The Horsemen’s Corral is the official publication for the following clubs: Ashland Paint & Plain Saddle Club Avon Lake Saddle Club Black Swamp Driving Club Buckeye Equestrian Association Central Ohio Saddle Club Association Central Ohio Wagoneers Classical Attraction Dressage Society Colorado Ranger Horse Association Creek Side Mounted Archery District One National Show Horse Dusty Boots Riding Club 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
Inside This Issue Bulletin Board ......................................................................... 39 Corral Calendar...................................................................... 30 The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch ........................................ 42 Horses Written in the Stars .................................................... 10 Ride In Sync ............................................................................. 6 TrailMeister ............................................................................. 22 View From the Cheap Seats .................................................. 36 Western Dressage ................................................................. 40
Club News Black Swamp Driving Club..................................................... 14 Buckeye Equestrian Associaiton ........................................... 44 Dusty Boots Riding Club .......................................................... 8
The Corral Staff Editor .............................................................................................Bobbie Coalter Advertising Sales & General Manager .....................................Joe Coalter email ............................................................... joe@thehorsemenscorral.com Club Sales & Circulation Manager Art & Composition Director .....................................................Michelle Ross email ......................................................michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com
WRITERS & PHOTOGRAPHERS Features: ......................................Kelley Bitter, Rob and Tanya Corzatt .............................................. Robert Eversole, Terry Myers, Sarah Vas
Geauga Horse and Pony Association.................................... 44 Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros................................................. 38 Massillon Saddle Club ........................................................... 26 Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc................................... 18 Mid Ohio Dressage Association ............................................ 32 Northern Ohio Outlaws .......................................................... 44 Ohio High School Rodeo Association ................................... 34 Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc. .............................................. 45
NEXT ISSUE
NUMBER 2 ............................................................................... FEBRUARY 2026 FEBRUARY 2026 DEADLINE ......................................... JANUARY 12, 2026
Ohio Paint Horse Club ........................................................... 24 Ohio Western Horse Association........................................... 20 Premier Mount N Trail ............................................................ 16
DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO HORSE AND HORSEMEN since 1969 THE HORSEMEN’S CORRAL is published monthly by Horsemen’s Corral, 8283 Richman Road, Lodi, Ohio 44254. (ISSN 0164-6591). Published as Periodicals at the Lodi Post Office USPS 889-180 with additional entry points of Cleveland, OH 44101 and New Philadelphia, OH 44663. Periodicals postage paid at Lodi, Ohio, and additional entry offices. Subscriptions may only be purchased through Horsemen’s Corral member clubs. Single copies, $3.00 at select distributors. For subscriptions, address changes, and adjustments, write to: Horsemen’s Corral, P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254. Manuscripts, drawings, and other material submitted must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope. POSTMASTER: All subscription addresses are properly screened through CASS per USPS requirements. The Horsemen’s Corral will not accept returns of magazines deemed undeliverable for any reason. Please discard copy of any issue deemed as undeliverable. The Horsemen’s Corral cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. MAILING ADDRESS & PHONE: P.O. Box 32, Lodi, Ohio 44254 OFFICE: 330/635-4145
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Tri-County Trail Association ..................................................... 8 Wayne County Saddle Club ................................................... 20 Western Reserve Carriage Association ................................ 16
ABOUT THE COVER: A beautiful 6-year-old, American Bashkir Curly Paint mare named Let’s Tango, AKA “Tango”, stands in the black doorway showing off her unique hypoallergenic coat, and her salon looking curly mane, while taking in the view at Prickly Hill Performance Horses, located in Damascus, Ohio, where she is available on consignment. Tangos thick build, curly hair, work ethic and loving personality gets her noticed everywhere she goes. Find more out about Tango or set up your sale horse(s) professional photos by reaching out to Shae O’Hara of ShaeMar Snaps & Customs! 330/704-9459 or visit www.sms-customs.com, see us on Facebook @ShaeMarSnapsandcustoms.
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
January 2026
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
5
Ride In Sync
Planning for the Riding Season by Terry Myers take the blanket off and put your hands on the horse, it is thin. Be sure you are taking the blankets off your horse or bringing your horse in for a good grooming. Go over your horse and ensure that it is carry a healthy amount of weight to be starting the riding season. The horse’s coat, short or wooly, should have a shine to it.
