Trail Classification Comments

I received this info from BCHW -

DEADLINE APPROACHING!
This letter is based on BCHA's response to the latest U.S. Forest Service ruling regarding the trail classification issue. This issue is extremely important to the BCH mission and keeping access to stock on FS lands; please help by doing this.

The comment deadline is this coming Monday,12/15/08. The letter is in MSWord so you can personalize it or use it as is. PLEASE STAY POSITIVE & RESPECTFUL! You could also email or print out some extras for friends and other stock users to comment.

If using email send them to: Jstephens02@ fs.fed.us
If using snail mail the address is in the header of the letter.

Questions? Read everything at the BCHA website: www.backcountryhorse.com

Download the Letter

Saving Horse Riding Trails

Just saw this on TheHorse.com.

When the U.S. Forest Service began to make changes to the trail classification system that had been in place for nearly 100 years, Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) took notice. When they realized the huge impact it would have on horse users, they made every attempt to resolve the problem. Despite their efforts, they found in 2005 that litigation was their only choice.

Under the U.S. Forest Service's proposed plan, as much as 50% of the Wilderness trail system may not have ultimately accommodated pack and saddle stock. Because of BCHA's persistence, this trail use that has been an integral part of the history of the United States will still be available.

Read the full article here.

Pole Bending - Winlock

Pole Nights At Good Life Stables in Winlock…..sponsored by River Riders 4-H Club

Friday’s are…..Nov 21st, Dec 12th & 19th
Sign ups 6:00 pm, starts at 7pm
cost 15.00
Events : Poles, Keyrace, Bi-Wrangle & Figure 8
There will also be Jackpots at the end of each night for 1.00 each run.
We will have prizes for the reserve and hi point for each night. Placings to 5th place. 4 age devisions.
If you need more info please just let me know.
Thank Chanin & River Riders 4-H
Ken Archer - ksarcher@localnet.com

HCW Class this weekend - Mud & Manure

What better time to see mud & manure management practices in place, but in the middle of a winter storm event! Join HCW at TWO events this weekend.

1) MAPLE VALLEY WORKSHOP: Naturescaping on Horse Properties [SATURDAY 10 am to noon]

Join Alayne Blickle at her Maple Valley farm to see hedgerows and naturescaping in place. Winter is the perfect time to plan for the KCD Native Plant Sale, which begins in December.

Pick up tips & ideas on how native plants can help with:
· Mud management
· Dust screens
· Privacy barriers
· Wildlife enhancement
· Chemical use reduction
· Determining which plants grow in wet or dry conditions
· Putting native plants & animals to work for you on you horse property!

THIS Saturday, November 15th, 10 am to noon, Maple Valley, WA

Trail Work Party - Beacon Rock

From WTA news release:

Our work party will start at 8:30 am at the Equestrian Camp at Beacon Rock. From there we'll carpool to the Hardy Ridge Trailhead.

The road may be slippery as it has been regraded recently, but not graveled, so we'll need to carpool in as many 4WD vehicles as we can. Typically we work until 3:00.

On Saturday night we'll host a potluck dinner, campfire and camp out. All are invited to stay for dinner and camping.

Here is the direct link to sign up: http://old.wta. org/~wta/ cgi-bin.dev/ wtaweb.pl? 6+su+display+ 16740+ON

Pre-registration is not required, but is helpful for planning the amount of food to bring. (I think the Crew Lead, Henry, will be doing Spaghetti).

We'll be working both Saturday and Sunday; volunteers are welcome on either day or both.

We'll provide the tools and hardhats. Participants need to bring boots to work in, work gloves, long pants and a shirt with long sleeves, raingear, lunch (and a pack to carry their stuff in).

I'm happy to answer calls or emails if folks have questions.

Cheers, Ryan

Abandoned Horse Auction

It seems like there are horses in need everywhere right now. Just looking at Craigslist shows the sad state of the horse economy in our area.

But during this hard time, it's also an opportunity for us to open our hearts and minds and help some amazing horses have another shot at life.

Along those lines, I wanted to let everyone know about the horse auction on Saturday in Molalla.

Below is the Craigslist posting.

The Silent Auction for these abandon horses will be held from 1 to 3 pm just south of the 4 way junction outside of Molalla on hwy 213 towards Silverton. There will be yellow signs at Driveway.

There are purebred Arabains, pinto crosses and a quarter horse type. They range form 6 month (1) filly to (1) 24 yr old Quarter type mare. 2 geldings (1) purebred Arab Chestnut 6 years and (1) part arabain gelding 6 yrs old both in sadder shape. 1 18 yr purebred chestnut mare and 3= pinto, arab an arab cross at 2 to 3 yrs.

Please do not bring trailer as no room to park it.

Call Ellie at 503 637 3248 or email Ellie at wyndyacr@cascadeaccess.com.

Silver Buckle Horse "U"

Want to get out of the rain? Check out a few new programs happening at the Silver Buckle.

These classes will occur on Saturday, November 8th from 10 - 2.


10:00-10:45 Basic Horse Behavior—How does your horse feel today?
Understanding what your horse is telling you, will help insure a safe and fun experience for your family and your horse. Learn what to look for when considering purchasing a horse, learn some basic of why horses do what they do.


11:00-11:45 Love a horse—Love yourself– What a horse can teach us.
Horses Change Lives ! How horses can help you to become aware of details in your life and life lessons taught by horses.


12:00-12:45 Safety Awareness—Basic Ground Control & Grooming
Safety around horses! Safety the #1 concern when owning a horse. Learn foundational ground work tools to keep you and your horse safe while completing your day to day routines.

1:00- 1:45 Good Food—Horse & Human Food Pyramid
The basics of responsible feeding for your family horse. Comparing the food pyramid for your family to your horses nutritional needs.

Saturday, November 8th 10:00-2:00
Classes are Just $8.00 each, $20.00 for all 4 or a Family of 4 $25.00 all classes
Advanced Registration Required

Next Classes: Saturday, December 13th 10:00-2:00

360-260-8932

Silver Buckle 11611 NE 152nd Ave Brush Prairie

Horse Riding Lessons - Discount!

From the Silver Buckle -

Fall Special!

Riding Lessons $15.00 per week
Or
Purchase 3 months in Advance $120.00

Horses Change Lives!

Gift Certificates Available

Limited Time Offer Expires December 31st 2008

Arabian Auction in Molalla, OR

Thought I'd pass this along. It's a sad situation that got these horses into pretty bad condition but with the help and assistance of some volunteers, they are healing and getting back on track. Here's your opportunity to help out too.

Just to let you know, Dawn (503) 829-2152 has 22 of Virginia Winters' horses and they will be going on sale November 8th.

A total of 22 horses have been abandoned at various locations by Ginger Winter over the summer. There has been Chattel liens placed on every horse as required legally. They will all be up for auction by silent bid. Highest bidder takes the horse.

Viewing and bidding will begin At 1:00 and end at 3:00. Call Dawn 503 829-2152 for address and any questions. Dawn lives in Molalla.

Early on in this neglect case against Ginger I was able to sell several of her horses to new homes, I have one myself. Dee has turned out to be my kids favorite trail horse, she is the horse we put beginners on for a trail ride. Once she figured out she was going to have breakfast and dinner everyday she settled right in with the herd, she has become a sweet addition to our family, She seems truly thankful for her own family.

I have have had experience with several of these horses, Ginger bought quality Arabs and half-arab pintos, many of the horses are registered and can be transferred to the new owner thru the arab registry. Several of the horses have been ridden down the trail and a couple have even been professionally shown.

The goal is not to make a lot of money, but to get these horses in to a good home. Please forward this e-mail to all your big hearted horse friends.

Cindy Reaves (503) 475-7382

Tack Sale - Vancouver

Hi, all!

Here's a local tack sale that might be worth checking out. It's at the Clark County Fairgrounds.

