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
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
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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MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE:
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OFFICE: 330/635-4145
Ride In Sync
Dressage Basics Are Good For the Western Horse
by Terry Myers
During my travels at various clinics and expos over the years, I had several opportunities to ride my western horses in dressage clinics. I found that my western horses can do the lower level dressage movements. Many of the things we do in western riding are similar to dressage, just using different terms and jargon. Yet so many times, when I try to talk dressage basics to a western rider, you can see the eyes glaze over. In this article I
am going to point out ways that dressage techniques can benefit the western horse and rider.
The dressage trainers and clinicians that I rode with stressed rhythm and cadence. Many western trainers talk about ‘feeling the feet’, which means being aware of the cadence of your horses’ foot fall to understand when you do have rhythm. When you have a steady rhythm and cadence with your horse, without any foot hitting the ground heavier than the others, then you know that your horse is in balance. You cannot collect a horse that is not balanced. The trouble with so many western horses and riders, they have a false sense of collection. Just because their head is low and the face is vertical, it does not mean they are collected. To be collected a horse has to square their shoulders, lift their back and drive with their hind end. If you force the head down without teaching the horse to lift their back and drive into the bit, all you
have is a horse that is forehand heavy and awkward in the stride.
I know you may not be convinced of the benefits of dressage for a western horse. Dressage is just a French word for training. The basics that a western horse should know includes moving shoulders in, haunches in, leg yields and half passes. All of these moves develop suppleness in the horse from the shoulder to the mouth as well as body control. Once that is achieved, the horse is set up to drive from behind and reach a higher level of performance.
Shoulders in is a maneuver that the horse’s inside hind leg falls in a line between the front feet. This teaches a horse how to start moving the shoulders from left to right. This amount of shoulder control is important in any discipline that requires a turn on the haunches, including reining spins and rolls backs, turning back cattle, and trail maneuvers to name a few.
Haunches in is a maneuver that I use a lot. It is used in lead departures, lead changes and collection basics. It is where the hip comes in, with the horse’s outside hind foot coming between the front feet. I like to have a haunches in queue for speed control in the show ring. Reiners used haunches in when going into their small slow circles. It is really important in trail maneuvers. You can’t back through an L if you don’t have control of the hip and shoulders. You also can’t work a gate in trail class or when trail riding if you can’t move shoulders over and push the hip.
Leg yields are when the horse bends around your leg pressure and moves latterly in the opposite direction. This is an excellent move to teach the horse to stand up in their shoulders and move away from leg pressure. The half-pass is a lateral movement,
in which the horse moves forward and sideways at the same time. Unlike the easier leg-yield, the horse is bent in the direction of travel, slightly around the rider’s inside leg. Both the leg yield and half-pass are about total body control.
These training techniques, in my opinion, should be in the resume of any ‘finished’ horse. It comes back to the ability to control of the horse’s whole body. Whether I am going on a trail ride or in the show ring, it all comes back to being able to ride-in-sync with your horse. Once you can do some or all of these dressage maneuvers, you will be amazed at the feeling of partnership with your horse. I think good horsemanship is a moving target. You can never be too good or know too much. There is always more to learn. I strive every day to learn from the horses I ride. We all owe it to our horses to continue to learn and grow with them; improving our skills, learning new techniques as well as time honored ones like dressage.
One final thing to remember… horses don’t make mistakes, people do. If you try to keep this philosophy in the forefront of your mind when working with your horse, you will be a more effective partner.
Questions about this or any of our articles can be emailed to us at myers5000@aol.com.
Terry Myers is a national clinician and champion horse trainer with a depth of knowledge developed from over 50 years in the horse industry. Myers has been a popular clinician at multiple expos in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about Myers’ Ride-InSync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit www.tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook.
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Meet the Junior High Division Officers
NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty
PRESIDENT, Chelsea Schoch
SECRETARY, Holly Rowe
PHONE, 419/651-0111
WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Emery Scott Student Vice President
As the new year has just started we are so excited to start it off with amazing members of OHSRA. As we are still on our winter break, our members are preparing for our spring season. This year all of our members will be fighting to be the top four in each of our events.
Our 2025-2026 president for the junior high division is Trent Hedrick. Trent is a two time all around champion. Trent’s favorite events are tie down
and team roping. He has been a member of the association for four years now. Our vice president is Gauge Murray for junior high. Gauge is a state champion qualifier. Gauge enjoys hunting and riding dirtbikes. He enjoys riding bulls and shooting light rifle. He has been a member for two years. Our secretary for junior high is Sydney Greene. Sydney is a 1x national qualifier and 2025 rookie cowgirl. She
loves to dance and sing. Sydney’s favorite events are breakaway and barrels. Lastly our princess Brenna Shepherd. Brenna is a 1x national qualifier. She was the champion barrel racer and reserve all around cowgirl for the 2025 season. Brenna enjoys poles and barrels. She enjoys playing basketball and hanging out with friends.
Daphne Lanctot and Emery Scott will be representatives at the mid-winter meeting in Denver, Colorado, at the end of this month. This is also a good time to remember our cowboy
prom at the Canal Winchester rodeo in March. We look forward to seeing everyone there! If you are interested in joining the rodeo community, extending your time with the association, or simply curious about how to sign up, visit our website at https://ohiohighschoolrodeo.org/ or check out our Facebook page: Ohio High School and Junior High Rodeo Association.
The membership portal for the 2025-2026 season opened July 1, and this rodeo family is always looking to grow.
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
PRESIDENT, Jessica Kuhnash
VICE PRESIDENT, Christine Talbert-Bash
SECRETARY, Vicki Sethna
TREASURER, Angela Tewksbury
EMAIL, midohiodressage@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.midohiodressage.org
by Shannon Call
Hurrah we have passed the winter solstice, and daylight is slowing expanding in our days again. All horse folks are rejoicing. Hope this newsletter finds our MODA members doing well. If you are enjoying the sun of Florida with your horses, all of us in the cold north are a bit jealous. For those MODA members braving the cold and still competing as winter warriors we are all very impressed with that dedication. For everyone else staying home and working on things or simply hanging out with your horse and doing what you can, you are applauded too. There are many seasons in horsemanship and showing up
Winter Season
for your horse is what matters most while also finding some happiness.
MODA members gathered on a snowy December 13, 2025, at the Brookside Country Club in Columbus Ohio. The afternoon event included a delicious luncheon, a slide show of members at competitions throughout the year, many wonderful, donated raffle baskets, presentation of the MODA grant winners, and presentation the rider and horse achievements and the year-end awards. Thank you to all who donated baskets, bought tickets for the baskets, sponsored or worked to provide and present the awards, worked to make the banquet happen, all who braved the snow to celebrate together and Brookside for the beautiful space. Our sponsors and volunteers make it all happen! All the year end award results are found on midohiodressage.com. Please send in your 2026 MODA membership so you can join us in another busy show season in 2026. Sign up to volunteer, it is fun and rewarding. Need ideas how to volunteer, email
president@midohiodressage.com and ask how you can help. Watch the Facebook page and the website, www.midohiodressage. com, for the 2026 shows. Expect the Mid Ohio Classic and East Meets West to return. MODA offers schooling and rated shows including USDF, WDAA and AQHA. Come show with us and join the fun.
2026 is the Year of the Horse, starting February 17 and ending February 5, 2027. This also will be a Fire Horse year. Fire Horse years are particularly noteworthy in Chinese culture due to the volatile and highly passionate nature they bring.
As fire amplifies the horse’s innate restlessness, this year is predicted to be charged with action, transformation, and heightened emotions. In Chinese culture, the horse is known for its energetic and dynamic nature. It symbolizes vitality, speed, and perseverance. People born in the Year of the Horse are believed to possess similar traits, such as being hardworking, warmhearted, and independent. As people we all identify with the year horse whether we were born under the sign or not. Lets hope 2026 brings the passion, energy and perseverance of the horse to all our MODA members.
Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
Join Us in March for Annual Meeting and Banquet
PRESIDENT, Dug Jordan
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Jimmy Corlew
SECRETARY, Jan Gould
TREASURER, Cindy Lawrence
WEBSITE, www.mtra.org
EMAIL, mtra.office@gmail.com
PHONE, 989/324-8549
Please join us at our annual meeting and banquet on March 21. It will be located at the Holiday Inn in Midland, Michigan. For room reservations call them at 989/794-8500 and mention the MTRA for a special room rate. Deadline for room reservations is February 21. Having a room reservation is not required to attend our banquet. We will start the evening off with refreshments at 5 p.m., following that will be a delicious buffet style dinner, next will be our meeting, then dancing and karaoke. We will have many wonderful prizes available to win by purchasing raffle tickets, 50/50 drawing, and a silent auction for historic items. This is a great time to connect with fellow trail riding equestrians. You do not have to have a current membership
to attend our banquet but it is encouraged. Tickets for dinner and dancing are $45/person; if you want to join us after dinner for dancing those tickets are just $10. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit our website, mtra.org. If you have
any questions, email the secretary, mtra.office@gmail.com.
2026 RIDE SCHEDULE
MAY 7-11: Blossom Ride
JUNE 13-28: June Ride
JULY 11-15: July Ride
JULY 24-26: AuSable Pines Endurance Ride
SEPT. 5-27: September Ride
OCT. 3-11: Color Ride
A membership is required to attend our trail rides. For more information, please visit our website: mtra.org or call the Michigan Trail Riders Association secretary at 989/324-8549.
Buckeye Equestrian Association What Clinic Would You Like?
PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio
VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan
SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner
TREASURER, William Milliner
FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
by Jane Malmsberry
Once again, Candy graciously hosted our December board meeting. We enjoyed a potluck ham dinner with tons of desserts! And a little business!
The recipients of our yearly donations are The Camelot
Centre and Focus Hippo Therapy. Keep up the good work! Each year, as we are able, Buckeye makes donations to area facilities or organizations that align themselves with our mission. Don’t be afraid to keep us updated on what your program is doing. If we aren’t aware you are out there or what you are doing, we can’t help. Who knows, maybe next time we will decide it’s your turn to be recognized!
As we look ahead, we will be discussing what clinics we will put on. Is there a subject you would like to see covered? Let us know! We also will be checking around for facilities to hold our clinics. Again, if you want to
recommend a place, let us know! It won’t be long before equine events start ramping up. I’m seeing posts for tack swaps and seminars already. Let the fun begin! Wishing everyone a safe and fun year of enjoying your equine partner.
Busy Planning the 2026 Show Season, APHA Updates
PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp
VICE PRESIDENT, Mark Peterson
TREASURER, Jill Davis
SECRETARY, Heather Collins
WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
by Jennifer Peterson
As we begin to ease into the new year, the Ohio Paint Horse Club has been working to finalize our showbills, awards, judges, sponsors, announcers, scribes, and ring crews for the 2026 show season. We have some amazing venues, awards, and judges lined up and we can’t wait to see everyone at the shows. We have worked hard to keep these shows competitive, affordable, family friendly, and fun! We continue to offer all breed and money classes in addition to APHA classes for the 2026 show season. Bring your non APHA horses for the all-breed classes or enroll your APHA horses in the PAC (Paint
Alternative Competition). Our shows are PAC approved. For complete list of the Ohio Paint shows as well as the Zone 8 shows, visit us at OHPC.org or find us on Facebook at Ohio Paint Horse Club.
APHA NEWS AND UPDATES
Paynt Points: Launched in 2025, Paynt Points is an incentive program that directly rewards exhibitors for points earned in APHA-approved shows. All APHA Amateur, Youth, Novice and Walk-Trot points earned in 2025 automatically generate twice-a-year payouts to the horse owner/lessee at the time the points were earned. New for 2026, open points now receive Paynt Points payouts, meaning all points earned at an APHA approved show will generate a payout for the owner! Additionally eligible Paints can earn even more with the Paynt Points Color Bonus! For more information on this amazing program and to enroll your horse in the Color Bonus, please visit apha.com.
New Rules for 2026 and New Rule Change Proposals: There are 18 new APHA rules that take effect January 1, 2026. Notable changes include modifications to the Novice eligibility reinstatement rules, removing ownership requirements for Novice Youth exhibitors, adding the option to split Amateur Walk-Trot classes into two age divisions, and adding new point-earning classes.
There is a total of 43 new rule change proposals that will be discussed at the 2026 APHA Leadership Gathering.
For new rules and the rule change proposals, please visit APHA and review/download the 2026 rule book which is now available at apha.com/rule-book
APHA Leadership Gathering: Several members of the Ohio Paint Horse Club will be in attendance and representing Ohio at the annual leadership gathering in Ft. Worth. APHA members and paint enthusiasts are welcome and encouraged to attend.
The Leadership Gathering is an annual conference for APHA and AjPHA leaders to connect and impact the association’s future. At this gathering, meetings take place for advisory committees, the Board of Directors, and
members. Bonus educational and social activities let you connect with Paint enthusiasts from around the world. This years event takes place February 27 through March 1 in the historic Forth Worth Stockyards.
For more information and registration please visit apha.com.
REMINDER: For those that feed Tribute feed, please save your Proof of Purchase tags. We can submit these as a fundraiser for our youth club through their Partner Program.
FEB. 21: Second Annual Awards Banquet, Ann Arbor, Michigan
FEB. 27-MARCH 1: APHA Leadership Gathering, Fort Worth, Texas
APRIL 25-26: OPHC Buckeye Extravaganza at Champions Center, Springfield, Ohio. Judges: Randy Wilson, Sally Puzacke, Lori Gordan, John Boxell
MAY 1-3: Great 8 Zone A Rama at C Bar C Arena, Cloverdale, Indiana. Judges: Garth Gooding, Sonessa Gooding, Austin Gooding, and three TBD.
JULY 25-26: OPHC Buckeye Bonanza at WEC, Wilmington OH. Judges: Daren Wright, Carly Parks, Sara Simons, Andrea Simons.
Farrier Friendly
A Challenge Facing Today’s Farrier
Keepin’ It Real (Part 1 of 2)
by Bryan Farcus MA, CJF
A New Age of Old ?
When it comes to the care of our horses and particularly the care of their feet, we have made some extraordinary advances. Many of our ‘old school’ ideas have evolved from what was once considered the ‘gut instincts’ of a few to become the ‘true and tested’ methods of many. The horses of our time have benefited from the past and for that we can be grateful. However, when it comes to the handling of our horses, it seems as though there is still a noticeable disconnect between the principles we often reference and the applications we employ. Historically, it is not unusual for the fundamentals of any principle to become fragmented. Even the legendary writings of Jno. Dollar and his cohort Albert Wheatley have suggested that “95 percent of what we know about the art and science of horseshoeing was known by 1900” and that “there is little that is really new…” Yet, we still struggle with contrasting interpretations and justifiably so, since much has been researched and discovered about the care of Equidae from the time of Dollar and Wheatley’s declaration.