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ou may feel like winter is never going to end, but spring is just around the corner. Like planning a garden in January, there are things you can do now even if your riding season is weeks away. WHAT’S UNDER THE BLANKET AND/OR THICK WINTER COAT? We’ve seen this in the past. A horse is brought to me in February or March for a couple of months of tune-up training. When you
FOOT CARE Even though the hooves slow their growth in the winter time and you may be able to delay farrier services to 8 or even 10 weeks between trimming, you should not be ignoring their feet altogether. If a hoof is in bad shape and badly chipped, it can take a year to get a good hoof back. Don’t let that happen to you. Keep ahead of hoof problems. Like grooming, you should still be cleaning and looking at the condition of your horse’s feet. It is common for a horse to grow toe and wear off their heels, particularly on hard, frozen ground. Keeping up with good farrier care will help avoid
having a foot that looks like a clown shoe. SPRING VET CARE It’s time to start thinking about talking to your vet about spring shots. We have heard all different arguments about equine vaccinations; which horses need it and which do not. The West Nile virus and other viruses do not discriminate based on age. They can be an equal opportunity killer. Talk to your vet! If you are contemplating an early horse show, clinic or trip with your horse, make sure it is protected with vaccinations a few weeks prior to the event. If you are taking a trip out of state, don’t forget Coggins (requirements vary by state) and health papers (which are good for 30 days in most states). DON’T FORGET THE TEETH Good dental care for a horse is one of the most important aspects to their well being and performance. Teeth that are in good shape can enable the horse to better utilize their feed/hay, which may actually lower your feed bill. Barring any problems, I do my horses over 5 years old once a year. Between 1.5 and 5 years, I have learned to do their teeth twice a year to avoid the problems caps to create at a time when you have training expectations for a young horse. Horses in this age range also have teeth that tend to be softer and may develop shaper enamel points faster. Frequently I get horses in for training that have significant dental issues which are contributing to performance problems. A horse with dental issues can be very resistant to giving to the bit; they have no flexibility in their pole due to pain and restrictions with their jaw. Simple dental care can eliminate the performance roadblocks that teeth issues can cause. INSPECT AND REVIEW YOUR TACK How about keeping yourself safe when you ride? Take a good
look at your tack. Inspect your saddle, including billets, girths, stirrups leathers and fenders. Give your saddle a good cleaning and look it over. Make sure your headstalls and bridles are not dry rotted and/or cracked. If you need to get rid of unused tack or buy good used tack, the tack swap season is upon us! If you are buying new tack, invest in good tack. It will last a lot longer than the cheap stuff. GETTING BACK INTO SHAPE If you are not currently riding, remember both you and your horse need to get back into riding shape. Don’t expect your horse to go out on a three hour trail ride after standing in the pasture all winter. Both you and your horse should start with short frequent rides to get ready for the riding season. While cantering is good, long trotting is a great way to get a horse back into shape. Remember that your horse can get sore after a good workout just like you do. HAVE REALISTIC GOALS TO START While you may have had a good riding and/or show season last year, if you have not worked your horse with any type of intensity in the last several months, he may need some ‘refresher’ training. Like getting his body back into shape, you need to get his mind back into shape as well. Start with the basics and build from there. BE WILLING TO GET HELP If you are having problems with your horse, now is the time to look for help. Training, lessons or clinics might help address specific issues that are barriers for reaching your goals. 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-In-Sync methods as well as clinic and training services available, visit www.tmtrainingcenter.com or on Facebook. 6