Have a great weekend and happy trails!

Tailored to Ride 4-H group is having their annual tack sale at the Clark County fairgrounds in Ridgefield, Wa. this Sat. Nov. 1 from 8 to 4 pm. No cost to shop, new and used tack items.

Halloween Trick-or-Trot

Here's an interesting link to the NBHA finals in Atlanta, Georga.

This afternoon at 4 pm, check out the live Trick-or-Trot feed. This unique event features riders and horses dressed head to hoof in Halloween costumes!

http://barrelhorses.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1016&Itemid=56

BCHA Negotiates Solutions to Keep Trails Open Nationally

This came out the other day. Here's an excerpt below or click here for the full article.

Since 2004, Back Country Horsemen of America (BCHA) has struggled to make the US Forest Service aware of the impacts that their proposed trail classification system would have on all horse use of trails. An interim final rule on the Trails Classification System recognizes that the Forest Service has listened to BCHA and has attempted to resolve those concerns. As a result of a meeting held in Montana on October 6-8 with the Forest Service and a variety of other user groups, it is apparent that BCHA has not only renewed and strengthened their partnership with the Forest Service, but it has also gained the understanding of the other user groups attending.

Largely as a result of BCHA's 2005 litigation and negotiations on the new system, opportunities that recreational riders had before the historical system was changed in 1999 have been preserved. This will help keep public lands open for recreational horseback riding, which goes to the heart of BCHA’s mission.

.... Full Article.

DNR Budget Information

I received this email the other day regarding the DNR budget. Thought I'd pass along to those of you that might be interested in having your voice heard.

Hi Folks,
It’s that time of year. No, not the return of the Great Pumpkin. Not the autumn leaves of red and gold falling on the ground…

I’m talking about the budget.

The Department of Natural Resources has put the finishing touches on its proposed budget for the 2009-2011 biennium. Our budget, along with the other state agencies’ budgets, is now in the hands of the Office of Financial Management and will next go to the Governor for consideration. This coming January when state legislators return to Olympia, they’ll be tackling a nearly $3.2 million shortfall as they try to develop a new biennial budget.

Where does the DNR Recreation Program’s budget fit into all of this?

To help you better understand our program’s budget, I would like to put out a special issue of our e-newsletter, DNR Recreation News, to help clear up any confusion, answer any burning questions, and set the record straight on some common misunderstandings about our budget.

But first, I’d like to know what questions you have about our budget. Want to know where our funding comes from?

Want to know what we’re spending money on? Just ask!

**Send me your questions by 5 p.m., Friday, October 24,** and we’ll address them in our special budget issue of the DNR Recreation News coming out in November.

In the meantime, test your knowledge of our budget by answering TRUE or FALSE to following statements:

A portion of the fees collected from ORV license tabs goes directly to DNR’s Recreation Program.

DNR’s Recreation Program receives more than $1.5 million a year from gas taxes and tab fees.

Funding for maintenance and operations for Washington State Parks is the same amount as funding for maintenance and operations for DNR’s recreation sites.

If you answered FALSE to all of these questions, then you’re a budget-savvy
recreationist. Give yourself a pat on the back!

If you answered TRUE to any of the questions, then stay tuned for our special budget issue where you’ll learn what you didn’t know about the budget!

By the way, the following statements are TRUE:

The ORV tab fees go directly to the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO). The RCO Board distributes the Nonhighway and Off-road Vehicle Activities (NOVA) Program funds in the form of competitive grants. DNR can apply for that grant funding.

DNR’s Recreation Program receives, on average, $1.4 million from gas taxes. The department does not directly receive any funding from the tab fees.

Funding for maintenance and operations for Washington State Parks is $147 million. Funding for maintenance and operations for DNR’s recreation sites is $5.5 million.

You can view DNR’s entire proposed 2009-2011 budget at:

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/BusinessPermits/Topics/Budget/Pages/bdgt_data_repts_pub_and_info.aspx

For the recreation budget items look under:
Section B
· Sustainable Public Access
Programmatic
· Recreation Capital
Renovations

I look forward to hearing from you,
Mark Mauren
Assistant Division Manager, Recreation, Public Access & WCC
Asset Management and Protection Division
Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 47014
Olympia, WA 98504-7014
360-902-1047
mark.mauren@dnr.wa.gov
www.dnr.wa.gov

WTRA Activities

Barbara Thomas of WTRA recently sent a quick update on WTRA activities. Thought I'd share here so that people are aware of the activities going on to support our local trails.

Donated $220 for herbicide spray recommended by Clark County Weed Program for use at Battle Ground Lake to control the blackberry vines that tend to grow over the horse trails.

Donated $200 to Milo McIver Park for gravel to repair equine trails.

For more information, contact Barbara Thomas at pineywoman1@aol.com.

Calendar back online

Hey, everyone. Sorry for the mishap with the calendar. It's back online today and all the events we could round up have been listed.

Thanks for your patience!

Canby Tack Sale

Let me start by saying that I actually don't want to write this post.

I know that's selfish, but quite honestly, there are some amazing deals at the Canby tack sale and if I let the CCH community know about them too, then there will be fewer deals for me to snatch up!

But, I realize that's not fair and thus am sharing this information so that we all can benefit from some great deals and great fun this weekend!


The Canby Tack Sale is at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds (694 NE 4th Ave, Canby, OR 97013 map it) and starts at 8:00 am.

You will find new and used tack, clothing, boots, decor, horse trailers, accessories, and more. You name it, it's probably there somewhere.

And, a super cool feature, is a Tack Taxi Service offered by Divine Equine 4H. They will store your items in the taxi stand, bag, tag, and (when you're done shopping) they will deliver all your items to your car for you. All of this for only $2.00.

This is truly one event not to miss! Although ... if you can't make it, you can't make it and that just leaves more awesome deals for the rest of us.


(photo courtesy of Circle JR Western Supply and is from the sale last year)

Halloween Open Show - This coming weekend

Just got this today regarding the Halloween Open Show this weekend. It sounds like a really great place to be especially since the proceeds will benefit the local horse community.

Come out the the SWAA Hallowwen Horse Show this weekend at the Clark County Fairgrounds! All proceeds from this show go to help abused and neglected horses in Clark County!

There will be a tack sale and a 4-H silent auction as well. This fun Open Horse Show includes a costume contest and a HAUNTED TRAIL (In-Hand) Class. Lots of walk/trot for the novice, or to get you horse back into condition.

Help save Clark County horses and have fun too!

Horse & Hunter Safety

Here is some important information from the WDFW regarding hunter safety. As a friend said when it was forwarded to me ... "75% of 200,000 hunters (150,000) afield this weekend. Might be a good weekend to go to the saddle club or silver buckle".

October 8, 2008
Contact: Steve Pozzanghera, (360) 902-2506

Hunters reminded to review safety procedures,state rules before heading afield

OLYMPIA - With nearly 75 percent of Washington’s 200,000 hunters expected to be afield this week as general deer and waterfowl seasons open, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) officials are reminding them to comply
with rules and take safety precautions.

"Hunters as a group play by the rules and hunt safely," said Steve Pozzanghera, WDFW’s Wildlife Program assistant deputy director. "But it’s always a good idea for anyone recreating outdoors to plan ahead by reviewing rules and safety precautions prior to heading out."

Details on hunting season dates and regulations, including the long-standing requirement for wearing blaze orange clothing, are available on WDFW's website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm and in printed regulation pamphlets at recreational license dealers and at WDFW offices statewide. A list of license dealers is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lic/vendors/vendors.htm .

Hunters also are reminded that this is the first fall hunting season since new public-conduct rules for WDFW wildlife areas were adopted by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission last December. Hunters should review those rules,
particularly on camping, campfires, target shooting and building blinds and tree
stands, at http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/public_conduct.html .