Attempting to Bridge the Gap
As a practicing farrier, I’ve witnessed an intensified desire on the part of many horse owners to connect or reconnect with their equine partners. Living in this information age, many individuals have been able to seek-out and obtain the horsemanship/handling concepts to enhance their ‘bonding’ or ‘becoming one’ relationship with their horse. Unfortunately, many of these ideas tend to be somewhat abstract; particularly, when viewed from the farrier’s perspective. Quite often, a working farrier can easily become disconnected from
such ideology, because the goals most important to him/her (safety and efficiency) are based strictly on the reality of the situation at hand. A farrier’s livelihood depends on the productivity of each shoeing job. And, quite often, an abstract notion from an owner, albeit wellintentioned, can serve as a challenge for today’s farrier as he/she attempts to relate such ideas into a formula that is safe and within a workable time frame.
Consider for a moment, that this new wave of natural horsemanship is not as novel as we think. For centuries, successful farriers have relied on horsemanship practices that were viewed as practical, rather than natural. Such skills have always been considered among their most valued tools. Though many of today’s exercises are new, the underlying principle is not. In an 1879 horse shoeing book by Dollar and Wheatley, their advice to young farriers was as follows:
In handling horses we should endeavor to obtain their confidence, and therefore, quietness, firmness, a certain amount of strength and courage are required, as well as a knowledge of horses in general. As a general rule, when properly managed, they lift their feet willingly and shoeing proceeds without difficulty.
It remains the main obligation of any equine professional (farrier, veterinarian, or trainer) to bridge this gap. When we offer practical solutions for ordinary problems we are working in the real world. By keeping the focus on a set of cues and actual exercises that can be accomplished in the moment, many goals can be reached.
In part two of this series, I have the honor of joining with my friend and mentor, Mr. John Lyons. For over four decades, John has been at the forefront of our horse industry. He has taught thousands of people worldwide the skills necessary to have a better working relationship with their horses. With his practical approach to solving our horse problems, John continues to guide us in our efforts to convert wishful thinking into real solutions. He has truly earned the title of ‘America’s Most Trusted Horseman’.
Don’t Miss a Rare Opportunity!
See John Lyons at the 2026 Equine Affaire in Columbus, Ohio, April 9-12.
For some informative videos on this topic and many others, tune into: The Farrier Friendly Network channel on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/@ thefarrier-friendlynetwork3912
If you’ve enjoyed Bryan’s articles, go to amazon. com/farrierfriendly and check-out his books offered in Kindle or paperback form. You can also tune into Bryan’s YouTube channel: “The Farrier Friendy Network”. For more information please visit: www.farrierfriendly.com
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association
Join OFQHA for Family-Friendly Fun in 2026
PRESIDENT, Donnie Uffner
VICE PRESIDENT, Justin Miller
TREASURER, Kris Geiger
SECRETARY, Charlotte Miller
PHONE, 740/877-7993
EMAIL, ofqhashows@gmail.com
WEBSITE, http://ohfqha.com
by Charlotte Miller
Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association (OFQHA) hosts all breed horse shows five times a year. The club is a family-friendly environment, with all ages and levels welcome. OFQHA encourages a fun environment with learning opportunities for everyone. We offer a wide variety of classes from cutting, boxing, trail, reining, ranch riding, and many more. This year we will be adding Jackpot classes. Throughout the year many shows highlight something different. In June we will have a ranch roping clinic, July is the youth weekend, and at the last show we have the freestyle reining Friday night and
a roping Jackpot on Saturday. On Friday nights we also offer herd work practice for active members only. This is perfect for horse and riders to get a feel for the cows before the show and to get a couple pointers from other members if asked. To qualify for year end awards at the banquet, you have to be a member. These shows wouldn’t be possible without our amazing officers and directors. There are four officers and nine directors. These are all members who stepped up to make our shows the amazing shows they are. They are always happy to answer any questions, help you at any time,
and cheer you on. Along with that, without our sponsors these shows wouldn’t happen. We are very appreciative of our sponsors and everything they do for us. For updates check the Ohio Foundation Quarter Horse Association Facebook page and for any information needed check our website, ohfqha.com. We hold meetings that all are welcome to attend. Our next meeting is February 8 at Mr. Lees in Cambridge, Ohio. There will also be a meeting at our awards banquet and one at our cleanup day.
OFQHA 2026 show dates are May 2, June 6, July 4, August 1 and August 29.
We are so excited for this year and to see what it brings!
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Border Wars Competition
PRESIDENT, Mike Sheets
VICE PRESIDENT, John Truman
TREASURER, Jessica Sheets
SECRETARY, Christy Pellegrino
EMAIL, nvirzi@yahoo.com
WEBSITE, www.lakeerievaqueros.net
by Nancy Virzi (Go Forward Virzi)
Well, 2026 is here and we are getting set up for our 2026 runnin’ and gunnin’ season. To close out the 2025 season our banquet will be on March 14. We hope to see everybody there. Our shoots this year will be June 20-21, July 18-19, August 2930 and September 26-27. Lake Erie Vaquero’s and Steeletown Gunslingers will be doing a border wars competition on July 31 through August 2. Come and support your favorite club. There will be a lot of fun and craziness.
Our fantastic new secretary, Christy Pellegrino is thankfully computer literate. She is working diligently to get our computer set up so that everything will be generated from our computer and will make the signing up and closing out of our shoots a whole lot easier for everyone.
We are looking at updating our logo. We are having a contest! Submissions should be in by 9 p.m. February 28. Design should be simple and easily recognized, two to three core colors but be able to work in black and white and a single color. If it doesn’t read clearly at two inches wide, it’s too complex. Remember it will be used in multiple applications. You can submit them to Sylvio Pellegrino. The LEMV Board will be making the final decision.
Thank you to our great sponsors: Big Dees Tack, Siracki Realty, Kiko Meats, Agile Equine Bodywork’s, Jefferson Mill, Altmeyers Trailer Sales.
47th Annual Spring
Mid-Ohio Draft Horse & Carriage Sale
March 9-13, 2026
Mt. Hope Auction, Mt. Hope, OH Catalog will be available at www.mthopeauction.com
MID-OHIO DRAFT HORSE EXPO
March 9 - in the Event Center Contact Paul Money 330-473-7046
MONDAY, MARCH 9
11:00 AM - Cataloged Pony Sale
TUESDAY, MARCH 10
8:00 AM - Mixed Breed Horses in Beachy Arena
1:00 PM - Special Standardbred Breeder Sale followed by Weanling/Yearling Sale in Sale Barn 6:00 PM - Haflingers in Ring 2
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11
8:00 AM - Tack, Carriages, Field Equipment & Antiques
THURSDAY, MARCH 12
8:00 AM - Cataloged Percheron Sale followed by cataloged Pulling Bred Belgians
FRIDAY, MARCH 13
8:00 AM - Cataloged Belgians followed by Uncataloged Draft & Crossbred Horses
SATURDAY, MARCH 14
7:30 AM - Regular Horse Sale 1:00 PM - Riding Horse & Pony Sale Call: 330-674-6188 Fax: 330-674-3748 www.mthopeauction.com
2025 Fall Highlights
Percheron gelding from Aden
$76,000.00
A Mast, Jackson OH to WF Agventures, VanKleek ON
$15,000.00 Reg Percheron mare, Silver Hills Flash’s Hedy, from Spud Strain, Boissevain MB to Wayne E Miller, Dundee OH
$13,000 Reg Percheron mare, Whiskey’s Shanaes Connie, from Paul Hershberger, Millersburg OH to Albert J Miller, Fredericksburg OH
$25,000.00 Belgian gelding from Joe A Miller, Millersburg OH to Albert J Miller, Millersburg OH
$20,000 Reg Percheron gelding, Triple M Farms Night House, from Andy R Hershberger, Lakeville OH to Oak Haven Belgians, Fremont OH
$18,000 Reg Belgian filly, RSA Mellissa, from Paul A Miller, Dundee OH to John Graber, Grabill IN
$18,000 2 Yr Old Pony from Seth Schartz, Etna Green OH to Michael Fisher, Newport PA
$38,000 4 Yr. Old Reg Gypsy Vanner Stud from Legacy Acres Equine, Apple Creek OH to Samuel A Yoder, Sugarcreek OH
$25,000 2 Yr Old Reg Friesian Cross Gelding from Mahlon Miller, Danville OH to Robert D Yoder, Burton, OH
Winter is a Season of Learning
by Robert Eversole
Expo and clinic season are upon us, whether we feel ready or not.
Winter has always felt like a pause in the rhythm of horsemanship. Horses grow thicker coats. Days get shorter. If we pay attention, we get a chance to slow down and take stock of what we know and what we still need to learn.
For many riders, that reflection happens indoors in arenas, expo halls, and drafty fairgrounds filled with folding chairs, coffee cups, and the hum of people swapping horse stories. By the end of January, EquiFest of Kansas arrives and kicks off a stretch of weekends that barely leaves time to unpack before the next event.
Not far behind are the Back Country Horsemen of Washington Rendezvous, the Back Country Horsemen of Oregon Rendezvous, and the
Western States Horse Expo. Add in local clinics and gatherings, and winter fills up fast.
Even though I attend most of these events as a clinician, I make a point of sitting in the bleachers when I can. I step away from my own booth to watch someone else teach. Not out of boredom, but because there is always something to learn.
Sometimes it’s a new technique. Sometimes it’s a clearer way to explain an old idea. And sometimes, if we are honest, the lesson is simply, “I will never do that again.” Those lessons matter.
One of the most influential clinics I ever attended wasn’t flashy. No music. No speed. No theatrics. It was a straightforward session taught by Ty Evans, and he sent me home with a single sentence that changed how I work with horses and mules.
“If you can’t control that mule
on the ground, why do you think you can when you’re in the saddle?”
That line exposed a blind spot I didn’t know I had.
Like most riders, I had done groundwork. Leading. Tying. Picking up feet. Some lunging when time allowed. I treated it as something to get through so I could move on to the real work. Get on. Ride. Cover miles.
That clinic forced a hard truth into focus. The saddle does not fix communication problems. It magnifies them.
Groundwork is not about obedience for its own sake. It’s about clarity. Does the animal understand pressure and release? Does it respect space? Does it trust leadership before weight, terrain, and rider come into play?
If a mule will not yield or soften on a lead rope, it is unrealistic, and unfair, to expect that to change halfway up a rocky trail.
horsemanship, you do not have to figure it out alone.
Once that lesson landed, it shaped everything I do. Trail riding. Horse camping. Packing. Teaching clinics. The more time I spend on the ground, on the basics, the fewer surprises I face on the trail. That’s not theory. That is experience earned one mile at a time.
This is why expos and clinics matter, especially in winter. They slow us down. They give us room to listen instead of react. They remind us how much there is still to learn.
They also remind us that none of us are finished products.
Every good clinician I know still attends clinics. They still ask questions. They still refine their skills. The moment we decide we have it all figured out is usually when safety starts to slip, for us and for our animals.
As expo season ramps up, I encourage you to do more than shop vendor booths or collect free pens. Sit in on a clinic that challenges your habits. Watch someone work from the ground if riding has always been your focus. Listen for the one sentence that stays with you long after the arena empties.
Those moments tend to matter.
Final Thoughts (and Your Next Step)
If this winter has you looking more closely at your
If you want to dig deeper into practical, real-world trail skills, you will find them in my books: The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping, It’s a Cinch!, and Daily Wisdom from the Saddle. Each one is built on time in the saddle, mistakes made, and lessons learned the hard way.
If you want hands-on guidance—developing solid groundwork, choosing safe gear, or preparing for backcountry trips—I invite you to join me at one of my upcoming TrailMeister clinics. There is no substitute for working through these skills in real time with clear instruction and practical feedback.
For clinic dates, articles, videos, and the nation’s most comprehensive trail and camp directory, visit www. TrailMeister.com. Winter may be a season of rest, but it is also the perfect time to strengthen the fundamentals that carry us safely down the trail all year long.
If you want to go deeper into practical, real-world trail skills, you’ll find more in my books: The ABCs of Trail Riding and Horse Camping, It’s a Cinch!, and Daily Wisdom from the Saddle. And if you want handson guidance, choosing safe gear, preparing for backcountry trips, or building your own cinches, join me at one of my upcoming TrailMeister clinics.
For clinic dates, articles, videos, and the nation’s best horse trail and camp directory, visit www. TrailMeister.com.
Watch Your Email and Follow Us on Facebook for Updates
PRESIDENT, Kelly Chapman
VICE PRESIDENT, Stephanie Tarr
SECRETARY, Justin Miller
TREASURER, Susan Croft
EMAIL, premiermountntrail@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.premiermountntrail.com
by Madison Eshelman
February is here, and while winter is still holding on, it’s the perfect time to pause, plan, and prepare for the months of riding ahead. Whether you’re enjoying a quiet winter ride, brushing up on horsemanship skills, or counting down to spring trail season, Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) is excited to keep you connected and informed!
February is a great time to start planning for upcoming
Tri-County Trail Association
PRESIDENT, Cindy Krumm
VICE PRESIDENT, Joe Stone
SECRETARY, Carolyn Sutter
TREASURER, Beverly Mills
WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com
by Kelly Jo Heffner
PMT events and rides. Included in this magazine, you will find the dates for our winter series. Be sure to watch your email for our newsletters as well as our Facebook page for new information and updates! Here’s to safe winter riding and an exciting season ahead. Stay warm, stay connected, and we’ll see you on the mountain trail courses soon!
Event Schedule for 2026 Available Now
Welcome to February and one month closer to springtime riding weather that doesn’t include snow and cold! Tri-Co has finalized the event schedule for 2026 and has
everything prepped and ready for a wonderful camping season this year! Our 2026 event schedule is posted in the Corral. Our events begin in May and our last one of the season is in October. Make plans to attend one or more of our annual events and you will be pleasantly surprised. The club provides meals at the events and everyone raves about the great meals that are provided. Our first event is in May, and it’s called the Spring Ride Weekend. It’s a great time to come and check out the campground if you have never visited before,
Western Reserve Carriage Association
PRESIDENT, Cathy Rhoades
VICE PRESIDENT, Michele Steven
TREASURER, Ann Petersen
SECRETARY, Cathy Rhoades
WEBSITE, Westernreservecarriage.com
by Cathy Rhoades
A new year, a new board! 2026 Western Reserve Carriage Association (WRCA) board is President Cathy Rhoades, Vice President Michele Steven, Secretary Cathy Rhoades, and members Shellie Kwitkowski, Pam Bassick, Shauna Brummet. Appointed non voting positions:
and a wonderful weekend for our members to come for meals, friendship, and riding! We would like to welcome visitors and members to come to any or all of our events this year; 2026 is looking to be another wonderful season of friendship and trail riding!
Feel free to visit our webpage at Tricotrails.com or our Facebook page for more information. Our flyers for the events are usually available two months before the event for easier registration and listed on both the website and the Facebook page. Registration
Alternative Equine Therapies Demo
Shellie as membership, Ann Petersen as treasurer, Barb King as Corral reporter, Deb Svoboda as insurance and Facebook, and Jo Ann Murr as Big Dee Bucks. We thank Barb King for her leadership as Past President and Janet Yosay for her term on the board.
