in at the registration kiosk to the right as you enter the campground area. Late summer and fall are typically fire seasons so if you camp and have an open fire, please use caution and make certain that your fire is totally out before you leave it.
At the last meeting in August, the chapter held the drawing for the donated hog which was butchered and the meat raffled off with all of the proceeds going to the Make A Wish Foundation. The two winners of the drawing were Dustin Johnson and Chuck Pullins. Make A Wish appreciates the support of all those who purchased a raffle ticket. Emmalee Setzer who participated at the Ohio State Fair in driving competitions thanked the chapter members for their support and spoke briefly at the August
meeting about her competition experience. She is definitely looking forward to next year and she and her Haflinger, Doc, will work hard to return to the state level competition classes.
Meigs has two planned trail rides along with two fun shows for 2024. Those are to be held on October 13 and November 9. The rides begin at noon followed by the fun shows at 3 p.m. with sign up starting at 2 p.m. Watch our Facebook page for more information about the events as those dates draw near.
The Meigs OHC Chapter meets on the third Tuesday of each month except for December. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. at Fox’s Pizza Den on Main Street in Pomeroy, Ohio, which offers a beautiful view of the Ohio River. Visitors are welcome.
~Marlene Swartz
MORGAN
Greetings from Morgan County! We are so happy to announce the opening of Appalachian Hills Equine Camp! Currently we have 16 miles of trails that are open and ready to ride. The camp/ trailhead is located at 3400 St 78, McConnelsville. To ensure that our good relationship with ODNR remains the same we are asking riders to please stay on the trail, do not make new trails and please keep horses out of areas that are posted. This includes the lakes and the dam. We have to remember that this property is
Ann Lisa and Julie at Cook Forest, Pennsylvania.
Susan Hunter on her new horse, Prairie Oaks.
Fun show competitors.
Jim B. mowing the AEP area.
Lizzie at the fun show.
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now owned by ODNR. They are kindly allowing us the use of it. Our chapter is selling T-shirts. This is not a fundraiser we are selling them at cost. They are available in many styles and colors. We are offering regular T-shirts, long sleeve T-shirts, sweatshirts and goodies with prices starting at $12 for a regular T-shirt. The front has the OHC logo with Morgan County Chapter on it. The back features a graphic with horses and hills with Appalachian Hills Equine Camp on the back. Please contact Vicki Wagner through email at: wagnerhorsefarm@yahoo.com to place an order or additional information.
Hopefully with the temperatures cooling down we can all get out and ride. Happy trails!
~Kelly Caldwell
MORROW
Hello fellow OHC chapters!
I hope you all are having a great fall and are enjoying this beautiful time of the year to be out on the trails. I know the one drawback this year has been the ground bees. Hopefully, no one has been seriously injured because of them. Our club has had some great rides so far this fall. We went to a Mule Ride down at Elkins Creek, which is in Pedro, Ohio. There were over 40 mules and our club was well represented with six mules in attendance. Our club also rode at Big Elk Lick, which is in Benezette, Pa. the week after Labor Day. This time of the year is mating season and there were elk everywhere.
We also sponsored 4-H equine awards at the Morrow County Fair that took place August 25–31. We were the premier sponsor for contesting. We were represented by our president Misty and fellow members Daryl, Floyd and Ted. Thank you all for being there to support our young riders.
We are having a tack auction November 23 at the American
Legion Hall in Marengo, Ohio. Please check our Facebook age for start time. Our goal is to make this an annual event. Until next month.
~Rob Conley
PERRY
Time flies when you’re having fun they say. Our club members have definitely had fun and our riding destinations prove it.
Many thanks to the Stengles for hosting a fantastic ride at Salt Fork in August. They really upped their game and included an ‘Olympic’ scavenger hunt wherein riders rode the Purple trail in search of gold, silver and bronze figurines made from their 3D printer. Some of us couldn’t talk and look for the prizes at the same time however and came up empty handed, but we shall remain nameless; winners Vicki Wagner, Kathy Newman and Teresa Smith received gift cards for Tractor Supply. Good job! The potluck that followed in the evening was tasty as ever and was topped off with a little trivia with winners receiving bags of horse treats. Our annual tack swap ensued after the meal was entertaining as always and has become a favorite activity.
Guest Speaker Scott Christman talked about his Stride-Right Specialty Bodywork at the August meeting. Scott talked about how this program starts at the head of the horse to relax muscles around the eyes, mouth and ears and then moves to the tail. The relaxation
often results in successfully putting joints back into place as it is the muscles that pulls them out. I immediately scheduled a session for my horse who has developed a sore back and am pleased at the outcome. Scott may expand his services to include saddle fitting in the future.