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
Dusty Boots Riding Club
Annual Banquet, 2026 Show Dates PRESIDENT, Holly Carr 1st VICE PRESIDENT, Dana Johnson TREASURER, Donna Rohrer SECRETARY, Harley Buckley EMAIL, dustyboots@dustybootsridingclub.com WEBSITE, dustybootsridingclub.com
by Josie Nicholas As we look ahead to a new season of growth, events, and collaboration, Dusty Boots Riding Club and NEOHA are proud to announce the results of the 2026 elections. These dedicated individuals will guide our programs, support our members, and uphold the values that keep our community strong. Below is the official list of officers, directors, trustees, and committee chairs who will help lead the organization into a productive and successful year. Our 2026 officers are President Holly Carr, 1st Vice President Dana Johnson, 2nd
Vice President Dawn Allison, Secretary Harley Buckley, Treasurer Donna Rohrer. 2026 NEOHA Directors are as follows. One-Year Term: Dana Johnson, Darlene Morrison, Kim Brewster, Sarah Fabian, Josie Nicholas. Two-Year Term: Caitlyn Visnosky, Dawn Allison, Donna Rorher, Harley Buckley, Robert Blakemore. Dusty Boots Trustees: Dawn Allison (3-year, exp. 2027), Olivia McConville (2-year, exp. 2027), Jason Somnitz (2-year, exp. 2027), Sarah Fabian (1year, exp. 2026), Past President Chip Ashcraft. 2026 Dusty Boots Royalty Chairs: Holly Carr, Billie Jo Brown, Rachel Shymanski, Harley Buckley. 2026 Points and Membership Secretaries: Harley Buckley and Dana Johnson. 2026 NEOHA Show Stewards: Donna Rohrer, Holly Carr, Robert Blakemore. Web Manager: Caitlyn Visnosky.
Preparations for the 2026 show season continue. The August 16 show must be rescheduled due to a conflict with the Ashtabula County Fair, and alternative locations and early-season options are being evaluated. Youth planning includes a proposed spring 2026 tour of Lake Erie College and North Farm. The annual banquet will be held on March 21 at Andrus Party Center, with menu options— including gluten-free choices. Reservations will be collected in advance. Catering the banquet will be Guyreino’s Deli and Catering. Committees for décor, food, and entertainment are in place. There will be a Chinese auction, if you are interested in donating items for the auction, contact Billie Jo Brown. ROYALTY CONTESTANTS Junior Division: Anna Shymanski, Brielle Gault, Brooklyn Blakemore, Savannah Allison, Maddie Jo Luciano, Hadlee Johnson, and Isabella Johnson.
Senior Division: Nadia Carr, Allison Redman, Josie Nicholas, and Taylor Visnosky. 2025 Royalty: Queen, Baylee Oskin. Princess, London Dubon. 2026 SHOW DATES JUNE 13-14: Ashtabula County Fairgrounds Trumbull JULY 27-28: Fairgrounds AUGUST 16: Blue Lakes AUGUST 22-23: Ashtabula County Fairgrounds SEPTEMBER 12-13: Trumbull Fairgrounds Thank you to all members and volunteers for continuing to support the club’s mission. We look forward to a strong start to 2026 with fresh leadership, new ideas, and ongoing dedication to our riding community. Regular meetings will continue every first Tuesday of the month at Pizza Joe’s at 7 p.m., with additional space available at Atech and Andover Elementary as backup locations. Members are encouraged to participate as 2026 planning continues to take shape.
Tri-County Trail Association
Happy New Year and Welcome to 2026 PRESIDENT, Cindy Krumm VICE PRESIDENT, Joe Stone SECRETARY, Carolyn Sutter TREASURER, Beverly Mills WEBSITE, www.tri-cotrails.com
Hosted by Cuyahoga County Farm Bureau
Sunday, March 15, 2026 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds • Home & Hobby Building 19201 E. Bagley Rd. I Middleburg Heights, OH
Want to be a Vendor? • Cuyahoga Farm Bureau members: first table/space is free, second is $15 • Other County Farm Bureau members: first table/space is $10, second is $15 • Non-members: first table and second table/space are $25 each
SPACE IS LIM ITED Sign up early!
!
***** Registration Deadline: Mar ch 5
Limit is 2 tables or spaces or combination of both. Must indicate a table/space requested and tables are provided. You are able to request for a wall space, center aisle, or corner.) Only one registration per membership is permitted.