Our winter meeting was held at Fieldstone Therapeutic Riding Center on January 25. Our speaker was Michael Geiger DVM. He has a wealth of equine knowledge and is an entertaining speaker!
Our meetings are open to all, and memberships can be made at the meeting. Our website also has a link to membership online.
Picnic drives and other equine events require a paid membership to attend to be covered under insurance. Please try and renew by March 1.
Carlisle driving dates are on the Lorain County Metroparks website; Go to Parks>Visit Carlisle Park Page>Programs at Carlisle>Other>Carlisle Horse Cart Days. Dates are: February 1, 3, 7, 12; March 1, 3, 7, 12; April 2, 5, 7, 11; May 2, 7, 10, 12; June 2, 6, 11, 14; July 2, 5, 7, 11; August 1, 6, 11; September 1, 5, 10, 13; October 1, 4, 6, 10; November 1, 3, 7, 12; December 1, 5, 10, 13.
On April 12 at Golden Horse Farm, 24345 Gore Orphanage
for any of the events (and membership for those who choose to join) is accessible through the website. The website has truly streamlined the process of becoming a member, reserving sites, paying for events, etc. The website also includes information such as the board members, maps (through the Maprika app also), and any of the event flyers as they become available. It’s an exciting time at Tri-Co prepping for the events, and we are looking forward to meeting you all!
Road, New London, Ohio, there will be a demo and talk about alternative equine therapies. Dr. Lisa Fox, the Divergent DVM will be doing acupuncture on an equine. She has attended the Chi Institute and uses Traditional Chinese Medicine, Reiki, aroma therapy and other options.
We are also putting together picnic drives at Carlisle, Swine Creek, Observatory Park, Zoar. If there is a venue that would be suitable for a drive, contact one of the board members and we will help you. Also we welcome suggestions for field trips or educational topics. Hope to see you all at our events!
Northern Ohio Outlaws Celebrates its 20th Anniversary in 2026
PRESIDENT, Ron Kiko
VICE PRESIDENT, Deb Harris
SECRETARY, Kelsey Gibson
TREASURER, Mark Maxwell
EMAIL, northernohiooutlawsinfo@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.nooutlaws.com
by Joyce Higgins
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the banquet this year. A reminder the theme is black and white this year (show us your finest outfit). For club members and
sponsors the meal will be on the Northern Ohio Outlaws this year. You should have received your invitation by the time you read this. If you did not contact Kelsey Gibson.
Knox County Horse Park
PRESIDENT, Lauren Smith
SECRETARY, Madisyn Weekley
PHONE, 740/398-5366 (call or text)
WEBSITE, knoxcountyhorsepark.mypixieset.com
by Anna Chadwick
The December Christmas party was enjoyed by all those who attended.
The meeting location for February 9 will be at 411 Pittsburg Avenue in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Check the Facebook page and/
This year 2026 will be the Northern Ohio Outlaws 20th anniversary. Plans are in the works for a big celebration. We are still looking for balloon setters. Shoot dates April 25-26;
Join KCHP in 2026
or website for the location of the March meeting (depends on the weather). Meetings dates are 2026 are February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 8, July 13, August 10, September 14, October 12, November 9, and December 14. The following are event dates for the 2026 season. If you have any suggestions for additional events, please let us know.
MAY 16: 25 year anniversary celebration
MAY 30: Poker ride
JUNE 13: Little Big Show
JUNE 20: KCHP high point show
JULY 11: KCHP high point show
Dusty Boots Riding Club
PRESIDENT, Holly Carr
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Dana Johnson
TREASURER, Donna Rohrer
SECRETARY, Harley Buckley
EMAIL, dustyboots@dustybootsridingclub.com
WEBSITE, dustybootsridingclub.com
by Harley Buckley
JULY 29: Potluck and full moon ride
AUG. 1: Cowboy challenge
AUG. 22: KCHP high point show
SEPT. 12: Fredericktown Parade
SEPT. 13: All Horse Parade (Delaware)
SEPT. 19: KCHP high point show
SEPT. 26: Poker ride
OCT. 17: KCHP high point show (final high point show for the season)
OCT. 31: Halloween show
TBA: Mount Vernon Christmas Parade (2026)
DEC. 5: Christmas party, awards night for high point
June 6-7; July 11-12; August 7-9; October 3-4. Contact Lynn Bussell, 330/242-3452 or Kathy Zadra, 330/988-4692. Our clinic date has changed to April 11 at Ruggles Arena.
winners for the past season. Other events could be added during the year. Mark your calendars. The cookshack will be open for each event. If you would like to host a show, or rent the arena, please contact us.
We would like to thank the following sponsors for the 2025 fun show season: Danville Harness and Shoe, Two Acre Farm and Feed Supply, Strong Land Maintenance, Cosby Heating and Cooling, Travis and Sue Ross, Scarlet Acres, Red Maple Farm, Healthy Center Massage, Therapy and Acupuncture.
To become a 2026 sponsor please contact an officer.
New Features to the 2026 Show Season
While winter may be considered the ‘off season,’ Dusty Boots Riding Club (DBRC) has been busy making plenty of wet saddle pads in preparation for the 2026 show season.
As we wrap up an exciting 2025
season, we are looking forward to the annual NEOHA awards banquet, which will be held on March 21. The banquet committee is hard at work tabulating yearend points, acquiring awards, and planning a fun evening for all. During the banquet, we will recognize our year-end award winners and crown our Dusty Boots Riding Club royalty. In addition, the DBRC directors have finalized the 2026 rulebook and are excited to introduce several new features to our upcoming show season. At the request of our membership, many classes have been condensed to help shorten the show day. We have also adjusted the schedule so that ranch classes will be held first
thing in the morning, allowing our all-around exhibitors more time to prepare their horses and eliminating lengthy breaks during the day.
We are pleased to announce the addition of several new classes for green horses and riders.
A variety of Open Walk–Trot classes will now be offered, including Ranch Pleasure, Ranch Riding, Hunter Under Saddle, Equitation, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, and Trail.
One of the most exciting additions to the 2026 showbill is the Green Horse/Green Rider class. This class is designed for horses or exhibitors who are still developing their lope and are not yet fully comfortable in
traditional loping classes. Open to horses and riders of all ages, it provides a welcoming opportunity for walk–trot riders ready to try a loping class, or for horses continuing to build proficiency at the lope. Training aids will not be permitted in this class. We have also added Trail-In-Hand to our 2026 lineup and will be trying trail block-style scheduling at our Jefferson shows.
We look forward to seeing everyone in the pen at our NEOHA Open Horse Shows this season. For more information, visit www.dustybootsridingclub. com or find us on Facebook.
DBRC would like to thank Big D’s and Schneiders for their continued support.
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Corral Calendar
DISCLAIMER: The Horsemen’s Corral has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this calendar of events. However, the information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. The Corral does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained herein. Where possible, event contact information is provided. Please “Call before you haul”.
FEBRUARY
2026
FEB. 1 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com
FEB. 6-7 — Morgan Breeders Cup Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: Ivan, 330-704-0803
FEB. 6-8 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series Mt. Trail Show and Trail Open Schooling, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: Laura, 814-434-0914, https:// premiermountntrail.com/
FEB. 7 — Blue Lakes Farm 2025-2026 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website, https://www.facebook.com/tom.snyder.18
FEB. 7 — Rockin R Ranch Youth Rodeo, 10 a.m., Rodeo Run Arena, 11641 Alspach Rd., Canal Winchester, OH. FMI: Raynelle, 740-538-1491, https://www.facebook.com/ RockinRRanchYouthRodeoAssociation
FEB. 8 — Gallia County OHC Tack Sale, 2-6 p.m., Gavin Rec Center, Cheshire, OH. FMI: Angie Jones, 740-208-3972
FEB. 8 — IN & KY IBRA/NPBA Show, 1 p.m., Yankeetown Arena, 13334 W. State Road 160, Henryville, IN. FMI: Nat Stewart, 812736-3759
FEB. 13 — Terry Myers Clinic, 4-8 p.m., The Show Arena, 1640 County Rd. B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena.com
FEB. 28 — MSU Horseman’s Association Ranch Open Show, 9 a.m., Murray State University Equine Center, 2111 College Farm Rd., Murray, KY. FMI: sstewart36@ murraystate.edu
MARCH 2026
MARCH 1 — Harrison County Horse Committee Tack Swap, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 550 Grant St., Cadiz, OH. FMI: Jourdan Shrontz, 330-691-0355
MARCH 1 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com
MARCH 3 — ATI Equine Workshop, 5:308:30 p.m., Ohio State ATI Equine Center, 3339 Apple Creek Rd., Apple Creek, OH. FMI: 330-575-8193, shoup.114@osu.edu
MARCH 5-8 — 23rd Annual Horse World Expo, PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA. FMI: 301-916-0852, info@ horseworldexpo.com, horseworldexpo.com
MARCH 6-7 — Lolli Livestock Market Inc. Catalog Horse Sale, 9 a.m., Highway 63, Macon, MO. FMI: 660-385-2516, lollibros. com,
MARCH 6-8 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series Mt. Trail Show and Trail Open Schooling, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: Laura, 814-434-0914, https:// premiermountntrail.com/
MARCH 6-8 —Michigan Horse Expo, Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU, Lansing, MI. FMI: info@michiganhorsecouncil.com, mihorseexpo.com
MARCH 7 — Blue Lakes Farm 2025-2026 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website, https://www.facebook.com/tom.snyder.18
MARCH 7 — Equine Training Partners Obstacle and Sensory Clinics, Kentucky Cowtown Arena, 210 Wainscott Rd., Williamstown, KY. FMI: 740-497-1146
MARCH 8 — Spring Forward Annual Tack Swap, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Treharne’s Training Center, 49269 Fredericktown-Clarkson Rd., Negley, OH. FMI: Amy, 440-479-8503
MARCH 8 — Preble County 4H Horse Advisors Tack Sale, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Preble County Fairgrounds Expo Building, Eaton, OH. FMI: Jillian Rader, 513-8698164, preblecountytacksale@yahoo.com
MARCH 8 — IN & KY IBRA/NPBA Show, 1 p.m., Yankeetown Arena, 13334 W. State Road 160, Henryville, IN. FMI: Nat Stewart, 812-736-3759
MARCH 8 — Back In The Burg Show Series, Greene County Fairgrounds, 107 Fairgrounds Rd., Waynesburg, PA. FMI: waynesburgbarrelshows@gmail.com
MARCH 9-13 — Mid Ohio Pony/Crossbred, Riding/Carriage & Tack/ Haflinger/Draft Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-6746188, www.mthopeauction.com
MARCH 13 — Horse Sale, Sugarcreek Stockyards, 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH. FMI: 330-831-1720, sugarcreekstockyard@gmail.com, www. facebook.com/sugarcreekstockyards
MARCH 13 — Blue Grass Stockyards Special All Breed Horse Sale, 5 p.m., 277 Cordier Ln., Stanford, KY. FMI: Joe Brogli, 859-5881160, dvauction.com
MARCH 14 — Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www.mthopeauction.com
MARCH 14 — Foster Equine 25-26 Fun Show, Stonegate Equine Facility, 26236 Smith Rd., Coolville, OH. FMI: 740-2913556, FosterEquineRescue@gmail.com
MARCH 14 — Rockin R Ranch Youth Rodeo, 10 a.m., Rodeo Run Arena, 11641 Alspach Rd., Canal Winchester, OH. FMI: Raynelle, 740-538-1491
MARCH 14 — Coggins Clinic, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, Silver Spur Saddle Club, 1725 Priceville Rd., Bonnieville, KY. FMI: Jeff Mosher, 270-537-3854
MARCH 15 — Warren County OHC 40th Annual Great Tack Exchange, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Greene County Expo Center & Fairgrounds, 120 Fairgrounds Rd., Xenia, OH. FMI: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/2501142843605485
MARCH 15 — Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau Tack Sale & More, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Home & Hobby Building, 19201 E. Bagley Rd., Middleburg Heights, OH. FMI: 440877-0706, https://www.facebook.com/ events/878349794723032/
MARCH 15 — Blue Lakes Farm 2025-2026 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://www.facebook.com/tom.snyder.18
MARCH 15 — IN & KY IBRA/NPBA Show, 1 p.m., Yankeetown Arena, 13334 W. State Road 160, Henryville, IN. FMI: Nat Stewart, 812-736-3759
MARCH 19-22 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series Mt. Trail Show and Trail Open Schooling, Phoenix On Killian, 1571 Killian Rd., Akron, OH. FMI: showphoenixinfo@gmail.com, https:// premiermountntrail.com/
MARCH 19-22 — Road To The Horse, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, KY. FMI: roadtothehorse.com
MARCH 20-22 — OMIQHA Show, Champions Center, Springfield, OH. FMI: www.omiquarterhorseassn.com
MARCH 21 — 1-Day Back In The Saddle Clinic, Terry Myers Training Center, Ostrander, OH. FMI: 740-666-1162, www. TMTrainingCenter.com
MARCH 21 — Davis Ranch Open Show, 385 East US Hwy. 150, Hardinsburg, IN. FMI: David Davis, 812-620-5707, dave@ daviddavishorsemanship.com
MARCH 21-22 — Clover Leaf Classic, The Show Arena, 1640 Co. Rd. B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena@ yahoo.com
MARCH 22 — Wood County Horse & Pony Clubs Horseman’s Flea Market, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wood County Fairgrounds Junior Fair & Champion Buildings, 13800 W. Poe Rd., Bowling Green, OH. FMI: Conni Grames, 419-276-3532, cmgrames@gmail.com
MARCH 22 — Chilled Classic Series Barrel Race, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 724-679-0816, chilledclassic@gmail.com
MARCH 26-28 — Three-Day Gaited Horse Clinic with Charlie DeAtley, Stoner Ridge Farm, 2469 Clintonville Rd., Paris, KY. FMI: Charlie, 859-749-8982
MARCH 27-29 — Lucky Barrel Race, The Show Arena, 1640 CR B, Swanton, OH. FMI: 419-290-3700, theshowarena@yahoo.com
MARCH 27-29 — Pinto Horse Association of Ohio Spring Fling, Champion Center, 4122 Layboure Rd., Springfield, OH. FMI: ohiopinto.net
MARCH 28 — Champaign County Junior Horse Council Annual Tack Swap & Sale 2026, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Champaign County Fairgrounds Michaels Building, 384 Park Ave., Urbana, OH. FMI: Jacquie Farmer, 937-508-0938, jacquiefarmer09@ gmail.com
MARCH 28-29 — Timed Event Two-Day Clinic, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 6118 Cedar Point Rd., Oregon, OH. FMI: Steve, 419-466-1362
MARCH 29 — 32nd Annual Darke County Tack Sale, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Darke County Fairgrounds, 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville, OH. FMI: 937-423-4452 (text)
APRIL 2026
APRIL 3-6 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series Mt. Trail Show and Trail Open Schooling, Shenanigans Stables, 7310 Abbey Rd. NE, Carrollton, OH. FMI: Laura, 814-434-0914, https:// premiermountntrail.com/
APRIL 4 — Massillon Saddle Club & Wayne County Saddle Club 2nd Annual Tack Swap & Craft Show, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wayne County Fairgrounds, 199 Vanover St., Wooster, OH. FMI: Leanne, 330-844-4041, Shenea, 330-600-0284
APRIL 4 — Foster Equine 25-26 Fun Show, Stonegate Equine Facility, 26236 Smith Rd., Coolville, OH. FMI: 740-291-3556, FosterEquineRescue@gmail.com
APRIL 10— Horse Sale, Sugarcreek Stockyards, 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH. FMI: 330-831-1720, www.facebook. com/sugarcreekstockyards
APRIL 11 — Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www.mthopeauction.com
APRIL 11 — L&B Knox County Horse Show, Legion Field, 6 p.m., 250 Pitzer Street, Barbourville, KY. FMI: Larry, 606-546-2092
APRIL 11-12 — Ashland Paint & Plain Saddle Club Show, Ashland County Fairgrounds, 2042 Claremont Ave., Ashland, OH. FMI: www.ashlandpaintandplain.com
APRIL 11-12 — Lower Michigan Horse Association Horse Show, Ingham County Fairgrounds, 700 E. Ash St., Mason, MI. FMI: www.facebook.com/LMHAHorseShows
APRIL 12 — Chilled Classic Series Barrel Race, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 724-679-0816, chilledclassic@gmail.com
APRIL 12 — Back In The Burg Show Series, Greene County Fairgrounds, 107 Fairgrounds Rd., Waynesburg, PA. FMI: waynesburgbarrelshows@gmail.com
APRIL 16-19 — Premier Mount N Trail Winter Series Mt. Trail Show and Trail Open Schooling, Phoenix On Killian, 1571 Killian Rd., Akron, OH. FMI: showphoenixinfo@gmail.com, https:// premiermountntrail.com/
For more Equine Events visit www.thehorsemenscorral.com
View From the Cheap Seats
February is for Filling Time
by Sarah Vas
We’re deep into the gristle of winter. The skies are gloomy. The weather is wearing us down by the day. We’re all counting the hours until spring. Couldn’t you use some fresh ideas and fun games to fill the time while slogging through winter drudgery? I’m not talking your average enrichment games, kids. Here are my favorite ways to bring a little life back into your soul while waiting for the daffodils to appear.