As big-game seasons in neighboring states also gear up, hunters are reminded that it is illegal to bring home bone-in deer or elk carcasses or body parts from other states and Canadian provinces where chronic wasting disease (CWD) - a disease of the central nervous system that is fatal to deer and elk - has been detected in wild herds.

"We don’t have CWD in Washington and we want to keep it that way," said Pozzanghera. "Hunters can help by following the restrictions on bringing carcasses in from other areas where CWD is a problem."

For a list of the states and provinces that have detected CWD and more information, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/cwd/ or page 16 of Washington’s 2008 Big Game Hunting Seasons & Regulations pamphlet.

Beach Ride (BCHW) Oct. 10 - 12

The Back Country Horseman of Washington are holding a beach ride this coming weekend. Here are the details.

Peninsula Saddle Club / Long Beach Rodeo Grounds
Contact person: Diann Wallin 360 642-2829

We have pens on a first come, first serve basis. You can also come with your own portable pens. We have dry camping only with no hookups. We also have restroom facilities, but no showers. Showers are available at different locations in the area.

Normal cost is $20 per night, which includes one vehicle with two horses. Each additional horse is $5/night, and each additional vehicle is $10/night.

BCHer's will be charge $20.00 per night per horse rig. $10.00 charge for extra vehicles & $5.00 charge for over two horses will be waived as long as we prove to clean up after ourselves & cause no harm to the grounds.

Please pay & fill out camping info in small building located at stop sign as you arrive. You can pay by the night if you wish. Make sure yellow tag is clearly visible in vehicle because volunteer that checks up on fees may come by while you're out riding.

Northwest Horse Forum

I got an email today announcing a new horse forum that's starting up in the Seattle area but could potentially reach all through the NW.

It sounds like a great site. Here are the details:

This is a place where horse owners and riders in the Pacific Northwest can connect with each other to talk about everything from locating good hay to finding a riding partner or someone to share a trailer ride. This also is a place where you can talk about competitions and events. This is an opportunity for horse riders to create their own online community as they wish. Folks also can add their own photos with their post.

To register, please go to www.seattletimes.com and click near the top right side of the page at "Your account." Your ID name will be the name you want shown on the posts.

After you register, you'll immediately get an e-mail confirmation. When that shows up, you'll need to confirm your registration on the link sent to you.

Here's the link to the forum: www.seattletimes.com/horseforum

When you get to the forum, you'll need to Login there at the upper right.

The process is pretty quick.

It's great to see more sites and activities for horse enthusiasts in the NW. So ... I'll see ya'll over there!

Tack Sale - Oct. 4 - Woodland

Hey, Just got this on email and thought I'd pass it along. Looks like there will be some great stuff at the sale! Check out the website below for pics and more information.

Lewis River Stables will be hosting a tack/garage sale, Saturday, October 4 from 9-3.
Space is available if you would like to sell anything. Please contact me by phone (360-225-3656) to reserve a spot.

Thank you, Brandi
Lewis River Stables
418 NW Hayes RD Woodland, WA

www.lewisriverstables.org

WDFW seeks nominees for land advisory panel

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.%20wa.gov/

September 25, 2008
Contact: Jennifer Quan,
360-902-2508

WDFW seeks nominees for lands advisory panel

OLYMPIA - The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking nominations for the Land Management Advisory Council (LMAC), a volunteer panel that advises the department on issues regarding the management and use of WDFW lands.

Created in 2002, the 20-member advisory group provides recommendations to WDFW about the department's land management of approximately 900,000 acres located throughout the state. WDFW lands provide valuable habitat for fish and wildlife conservation and compatible recreational uses.

"We look to our advisers to provide a broad range of experience and perspectives related to land management," said Jennifer Quan, WDFW lands division manager. "Nominees do not need to be affiliated with an organized group, although we do look for active involvement in land-management issues."

Any group or individual can nominate a candidate for a term on the LMAC, Quan said. Individuals can nominate themselves and current members are encouraged to reapply. Three-year appointments become effective in January 2009.

The LMAC meets up to four times each year, said Quan, noting that advisers are also asked to provide comment on written material between meetings. WDFW will pay travel costs incurred on LMAC business, when requested.

Nominations must be submitted in writing with the following information:

• Nominee's name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.
• Nominee's affiliations, if any, and what group will be represented.
• Name and contact information for any organization submitting a nomination.
• Relevant experience and reasons for wanting to serve as a member of the advisory council.
• Three professional references.

Nominations must be mailed by November 28 to Jennifer Quan, WDFW Lands Division Manager at 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA., 98501-1091, or sent by email to mailto:quanjlq%40dfw.wa.gov .

For more information, contact Quan at (360) 902-2508.

Trailhead closures

Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
Dickerman and Lake Twenty-two Trailheads Closed for Improvements The Mt. Dickerman Trailhead parking area closes Sept. 29 through April, 2009. Construction will increase the parking lot from 20 spaces to 70 to add parking for the Perry Creek Trail. A connector trail will be built from the Perry Creek Trail to the Dickerman Trailhead, and when it is finished, the Perry Creek Road will be closed. Mt. Dickerman Trailhead is located on the Mt. Loop Highway at milepost 27.3, east of Granite Falls.

Lake Twenty-two Trailhead parking area will close approximately Oct. 13 until the end of the year. The parking lot will expand from 30 to 48 spaces, gain new toilets and signs. Some parking will be available across the highway in the nearby Hemple Creek Picnic area. Lake Twenty-two Trailhead is located on the Mt. Loop Highway at milepost 13.2, east of Granite Falls.

For information about road and trail conditions go to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest site at: http://www.fs. fed.us/r6/ mbs/.

Bob Pickens
DNR Recreation Manager
Pacific Cascade Region
360-596-5145
bob.pickens@ dnr.wa.gov

Hunting Season Schedule

This was passed around BCHW and it's a good thing to know!

Check out the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife link below for a complete schedule of the hunting season and locations.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/seasons.htm

Remember to be safe on the trails this time of year!

Trail Clearing - 3 Corner Trail

Just thought I'd share. Here's an excellent opportunity for all of us that use the trails in the area to pitch in and offer some support to maintain them. Note, this is happening on Sunday.

Click here to see the Trail Map

Hello Friends & Neighbors,

Coming up this weekend we are having a trail clearing and clean-up on the 3 Corner Rock Trail. The plan is to stage two groups, one will start at the top and work down to the 1440 and another start at the 1440 road crossing and work down towards the trailhead; this means that it will all be working downhill. The bottom has already been started and cleared, so now it’s a matter of connecting the top to the trailhead. The work will include removing blow down, brushing; tread maintenance, culvert clearing, and trailhead maintenance. If you plan on coming out please bring work/hiking boots, long sleeves/pants, H2O, lunch, and favorite tools that could help in the trail maintenance. DNR will provide hard hats, gloves, shovels and various other tools that we have.

We will be meeting at 9:00am at 3 Corner Rock Trailhead for staging and getting materials.

So get your self up and drag some friends up to the trail on Sunday and help clear the way from the top down. Thank you for your all of your help and I look forward to seeing you all there.

Sincerely,
Nick Cronquist
Community Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator
Pacific Cascade Region
(360)274-2016
Nick.Cronquist@dnr.wa.gov

Beacon Rock Trail Open

This came through BCHW and I wanted to share:

Good Afternoon, Beacon Rock State Park's multi-purpose trail access is now open through the Equestrian Trailhead. This includes horse, bike, and foot traffic access throughout the backcountry trails.

Thank you for everyone's patience during the process of this project. We have had many calls and visits from park users inquiring about the reopening of the trails, so if you know folks who have also been waiting please pass it on.

Contact the park if you have any questions.