Questions? Contact 440.877.0706
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/events/878349794723032/ 8
by Kelly Jo Heffner Happy New Year to all the Corral readers! We have arrived in 2026! Tri-County Trails has a lot of events planned for this year along with camping and riding. So much fun to be had this year! Currently the snow and cold are keeping the excitement for the camping season at bay, but we are already looking at having a wonderful 2026 year! January 1 is the time of year when everyone has made their resolutions for the new year. My new year’s resolution is to spend more time this summer camping and enjoying time on the back of my horse. We here at Tri-Co
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
hope your new year will include visits to our camp! December was the month that a new board had been elected for the 2026 season, and there were many changes! It was brought up at the December meeting about possibly hosting an endurance race in the 2027 season, and we are looking forward to providing a great location for that! We will be meeting with others in the sport to see what our club will need to have done prior to hosting the event. It’s a very exciting time at Tri-Co! Our leadership for the 2026 season is as follows: President Cindy Krumm, Vice President Joe Stone, Secretary Carolyn Sutter, Treasurer Beverly Mills, Editor Kelly Jo Heffner. Trustees: Leroy Wilson, Terry Hozalski, Joanne Smith, Carmen Brooks, John Stein. I hope all our readers have a wonderful start to the 2026 season. Keep an eye out for the list of events to come soon. Happy New Year! January 2026
E
very horse carries a story, shaped by the people who guide them along the way. Some rise to greatness, while others remain unseen, their potential left untapped. Cindy McCraw believes that the most remarkable horses in her life weren’t just chance encounters they were meant to be, their paths set long before they ever crossed hers. It’s like they were written in the stars. When she thinks about the stallion My Sleepy Valentine, affectionately known as Fuzzy, she’s reminded of the same feeling she had with her first stallion, Dynamic Deluxe, who became a leading sire, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, and was featured in Legends under her guidance. It wasn’t just luck; it was something bigger, a connection that felt right from the start, proof that some horses are simply meant to find their way into our lives. The same can be said for My Sleepy Valentine. His bloodlines aren’t just a list of famous names or show records on paper. The horses behind him carry something more, a legacy of the remarkable people who believed in them, the stories of how they came to be, and the twists of fate that brought them together. Where has this stallion been hiding? Well, he’s been tucked away up north in Alberta, Canada. In the equine industry, it is well known that the hub of the Quarter Horse world is in the United States. While exporting fresh-cooled and frozen semen into other countries is common, it is rare to see it done in reverse. My Sleepy Valentine is producing incredibly moving and exceptionally good-minded offspring that are now winning futurities and titles in both Canada and the U.S. Now, My Sleepy Valentine exports to the United States to join the prestigious stallion lineup at Riverside Ranch. Donnie and Cindy McCraw could not be more ecstatic to have Fuzzy join their program. Cindy fell in love with My Sleepy Valentine when she watched him become champion of the NW Emerald Masters in Monroe, WA. “As he jogged by, you couldn’t even hear his feet on the ground that’s how soft he moved,” Cindy recalled. “His cute, chubby face and sparkling rabicano in his chestnut coat were just brilliant.” The way he hung that pretty neck out so naturally, like he was not made to do it, it was just how he was happy. Besides Cindy falling in love with him as an individual and admiring his offspring, it is no fluke when you take a close look at the bloodlines of this incredible stallion. His lineage is full of horses written in the stars, connected to each trainer and owner who molded them. Here are just a few of the memories from the people who helped shape these incredible horses that make My Sleepy Valentine.
The Sire: My Vital Valentine A Legacy of Talent and Heart Chad Evans, a highly accomplished equestrian with multiple World and Congress Championships, has shaped many champions. Among them is My Sleepy Valentine’s sire, My Vital Valentine fondly known as Fluffy! Beyond his impressive show record, his greatest asset was his heart, a truly talented horse with an unmatched desire to please. As Chad puts it: “Fluffy! My Vital Valentine was always such a natural athlete. He began his show career as a pleasure horse, winning the Limited 3-Year-Old at NSBA World Show with Scott Weiss riding. From the very first ride as an all-around horse everything was easy for him, that unusual mix where a horse can be physical and athletic but also soft and supple.” A champion in and out of the arena, Fluffy’s legacy continues to inspire, and we find it very cute that his son’s barn name is Fuzzy! 10
The Dam: Im Behind In Sleep—Beauty with Talent Ray Carmean had the privilege of riding Im Behind In Sleep, the dam of My Sleepy Valentine. Reflecting on the mare, Ray recalled, “She was an absolutely beautiful mover with show-stopping looks.” This drop-dead gorgeous black mare stood at approximately 15.2 hands and had an undeniable presence in the show pen. A firm believer in the strength of these bloodlines, Ray is now planning to breed one of his top mares to My Sleepy Valentine, affectionately known as Fuzzy, now that he knows this promising young stallion is standing in the United States. With Ray’s endorsement, the future looks even brighter for this remarkable lineage.