Would You Rather. My farm staff and I would play this game as we completed the daily chores. The object is to come up with the most trying hypothetical situations to choose between just to challenge the depth of our devotion to the insanity that is horse ownership. For example: Would You Rather have a horse that religiously colicked once a month but never beyond the most basic level of a manageable gas colic OR have a horse that
routinely pops a hoof abscess three times a year?
Would You Rather have a horse that regularly pooped in any water container within reach OR a horse that regularly wasted at least a quarter of every hay flake it was fed?
Would You Rather have to stack 1500 bales of hay into a sweltering loft over one record breaking August weekend OR spend a whole sub-zero winter day manually shoveling out a full manure spreader load because it busting a conveyor chain link somewhere under the poop?
You get the idea. The aim is not only to find the absolute limits of Murphy’s Law but to take a long, hard, ridiculous look at the lengths we’re willing to go just to enjoy our hobby. It’s a challenge of hypothetical grit so, try to find choices you haven’t already experienced.
Another fun game we invented was Pockey, a wordplay on Poop
Hockey and Horse Pucky. You can only play when the manure balls freeze into rock-hard projectiles. Any form of frozen turd launching for any scoring purpose is totally acceptable. Maybe you throw frozen doodoo balls over stall walls at unsuspecting barn buddies. Bonus points for clonks to the head. Maybe you find yourself out on the frozen paddock tundra lobbing chunky boulders of poop over the fence for distance. Or my favorite, aiming at the butts of pastured horses doing something mischievous like tearing their teeth into another horse’s blanket. Frozen manure can slide down concrete aisles like Olympic curling or get lobbed high and long into wheel barrows like NBA basketball. Of course, as the name implies, there’s always the hockey shot with the proper implement although I don’t recommend our precious plastic-tined manure forks. Go with a sturdier instrument of impact like a shovel. And use your foot with extreme caution! Considering how unpredictable the frozen poop season can be from year to year, play while the piles are crunchy! Pockey has endless variations if you just use your imagination.
The Voice If you’ve never considered what your horse would sound like if it had a human voice, the dead of winter is the perfect time to start your vocal training. Everyone knows that each horse has its own individual personality, likes, dislikes, fears, and skill sets. Now is a great time to really formulate that anthropomorphic vocal version of your favorite prima donna mare or dopey, dense gelding. Practice your vocal imitations loud and proud. Experiment with accents. What kinds of things would your horse say out loud if equine vocal cords were as complex and creative as our own? I personally have bequeathed a verbal persona on many a horse over the years. Here are some of my favorites. There’s the Intellectual who merely tolerates the rest of us. A favorite phrase is a long, drawnout, breathy Oh for gawd’s sake delivered with an exasperated eye roll. I’ve encountered the Top Of The Pyramid Cheerleader
who sounds exactly like a perky bleach-blond club girl from southern California. One past client owned a draft paint cross. He was not the least bit athletic but was sweet as pie. What he could do, he did well and proudly I might add. He was my beginner lunge line lesson horse. His voice was low and slow like the big, simple guy from Of Mice And Men. In my head, he had an endearing speech impediment. He couldn’t pronounce his R’s. He would often say, Really? This is scary! Where’s my trainer? Only his version sounded like, ‘Weawwy? Dis is scawwy. Whawes my Twainah?
Try it. You may be surprised at what your horse has to say once you match the right tone to its personality. And hey! With practice, you may develop a talent for voiceover work with an income source to support your equine habit.
My last suggestion should be played long term. It’s the What Would You Do With A Billion Dollars game. The rules are as such. It really isn’t about the billion-dollar figure. It’s about what you would do in your equine life if you had endless truck loads of cash and no limitations to what you could do with it. The more outlandish and long reaching the choices, the better. What I like about the long-term version is how one’s choices can change over time. At one point, I wanted to buy the 87 acres next door to equal 100 total, build a stone fence around the entire parameter, and turn our newly expanded farm into an equine haven of pastures, riding
May 30, 2026 June 27, 2026
9am - 3pm
You will learn:
• How to use your body to influence your horses movement
• Techniques for softness, responsiveness, and connection
• Exercises to improve rhythm, balance, and straightness
• Ways to create a more confident and willing horse
Sponsored
PRESIDENT, Leanne
Trail Riding Program, Medal Buy Back Program
VICE PRESIDENT (PLEASURE), Alyssa
SECRETARY, Francine
TREASURER, Kathy
EMAIL, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com
WEBSITE, www.massillonsaddleclub.org
Hello everyone, happy almost spring! February always seems to give a brief, hopeful glimpse of warmer spring days ahead.
The Massillon Saddle Club (MSC) show season has not yet started, however plans for 2026 shows, programs and events began before the November 20, 2025 banquet. Plans are still pending on a few items. Listed here are the shows and events that are already posted to the MSC Facebook page.
Please watch the MSC Facebook page for all updates as well as the 2026 showbills. Here are the show dates and proposed show grounds clean up dates for 2026:
2026 Clean Up Dates: April 11 and April 18, 11 a.m. each day. May 24 is the Fuzzy Show (no judge, no points)
2026 Fun Shows: April 19, May 31, and October 18 is a fun show and the Halloween show
2026 Contest Shows: May 28, July 26, August 23, September 27, October 4.
2026 Pleasure Shows: June 7, June 14, July 12, August 9, August 16, September 6.
Jackpot Barrels and Poles
Buckle Series: May 30, June 13, August 15, August 29
The trail riding program and the medal buy back will continue in 2026.The Trail Riding program is a way for MSC members to be eligible for year end awards while enjoying the many riding trails in Ohio and other states. The 2026 program begins January 1 with an MSC membership and trail program fee. Each rider will track their trail miles/hours through a free app, and will turn in their accumulated trail time in October. The top three
participants will receive a year end award at the 2026 banquet. Trail time is accumulated per rider; each rider may ride multiple horses if they choose to do so, with the combined trail time accumulated under the rider’s name.
The app for the trail time is free to all; you don’t need to be an MSC member to be able to use the app. However, if you would like to be eligible for a year end award, you must be an MSC member, and have submitted the trail program fee. For more information, please see the MSC website and Facebook page.
The medal buy back program will continue in 2026. Do you have too many medallions from your many class placings, and, are not sure what to do with them? MSC will give you a $1 credit for every two medals that you return. Medallions must be in good condition; MSC retains the right to decline any medallions that are not in good condition. You will be issued a credit slip that can be used for your classes, or at the food booth through the last point show. Please see the MSC Facebook page for additional program details. And many thanks for any
returned medallions!
The Massillon Saddle Club/ Wayne County Saddle Club joint tack swap will return April 4 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. Please watch the MSC Facebook page for the reservation form, and set up times.
MSC is collecting any Tribute product proof of purchase. Tribute is running a rewards program where they will pay $0.25 per proof of purchase. This includes all Tribute products, such as feed for chickens, goats, lambs, horses, etc.
MSC is requesting suggestions, and, comments, for 2026. Please let us know what events you would like to see return in 2026, what you would like to see added, or, discontinued. Watch the MSC Facebook page for additional events; the MSC Junior Trustees are finalizing plans for an event or two.
Until next month, MSC hopes everyone has a Happy Valentine’s Day, and is able to take advantage of some of the more spring-like days to be able to spend time with your family, friends, and, horses.
View From the Cheap Seats
Continued from page 34
lanes, manicured ring space, and a whole crew to maintain it. My choices are very different now, what with one driving pony living in a boarding barn situation!
So, keep your chins up, Cheap Seat readers. The seasons (all 18 of them!) will swing soon enough. Blissful weather will lull us into a sense of hope for about two weeks before the rain, mud, heat, bugs, and drought weasel back in on our game play.
Sarah Vas, a second-generation horse woman, writes about her decades of adventure and mayhem in the equine industry. Her experience encompasses multiple breeds and disciplines. A humble storyteller and educator at heart, her Cheap Seats column is often infused with the spirit of her two favorite philosophies. Laughter is the Breath of Life and Poverty is the Real Mother of Invention.
Want to be a Vendor?
• Cuyahoga Farm Bureau members:
first table/space is free, second is $15
• Other County Farm Bureau members:
first table/space is $10, second is $15
• Non-members: first table and second
table/space are $25 each
Gorgeous home with 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, and 2 half baths. Separate In-Law suite with private deck. Barn with 18 stalls, 60x100 indoor arena. 100x120 outdoor arena and 8 separate turnouts, 20 acres + free gas plus royalties.
Located in the desirable community of Roaming Shores, with access to Lake Roaming Rock — ideal for boating, kayaking, and fishing. The community also offers two pools, two playgrounds and a marina.
Western Dressage
Western Dressage Equipment 2026: Your Personal Guide to Tack, Attire and the Latest Rule
by Kelley Bitter
There’s a certain excitement in the air with the arrival of the 2026 Western Dressage season—and I know I’m not alone in feeling both anticipation and a little bit of nervousness. After all, if you’re anything like me, you want your time in the ring to reflect your hard work without worrying about whether your equipment will earn frowns at tack check. This year, more than ever, it’s time to crack open the newest WDAA rulebook and double-check every detail.
The Western Dressage Association of America is listening to competitors. The 2026 rule changes are all about making our rides safer, more comfortable for our horses, and crystal clear for judges. As you prep for your shows—whether you’re looking to move up a level or step confidently into your first test—let’s break down exactly what you need to know. I’ll flag the notable updates, share mistakes I’ve seen (and made!), and give you practical tips to help you sail through tack check and impress in the arena.
What’s NEW:
Evolution of Western Dressage Standards in 2026
Western Dressage is always a balance between tradition and innovation, but this year, the scales have tipped even more toward function and horse welfare. Here’s what’s different:
• Goodbye, excess bling: Decorative gear is out unless it helps communication or comfort. Judges are stricter on anything that distracts from the horse’s movement.
• Enhanced Horse Welfare: Anything that might pinch, poke, or cause the horse discomfort is now a bigger no-no.
Advice: Don’t just dust off last year’s show set—give it a truly critical once-over.
Spurs: Big Updates for 2026 (Don’t Get Caught Out!)
If you rely on spurs, stop and check your gear before you pack for your show. The 2026 rules clarify exactly what’s in and out, and stewards will be looking closer this year.
Here’s What’s In:
• Western Style Spurs: Still the classic go-to, but edges must be blunt—no exceptions. This has always been the rule, but the language is even firmer this year, and judges have been asked to enforce it consistently at every level.
• English Dressage Style Spurs: Allowed if you prefer something sleeker or cross over into other disciplines. I know many of us have both styles in the tack room!
• Roller Ball Spurs: Now officially encouraged for their gentle, rolling contact—ideal if your horse is sensitive or you’re mindful of marking.
• Blunt Bumper Spurs: Still a solid choice for green horses or anyone worried about stability.
Here’s What’s Out:
• No sharp edges, ever. This year’s update is emphatic. Even older spurs that look ‘worn’ can get you eliminated if the rowel won’t rotate.
• Stiff, rusted, or ‘vintage’ spurs: Don’t risk them—officials have been told to check these closely in 2026.
Tip from experience: Pack a backup pair. I once saw a fellow competitor’s spur fail tack check within minutes of entering the arena. Don’t let it be you.
2026 Attire: Practical, Comfortable, and More Scrutiny on Details
While Western Dressage keeps its classic style, 2026 brings more specifics you’ll want to know:
Shirts and Vests
• Collared shirts are still standard, but producers are pushing technical fabrics that wick sweat while looking crisp (this is a lifesaver in summer heat).
• More color leeway: Solids are strongly recommended, but understated patterns (think quiet plaids) are fine. Avoid bold prints— the new rules make it clear that anything distracting could cost you marks for ‘presentation.’
• Vests and Jackets: Short riding jackets, especially in cool climates, are gaining favor. Make sure vests don’t restrict your seat; I’ve regretted a tight vest during more than one canter depart. Jeans, Trousers, and Chaps
• Clean, hole-free denim is still OK at lower levels. More seasoned riders are switching to Western dress trousers—less bulk under chaps and a sharper look.
• Chaps: Shotgun chaps are still show ring gold. Chinks are fine, but keep the ‘working ranch’ vibe for themed classes.
• 2026 Note: Watch for fit. Too-tight chaps or droopy jeans are being called out more this year for untidy appearance.