Have a great day,
Breeanne Jordan
Office Assistant
Beacon Rock State Park
509.427.8265

New Drill Team in CC

Hey, everyone:

Just a note to let you know that there's a new drill team in Clark County and we're currently looking for new members.

Diamond Dust is practicing on Tuesday nights at 7:30 pm.

We're just starting out this year so technically we're still "under construction" but we're very excited about building a true team of like minded individuals that come together to support each other and work hard on the sport of drill.

And hey ... we're currently looking for new members! Experienced in the sport of drill or not, if you want to be part of a fun and positive team, then check us out at http://www.diamonddustdrillteam.com/, shoot us an email, or call us at 360-567-7211 or 360-910-2275!

This is a great opportunity to help build a new and successful team so I hope that you'll join us in this adventure.

Rock Creek and a Trail Course

I've had a great "horse" weekend and thought I'd share just a few pictures with everyone.

Saturday and friend and I wandered out to Rock Creek and took the Tarbell Trail up into the hills ... literally up into the hills! Most of the 7 miles we rode were uphill. The horses were so tired! But it was an amazing day to be out and about.


The picture below is from the top of the trail looking down the path we'd just come from. The light was great and made everything look so peaceful!


Half way through the ride, we ran into someone's tree fort. I couldn't resist shooting a pic. It reminded me of something I would have done as a kid.

Today I headed up to Winlock to participate in a trail training course. The two arenas at Good Life Stables were set up with various "scary" obstacles such as bubble machines, noodles on posts that horses had to walk through, bridges, hula hoops, water, horns, umbrellas and more.

Participants were able to work through the course at their own pace which meant that everyone had an opportunity to work through any issues that came up. I spent the majority of time at the Winnie the Pooh bubble machine. :)

And finally, here's my horse, Sunny, thankful to have made it through the scary day and even more thankful that dinner was waiting at the trailer!

Equine Massage

I read this interesting on HorseCity.com and thought I'd cross post here. Any excuse to get closer to my horse is a good one and what better way than incorporating a bit of equine massage?

Anyway, check out the article. It's a good one.

Incorporating Massage Therapy
Into Everyday Horse Care
By Bethany Willis
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Posted: Wednesday, September 3, 2008

When you hit your knee on something what's the first thing you do? Put your hand on it and massage it right? Of course, because your natural instinct is to stabilize that injury and provide it some comfort. The same thing applies to your horse. From the highest level performer to the pasture pet, each horse can benefit from the use of massage ..... Read more

Horse shot in pasture

This was on the news last night. Very sad.

From KGW.com

09:28 AM PDT on Tuesday, September 2, 2008

By KGW Staff

A Clackamas County family was devastated to find their horse shot to death in the pasture over the weekend and now they hope police can help them find the killer.

Jennifer Crull and William Lukenbill said they last saw three-year-old Yukon alive on Sunday when they let him out to pasture along with their five other horses.

Then, that same afternoon, they noticed him lying motionless in the grass.

“He’ truly one of your loved ones, and to find him in that condition out in the pasture... Whoever did this, I just hope they realize what a horrible hole they've created in our family and in our life,” Crull said.

The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office has offered a reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.

Commercial Packers

This was recently posted on BCHW by Lori and I'm cross posting here as there's great information in this well written article.

Happy Trails!

I've posted some photos from a recent pack trip into the Pasayten Wilderness on the Yahoo website at http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/BCHW/ . If you live in WA and have not ever been there: DO IT! There is a reason it is so popular for stock users. The most populated areas are that way for a reason: the scenery is spectacular!

Now:
This message is to those who are not one of 'them', as most trail riders today are not. 'THEM: one who heads into the middle of the mountains for days on end, pack stock in tow, with no plans to return to their trailer/camper at the end of each ride. Note: if personal hygiene is REALLY high on your list of 'must haves' then you can quit reading now....8-)

Maybe you don't have the pack equipment and/or no pack horse? Not enough knowledge to make sure your trip is going to be worry free (excluding weather, trail conditions, etc. of course)? Or maybe you feel like it takes too much pre-planning and work? Well, that's me. In a 'previous life' I packed all over the place, several times a year. In my current life - not! And then I finally discovered the Joys of Hiring a Packer! An old dog CAN learn new tricks....

For the uninitiated, here is how one version (my favorite) works:
1. Me, my horse & friends all show up at the trailhead with our personal duffle, place it on the ground and head up the trail to the camp site.
2. Pretty soon, here come the packer and all his mules with all our stuff and the camping gear. Which HE sets up while I sit on my rear and read a book and drink an Adult Beverage.
3. But best of all, along comes the camp cook with all the food that SHE organized, purchased and packed and COOKS! While I again sit on my rear and read a book and drink an Adult Beverage.

Is this more expensive than doing everything yourself? Sure. But for those that do not have the experience or resources to do it SAFELY themselves it's sure much less stressful! Stress can be bad for your blood pressure and can add lines to your face...... And hey - I'M WORTH IT! Having a pro - with their experienced animals - deal with everything involved results in fewer things that can and do go wrong on pack trips. Been there, done that.....

If you've ever wanted to get back into the high country for several days on end and NOT COOK, then this is the way to go. Packers also offer Drop Camps. This is where you assemble all your personal items, your own camping and cooking equipment and food and the packer packs it in for you and then returns to pack it out when your trip is done.

For more info on commercial packers in WA check out the Washington Outfitters and Guides Assn. http://www.woga. org/ . If you want to go out of state then the WOGA website has a list of other state organizations too. Or many of them are at some of the first of the year Sportsman's Shows where you can meet them in person. Decide where you want to ride and then contact them and get references. If you want to ride your own horse (make sure it is in shape and experienced! The wrong horse can be a real pain for you and can easily ruin your trip. It may be a better - and safer - idea to use one of the packers horses in some cases) make sure you ask if they allow them and what the conditions to do so are.

Now get with some friends or family and start planning a memorable pack trip for next summer!

Lori

PS: I even
got to meet Cheryl from the BCHW Yahoo Group on my trip! She was one
of the many with some good ideas for Adult Beverages on pack trips.

Cross-post - Clackamas County Equine Trails

I got this in my email. Found it interesting. Am therefore passing it along.

Please voice your support for the Springwater Corridor in Clackamas County !

Clackamas County is requesting $1,200,000 for the Springwater Corridor Improvement Project through the 2011-2013 Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) Transportation Enhancement Program (TE). The Project will pave 2.21 miles of the Springwater Corridor from Rugg Road in Clackamas County to Dee Street in Boring, with a 10 to 12 foot wide multi-use pathway with soft shoulders for use by pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians. ODOT is seeking public comments on projects being considered for Transportation Enhancement (TE) funding.

The comment period will be open from August 1 through September 15, 2008. Responses received during that period will help ODOT determine which projects advance to the TE Advisory Committee for final evaluation and selection, and will affect the committee’s scoring of those projects. All comments should be submitted through the internet survey site set that has been set up for this purpose.

This survey site will serve as the method of gauging public support and concerns for TE projects competing in the 2008 funding cycle. Agencies, interest groups, and the general public may respond to support or oppose a specific project, or to indicate priorities among competing projects in various areas of the state. Participants will select a geographic area of the state (The Springwater Corridor project is listed under Clackamas, Hood River , & ColumbiaCounties ), then indicate which project or projects they most strongly support or oppose.

They can mark their main reasons for supporting or opposing a project, and enter additional comments below that. If they have interest in another area of the state, they can repeat the process for another geographic area.

Please go to our project website to connect to the survey at http://www.boringstation.com/, or ODOT’s Local Government Section web site at http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/LGS. Those without access to the internet may contact the Transportation Enhancement Program Manager at (503) 986-3528 for a printed copy of the Comment/Response form.

Please vote that you strongly support project # 12 - Clackamas County : Springwater Trail Extension ( Rugg Road – Hwy 212 at Boring).