Since the last article, we had a six pack of cowgirls visit a dude ranch in Wyoming. Waking every morning to the scenic Grand Tetons as the backdrop was an amazing experience. Five days in the saddle on Quarter and Draft horses, as opposed to our familiar walkers, was still nothing short of awesome. I encourage everyone to make a trip like this in their lifetime. We were fortunate to see elk and bison a number of times but sadly no moose. We rafted down the scenic Snake River one afternoon and capped off the vacation with a trip to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful and a few other top ‘hot’ spots. It did not disappoint. The take away from our trip is the men outnumber the women in Wyoming by a 2 to 1 ratio so the odds are good that a single lady can find her a cowboy, however, the goods are odd…..bahaha!
The Appalachian Wildlife Area outside of McConnelsville (aka AEP McConnelsville) has reopened several of the original equine trails in late August. A few of us checked it out on an overnight camping trip and were more than pleasantly surprised. What hard work the OHC volunteers have done on these trails, with special thanks to Don and Vicki Wagner. The riding was very nice. More trails will be reopened as time and assistance permits. The campground is large and does include a small shelter house and some highlines. Unfortunately, nothing is shaded at this time which is a deterrent for camping during a hot summer such as we are experiencing this year. I imagine fall riding there will be spectacular. Overall, I give this area and the trails two thumbs up. Check it out! ‘Bee’ careful this fall as our winged critters are really out in force early.
Our upcoming events include participating in other chapter rides and our annual soup ride which is the first weekend of October at Burr Oak. A trip back to the Big South Fork is planned at the end of October, while others are traveling to Illinois for a mule clinic and to Myrtle Beach for the American Heart Association ride.
Sooner rather than later we will be making plans for our annual Winterfest. Say it isn’t so! Til then, enjoy the fall and happy trails to y’all!
~Marianne Patton ROSS
Hey fellow riders! I hope you have been staying cool and out of this God-awful hot weather. We’ve still been going on some rides at Tar Hollow, Zaleski, and Hocking. Surprisingly it’s not too hot in the woods, which has been great! We had a meeting on August 17 at Zaleski discussing some of the small updates they’ve been doing at Tar Hollow. A few of our members had a meeting with the Asst. Chief ODNR Division of Wildlife about opening up some of the closed trails. It sounds like the meeting went well. Hopefully we get them cleaned and opened up sooner, rather than later! Our next meeting will be held at Hocking November 2, 10 a.m., following a ride. Hope to see you there!
~Whitney Stires
SANDUSKY
At the time of this writing, autumn hasn’t even arrived yet and we are still seeing some hot September days. At least the trails have been dry! Club members have been out on the trails of TriCo, White Star, Garlo Park and Van Buren, to name a few.
Our 12-horse ride at Van Buren on August 31 was challenging and eventful. We ventured up and down the hills, side stepped ground bees and had one unsolicited, equine assisted dismount! That dismount was due to a hiker on the trail not yielding to the horses and spooking the lead horse with his three dogs. There has been much discussion about submitting letters of request to the parks about better signage to that effect. Our club will be working on a letter for the September meeting. That being said, we all made it back to the trailhead and several enjoyed the new obstacle challenges recently built there. Thank you Wood County OHC!
Our family recently moved and sadly had to find a new farrier, so I canvassed our club members to ask what they appreciated most about their farriers. Travis Gregg was praised for
Big Elk Lick, Pennsylvania.
Morrow County Fair 4H equine awards.