Wayne County Saddle Club
Tack Swap with Massillon Saddle Club Scheduled for April
Hello members and friends. Another WCSC banquet is in the books. Congratulations to all of our 2025 year end winners!
The first Thursday of every month is our club meetings 7:30 p.m. at Muddys Restaurant in downtown Wooster. Members are welcome to attend. At our next meeting we will be setting
(continued from page 38)
• Helmets: The tide is turning—helmets are strongly encouraged at all levels, and the stigma is gone. You cannot be penalized for putting safety first.
• Western hats: If you go this route, keep it shaped and spotless. Straw hats are fine but must be top quality.
• Pro tip: Try a Western-styled helmet for a traditional look with protection—these are becoming very popular in 2026.
Saddles and Bridles: Rule Changes You Must Know
The Western Saddle
• Standard Western stock saddles only. No treeless or radically styled ‘hybrid’ models anymore—this is a 2026 crackdown.
• Horn is required and fenders must be present—no cutting corners here.
• Equitation seats are on the rise, helping you maintain that coveted dressage alignment.
• Silver? Save your money. Judges aren’t looking for sparkle—they want clean, well-fitting tack.
Bridles and Bits
• Snaffle bits: Any age, any level—use two hands for precision and communication, even with aged horses.
• Curb bits: Permitted for older or more advanced horses (but you’ll ride one-handed). Know your level’s rules—check the WDAA bit diagrams for updates.
• Bosals: Still approved for juniors, but you’ll need to show a higher level of skill. 2026 places more scrutiny on correct adjustment and fit.
Tip: Always check your bit for wear and measure diameter; new diameter regulations are part of the 2026 rule fine-tuning.
Quick 2026 Compliance Checklist
Use this before every show—it’s saved me more than once!
1. Double-check your whip length (max 47.2 inches/120 cm).
2. **Inspect your bit—**no wire, no rough spots, correct diameter.
3. Tighten every screw and buckle. Even minor tack failures are now more heavily penalized for safety.
4. Label your gear. Lost tack is a nightmare at busy venues.
show dates for 2026. Showbills will be in the Corral soon. Winter seems to play games with the temperatures. I often wonder why I live in Ohio. I do know of a beautiful place to show my horses.—a gem called The Wayne County Saddle Club in Wooster. We have some upcoming grounds cleanups scheduled. It is a great way to meet people and get your volunteer hours in for
4
your year end awards. We order pizza and work at making the grounds ready for all the shows. Bring friends and family, many hands make light work. Our tack swap in conjunction with Massillon Saddle Club will be April 4 at the The Event Center, 199 Hanover Street in Wooster. Contact Leanne Louvie, 330/844-4042 or Sheena Holcombe, 330/600-0284.
Striking the Balance: Style, Function, and
2026’s
Focus on Welfare
I know how tempting it is to upgrade your tack with something flashy, but the watchwords for 2026 are ‘fit’ and ‘function.’ If your equipment allows you to ride at your best and keeps your horse comfortable, you’re already ahead of the game.
Dressage is dynamic; our gear and attire should move with us— literally and figuratively. In every class, your overall image is noticed. This year, judges will reward coherent, clean presentation and dock marks for sloppy, outdated, or unsafe equipment.
My Closing Thoughts
2026 is an exciting year for Western Dressage, with rules that reflect the heart of horse-centered riding. Stay up to date—read those emailed advisories from the WDAA, and check your equipment early, not the night before a show. Arrive ring-ready, knowing that your turnout honors both the tradition of the sport and your horse’s wellbeing.
So here’s to a safe, stylish, and successful season! If you have questions about the new rules or want to share what’s working for you, reach out—I always love connecting with fellow Western Dressage enthusiasts. Good luck, and ride proud!
Don’t forget to check out Eagles Nest Western Riding Academy and Show team at www.Eaglesnestequestrian.com We look forward to helping make 2026 your best show year ever??
Located in Ravenna, Ohio, Eagles Nest Equestrian Center is committed to helping riders of all levels achieve their horsemanship goals. We offer comprehensive lessons tailored to individual needs, and we are excited to announce the formation of our new show team. This dedicated team provides a supportive and goal-oriented environment for competitors looking to advance their skills and succeed in the show ring. Whether you are just starting or are ready to compete, we have a program for you. Contact us today for more information and to join our community. www.Eaglesnestequestrian.com or https://www. facebook.com/EaglesNestEquestrianPerformance/
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
Give it to God
by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
At Christmas time, our lesson students showered us with an assortment of holiday themed gifts including cookies and candies, holiday scented candles, horse themed hand towels, restaurant gift cards and even warm winter socks! The cookies and candies were very tasty and disappeared pretty quickly. The candles provided us with pleasant evergreen scents every evening. The new kitchen and bath towels have since been used to dry a lot of hands and dishes. The gift cards are in the truck and waiting for T and I during our next night out at one of our favorite restaurants. T is already working on wearing holes in the heels of her new boot socks! There was one gift, however, that was quite unique. It is a simple, framed vinyl print showing a young lady resting her arms and head on what appears to be a round fence rail. There is no artist’s name on the print, and I
suspect it is just stock art that has been mass produced. Regardless, the print includes eight simple words that really made an impression on me. At the top of the print, it says in bold capital letters “GIVE IT TO GOD”, and then at the bottom it says, “and go to sleep”.
2025 was a year that came with a lot of worry for both T and me. We were both excited about my retirement but were a bit nervous about how it was going to work out with my income being reduced significantly. I suspect most of us wonder whether we saved enough to live out and enjoy our retirement years. I was also worried about how quickly the arthritis in my hips appeared to be advancing. I worried about physical therapy and the associated out of pocket costs for our post-employment marketplace insurance. Then I worried about what the results of the MRI would show. Then it was the necessity for surgery, the timing of surgery, the recovery
from surgery, more physical therapy……and then repeat it all four months later for my other hip before year’s end.
From about April through the end of 2025, my physical ability to do many tasks, especially those related to taking care of the horses, the barn and the property, was significantly reduced. My ability to worry wasn’t hampered at all. I worried about having enough hay, getting new hay. I worried about getting hay and not really being able to help with unloading it without really hurting myself. It was difficult for me to carry a sack of feed or a bale of hay without it hurting. I worried about imposing on our friends to help us in my place. I worried about it being too wet or how we were going to work around our schedule for lessons and clinics. Would the big truck be around to pull our flatbed trailer or would our friends have to haul it again?
When and how am I going to get the fence fixed? Do I have enough firewood to help heat the house over the winter? It just seemed like there were so many things to do and they were mostly tasks that I concentrated on completing. Do we buy a new horse when the opportunity presents itself. Do we have the money, the space and the extra hay to do so comfortably? Should we have spent so much money on the skid loader? Should we sell that horse? If we do, will it leave us short for horses for the lesson kids. Are any of our younger horses ‘ready’ to move up and become lesson horses? It’s my turn to write an article. What am I going to write about this time. Am I going to get it done on time? (FYI, if you are reading this in the February issue...I did!)
There are so many other things that I could add that left T and I with many sleepless or restless nights, but you all get the drift by now. Just like everyone else, life constantly presents us with things to worry about, whether we should or not. In the bigger scheme of life, most of my recent worries would seem rather insignificant to others that might be dealing with even more severe issues, but it is all relative. Please don’t think that we never prayed about our concerns and asked God for his guidance and wisdom on many of those matters. We
certainly did, especially T. My problem was, I still continued to worry about it instead of having faith that He would provide. For us, it turns out that most of those concerns, at least for me, were unwarranted. Even though I was reluctant to ask, our barn family never hesitated to help us with whatever needed to be done. We had so many friends helping unload hay one time they were almost tripping over each other. T and I worked hard to meal prep before each of my surgeries. We shouldn’t have bothered. We had so much food brought to us by our barn family that I don’t think we touched any of the meals we prepared until at least a couple weeks after each surgery. Friends helped me cut, haul and split firewood during the time between each hip surgery when I was relatively mobile. T, Cam and Michelle were able to handle just about everything in the barn during those first couple weeks after each surgery when I really wasn’t able to help much, if at all. Praise the Lord, we were blessed with a great year for the barn and did not struggle financially. We have gotten some ‘cute’ gifts with catchy, horsey phrases over the years from the families taking lessons here. They all have been sincerely appreciated and several are hanging in the tack room. But that single print really hit me this year. Such a simple message, but so relevant to our lives. It isn’t based specifically on scripture, but I suspect someone came up with it based on the first part of Psalm 46:10, which in the New International Version reads “Be still and know that I am God….” I sincerely want to consistently go to God with all my problems, pray that he gives me the guidance and peace of mind to deal with them, and then be able
Tanya and Rob Corzatt
Black Swamp Driving Club Need Ideas for Summer Outings/Drives
Just a few short months until spring, then drives will happen again!
Our next club meetings will be; February 8 and March 8, from 2 to 4 p.m. at The Lutheran Church, 300 S. Main Street, Arlington, Ohio. Bring ideas for the summer outings/drives. Keep in mind that this is the
250 celebration of the USA and your community may be offering events that our club could bring horses and wagons/carriages to. This would add greatly to the historical aspect of the event! If you would like to have an event, please bring the information to one of the above listed meetings, so it can be calendared. Dates can be added during the year, but choices for days get crowded out as we strive to only have one event on a weekend. (Exceptions do happen).
February may still provide enough snow for a winter sleigh ride.
The Hayhurst farm offers 15 acres, going around a 6 acre pond. It is totally fenced in to offer the safest drive possible, if you are training your horse to pull a sleigh. Feel free to contact us
Geauga Horse and Pony Association
PRESIDENT, George Baker
1st VICE PRESIDENT, Dustin Sutter
2nd VICE PRESIDENT, Kelli Burns
TREASURER, Shauna Gingrich
SECRETARY, Jaimie Olson
WEBSITE, www.ghpa.us
by Jaimie and Joselyn Olson
Mark your calendar! Our 2026 show dates are as follows.
Open Shows: Sunday, May 31 and June 21.
Contesting Shows: Friday, May 29 and June 19.
New this year, Two-Day Shows: July 18-19 and August 1-2. Our two-day shows will include English, jumping, contesting, ranch, trail and more!
to check on the depth of the snow at the time you desire to come. Ronandsharonh@gmail.com Facts on what you can feed your equine. Not all horses will or should eat all these and moderation of treats is important— don’t over do any foods! Apples with seeds removed, carrots, bananas—skin, Timothy Hay, pumpkin—remove seeds if hard/ sharp, pears sliced with no seeds, oats, sweet potatoes—lightly cooked and cut to avoid choking, grapes in limited quantity, celery, cucumber sliced, Barley, blueberries, oranges—seeds and peel removed, strawberries stem removed, beets—cubed raw or cooked, peaches—pit removed, pineapple—core and outer layer removed offering small bites, mango peel and skin removed, and plum—seed removed. Because of the high sugar content of some items, please use as a treat only, not to be fed in large quantities at any time! Many foods will help to replenish and hydrate the horse on a hot summer’s day or after a hard workout
New This Year — Two-Day Shows
Our show committee is working hard on creating the brand new showbills and will be released very soon.
We would like to welcome our new board members, Cynthia Burroughs, David Huntington and Becky Thompson who will be joining our continuing board members George Baker, Kathy Blair, Kelli Burns, Scott and Nancy Burroughs, Shauna Gingerich, Jaimie Olson and Dustin Sutter. We are looking forward to a great 2026 season!
A reminder that our Boot Scootin’ Banquet is on March 14. Invitations were mailed out.
If you have not received yours yet, please reach out and let us know. We are looking for basket donations. Please contact Susie McIntire (scwmagrey@
Counting Our Blessings
Continued from page 42
to rest knowing that I have placed it in His hands. I’m not saying, “Here you go God, take care of it for me”. I am saying that I trust Him to help us through whatever issue, worry or concern we face. As for some confirmation for the topic of this article, I saw another
verse of scripture at the end of an outdoor show I was watching at the time I was actually writing it. Psalm 29:11 reads “The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace”. I need to find a place in our bedroom to hang the print. Then at night, I can give my concerns to God then just go to
yahoo.com) with basket donation questions.
A big congratulations to our 2025 scholarship recipient, Maddie Pucell! Maddie is attending Urseline College and studying nursing.
Our youth groups, Saddles and Spurs and Tails and Trails have elected officers for 2026. Tails and Trails: President Grace Klar; Vice President Allie Huntington; Secretary Hannah Klar; Treasurer Joselyn Olson.
In December, Tails and Trails hosted a clinic put on by Dr. Noah Bianco about what to do in an emergency, and got to watch him float a horses teeth. It was a great hands on clinic! These groups are working on educational clinics for the 2026 year.
If you are interested in joining one
of our youth clubs, please reach out to Kelli Burns (kelliburns86@ gmail.com), Frank Muellnar (f-muellner@sbcglobal.net) or Jaimie Olson (jaimiesutter230@ gmail.com).
Join us at our monthly meetings on the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Geauga County Fairgrounds in the lounge attached to the school building. Stay connected! Visit our website (ghpa.us) and follow us on Facebook for the latest updates and announcements.
Geauga Horse and Pony Associaiton thanks Big Dee’s Tack for their generous support of our organization through their Bonus Buck’s program. We greatly appreciate all this wonderful company provides for our organization.
sleep! God bless you all in this New Year!
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.
Ron feeding Phineas a banana. Hard stem removed, but he enjoys skin and all.
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President
The Ohio Horseman’s Council (OHC) has momentum, and it will be rewarding to watch many of our volunteers’ continued efforts heading into 2026. Rides, competitions, fundraisers, trail work parties, chapter and regional meetings, along with a hundred other activities, all meant to “Make Ohio Better, Four Hooves at a Time.” These efforts are precisely what define the Ohio Horseman’s Council.
All ages involved, all riding
County Lines
AUGLAIZE
Hello everyone, hopefully the new year is continuing to treat you all well. Auglaize County sure has a lot to be grateful for! The festivities from December have brought up the morale of all the members. Everyone was able to ride through the Gift of Lights event at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds, provided by the Auglaize County Fair board, which decorated the camping area with a range of lights for everyone in the community to participate in. Hot cocoa with Christmas cookies were also kindly offered to all the horse riders in addition to peppermint candies for the horses. It was a really cold night
disciplines covered, and all breeds of equine welcome at any OHC event. If you are not a member, the membership fee is a great value that helps enhance the Ohio outdoors for everyone to enjoy. Membership fees range from $25 to $40, depending on the type you choose. Your fee remains with the Ohio Horseman’s Council and its chapters to continue the year’s volunteer efforts. As a member, you decide how involved you
for everyone; however, many other people in the community drove their cars through the lights. We are really lucky and blessed for all the support we have from both our fair board and community. We are so happy for everything you have done for us!
We have some additional events coming up this month. We once again have our annual Chocolate Walk on February 7. Bunzi, our mini horse mascot, and Dominic will be walking around during this event. This is when the local shops provide chocolates for all participants, which also allows the participants to visit local shops that they don’t normally have the time to visit. In addition, on February 22 all the junior ambassadors are getting together for bowling, pizza, and wings. It’s going to be a great time for everyone.