Below are some ideas for comments:·

• The Clackamas County Springwater Trail Extension project meets goal number 1 and goal number 8 of the TE activities by preserving an abandoned railway corridor as a multi-use trail for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• The construction of the Clackamas County Springwater Trail Extension project is identified in the Clackamas County Park ’s Master Plan but is only partially funded. Without funding by the TE Program, the project cannot be completed in a timely manner and cannot take advantage of current momentum and local support.
• The Project will benefit Highway 212 by improving pedestrian and bicycle facilities close to the Highway.
• The Clackamas County Springwater Trail Extension project promotes and encourages the use of trails for transportation and recreation by bicyclists, pedestrians, and equestrians. Currently, trail users turn around, or travel on a dangerous route along Telford Rd. to reach Boring.
• The Clackamas County Springwater Trail Extension Project will open up the trail to more users and enhance the travelers’ experience along the trail. Currently, the trail is gravel and inaccessible to many people traveling the Springwater Trail from Gresham and Portland, including those on street bikes, in wheelchairs and strollers and some walkers.
• Paving this trail section of the Springwater Corridor will provide the missing link between the Springwater and Cazadero Trails. Metro has identified the Cazadero Trail, owned by the State of Oregon , as one of the Great Eight Trail Packages for our region. Oregon State Parks and Recreation is currently working on completion of the Cazadero Trail. Without the completion of this project, there will be a gap in the Springwater Trail which directly connects to the Cazadero Trail, south of Hwy. 212 in Boring. Please forward this email to your friends, family, and co-workers!!

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Thank you for your support!! Sincerely, Katie DunhamPlannerClackamas County Parks9101 SE Sunnybrook BoulevardClackamas , OR 97015503-794-8051

37-yr-old Horse & an Endurance Race

Article from thehorse.com
by: Marsha Hayes

http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12530

Elmer Bandit, 37-year-old half-Arabian gelding, completed the Spotted Rump Ride Competitive Trail Event at Greensfelder Equestrian Park near St. Louis, Mo., Aug. 16 to boost his lifetime mileage to 20,420. Saddlebred Wing Tempo holds the current mileage record with 20,710 miles.

Elmer finished second in the Open Lightweight Division. Weight divisions are based on the weight the horse carries over the 60-mile, two-day event. Owner Mary Anna Wood of Independence, Mo., consistently weighs in (with tack) at around 150 lbs, well below the 189 lb limit for the Lightweight Division.

Elmer and owner Mary Anna Wood at a ride earlier this year. A half-Arabian named Jac Natalie took first place in Elmer's division. She was born the year Elmer turned 28. Jac Natalie, with owner Jackie Hathorn aboard, traveled the 60 miles of trail with Elmer. During parts of the competition, the mare had to canter to keep pace with tough gray gelding.
"Elmer has a 'turbo trot,' " explained Wood. Tracked using GPS technology, Elmer's "turbo trot" averages 11.7 mph.

Part of the course sent competitors through trail jump course. Although not required, Elmer took one of the jumps just for fun. He ended the ride just as strong, out-walking several gaited horses on the hilly terrain during the last two miles Sunday.

Veterinary Judge Lucy Hirsch, DVM, of Smithville, Mo., pronounced Elmer sound Sunday afternoon at the event's final vetting procedure.

"This is one of the toughest rides of this region--very hilly and very rocky," noted Hirsch.
Elmer is scheduled to compete again Aug. 30 at the Nebraska National Forest CTR near Halsey, Neb.

Back Country Horseman Article

There was a great article about the National Back Country Horseman (BCH) on HorseCity.com.

After taking in this article, be sure to check out the Mt. St. Helen's chapter of the BCH. They meet locally and are very active in maintaining our trails.

Back Country Horseman of America Volunteer Hours

Posted: Thursday, August 21, 2008

The Back Country Horsemen of America is pleased to announce that its members performed 244,840 hours of volunteer service for the year 2007 to benefit trail users in the back country. BCHA has member organizations in 25 states.

These hours were trail work and leave-no-trace educational training. The trail work included building trail head facilities, building and repairing bridges, manual trail work, and packing equipment, provisions and mail for trail crews, like the Youth Conservation Corps. All of the time is volunteered on national, state and local public lands including the state parks, USDA Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and The National Park Service.

Travel miles to get horses and equipment to the work sites in 2007 was 1,079,870 miles. Stock days were 13,430. A stock day is one horse or mule used for one work day. The dollar value for hours, mileage and stock was $5,619,373 in 2007.

"We're proud of our volunteer work," said Mike Reedy, Chairman. He continued: "We work long hours at remote sites. Our national volunteer hours for the past thirteen years are 1,646,519.

Think of the dollar value as a gift or donation to the people of the United States who use our back country totaling $37,205,036. Impressive, don't you think!"

Founded in 1973, Back Country Horsemen of America is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the historical use of recreational stock on all public lands commensurate with this country's heritage. The group works to do this by assisting various government and private agencies in their maintenance and management of said resource as well as by educating, encouraging, and soliciting active participation in the wise use of the back country resource by horsemen and the general public. BCHA's membership is made up of individuals and organized groups across the country. Membership is open to all. BCHA can be found online at www.backcountryhorse.com. You can also contact toll free at 888-893-5161 for further information.

Busy Weekend

I heard on the news today that the upcoming weekend is historically one of the busiest of the year. It must be that everyone is itching to get out before school starts up again.

After doing a quick check of our Horse Calendar, I can see that's true in our world as well. There are poker rides, fun rides, game days, barrel races, camp-outs, festivals and more. It's a truly a horse extravaganza!

I love the possibilities though. I plan to partake in as many of the events as possible so that I can get my horse fix. The weather last week was a very clear reminder of what's to come this winter. Best to get out enjoy as much of the awesomeness as possible before we're all stuck inside.

I hope that you all get a chance to get out and enjoy some of the fun events this weekend. If you do, drop us a note and tell us about them!

Clark County Horse Calendar

Happy trails!

Elbe & Tahoma Trail Details

There was recently a discussion on the BCH board about some trails I'd never heard of but after the discussion, they sounded like must visit trails. So ... I thought I'd cross post here in case anyone else wanted to check them out.

This information as well as the awesome pics were provided by Diane K who is a frequent rider of these trails. The pics were taken in Nov and as you can see, it's still beautiful!

I love it up at Elbe, I go camping up there November, December (beautiful with the snow fall). We just got back from a ride August 1 - 3rd.

The trails are great... they have trail maps for everyone at the sign's posted in a little box at the two areas as you come in by the handicap ramp and the other by the shed.

You have horseshoe pits to play, water for the horses, camp fire pits, the covered shed for gatherings, and lots of highline area just under the trees and away from the camp area but close enough to where you can see you horses. Basically right on the other side of the road.

When you come into the grounds, you stay straight. It breaks off into two roads and I would suggest to stay left. If you stay left you can pull into the campsite and pull out on the other road. These sites will mean your horses are closer and you
can pull in or back into the spots. You can unload the horses and highline them right close to camp (closer then the first drive in).

You have two bathrooms, one by the handicap ramp just as you come in and one by campsite 6 I think (I usually like campsite 9 it is a back in site).

You have the lower elk spur which is a nice ride and yes the trail does start to climb. Then you have does crossing to the upper elk spur which is still going up but no drop offs. I took this trial system I am explaining with a 15 yr old girl with no riding experience. (Prior to taking her on this ride however I went and took her on the handicap loop just to see her riding experience.) I asked her prior to going up how she was doing and she said fine. I asked her if she was scared yet and she said she left scared down at the bottom just at the bridge. We climbed across to the holly trail and rode that back. It was a great ride.

FYI Does crossing is also nicknamed the Peanut Loop.