Elkins Creek
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his barefoot trimming and hot shoes. I will personally miss Travis, too. He is professional, courteous, honest, always gives an education while he’s working and he’s a gentleman—he learned well from his father, Joel. Amber Thrun was praised because she keeps her appointments, shows up on time and definitely has the horse’s best interest at heart. Adam Lewandowski is said to be knowledgeable, patient and takes his time with each horse. Carol shared that Mike Mandeville is very experienced and her horses love him. Louanne and Casey Lynn are do-it-yourselfers (you go, girls!). Cindy gave praise to Allen Artz for being very good and always being on time. Cathy and Tina mentioned that Daniel in Larue, Ohio, an Amish farrier, does a really good job and is inexpensive. Marla shared that her farrier is free (winking to her husband, Al). Well, Matthew Shanks, our new farrier, will be visiting our horses for the first time in October, I’ll keep you posted on how that goes! If you catch the ear of anyone on the planning committee at Equine Affaire, please ask that next year they provide the Courtesy Farrier with a parking spot close to the building where he/she can unload and set up their workspace, offer them free admission and maybe a free lunch. Those small requests were on the wish list of a recent Equine Affaire farrier whom I spoke with. Having a farrier lug their equipment from the general parking lot and charging them admission is not the way to keep Courtesy Farriers coming back. Thank you to all the club members for sharing your appreciation of our farriers! Want to know more? Join us at our monthly meeting on the second Tuesday of the 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 STARK
Welcome to fall! Where does the time go? To me, this is the best riding time of the year. There are so many good rides this month and many chapters are hosting some exciting events so there is something available for everyone. It was so good to read that both of the recreational
areas owned by AEP that had equestrian trails were able to be saved and remained for our use thanks to a lot of work by everyone. A big thank you! One thing that is of much concern is a request by bicyclists asking the state forests to allow E-Bikes on their trails to be considered in two state forests. Comments on this need to be made to the State Division of Forest by October 7. This can create a very dangerous situation where the trails intersect with ours so hopefully this will all be taken into consideration and everyone has made their voice heard.
Stark County is now back to holding our monthly meetings and it is good to see everyone and hear what has been happening. Hope everyone is able to get out and enjoy the nice fall days and stay safe.
~Jo Ellen Reikowski
SUMMIT
OHC is a true success story. The love of horses and trail riding is at the core of the organization but you just can’t beat the fellowship and downright fun you can have spending time with this group. We would like to recognize and thank each and every one of you who has contributed your time and talents to whatever needs to be done to make this another banner year. After all the devastation wreaked by storms and flooding, not only were our communities hard hit but the horse trails suffered heavy damage too. It took concerted effort from the community chapters to assess the damages and work out a plan and restore them as safely and quickly as possible. It also took generous and hardworking people to support all the fundraisers throughout the year. Whether working or participating we loved seeing all your smiling faces at the end of the day. We can’t forget to thank all the local businesses who generously supported us by donating items for prizes for various events. With all things considered we may be much bigger than the numbers show as each and every one of us energizes someone else to join in and keep this dream alive. We just wanted to let you know that someone does notice and we appreciate all your efforts. The maples started to get that slight tinge of copper about the third week of August and it was a sure sign fall was just around the corner. There is nothing like
rushing the seasons celebrating July 4th fireworks followed by home shopping networks starting to sell Christmas merchandise at midnight. No wonder it seems time flies by so quickly. Thanksgiving has become just a yeah, oh by the way holiday. Worse, it begins the countdown of the remaining shopping days to purchase all your gifts and not a day to reflect on all you have received. So, weather permitting get out and ride whenever possible. Here’s just a quick refresher. Beware of aggressive yellow jackets hiding almost anywhere. You should carry Benadryl or in my case an eppy pen for the worst-case scenario. I also carry a whole extra bottle of the tablets in case my horse starts a reaction. Pack a few Tecnu or alcohol wipes if you have a run in with poison ivy or oak. Most snakes you see are harmless including the long black ones at Hinckley hanging out of trees. The ones with triangular heads or rattling are not. Keep your eye on the weather to avoid being caught in a downpour, thunderstorm or getting pelted with hail. Carrying a light rain coat or garbage bag with head and arm holes cut may keep you dryer on a long ride back. You might want to check before heading out for any closed trails due to ongoing repairs. Remember, there will be plenty of non-riders on horse trails, try to be polite and educate them
if they are unknowingly doing something that could cause harm to any of us. Lastly, don’t forget to check when hunting seasons begin and end.
Here’s hoping you keep a day open for the Quarter Horse Congress, a world class event of top-grade horses and riders and shopping. Stay safe and enjoy all the beauty God has put out for us to relish and enjoy. We know what is coming after that with all those leaves hitting the ground.
~Joann Ulichney
TUSCARAWAS
One of the most rewarding experiences derived from horse ownership, is the fundamental training procedure implemented for a young horse. Nearly every experienced rider encounters the opportunity to convert theory to reality sometime during their lives. That eventuality has arrived for Mick. Not that she has not previously affected the discipline applied to young horses, but this time, it was entirely purposeful, planned and welcomed. Since training techniques widely differ and must be adapted, typically, the weanling or yearling project can also respectfully differ dramatically, dependent upon the inherent breed.