~Veronica Mertz
CLERMONT
The cold temperatures on January 1, with a high of 35°,
PRESIDENT Mary Alice Kuhn 330/413-6589 president@ohconline.com
want to be. It’s up to you, but your membership is appreciated no matter your age, riding discipline, or equine breed.
Chapter officers from each of the five OHC regions will meet in February to plan their activities and goals for this year and beyond. Members and chapter officers from across the state will convene in Newark on March 14 to share and learn about those plans and objectives and to gather ideas they may
VICE PRESIDENT Charlene Santee 740/670-3470 vicepresident@ohconline.com
OHC COUNTY LINES EDITOR Kirstie Seeger 937/974-3345 countylineeditor@ohconline.com
not have considered. After that, it’s time to enjoy your equines, friends, and family for months of what the Ohio Horseman’s Council, its volunteers, and fellow equestrians have to offer. To be part of the momentum, visit our website, ohconline. com, and sign up. You can learn about the Horseman’s Council, its county chapters, and the events in your area while there.
~Mary Alice Kuhn
did not deter eight of our diehard members as they braved the temperatures, and rode 13.5 miles at East Fork. That is an impressive way to kick off the new year! There is something uniquely rewarding about hitting the trails when most people are still huddled under blankets.
We will post our 2026 ride schedule on the Facebook page and list the ride dates in the March Corral. Congratulations to Russell Emerson for reaching his goal of 1000 miles again in 2025! This is Russell’s second year to achieve this goal.
The Clermont County Tack exchange will be February 15, at Clermont County Fairgrounds, 1000 Locust Street, Owensville Ohio, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is not an OHC event, however it is held by one of our local 4H groups. Come and shop to support our 4H for any needed tack supplies.
If you have not renewed your membership, it’s not too late. Do any of your horse friends not belong to OHC? Bring your friends to our next meeting and introduce your friends to our great county. Meetings are held every first Tuesday of the month at East Fork Park office at 7 p.m. Meetings last about an hour.
We are planning the Wounded Warrior Ride date for May 22-25 at the Tim Applegate
Horseman’s Area at East Fork State Park. Come for the entire weekend and enjoy the meals, music, campfire, auction, poker ride, and other activities for four days. Everyone is invited, come early and get the best camping spot. Water will be provided for the horses, and generators are welcome as camping is primitive. Watch the Clermont County Facebook page for additional updates as plans are still being made for this special event. What to do while sitting at home during the winter? Winter is a good time to work on your trailer maintenance, weather permitting. Maintaining your camper might feel like a chore, but the small amount of time spent checking these three areas—roof, sidewalls, and slideouts—can save you from one of the most dreaded (and expensive) repairs a camper owner can face. Water damage isn’t just costly; it also means downtime. Regular inspections, plus a little preventative maintenance, will keep your camper dry, strong, and ready for the road. Don’t forget to check the floor in your horse area, remove the mats, waterproof the wood floor or make sure the aluminum has not deteriorated. Check the axles and wheel bearings also. An hour or two spent checking these items could save yourself hours
The Gift of Lights with all the Auglaize County horse members.
The Gift of Lights with the kids riding underneath the lights.
County Lines
if broke down on the side of the road. I will be purchasing new tires this year for my trailer, as they are five years old.
Until next month, stay safe.
~LaWana Bogard
CLINTON
Hello fellow horseman and woman, I hope you all had a great holiday season! Our Christmas part was small due to a few members out of town, on a trip to Alaska, and a few sick. Abby fixed Mississippi Pot Roast, it was amazing! We had a great time, played Left Right Center and exchanged gifts. Thank you Abby Fox for hosting again, you are the best!
My saying is “take a kid riding and see the future.” My granddaughter Riley is 4-yearsold now and I got her, her first lesson with Amanda Snell, she did amazing! She hangs out with me in the barn, but it is different to get a ‘real’ lesson. I recommend it for any young rider, even an old rider to freshen up on skills, balance, and the true fun of riding.
Winter riding, love it! No bugs! We got capes this Christmas, they worked great, we want to tweak them a bit with maybe toggles on the front not just Velcro. But staying warm is the goal, I got myself some rechargeable hand warmers, they work amazing. I have my duster on, and I could feel the heat through my whole coat. I had the hand warmers in my hoodie pockets under the duster. Knee high boots and wool socks are a must, along with good gloves. We also wear skull
caps that fit under our helmets. All of this kept us warm, warm, warm at 23 degrees. Plan a head for a beautiful winter ride!
Please check out our Facebook page for updates on rides, meetings, and campouts. Take a kid riding and see the future, ~Sue Lamb
CUYAHOGA
This is the Year of the Fire Horse, starting February 17. This brings us to what does this mean for us? We can draw from it, energy, action, optimism and growth. So whatever way this inspires you feel free to step up, pitch in and help make it a great year for our equine partners, our friends, and the trails we ride. This is the time to help your chapter with whatever projects present themselves. Show enthusiasm as your officers present ideas and officers lead with enthusiasm, friendship and a plan to grow. If we all, each member in this wonderful group called Ohio Horseman’s Council, show respect for each other, our leaders, the trails we ride and the people we share these trails with, we will make the world, or at least our little corner of it, a better place. Keep in touch with what is going on in OHC and look for ways you can offer help. Don’t wait to be asked, just step up and offer. It can be sending cards to members to console them in loss or help them feel better when they are ill, or best of all to congratulate and celebrate happy occasions or happenings. There is always a need for help with refreshments or cleanup at meetings. New ideas for programs or events and the offer to head up this event and gather helpers to see it through. Keep your eyes and ears open and you will soon find your special place in OHC. You will never be sorry you are part of the solution.
Our future depends on steady growth as we see a world with so many demands for trail use. Try to work with neighboring chapters to build stronger ties and more impact to create or
maintain bridle trails. The buzz word is connectivity in so many parks but alas this is mainly a drive for paved trails. Yes, paved trails serve a great number of people and we as equestrians also enjoy them, but we need to build friendships with the people who love the natural trails. So be friendly to other users and be courteous to those who don’t know much about horses. A friendly greeting or encounter makes an ally, and an angry encounter makes an enemy.
If you are not yet a member or have neglected to renew your membership, now is the time to join in. We in the Cuyahoga Chapter will welcome you and we need you. So, come on and go to www.ohconline.com to find out more. We hope you choose Cuyahoga (or wherever you want to join and fill out an application). Easy as that and you are part of a vibrant group of equine enthusiasts.
See you on the trail or at one of the meetings.
~Penny
DELAWARE
Greetings from your friends from the Delaware Chapter! We are all looking forward to another fun-filled, productive, and rewarding year.
This year began with our chapter officers holding their virtual meeting last month to begin brainstorming ideas for speaker topics, social activities and the like. These preliminary comments and ideas will be shared at our upcoming meeting scheduled for Friday, February 6. We encourage and are eager to receive additional feedback and suggestions from our members as we work towards finalizing our 2026 event calendar.
This month, our first inperson meeting, will feature member Dan Chambers, who will share his experiences and knowledge gained from his time spent with professional trainer, Ken McNabb. Come and enjoy an entertaining and educational evening with friends. Our business meeting will follow Dan’s presentation. Light refreshments will also be available. We look forward to seeing and meeting our newest members as well as our treasured returning members!
Mark your calendars to attend our Central Region regional meeting scheduled for Saturday, February 14 from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. at the West Jefferson Community Center. Please watch your email for more details. A potluck meal with the region providing the chicken is planned. Come to share and learn about upcoming chapter events occurring in our region this year including our annual regional trail ride and campout.
Looking ahead, plan now to attend our OHC Spring General Membership meeting scheduled for Saturday, March 14. Held in Newark, Ohio, at the Elks Lodge in downtown Newark, the meeting invites all OHC members to attend. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. Reservations for luncheon meals will be needed. Let’s have a great turn out of Delaware members attending! Lastly, we encourage members to give of their time and energy and join our merry group of trail maintenance volunteers. Under the guidance of Bobbi Arters, our trail maintenance volunteers work diligently all year long to keep our Alum Creek State Park bridle trails in good shape for all users to enjoy. The group meets every Tuesday morning at the park, weather allowing. Whether you can volunteer every Tuesday or some, your participation is needed and is greatly appreciated. Please contact Bobbi Arters for more information, we hope to see you soon!
Wishing everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day! Give your equine partner a big hug!
~Theresa Burke
FAIRFIELD
I know you’re going to read this in February but, because of timeline I couldn’t report on our Christmas party in January issue. So, here goes. We had a great turnout as usual when food is involved plus, we had young children back to help celebrate. Guess we have to talk about Santa coming back again. I want to say how good it was to see Becky and Chip (who provide us with the party space) looking pretty darn good after health issues. After dinner we all sat down to hear our poet Bryn give us a couple of his stories but, he got put on hold because it was payback time from Tom on Bryn’s story from last year about Walking Horses compared to Quarter Horses. For those outside our club Tom and his family are strictly Walking Horse people and Bryn is definably Quarter Horse. So, Tom proceeded to
Winter riding, Amanda Snell.
Rileys first riding lesson.
Clinton County OHC Christmas party.
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compare the two breeds which provided a lot of laughs. I can’t wait to see what happens next year with these two. I have enclosed a picture of the two of them in a friendly exchange. Our get together always comes with a gift exchange for those who want to participate. A poem is read by Bill Smith called Mr. and Mrs. Right and if you have been a part of this exchange, it gets pretty confusing for some of us who don’t know right from left. I want to mention that you missed out seeing his green elf coat that was so cute that I am enclosing a picture of it. A tradition was started many years ago to recognize someone in the club who always goes above and beyond in the club. Mr. Benny Sloan was awarded our Silver Spur award this year by President Cris. Congratulations to Benny. I don’t want to forget to thank June for the beautiful table decorations. I asked Cris if she emptied out the house, he laughed and said no.
Since the article is way after New Years how many made new year’s resolutions, I did. I hope I don’t jinx by telling. I hope for a little less rain in the spring so farmers can get crops in on time. I hope for fewer 90-degree days in the summer and most of all I hope we get the same weather for our state ride in September. I need
to mention that dates for the state ride this year are different because the calendar dates are different for Labor Day. I guess the good thing about last year was the orange trail at Hocking was dry.
A request was made by Sam that maybe a rest stop could be put in at Scioto Trails. Cris checked into it with Manager Brian Kelly, and he gave a thumbs up. A tie rail and picnic table will be installed this year by the club somewhere around marker 34. I’m thinking Sam needs to make up a mounting step also.
We have decided to reserve group camp for a Memorial Day ride because of having to reserve sites at state would make it hard for us all to get together.
Since it is February Happy Valentines Day, give your sweetie a hug.
~Anita Hoon
FULTON
The Fulton County chapter was busy giving in December. We used the proceeds from our Oktoberfest dessert auction to give checks to 12 area food banks and community centers for holiday relief. Members also generously donated snack items and baked goods for Christmas boxes which Jo put together for the Oak Openings Park and Maumee State Forest personnel. Jack and Ron delivered the boxes. Our January 1 Soup or Ride was impacted by the weather, and the high of 25 degrees along with the ice and snow, deterred all but two riders. Terry O. and Jerry G. braved the cold to ride, and Amy O. brought the soup. Our after Christmas party was on January 3, and some of our members started talking about planning their camping calendar for this year. Since we already have our customary events planned and the state ride calendar has come out, it should be easy to pick open weekends when people can go. There were over 60 people who came to our party and the party committee did a fantastic job putting together a fun event. There were games, great food, a snowman scavenger hunt, a roaming magician and a backdrop and photographer who took photos of attendees. The venue was new (Flo’s church), the committee was new (Flo, Liz, Marge, Donna and Beth), many of the activities were new and it was very nice. Now we’ll just hunker down and work on our warm weather plans. The
countdown to spring has begun!
We did not have a chapter meeting in January. In February, in addition to our chapter meeting on February 3, we have a first aid class planned for February 21. In March, we have a chapter meeting on March 3 and a Winter Blues brunch at Delta 109 on March 21. Then comes April and even the weather-timid folks will be out and about.
Chapter meetings are usually on the first Tuesday of the month at The Bunker Bar in Holland, November through April. During warmer months, we meet at Reed Road Ranglers usually during a camping weekend. Our website— www.fcohc.com, our Facebook group—Fulton County OHC and our Facebook page— Fulton County Ohio Horseman’s Council, can reveal what we’re up to in real time.
Be safe, be well and we hope to see you on the trails!
~Kathy Brown
GALLIA
Hello all, I hope everyone has been staying warm and had a happy new year! In Gallia County there is not a lot happening. We are having a Tack Auction on February 8 at the Gavin Rec Center in Cheshire Ohio.
At our last meeting we voted for officers. President Eddie Wolfe, Vice President Mike Hurt, Secretary Angie Jones, Treasurer Sherri Repass.
I would like to introduce a couple of our Junior Ambassadors. Madelynn Hicks, she is 16 years old and is a sophomore. After high school she plans to continue working with horses and/or in some sort of agricultural business. Her love and relationship with horses have helped shape who she is today. Being a Junior Ambassador is helping her with the confidence and abilities to succeed. She is also a member of Aftershock 4-H club. She enjoys showing her horse Teddy and market goats. Morgan Hicks is 13 years old and is in the 8th grade. She has plans after high school to become a teacher and have a horse business of her own on the side. OHC is a great fit as she enjoys helping others and participating in any horse-related events. She also is a member of Aftershock 4-H club. She enjoys showing her horse Champ and market goats. These girls have been working very hard with the Gallia OHC. They are a great asset to our Gallia County chapter. Our next meeting is February
Fairfield County OHC
Terry and Jerry at the Soup or Ride.
Christmas boxes.
Gallia County OHC
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10 at 6 p.m. at Rio Ridge Venue in Rio Grande Ohio. We hope to see you there.
~Angie Jones
GREENE
We welcomed the new year with a ride at Caesar Creek Horse Camp. There were 13 riders that braved the cold and then enjoyed hot chocolate and cookies at the shelter. We had a good, cold, fun time.
February is our time for planning for future events and fundraisers. This spring, we are planning to do the Mike’s Car Wash tickets sales, since it was so successful the past fall. Our club receives 50 percent of the sales of each ticket sold. We are also planning a quarter auction, as well as our various raffles throughout the year. We want to do more fun horse events, such as obstacle courses, a scavenger hunt, geocaching, or treasure hunt on horseback. The Easy Peasy rides are resuming in March or April, stay tuned for more information on the Greene County Facebook page.
Our club delivered donated boredom buster items to Dayton Children’s Hospital and to Greene County Foster Care. Giving back to the community means so much to our club. Thanks to everyone who donated items.