Normally I ride Does crossing on up to the upper elk spur and then take that to Peggys crossing, the upper elk spur follows the road and is very wooded so no steep drop offs. You just have to be careful as Fawn Crossing connects to the Upper Elk spur and there is one place that is like a Y you want to stay to the right. The sign is up ahead alittle and hard to see coming this way. However Fawn crossing is a cut off and a very nice trail to ride that connects to the Holly Trail.

Once you get to the Camp Site (whoever is putting it in GREAT JOB it will be nice once completed) you can go around the blue gate by a trail and connect to Bucks Crossing up ahead of the culvert on the left side of the road. At the top you just have to start watching on the left side for the trail or you can take Peggys crossing (lots of switch backs and it does climb which can intimidate a experienced rider or someone that does not like steep trails).

Take Bucks Crossing down to the Lower Elk Spur and there is a couple of water crossing on Bucks Crossing so the dogs and horses can drink. When you get to the T take the Lower Elk Spur back into camp.

As you can tell I have never rode this system :).

If you take Peggy's Trail remember your camera. On a nice day you can take pretty photos of Mt Rainier.

Nice area lots of tree cover and the trails are awesome.

When I was up there I didn't run into any bees which was a good thing as sometimes you have bees nest along the trail but this year you don't or at least I didn't notice. You will have fun it is a great area and very nicely put together easy access off the road and very well kept.

DIRECTIONS:
I do not take Hwy 7 way too many corners under 20 MPH and very steep hills.
I come from Olympia take Hwy 12 into Yelm go through Yelm to McKenna. Go Right follow this to Hwy 7 and instead of going Right I go straight ahead and into Eatonville. Go Left and follow this all the way to the T at the Lake which is a steep hill going down. Go Left on Hwy 7 and follow through Elbe and keep going straight. At Mile Post 5 turn on blinker left and then turn into horse camp. Sign on left side of the road looks like a street sign says DNR Horsecamp.

Love it! If you have never been there and can handle trails that are between a 1.5 to a 3.5 go for it.... however, Bull Run (another great trail on the system) I would classify as a 4.5 along with Peggy's crossing which has alot of switch backs but I wouldn't pass them up for anything... Great system go and enjoy tell the person that doesn't want to go :p and go.... Just my opinion you'll love it.

Other resources for information on this trail:

• Location - From DNR this PDF shows the location of the trail system. It takes awhile to download.
• Purchase - Here you can purchase a map for $1.00
• Mount Tahoma Trails Association- Lots of great info here - maps, directions, etc.
  

Poker Ride Just Added

Hey, everyone. I just added a Poker Ride to the calendar and I definitely think it's might be worth checking out this weekend.

For those of you that haven't been to a poker ride before, basically it's a trail ride with prizes! There are "stop points" marked along the trial where you will be given a poker card. At the end of the trail ride, the best hands win awesome prizes.

Poker rides are a great way to get out and support the community (in this case the Columbia county 4H Leaders Committee) and have a great time with your horse. The prizes don't hurt much either!

Anyway, here are the details. Hope to see you there!

What:
Poker Ride - Fundraiser for the Columbia County 4-H Horse Leaders Committee.

When:
Saturday, Aug., 23rd. 9:00 am - First rider out11:30 am - Last rider out

Details:
$5 a hand or 5 hands for $20.
Prizes at 3:00 pm. Lots of great prizes! Saddles, horse items, gift certificates, and more! Concession stand with hot dogs and more. Breakfast - biscuits & gravy.

Where:
From HWY 30 take Sykes Road to the "Y" (approximately 3 miles from Hwy 30).
Go right at the "Y" (Brooks/Dowd Road).
Travel 2.5 miles on Dowd Rd.
Watch for signs along the route which will be posted from Hwy 30.
For more information call Kate Olson (503-397-1217) or Sheryl Savage (503-366-1166).

Trailer Emergency Kit

I just read this article in Horse Illustrated and thought I would pass it along. It contains some great tips and a list of things all of us should have in our horse trailers in case of emergency.

Sometimes it's hard to take time out to prepare for an emergency, but accidents happen and when they do, you'll be happy you had items on hand to get you through it.

http://www.horsechannel.com/horse-exclusives/trailer-emergency-kit.aspx

Beacon Rock - Hamilton Beach Trail Update

This came through from the BCHW group who had contact Beacon Rock State Park for a status update. Below is their response.

"... we are making progress. The road washout repairs are in the bidding process, so that is moving along. I believe work will be starting sometime next month, by then we'll have a better idea on the timeline for completion. The bridge contract has been awarded, but awaits the road repairs before anything can happen."

You're never too old ...

Do you know what I love about watching the equestrian portion of the Olympics? It's one of the only sports in the Olympic games where age and experience are considered benefits.

I mean, in gymnastics if there's a 16-yr-old competing, the commentators often say that she's old for the sport and most likely this is the end of her Olympic career. Really? Wow.

But, yesterday as I was watching the jumping portion of the equestrian games, I was pleasantly surprised to see a 60 year old man making his Olympic debut. The commentators stated that age and experience are considered benefits in equesterian sports. It's about darn time!

In addition, there's a 67 year old man on the Japanese equestrian team.

I find that amazing and I love hearing things like that.

It makes me feel like a spring chicken and gosh-darn-it ... if a 67-year-old man can go out there and ride his heart out at the Olympics ... well ... then at 31 I should be able to get my horse out on a trail ride occasionally!

Yeah!

But maybe I'll do it tomorrow.

Now, off to watch more Olympics.

Happy trails!

Horse Catalogs & Websites

Hi, my name is Wendy and I'm a horse magazine and website addict.

I can spend hours looking through magazines, catalogs, and websites thinking of all the things I must have. Once I find things I "must have", I then spend time confirming the reasons I "must have" them, put them in my cart and then - once the purchase is becoming a reality - I don't complete the transaction. I'm sure these companies hate me for dragging down their conversion rates!

Anyway, here are just a few of the sites that I love to poke around. There are some great deals here and if nothing else they offer a great way to waste some time!

• My Little Tack Shop
• Back in the Saddle
• Jeffers Equine
• Valley Vet Supply
• Dover Saddlery
• Country Supply
• State Line Tack
• Big D's Tack
• Horse Tack Co.

So what websites do you go to when you need a horsey fix?

Olympic Videos

In case you've missed any of the coverage, here's a link to view the latest and greatest videos from NBC.

http://www.nbcolympics.com/rss/sport=eq/video/index.xml

Too Hot to Trot

Here's an interesting video that was found on the Wall Street Journal site. It talks about how the teams keep the horses cool in the hot and humid Hong Kong weather.

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid86195573/bclid1481452986/bctid1723493488

BG Lake - Trail Maintenance

An amazing amount of work and dedication go into maintaining our local trails, keeping them rideable, open, and awesome so that we can all enjoy them.

But did you know that no one person is responsible for these efforts? Local clubs and organizations (such as the Washington Trail Riders Association - WTRA- and the Back Country Horsemen - BCH) pick up a lot of this work, but really it's all of our responsibility to keep these trails going.

Right now the WTRA, in coordination with the park rangers and the WSU Small Acreage program, are working on the Battle Ground Lake Trail.

Perhaps you've noticed the new trailhead at the end of the parking area. This was built as the new trailhead and next to it, they are putting in some manure bins. The bins will ensure that the droppings left by our horses is set up to compost and therefore become a usable by-product for our community.

Once the bins are in place, you need only grab the wheelbarrow that will be there, pick up your manure, and dump it into the bins.

Doing this one small thing will really help keep the parking area clean and usable for other groups that share the space. For some reason, non-horsey people are not all the keen to step in horsey poop. Go figure.

In addition to the opportunities to help with the bins, you can also help keep the trail clear and rideable. Generally the WTRA schedules a couple work parties to cut back weeds, blackberry bushes, etc. but this year has been a bit hectic so they need our help to keep the trail clear. Barbara Thomas, president of the WTRA, said she will be scheduling a work party shortly (look for more info on that soon) but in the meantime, there's no reason why all of us can't be helping out as we're working our horses.