Wyatt, a blue roan Tennessee Walker stud colt, a month short of yearling status, captured her eye, impacted her pocketbook to the degree that any desire to further expand her herd, was instantly squelched. Fortunately, her new acquisition was halter broken, familiar with the horse trailer, loading and leading. Any qualms of continuous cantankerous antics were eliminated when Wyatt recognized he had been gelded before any attitude or misbehavior could deter his formal training and hinder progress. This young horse had been confined to a stall during his first year, the majority of the time by owners. Stimulated by the new found freedom of pasture and the curious company of co-inhabitant, Sheriff, an aged Quarter Horse gelding, changes occurred. This transition produced a flourishing effect on the youngster, learning to interact with another horse, as well as bond with his handler, Mick. Mila, Mick’s German Shepherd, unaccustomed to colts in general, relentlessly pursued his blue roan playmate, narrowly missing the agony of reckless abandon, when those sharp
Break time.
Saddle up.
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hooves were daringly directed toward her. This could have resulted in a fatal blow. Mila has thus far benefitted from Wyatt’s lack of skill and accuracy. It can be heart rendering to witness the adjustments and potential accidents that our beloved critters avoid on a daily basis!
Time is our enemy and training must be consistent. Small victories stimulate our innate sense of success and soon the competence we yearn to exude, is evidenced in the radical, positive behavioral improvements displayed by our young prodigy. Mick has accepted an enduring responsibility, but familiar with her persistence, experience, and ability, I have no doubt she will be astride Wyatt, fully enjoying the most challenging trails and reaping the inner glory when she and her horse interact as one!
The Tuscarawas County OHC meets for a monthly dinner meeting, the second Monday evening of each month. We welcome new members or guests.
~Holly Waldenmyer
UNION
Howdy, I hope everyone had an awesome summer and racked up those trail miles and saddle hours. In August, Jim and I joined the Tuesday maintenance crew at Alum Creek State Park. They are a delightful and
dedicated group, and the trails are in awesome shape and ready to ride. Happy trails.
~Debbie Strayton
WARREN
As I write this, fall is approaching. I’m not sure Mother Nature has gotten the message, but hopefully by the time you read it, she will have. Everyone I know likes fall the best for riding, so with any luck, we’ll have a nice long season. My biggest project in September is setting up my Halloween decorations. I go really big, taking several days to set up. And this year I’m adding a skeleton band to my ‘boneyard’. Should be lots of fun, even if it is a huge amount of work.
We got a lot done on our August work day. I will admit that the turnout has been very disappointing the last few years. Mostly regular Over the Hill Gang members, with just a few additions. If anyone is able to make it to the two Saturday work days, please consider marking your calendars and joining us. It’s a lot of work for the roughly 10 regulars who do the bulk of it. One word of caution, however— don’t let me take a shortcut. The photo below with that caption was taken by Belinda Snell. Many thanks to Belinda, Janet
Do not let Mickie take a
Burnett, Ramona Auyeung and Kandy Zehner for getting me out of that mess.
Thanks to everyone who had planned to volunteer for my endurance ride, the Abi- Khan+ Challenge. Sadly, I had to cancel this year. I wrecked my truck the weekend before, and while there was thankfully no permanent injury, I wrenched muscles very hard and was in no condition to hold the event. I’ll be asking again for volunteers next year, same time (third weekend of August). My poor truck didn’t fare as well, but at least all of the people walked away. That’s it for this month. Retirement seems to be busy as all get out! Happy riding, ~Mickie Newnam
WASHINGTON
Hello fellow horsemen and women! Washington County is rejoicing in our new trail re-route. It is better than we would have ever expected! The Wayne National Forest spent a lot of effort and resources in moving our trail from a very dangerous situation to a very pleasant ride. Pictured is young rider Zayden Sandy on his steed Tricky Tommy Lee standing in the center of the new creek crossing at Kinderhook. We hope you will come and ride the new and older Kinderhook trails. There is still one section that we consider difficult. The ‘Ravine’ as we like to call it is a very steep bank down and back up the other side. It has over the years gotten to be a deep ‘V’ going down the side nearest the trailhead. In wet conditions it is rather slippery and not for
the faint of heart. Other than that, we feel our trails are as good as any in the state. Naturally, they are not perfect. There are places where trees come down from time to time and there are wet spots, that we hope will be remedied by winter. Take a road trip and come ride with us!