Supporting an OHC club ensures we have equine trails for the riders of the future. We welcome our new members to our club. We also have many young participants in the Ohio Jr. Ambassador club. This is a wonderful opportunity for the youth of our group and others in the Ohio Horseman’s Council. Please consider joining a local chapter. Happy trails!
~Cindra Phillips
GUERNSEY
I’m writing this New Year’s Eve and it’s freezing rain outside. Everything is a sheet of ice here in Stone Creek. I just took the dogs for an ‘interesting’ walk. Don’t want to do that again!
Not much riding being done right now, JD excluded. He rides his horse every day, rain or shine. He’s the man! Bill was the last one to ride at Salt Fork and to post his ride on Salt Fork Bridle Trails. It was November 24, and he rode the Blue and Green trails with his beautiful mule, Betsy. You see him getting some quality betweenthe-ears time in the picture.
It was a very snowy night out for our annual OHC Christmas party. In spite of that we had an awesome turn out. Since the roads were bad, we limited the steals to one, on the gift exchange. (I’ve ordered a set of
pins for my voodoo doll, for the person that stole my 3,800-lumen flashlight!) The party was a blast and the food was fantastic! I think it was the best chicken I ever ate. In just a few short weeks we will start our trail workdays at Salt Fork. To say we had a tough year would be an understatement. High winds brought a lot of trees down during several storms. In calendar year 2025 we put in 705 hours worked on the trails. Because of multiple storms we covered some of the same trails several times. Doing so we worked on 83 miles of trail in 2025. Enjoy some trail work done a couple of years back, as we worked on the Blue Trail.
Now that I have my truck back and so far, so good, Dee Dee and I hope to see you on the trail!
~Lee Randolph HAMILTON
Whoa! Warning! Get your hard hat on! Hamilton County OHC’s schedule is currently under construction! Stay tuned for trail riding adventures, camping trips, parades, trail work days, a program for youths, and exceptional educational programs featuring outstanding speakers! We will circle back to you when the dust settles.
Up to the moment information? Check out HC-OHC on Facebook at ‘Ohio Horseman’s Council Hamilton County Chapter’. To access our website (also under construction) and membership application link, please go to ohconline.com, ‘find chapter’ and type in ‘Hamilton County’ in the search bar.
~Ann Frederick
HARRISON
Hello OHC! I hope you all stayed safe, dry, and warm during our periods of wet winter weather the past few weeks. One of our club members was commenting on how her horse likes to stay outside in it. Mine are the same. Even with their overhang shelter and the huge supply of hay available there, I frequently see them out in the field getting wet. They normally
do well in the cold, but I keep a close eye on them when they are wet. A wet coat strips away their natural insulation and can leave them vulnerable to the cold. At some point, the blankets may come out, or they get stalled for the night to dry up while I wish for warmer weather to hurry up and come back!
Our club had an awesome Christmas party in December. While turnout was down some due to weather, illness and other obligations, we still managed to have a wonderful time. We were pleasantly surprised and happy to have young Jayce show up at the party. Jayce’s grandfather, Alan, was our vice president who passed away this past year. Jayce was Alan’s shadow, so he was always a part of our club activities. So glad to see him and know he is doing well. The club provided ham and smoked turkey for the party, and everyone brought wonderful sides and desserts. It was said that the food was better than the catered dinners we had done in the past! I was thrilled to get some homemade nut roll which I love but never could bake as well as others! We also had a white elephant gift exchange organized
New Year’s Day riders after the ride.
Cindra and Henry, New Year’s Day ride.
Sherlock and Pickles.
Bill and Patsy
Salt Fork workday, February, 2023.
OHC Christmas party, 2025.
Harrison County OHC Christmas party.
Harrison County OHC officers.
Cheryl’s horses.
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by Cindy, and everyone went home with something fun, cute or delicious. Jayce got some gag gifts he was thrilled with. I ended up with some truffles to die for. Hopefully by print time I am back on my diet but for now I am really enjoying the treats.
The club decided to make a donation to the Hopedale Legion for their generosity of allowing us to meet there. I am grateful for the space as it can be hard to find a place to meet in our county. I hope you all take the time to acknowledge nice things others do for you whether as an individual or club. Club member Cheryl is grateful to member Bob for hauling some hay for her and wanted me to share that. With Valentines Day this month, also be sure to show appreciation to the ones close to you as well.
Our club continues to meet monthly, which I enjoy since I don’t get out much in the winter. There is talk of perhaps changing the meeting night to help accommodate others who might want to come but have conflicts. If that is you, please let us know so we can try to find an evening that works best for everyone. New members are always welcome so don’t be shy!
~Sherrie Hart
HOCKING
How are we doing so far, in The Year of the Fire Horse? If you haven’t felt it yet, don’t worry. According to my research, it doesn’t officially start until February 17, at the Lunar New Year.
Wrapping up The Year of the Snake, our club participated in some wonderful community events. First, we entered the Logan Holiday Parade. It was a very cold day, but a bunch of brave members showed up anyway, to wave and throw candy to all the people who were there to watch. Our club had the honor of escorting the big man himself, Santa! We also won the Best Equestrian Division. What does that mean? Well, we have
lots of bragging rights.
Something that is very cool, but not too cold, is Shop with a Cop. Every year the Hocking OHC club donates money to this very impressive community event. This holiday season 430 children showed up to the Logan Walmart to Shop with a Cop. It takes a lot of different organizations and donations to make this possible. Hocking OHC is proud to be part of it, for quite a few years now. Speaking of kids, is it true that as you age, you get younger again? I think it’s true. One of our senior members was tickled pink, and speechless at a surprise birthday party which was thrown in his honor. Cowboy Larry turned 88, but as spry as he is, I think that he is aging backwards! Despite the nasty weather conditions, many people from near and far showed up at Alibi’s Bar and Grill, to be part of his special day. Hocking County OHC is proud to call Cowboy Larry one of ‘ours’. We all hope he will be around for many more years!
I am sure you all have your planners purchased for 2026. If you’ve not done that yet, they are probably on sale at a good price! Stay safe out there and try not to get cabin fever over the next few weeks. Come to one of our meetings if you do. We don’t bite! 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
We will be halfway or more through winter by the time most of us read this article. It is New
Year’s Eve here and not very nice out, so halfway sounds pretty good. We hope all enjoyed a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Our spring banquet and raffle will be held April 18 from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin, Ohio. All members, secondary members and their families are invited. It is always a good meal and a good time. The raffle and 50/50 are our fundraisers. Mileage and other awards will be given out. We very much appreciate the raffle donations from our local merchants. Workdays and camps will be planned in the near future. We will be resuming meetings in March. The meeting will be March 2 at 6 p.m. at the Holmes County Jobs and Services building. Our club will be sending representatives to the OHC NE Regional meeting on February 21. I look forward to learning what NE chapters have planned for the 2026 riding season.
Bruce and some of his riding buddies are dealing with the weather by going out to breakfast now and then at Boyd and Wurthman’s in Berlin. Members Tom Ames and Leroy Duncan are regulars. Well known area horseman Larry Grey makes it also. Wayne Yoder and Nelson Weaver are there now and then. Unlike the rest of the crew, they are still working, so we need to give them a break. I’m told this is a men’s breakfast. It’s not a regular event, so anyone interested will have to check in with Bruce.
We plan to go to a couple swap meets this winter. We’ll have had a table with my son at Ashland in January. The goal is to leave with less than we brought. Findlay and Coshocton have swaps this month. The other less fun and more work event in February is tack cleaning and repair. Now’s the time for a deep clean. If you have any doubts about your gear, it’s also time to have your tack looked over by a pro. They get very busy in the spring.
I am hoping for some winter warmups in order to get to the Metroparks sometime this winter. Their trails are excellent in the winter.
We are very grateful for the OHC community and all it does for trail riders and horsemen in general.
KNOX
Happy trails and greetings from snow covered Knox County! I am
writing this January 2, so I hope everyone had a very Happy New Year. Here’s to a 2026 filled with peace, good health and making wonderful new memories with family, friends and of course, our equine partners.
In December, we didn’t have a club meeting or any year end events, so I don’t have much to report. Our Trail Committee, headed by Laurie Murdick, did meet and made plans for rides and campouts for 2026. Thank you to all who attended and gave their suggestions and input.
In January, we had our annual ‘after the holidays’ party, always a fun get together. More on that in the next article.
Don’t forget about our Tack Auction on February 21. Look for our ad in the January issue of the Corral or check out our flyer
Hocking parade.
Cowboy Larry’s birthday party.
Shop with a Cop
Fun in the snow.
JA member, Yvette Murray.
JA member, Charlie Carbetta
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on Facebook for more details. Not letting the cold and snow keep us down, on New Year’s Day, a group of members tried (with varying degrees of success) to ride snow sleds instead of horses. Meeting at Boy Scout Camp Falling Rock, following a potluck, we had a ball navigating the steep slopes, dodging rocks and trying to steer our unruly sleds. On more than one occasion, the sleds got the better of us. We thank Nancy Gilliand for organizing this very fun outing.
In the next few articles, I would like to feature some members of our Junior Ambassador Program. Team leader, Gaynor Pfeffer, asked them to share their highlights from 2025 and what they are looking forward to in 2026. Thirteen-year-old Yvette Murray says going to the National Finals in dressage, going to the North East Show Time series, (a local hunter/jumper show series), and starting to learn eventing were highlights from 2025. In the new year, she is looking forward to more showing, eventing and spending time with her horses. Eleven-year-old Charlie Carbetta said last year he enjoyed going to Fantasia at Equine Affaire and a camping trip to Beaver Creek State Park. He said he also likes the food we have at our gatherings. In the new year, he wants to go to Fantasia again, do more camping trips and explore new trails he hasn’t ridden yet. Many thanks to Gaynor and the rest of her team for heading up our very successful JA program and for continuing into the new year.
We still meet the third Monday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Pizza Cottage in Mt. Vernon. Come join us for a meeting, an event or riding down Ohio’s beautiful trails!
~Cindy Cossin
LAKE
Valentines’ Day, Presidents’ Day, Groundhogs’ Day, Ash Wednesday, Ramadan, Black History month, all in February; yet February 17 is calling us in the horse world. It’s the beginning of the Chinese New Year...The Year of the Horse! It’s a year symbolized by strength, momentum, opportunity, and alignment. It’s purposeful movement forward (sound familiar?). We’re starting fresh with high energy, creativity, and precise action. Passion for what we’re doing surrounds us. There’s a certain freeness,
courage, and clarification calling us. “This year doesn’t whisper. It thunders, breaking old patterns, burning through stagnation and dragging every buried dream into the light.” Quote from Awakening Education on the Internet. Meanwhile, back in December, Michelle S., Michelle H., Savannah and I decorated a four and one half foot Christmas tree for our OHC Lake chapter at the Willoughby Hills Community Center in Willoughby Hills. We had a delightful time putting on the various horse ornaments, lights, garland and other trimmings. Michelle H. did most of the actual placements on the tree. We others made suggestions and Michelle S. bought lunch. We look forward to adorning another Christmas tree in 2026 with pictures of our members and their horses. We also anticipate creating a very large Christmas card for the Community Center’s Trail of Holiday Greetings. Donna recently lost her beloved 32-year-old Morgan mare, Magic. Our sympathies go out to Donna, who dearly misses her mare and her other horses, and all the joy they brought her. Tina has been attending several Cowboy Mounted Shooting events at the Jefferson Fairgrounds in Ashtabula County. She loves the nineteenth century dress of the cowboys and cowgirls, as well
as the excitement of watching the shooters hit their targets while on a galloping horse. Barbara M. has been experimenting with AI using pictures of her mustang, Dilly, and her mini-horse, Bingo From the pictures she has shared, she seems to be doing well.
May we all do well in The Year of the Horse.
~Rayneen
LORAIN
Hello horse lovers! Love is in the air, and I have a few thoughts about how us horse lovers can show love to our horses. For starters, keep an eye on your horse’s weight. The cold weather can burn up a lot of calories or if they are not exercised perhaps they may be gaining too much weight. Provide extra hay as needed to keep them warm and consider blanketing and make sure they have adequate shelter from the wind. Watch that your horses are drinking adequate amounts of water. Our water buckets have been freezing so we provide heated ones too. Clean and check their hooves for thrush regularly and treat as needed. Also, regularly remove mud and snow build up. When it’s bitterly cold we tend to rush the chores, but these are important details to keep track of in the cold weather. Perhaps a ride and a treat or two on Valentine’s Day is a lovely thought for our great steeds on Valentine’s Day.
Our Lorain County OHC calendar sponsor for February is C & L Shoes located in West Salem, Ohio. Thank you, C & L, for your support.
Our Christmas party was well attended. The food was catered, and the food was delicious and plentiful. Sue Mollica did a wonderful job organizing and running this event and we are sincerely thankful for all her effort. Everyone brought cookies for dessert and to share with our Lorain County Park employees and they were yummy. In February, our Lorain County OHC has a Sweetheart day ride at the Carlisle Equestrian Center scheduled on Saturday, February 14 beginning at 1 p.m. Please bring your own refreshments. Sue Mollica has agreed to be the contact for this ride.
Please note that we will not have a membership meeting in February. The Northeast Area OHC Regional Meeting will be held at 3909 Broadview Road in Richfield, Ohio, on Sunday,
February 21, 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. if anyone would like to attend. Wendy Pugh is the contact person. Lastly, we will be sledding at Wellington Reservoir on Saturday, February 28. Those who went had a blast last year and hopefully the weather will be snowy for sledding again this year. It’ll be a great way to meet up with others in our club in a fun way. Additionally, walking up the hill can help burn those holiday goodies off our bodies.
Please remember that Sunday, March 8 we need to move our clocks forward so we will have more sunlight! You may want to check the Lorain County OHC website for March events or the Lorain County OHC calendar if you are a member of this chapter as a number of events are planned, especially if you want to attend the State OHC Meeting in Newark on Saturday, March 14 and/or the Road to the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park set for March 19-22. Jim Wallace is the contact for the State Meeting and Lara Monyak is the contact for the Road to the Horse event.
Lake County OHC
Calendar volunteers: Sandy, Laura, Sherry.
Lynn at Christmas party.
Santa Jim
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We hope you all have a lovely Valentine’s Day. It’s a great day to give your horse some special attention.
~Kathy Duncan
MADISON
It’s still winter in Ohio! In February, I always feel anxious as the days have more sunlight but the mud and cold are still here. I am anxious to get out and do more outside, and anxious to get my horse and myself back into riding condition. And always glad that February is the shortest month.
Madison County’s Christmas party was great fun in December at the home of Marsha and John Pierce. We had excellent food and fun, silly relay games and games of ‘skill’ with prizes. As usual, some of the games ended with at least one person rolling around on the floor to get something off or on. It’s a wonderful group with a great sense of humor. Thanks to our party planners, Susan Day, Janet Nelson, and Laura Lyle-Glier.