And think, it's a great training opportunity to make your horse stand still as you cut back some blackberries!

For more information on how you can be involved in the Battle Ground Lake Trail project, contact Barbara Thomas at 360-896-7123.

NOTE: They are currently looking for strong, strudy individuals to help place the 12x14 posts for the manure bins. If you or someone you know might be able to help for an afternoon, please contact Barbara ASASP!

Washington and Oregon Fire Updates

Here is a great link you should bookmark if you do any trail riding.

InciWeb is an up-to-date site that lists the fire locations as well as the current status of the fire. It's a very useful tool to keep checking out if you're heading out on a trail.

Washington - http://www.inciweb.org/state/49
Oregon - http://www.inciweb.org/state/38/

Happy trails!

AQHA Youth Worlds

You can watch the AQHA Youth World Championships online!

Check out: http://www.aqha.com/youth/activities/yws/ywsschedule_working.html. Click the "Live Webcast" link in the upper left.

The webcast is available through today only.

Horse "Poop" Vacuum

This is just too funny not to post ... I can see a lot of uses for this nifty little horse poop vacuum actually. Stall cleaning would be a breeze!

Greystone Vacuums

Battle Ground Lake Trail

Chances are, if you own a horse in live in Clark County, you've most likely visited Battle Ground Lake state park and ridden through the trees and around the lake.


For those of you that haven't been out there, you really should make it a point to go at least once.


The horse trail is approximately 5 miles and is easy to ride. The trail is well maintained year round so it's even a good place to ride when the rain sets in.


The pics here were taken in January and as you can see, there is a bit of mud, but the trail is still very rideable. And yes, there actually was a sunny day in January!


If you're thinking of heading out along the trail, here's a link that will help you. It has a trail map, information on usage, and more.


Who knows, maybe I'll see you out there!


Driving Directions:
Located 21 miles northeast of Vancouver, Wash., on the state's western side in Clark County.


From I-5 southbound:Take exit #14, and follow signs to city of Battle Ground. Drive to east end of town. Turn left on Grace Ave. (in front of Foodliner Grocery), and follow signs to park, approximately three miles from city of Battle Ground.


From I-5 northbound:Take exit #9, and follow signs to city of Battle Ground. Drive to east end of town. Turn left on Grace Ave. (in front of Foodliner Grocery), and follow signs to park, approximately three miles from city of Battle Ground.


Map:
Trail Map

Footing:
There are some small rocks in places and the upper trails can be quite rocky with large rocks. The trails are solid though and rideable year round.

What to bring:
There is camping available onsite and horse corals on the upper trails. There is an outhouse 1/2 through the trail ride. It is wise to bring water.

Parking:
There are two parking areas available for horse trailers. Both have pull through parking available.

Seasons:
Year round.

Happy trails!

Poggio - the Olympic Pack Horse

This is really a great story that ran in the Seattle Times a couple days ago.

Olympian Poggio a former pack horse

The horse Amy Tryon will ride at the Olympics in the graceful, precise sport of equestrian isn't Best in Show.

By Gregg Bell

AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE —
The horse Amy Tryon will ride at the Olympics in the graceful, precise sport of equestrian isn't Best in Show. More like Best in Tow.

Poggio II was a pack horse.

The 16-year-old bay gelding and Tryon are representing the United States in their second consecutive Summer Games next month. A decade ago, while most of his competitors were being groomed for blue ribbons or thoroughbred racing, Poggio was lugging camping gear and other equipment up and down the Cascade Range east of Seattle.

"Yeah, it's a unique story," Tryon said, laughing through her phone last week from outside Manchester, England.

She and Poggio have been competing in England during weeks of Olympic tuneups before equestrian events begin Aug. 9 in Hong Kong.

They compete in eventing, a three-day test combining dressage, show jumping and
cross-country.

Tryon, a 38-year-old recently retired firefighter from Duvall, Wash., didn't find Poggio in a stall. She didn't witness the veiled potential of a horse that has since won an individual bronze medal at the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Germany and helped the U.S. equestrian team to a bronze medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics and gold at the 2002 World Equestrian Games in Spain.

She found the only horse to qualify for every U.S. national team over the last six years in the classified ads of a newspaper.

"Poggio's definitely had some humble beginnings, to say the least," said Joanie Morris, communications manager for the United States Equestrian Federation.
"I'd have to say he's the only pack horse to be in the Olympics. He's an anomaly, for
sure. Not too many Olympic horses are found in the want-ads."

Tryon first began riding horses in competitions at age 8. She was a firefighter at the
Eastside Fire and Rescue, in the suburbs of Seattle, in 1997 when she saw an ad
for a horse for sale in the paper. It mentioned the horse was sired by Polynesian Sire, which she knew to be a particularly strong jumping horse. Based on bloodlines alone, she and a friend bought Poggio for $2,500. A week later Tryon traded with her friend - Poggio for a horse Tryon had on her farm.

It was not love at first sight.

He was in pretty sad shape," Tryon said. "His feet needed attention. He had been living in a paddock with a bunch of horses and was a bit chewed up. And his feet were not put on his body very straight. He had long hair that needed cut.

"He certainly wasn't a show horse."

Poggio had a short and failed career in thoroughbred racing before becoming a pack horse. Tryon's challenge: Make Poggio a master of dressage - the disciplined display of natural movements often called "horse ballet" - plus show jumping and cross-country racing.

Throughout exhaustive retraining, Poggio showed his inherent jumping ability.

Within one year, he was the first horse Tryon rode in a world-class eventing competition. Three years later, they were world champions. Now they are back in the Olympics.

"He has very much stepped out of his skill level," Tryon said.

Tryon, who co-owns Poggio with Mike Hart, sees this as the horse's finale after a decade of transformation.

"I'm planning this to be his last big international competition. He certainly doesn't owe me anything," she said. "What I want for him is to step away from competition when he is still healthy and happy."

The giggles and enthusiasm in Tryon's voice show she's happy. She, too, has come a long, unconventional way.

She was initially didn't want to pursue the sport because she saw it as being for the rich. Her parents were separated. Her mother was a school teacher in the Seattle suburb of Issaquah. For her first eventing competition, Tryon rode a borrowed pony.
Her mother helped her graduate in two years from Issaquah High School so Tryon could move at age 16 to the East Coast, more of an equestrian region than the
Northwest. Five years later Tryon was back home in a career in firefighting that began in 1993 as a 21-year-old volunteer. She was hired full-time two years later.

Tryon said she chose firefighting because she could work consecutive 24-hour shifts and then have three days to compete in equestrian.

"The riding is all great, but you have to learn how to make a living," she said. "It's a constant struggle financially to be in this sport."

She retired as a firefighter two years ago so she could compete and train horses full-time. Her husband, Greg, is a battalion chief with Eastside Fire and Rescue. He's on
vacation now to join Tryon in England and, starting next week, Hong Kong. Yes, he comes with his bosses' blessings.

"I keep telling him he can't get fired. He's the only one making money," she said, laughing.

Even at the highest levels, equestrian funding is scarce. The U.S. Olympic Committee gives some money to the national equestrian federation, but the federation has seven sports to fund. This year, Tryon received $5,500. That was to cover training expenses, food and boarding for herself and Poggio, plus rental cars, lodging and meals for the trips to England, Hong Kong and elsewhere.

Tryon raised additional money to help defray those costs. She conducted training clinics for young riders around Seattle. She worked horse shows. She made cold calls to friends and strangers. Her mother produced a newsletter for fundraising.
On the eve of the Olympics, Tryon's still seeking contributions.

She has had trials beyond money.