We had approximately 45 members and friends turn up for our annual corn roast ride/ potluck dinner and dedication of a sign hung on the mounting steps at Kinderhook in memory of Larry Matthews. Larry spent years working within the Ohio Horseman’s Council group with the Ohio Trails Partnership, and spent eight years alongside Dave Matthews working tirelessly to create a plan and fill all the government requirements to complete the Wayne National Kinderhook campground and riding trails.
We had to cancel the scavenger hunt as there were not enough riders earlier in the day to make up two teams to play. Hopefully we will have more riders attend next year and can play the game then. After all the hours spent planning, and the prizes purchased to hold the game it was disappointing to have to cancel. We did well with the auction we held after the dinner raising over $200. Thanks to all who donated items, as well as all who attended and purchased items. In other news our members have been riding when it is not too hot, as of this writing we finally had some rain, but our part of the state is under an exceptional drought and this is making hay very scarce. If you have any suppliers with extra hay in your area, please let us know as some of our members are really hurting for the winter! The extreme dry has brought the ground bees out in full force as many of you are dealing with. That was the focus
Mila Wyatt
Debbie and Jim maintaining the trails at Alum Creek State Park.
shortcut.
Getting ready for Halloween.
Roger mowing the trails one last time for fall.
Zayden on Tricky.
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of our last meeting, how to deal with bees! We still have several rides planned this year, and are looking forward to seeing others on the trails. Safe riding, ~Rita V. Schultheis
WAYNE
It has been a busy summer for Wayne County OHC. Since the Regional Ride over the fourth of July our members have been camping and day riding and just taking advantage of the beautiful weather. Although the drought conditions are hard on the hay crop, it makes for great riding. There was a work weekend July 26-28 which was well attended. The great weather allowed our members to get some work done as well as riding the trails at Mohican. A delicious potluck was held on Saturday night and a nice campfire to round out the evening. On August 23-25 there was a camp out at Pleasant Hill campgrounds. Some members rode Mohican Friday and then set up camp at Pleasant Hill and rode to Malabar and back on Saturday. Dave Schmidt and Vicki Zook
joined us for our potluck dinner and campfire which was held near Leigh Litman’s trailer right on the lake. It was a beautiful night for a campfire with good friends. Thank you to Jen Petersen for hosting a ride in Pennsylvania. She hosted a club ride at Two Mile Camp which is a County Park near the Allegheny National Forest. There were four rigs. The members who attended liked a change of scenery and the camp sites and trails were in excellent condition. This is sure to become a favorite on the camp schedule. Jen was kind enough to invite a couple of us to attend a ride at Allegheny Scenic Trail Rides camp which was the first Conservation Corps Camp in the nation. Jody Jackson and Sue
Baker camped with Jen from August 28 through September 1. The camp was jam packed, but the campsites were nice, and the stalls were exceptionally large. The trails were amazing. We were lucky enough to have Jen’s longtime friends, John and Char as our private trail guides and were able to ride some unmarked trails that presented challenging rides and beautiful scenery.
Other things happening this month include Pam Bachman getting a new horse! She is ‘downsizing’ from drafts to a beautiful 3-year-old Morgan mare, Gem, who is currently being trained to drive and ride. We look forward to seeing her on the trail next year. Taran Tate getting ready for the Wayne County Fair after his great showing at the Ohio State Fair. Of course, the Tuesday night and noon rides continue to have good attendance. A couple were cancelled due to heat and impending storms, better safe than sorry.
Trail work continues at Mohican and Malabar. Dave Smalley, Ernie Kauffman, and Tom Bahl, worked under the stellar direction of Maline Smalley. They cleared weeds at Malabar and cut down a large tree that was blocking the Red Trail. If you are riding and see a tree down, please notify Marline or Tom so that it can be safely and quickly removed either by club members or the
forest service. The forest service has also been hard at work on the trails. They made significant improvements to the large water crossing on the Red Trail. The banks are more sloped with much less mud making it safer and easier to cross, especially for the smaller horses. They also installed a new sign out front and improved the information kiosk. The kiosk has a large new map and is stocked with new small maps which accurately show the reroutes since the tornado a few years ago. It has been a work in progress and we are immensely thankful to Chad and his crew for all the work they have put in on the trails. Unfortunately, these improvements have led to some problems with people thinking that the trails are open to bicycles. This can create an extremely dangerous situation for riders, horses and bicyclists. The bike club members are particularly good about staying on the bike paths but some who are not regular bikers have tried to use the equine trails for biking. Remember, if they do not leave the trail when asked, just call #ODNR and a ranger will promptly arrive to take care of the situation.