Some of us did ride on January 1 to celebrate the Year of the Fire Horse and ensure lots of future saddle time. Photos of Lorna Kenyon (our president) and Lisa Reynolds on the January 1 ride are attached as well as CeCe Glier on December 31 riding with her grandmother, Laura LyleGlier, and Izzy Walker to ring out 2025 and ring in 2026. The motto is, there is no bad weather, just improper gear. We all stayed warm and toasty on 20-degree days. Hooray for good gear!
Our February meeting will be our annual chili cook-off and Deer Creek State Park update from Bob Kruse, Deer Creek Service Manager. The horse campground is open. There is a new latrine and water for horses! There are gravel parking pads for the campsites. Now, we just need horsemen to reserve and
camp there to enjoy the 15 miles of varied trails. Day use parking is still at the main office until the regular area is cleared of dirt piles and gravel, but there is a tie line and port-a-john for our use as well as a water hose at the office. This is a great improvement, and I can’t wait to give it a try when the weather is fit.
I also want to thank Tribute (Kalmbach Feeds) for their Partnership Program. If you use Tribute products, cut out the proof-of-purchase from each bag, collect them, and receive $0.25 for each p-o-p. Your earnings will be banked until you request the amount that you need. Go to the Tribute website for information and forms, or call them. It is surprising how fast you can accumulate funds for your chapter.
I hope we all put together a thoughtful conditioning program to get our horses back into shape for the type of riding that we do, so we keep them healthy and sound. It is the least we can do for these wonderful partners who bring us joy, peace, and understanding. We can all enhance our skills and feel for the horse so our communication is clear and our relationship improves. Ride on!
~Lisa Reynolds MEDINA
have a few more bright spots to share. Our own Ann Hornsby was featured on the cover of the November Corral riding in the Spur for the Cure event at Camp Manatoc in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. She and her horse, Blueberry lead the second ride of the day that benefits Akron Children’s Hospital. Other Medina riders were Megan Padget, Michelle Crew and Greg Monsanty. Centerra/Purina has sponsored this fun and rewarding event for seven years, raising funds to fight childhood cancers. Riding for a good cause is just another way horsemen help more than just horsemen.
Hooray! It’s the year of the horse! According to the Asian zodiac, the Year of the Horse is believed to herald energy and transformation. If there’s anything this chapter has, it’s energy. Our current officers have shown this in spades. Our president Raydeen Ryden is a dynamo of energy, working tirelessly on the trails and being sure our voice is heard at meetings with the park staff. Our vice president Amy O’Neil is ever ready to explore new rides with other chapters and even taking part in a Passion Walk with her horse, Jeronimo at Easter time. She makes sure we keep up with what’s going on. Our secretary Megan Padget has been energetically setting up and leading weeknight rides for the past year and has been pushing herself in endurance challenges like the Iron Horse 25 at Elkins Creek Horse Camp. As well, all of our officers have recruited many new members, especially families and introducing them to the benefits of being part of OHC. Our number of youth members is growing! That was the energy part of who we are, the transformation is happening all the time as we welcome new members and discover new ways to enjoy our equine amigos. Like the horse itself we have shown strength and resilience over these 40 years.
Join us for some special events like our anniversary ride on June 20, chaired by charter members Kathy Schmidt, Barb Vega, Louise Harting. More good times and events to come-stay tuned! It’s that time of the year—time to plan. Our first membership meeting will be March 4 at Hinckley Town Hall. This is lately become our ‘plans and pizza’ meeting so be sure to join us. Work sessions tentatively start the second or third week in
March (if Mother Nature is kind to us), be on the lookout for email blasts and Facebook posts. Your valentine down in the valley!
~Rosemary
MEIGS
Not much happening right now with the club since we had our December Christmas party. The club raised money this year to donate gifts to two area nursing homes for residents that needed gifts, and we also donated food baskets to some local Veterans. The weather outside has been too cold for me to ride in but, some of you braved the weather and had a great time! Emmalee Setzer, Annalyn Setzer, Dixie Pyles and Beka Setzer rode in the Gallipolis in Lights Horse Parade this year. Also, Neal Dicken, Amanda McWilliams, Ellen and Jojo Pannell Beka, Emmalee and Annalyn Setzer, and Jennifer Smathers all rode at the Moonville Tunnel for New Year’s Day. I’m a fair-weather rider, below 50 degrees is too cold for me! I’m looking forward to the first day of spring. Come and join us at our next meeting. We would love to have you!
Madison County OHC Christmas fun with cups.
2025 Meigs fun show and trail mile winners.
2025 Meigs year-end fun show awards.
JoJo Pannell on the New Year’s ride at Moonville Tunnel.
Lisa Reynolds
Lorna Kenyon
County Lines
The Meigs chapter meets each month on the third Tuesday (February 17) with the exception of December. Meetings begin at 7 p.m. at Fox’s Pizza Den in Pomeroy, Ohio. Visitors are welcome, please join us to learn more about the OHC and see how you can become a member.
~Jocelyn Wilson
PREBLE
As the holiday season comes to a close, the Preble County Ohio Horsemen’s Council would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We hope the holidays were filled with joy, family, and maybe even a little extra time in the barn.
As we step into the new year, we are excited and ready for another great riding season. Before long, we’ll all be back out on the horse trails enjoying fresh air, good company, and the beautiful scenery Preble County has to offer. When the weather warms up, we’ll also be planning additional trail cleanup days to keep our trails safe, accessible, and enjoyable for everyone. Even through the colder months, our dedicated volunteers have been hard at work. Recently, several improvements were made by placing culverts and adding gravel to level out low spots and improve ditch lines. These updates have made a big difference in trail safety and longevity. The most recent improvements can be found on C Trail near the gravel parking lot. We are excited for riders to check out this area and see firsthand the results of all the hard work our volunteers have put in.
The Preble County OHC is always looking for new members who want to get involved, share fresh ideas, and help us continue to grow. Whether you’re interested in trail maintenance, events, or simply supporting the local equine community, there’s a place for you here.
We are especially proud of our youth program, which offers young riders the opportunity to get involved, learn responsibility, and build lasting friendships. One highlight of the program is the Highest Point Youth Award, where the top youth in each region is recognized with a belt buckle— an achievement worth riding for!
Thank you to all our members, volunteers, and supporters for everything you do. We look forward to another safe, fun, and successful year on the trails with
you. Here’s to a fantastic riding season ahead!
~Nichole Johnson STARK
Happy Valentine’s Day! I am hoping for warmer temperatures. It is just a few more days until spring. I am looking forward to it. One of our projects is helping to develop the trails and camping at Camp Tuscazoar. The camp is located in Zoarville, just east of Zoar and north of Dover. It is an old historical Boy Scout Camp and has over 800 acres with several campsites Boy Scouts still use plus several other buildings and lodges. There is an RV camping site plus a primitive horseman’s camp called The Preserve. The trails consist of hiking trails, bike trails, canoeing, and equine trails. We have tried to keep the trails separate but they do overlap at times. There is now a trail committee that worked diligently this past year to put up signs and to keep the trails clear which was a big job with all the storms in the area. The trails are a very nice mixture of winding trails through the woods, over creeks, with hills, etc. and a towpath trail along the Dover Dam.
Parking for trailers is at the far end of Boy Scout Road (Off Route 212 and Route 800) past the main entrance to the camp. When you are there, you are asked to signin at the Kiosk and sign-out when you leave. The Board likes to know who is using the camp. In 2025 there were 507 rider signins with 101 individual riders who logged 1,267.5 hours on the trails with approximately 422.5 miles ridden. The campers who enjoyed the RV park and the Preserve were overwhelming. Volunteers who worked on the trails put in
181 trail maintenance hours. Stark OHC gives awards to the top rider sign-ins with the help of Bellstores. For 2025 they go to Carla Ross who signed in 46 times and Laurie Ramey who signed in 31 times. Congratulations!
If you have questions about riding at Camp Tuscazoar, please feel free to contact Barbara Harding at rockinhorse00797@ yahoo.com.
Let’s hope for a good year and a successful one.
~Jo Ellen
UNION
Howdy! I can’t say that I’m loving this winter weather. Roller coaster temperatures and a little snow thrown in. It seems that I have spent my time cleaning stalls, checking on water troughs and hauling bedding, hay and water. Here’s hoping for less extreme weather for the rest of the winter.
Keep warm and happy trails.
~Debbie Strayton
WARREN
I hope everyone had a good New Year’s Eve/Day. I was out late New Year’s Eve, and don’t like riding in the cold, so I opted not to participate in the New Year’s Day ride. Thirteen riders did brave the cold for the ride on Moonlit Vista, including the trails to and from the lake. Harold made hot chocolate, and I stopped by long enough to take photos. The three photos this month are from the ride.
Hopefully next month I’ll have photos from our membership application dinner in midJanuary. For any of you who haven’t joined us for one of these, please consider it next year. It’s a chance to get together in a relaxed atmosphere and visit with other members you may not know, or you haven’t seen for a while due to the weather. The location varies from year to year,
but we always have a good time. As I write this, it looks like the Over the Hill Gang will be able to hold at least our first scheduled work day of the year. That doesn’t always happen; January and February can be very iffy, as you can imagine. Remember, if anyone finds an issue on the trail contact Roger (preferably by email as that way the specifics are written down) or Harold. Or you can post it on the Facebook page and either Harold will see it, or someone will pass the information on. That’s it for this month. Stay warm!
~Mickie
WASHINGTON
Greetings to all horsemen and horsewoman. I do hope you had a refreshing start for this Year of the Horse. The weather has been colder than usual so far. However, if you’re a positive thinker like me, you’re looking forward to warmer weather for some wonderful trail mile riding. I hope all Washington County members remembered to turn in their 2025 trail miles. We want to keep track of as many miles as we can compile to reach our goal of one million miles. With all members helping I am sure we can achieve it in the next year
Preble County OHC
Zoe enjoying the sunshine on a cold winter day.
Warren County OHC
County Lines
or so. It is important to log every mile you ride and be sure to turn them in at the end of the year. Not only are we hoping to set a record for a million miles of trail riding, but this also helps keep our trails open and cared for around the state when we can show their use throughout the year.
We are looking forward to getting some trail repairs made this year at Kinderhook, Newport, Ohio. There are a few wet boggy spots that need attention as well as some added signage to help new riders navigate the trails, along with some other improvements that are being planned. If you have not ridden there yet, please set a date and check it out. There are some very nice trails.
Our Jr. Ambassador program went well for the first year. It is a pleasure to see our youth increase their involvement with their horses as well as adult members in our chapter who have been very supportive.
I am looking forward to announcing how our two Jr. Ambassadors faired in the program, once the points are tallied and announced from the state. I also want to thank all who helped support them in 2025. I hope we can encourage new family members who join to sign up their sons and daughters to the program in 2026. Spread the word and help them feel welcome and willing to join. We need to spread the word to help the program grow as well as our chapter memberships.
Take care, be safe, and ride on.
~Rita V. Schultheis
WAYNE
As the cold December air descends upon northeast Ohio and before we go into postholiday hibernation mode, we at Wayne County OHC want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We hope 2026 is filled with lots of good trail riding, friendly horse competition and memorable camping trips.
It has been a quiet month for most of our members, except the hardy junior members. Denver, Charlene Schnarr’s granddaughter began competing in Youth Equestrian Development Association (YEDA) in December. She competes with a group from Fredericktown. In her first competition at the Garwood Arena in Columbiana, Ohio, she won a first and fourth place. The
members bring their own horse to the competition but compete on randomly selected horses in both rail and pattern riding. Congratulations to Denver and her coach, Carrie Gaumer.
My granddaughter, Brianna, encouraged me to get out and do a little arena riding on New Year’s Eve. I didn’t remind her that the last time I rode on New Year’s Eve, two years ago, I fell off in the creek at Hinckley Reservation and broke my rib. An ER is not where you want to be on New Year’s Eve!
We had our Winter Bash January 17 at The Barn Restaurant in Smithville, Ohio. Look for pictures in the next Corral issue.
Just a reminder, the trail and campout planning meeting is February 7 at 1 p.m. at Plain Lutheran Church in Wooster. All primary and secondary members are welcome. It will be a potluck luncheon. It is always good to get those dates on the calendar and gives us something to look forward to in the dreary days of March.
May you all have a happy, peaceful and safe 2026. See you on the trails.
~Susan Baker
WOOD
Greetings from Wood County OHC. By now, all your holiday decorations are down and put away (they are, aren’t they?) and those last few cookies have been consumed. We hope you are enjoying 2026 so far and your New Year’s resolutions are still intact. If not, give yourself some grace and either begin again or reevaluate the options!
We hope more riding is included in your plans; as mentioned in a previous article, Wood County OHC has several camping trips planned for this year, and we always welcome anyone who would like to join us. Also, as weather permits, several members head out to one of the local parks for day rides. Again, anyone who would like to come along is definitely welcome! Just reach out via our Facebook page for options and details.
Recent club activities included our annual Christmas potluck get-together (held in January). Due to publication dates, pictures from that event will be in next month’s Corral. We always have a wonderful time socializing and, of course, eating together. Elaine does a fantastic job of finding creative ways to lead our ‘white elephant’ gift exchange. It is such fun to see the creativity in both wrapping and gifting that occurs with the Wood County members!
Late December provided an opportunity for Diane Joseph and yours truly to participate in Sandusky County OHC’s annual pony ride event at the Sandusky County Winter Wonderland. This event is held at the fairgrounds in Fremont and provides an amazing opportunity for community exposure to horses and OHC. Members bring a few horses (saddled), and attendees at the holiday event have the opportunity to have a free ride! Liability waivers are required but this is a real treat for some who would perhaps never have the chance to ride a ‘real’ horse. It was a bit chilly for those of us who were walking around with the horses, but the smiles of the children having this chance made it all worth any little discomfort. This was my first opportunity to participate with our ‘sister branch’ and I hope to do it again. If you happen to live near another OHC chapter, you owe it to yourself to check in to an ‘addon’ membership. We can all use more friends and horsey contacts! We know this time of year can
be difficult for many with the extreme weather variances and sometimes the dark days can seem endless. But take heart, spring is coming! We have it on good authority from Ohio’s official groundhog, Buckeye Chuck, that warmer weather is fast approaching, and with it, more comfortable days to spend with our beloved barn friends (human and equine!) Take a deep breath and try to enjoy a good book or magazine, a pot of tea and bowl of popcorn, and maybe venture out to the stall for a few minutes and a ‘horse hug’. It’s a guarantee that you’ll feel better. Besides, we can all use the break from the bugs and gardening chores. Soon enough we’ll be going through fly spray like water and making comments about the tenacity of ticks. Wood County OHC sends out hopes for a quick approach of warmer, sunnier days and great riding weather!
~Juliann Flage
Brianna on Rattlesnake Jake.
Denver and teammate with Coach Gaumer.
Louie is ready for Santa!
Miranda Currie from Sandusky County on cleanup duty!
The Currie’s at Sandusky County’s Winter Wonderland.