Last summer, she was suspended from competition for two months by the Federation Equestre Internationale (the international governing body for Olympic equestrian sports) and fined about $2,500 after she finished a cross-country event in Kentucky on a horse injured from a stumble just before the last jump of a run.
But an FEI tribunal cleared Tryon of career-threatening charges she intentionally finished the ride knowing the horse was seriously injured. Le Samurai was euthanized because of a leg injury.

Horse enthusiasts from around the world criticized Tryon for not being more decisive and aware, for not pulling up Le Samurai before the final fence to save him.

She says earning a place on the five-member U.S. eventing team a year later does not liberate her from the incident.

"It's not vindication at all. I had a tragic accident and unfortunately lost a horse that
was dear to me," she said. "It's a mistake that I made. He stumbled, which happens a lot in my sport. My reaction was not as quick as it could have been.
"I don't think it's ever something you can put behind you. But it's something you can learn from."

Through that tragedy - and through retiring from firefighting, which she called the toughest decision of her life because of the people there - Tryon has overcome the past to reach the Olympics.

Twice.

Just like Poggio II.

"Oh, yeah," Tryon said. "This is certainly much more than I expected Poggio and I to achieve.

"I guess I never dared to dream I'd be able do it on this scale."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times
Company

West Nile Virus in WA

This was posted Aug. 1 by the Washington State Department of Agriculture.

West Nile virus found in Moses Lake and Toppenish area horses—first cases in 2008

OLYMPIA – West Nile virus (WNV), a potentially fatal disease in equines, has been confirmed in two horses, one in Moses Lake and the other in the Toppenish area, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) announced today.

These are the first confirmed cases this year of horses contracting West Nile virus in Washington. Last year, eight horses were confirmed for the disease, all in Yakima County.

Washington State University’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Pullman reported the positive test results to WSDA today.

The 24-year-old gelding quarter horse in Moses Lake appears to be recovering. The Yakima County horse, a five-year-old quarter horse mare, has been euthanized. Neither horse was vaccinated for WNV.

“The best way to protect a horse from West Nile infection is vaccination,” said Dr. Leonard Eldridge, state veterinarian. “Horse owners with concerns should contact their veterinarian for information on vaccines and annual booster shots.”

Eldridge also recommended that horse owners take measures to reduce mosquito populations by removing standing water from yards and barns and changing water in troughs or bird baths that could be a source of mosquito breeding.

West Nile virus is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito and can infect people, horses, many types of birds, and other animals. Humans cannot contract WNV through contact with an infected horse. Infected horses do not spread the disease to other horses or animals. Mosquitoes become carriers when they feed on an infected bird. Horses that contract WNV may show signs such as loss of coordination, loss of appetite, confusion, fever, stiffness and muscle weakness, particularly in the
hindquarters. Many horses and other animals contracting WNV do not become ill and show no symptoms at all. About one-third of horses that become ill die.

Veterinarians and horse owners should report potential cases of West Nile virus in horses by calling the State Veterinarian’s Office at (360) 902-1878.

More WNV information is available on the following Web sites:
• Department of Health: www.doh.wa.gov/WNV
• Washington State University: www.wnv.wsu.edu
• Department of Agriculture: www.agr.wa.gov
Go to the Animal Health section after clicking on “Food and Animals.”

Nifty Little Tool

I found this Velcro cleaner tool not too long ago and LOVE IT! It's great for cleaning any kind of Velcro but I especially like it for use on my SMBs.


It's really small and flips closed so I can tuck it in my tack box and not worry about it until I need it.

http://stores.healthyasahorse.net/Detail.bok?no=210

Search & Rescue

Jody will be back today and will write more about this when she can.

However, in the meantime, I wanted to just throw out a "Thank you" to the equestrian Search & Rescue crew that joined the lost child rescue in Skamania County.

It's an amazing thing to see so many people and horses working together.

Shipping a Horse to China

Have you ever gotten nervous trailering your horse to Rock Creek or Kalama Horse Camp? I'll admit it ... I have!

So imagine what it must be like to transport your horse to China for the Olympics. These multi-million dollar horses are transported 1/2 way around the world, and then expected to perform in top form.

PRI Internationals The World had a great radio program about this very topic (Aug. 1st - about 42:45 mins into the program for the GeoQuiz).

219 horses from 48 countries make their way to Hong Kong for these Olympic events. So what exactly does it take not only to get the horses to China but to keep these horses comfortable and in top shape? Did you know this process starts at least 67 days prior to the Olympics?

To find out more information, take a listen for yourself. It's truly an amazing undertaking.

Olympic Blogs

Here are a few blogs that might be interesting to check out for more information on the equestrian events.

EVENTING:
Becky Holder - http://www.holdereventteam.com/

Max Corcoran for OCT - http://special.equisearch.com/blog/maxcorcoran/
Greg Tryon for Team Tryon - http://teamtryon.blogspot.com/
Phillip Dutton - http://phillipdutton.com/cms/

CANADIAN
Kerri McGregor. She's the Assistant Team Manager to Mike Gallagher for the entire Canadian contingent
http://kerrimcgregor.wordpress.com/

GENERAL
Brian O'Connor is the announcer of the equestrian events - http://special.equisearch.com/blog/brianoconnor/

SHOW JUMPING
Beezie Madden - http://teamusa.usatoday.com/bmadden/

DRESSAGE
Debbie McDonald- http://special.equisearch.com/blog/debbiemcdonald/

USEF: Brian Soseby's blog: http://www.usef.org/TeamUSA/Blog1.aspx

Joanie Morris' blog (nothing there yet!): http://www.usef.org/TeamUSA/Blog2.aspx

GBR:Mary King (eventing), Tim Stockdale (showjumping), and Jane Gregory (dressage) all blog here for Horse and Hound.

And Team GBR Equestrian leader Will Connell provides interesting behind-the-scenes stuff here on the Team GBR website.

Kerri McGregor http://kerrimcgregor.wordpress.com/

http://www.horsehero.com/ - Interesting info

Equestrian Olympic Schedule

Jody did a bit of footwork and sent over additional information on the Olympics. There's some good stuff here ... including a detailed schedule!

Day by day listing of the events
http://www.nbcolympics.com/equestrian/index.html

Page full of still pictures
http://www.nbcolympics.com/equestrian/photos/index.html

Listing by sport
http://www.nbcolympics.com/tv_and_online_listings/index.html

Choose equestrian in ‘by sport’ drop down menu and it will give what is shown when. Or, choose ‘tv listing’ in the box toward the upper left and you can enter your TV source and it will show you the stations cover the Olympics.

This page has some information and news items. They also list the teams by country and offer a bit of information about each team.
http://www.fei.org/olympics/Pages/default.aspx

Thehorse.com has a link with an RSS feed.
http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=12274&source=rss

And, finally, here's a breakdown of the play dates/times from Thehorse.com.

Date: Program--Time (EST) on Channel

Aug. 9: 3-Day: Dressage--2:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on USA

Aug. 11: 3-Day: Cross- Country--6:00pm-8:00pm OXYGEN

Aug. 12: 3-Day: Stadium Team Gold Medal Final--6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on OXYGEN

Aug. 13: Dressage--6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on OXYGEN

Aug. 14: Dressage Team Gold Medal Final--6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on OXYGEN

Aug. 15: Show Jumping--6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on OXYGEN

Aug. 16: Dressage Individual--5:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. MSNBC

Aug. 17: Show Jumping Team Gold Medal Final 1st Round--10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m on NBC

Aug. 18: Show Jumping Team Gold Medal Final Round--6:00pm-8:00 p.m. OXYGEN

Aug. 19: Dressage Individual Gold Medal Final--6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. on OXYGEN

Aug. 21: Show Jumping Individual Gold Medal Final--10:00am-1:00 pm

Another link to schedule:
http://www.hkjc.org.cn/eng/equestrian/calendar.asp