The Bottom Side Grandam: Form The Line Behind A Twist of Fate
Troy Oakley has ridden many incredible horses throughout his career, but one mare holds a special place in his memory, Form The Line Behind, affectionately known as Tootsie. More than just a broodmare, she was a foundation, a cornerstone in breeding whose influence shaped the future of many great horses. Tootsie earned her barn name because she looked just like a Tootsie Roll, a detail that always made Troy chuckle. Her story began at the World Show Sale, where Troy spotted Shane Dowdy riding her on behalf of Kathleen Klukass. Intrigued, Troy approached Shane and asked, “What is this? I really want this horse.” Despite Shane’s doubts, Troy bid on Tootsie and won her for $20,000. Only moments later, Shelley Donovan approached him and doubled his money for the mare.
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Please turn to page 12
January 2026
Horses Written in the Stars Continued from page 10
Tootsie went on to dominate the show ring, tying at Congress with Mr. Sugar Delux, a son of Dynamic Deluxe, once owned by Cindy McCraw of Riverside Ranch. The story had come full circle.
It is FREE to add your Equine Event to the Corral Calendar. Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine and added to our website.
Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information: Name of Equine Event Date/Time of Equine Event Venue Name of where event will be held Address of venue Contact name and phone number You may include an email and website address also.
www.thehorsemenscorral.com HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
2026 EQUINE ANNOUNCER SEMINAR
Saturday, February 21, 2026 To be held at Cashmans 1646 US Highway 42 N Delaware, Ohio
Pleasure & Speed Shows Cowboy Mounted Shooting Team Roping — Ranch Sorting / Team Penning Sponsors pay to have their name recognized at events. Contestants pay to have a good show. Your announcer can ensure your sponsor’s satisfaction and help you exceed your contestant’s expectations. Award Winning Announcer, Joe Coalter will host this seminar focused on etiquette, openings, filling dead time, voice control, music and equipment for announcing events for your home club or getting hired to announce someone else’s.
LIMITED SEATING!
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Call Joe (330) 635-4145 12
The Top Side Grandam: Vital Signs Are Good—Pure Fame The grandam of My Sleepy Valentine is one of the most famous show horses in the world, Vital Signs Are Good, affectionately known as Lucy. During her remarkable show career, Lucy won 13 AQHA world championships, eight reserve world championships, and accumulated 3,097.5 AQHA points with earnings of $288,581. Her 18 performing offspring have earned more than 3,500 AQHA points and nearly $500,000 to date. The Great Sires of My Sleepy Valentine: A Legacy of Champions RL Best Of Sudden, on the top side of My Sleepy Valentine’s pedigree, is iconic. His offspring have earned over $5.2 million and 142,970+ AQHA points, making him the all time AQHA and NSBA leading sire in Western All Around events. Too Sleepy To Zip, on the bottom side, was crowned Congress Champion and an AQHA World Champion in multiple disciplines. His progeny have earned millions and over 50,000 AQHA points.
A New Chapter at Riverside Ranch Kristy McCann’s success in the show pen made Cindy McCraw take notice. Seeing Cindy’s growing admiration, Kristy mentioned that Fuzzy might be available. That was all Cindy needed to hear, she immediately reached out to his owner, Deserie Bitz. The day arrived for Fuzzy’s transition from Canada to the U.S. Cindy assured Deserie that he would have every opportunity to succeed at Riverside Ranch. This move marked the next chapter in his journey. Get ready for an exciting new chapter with this incredible stallion!
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
Black Swamp Driving Club
Hoping for Snow for Sleigh Rides PRESIDENT, Julie Emmons VICE PRESIDENT, Roger Higgins, Jr. TREASURER/SECRETARY, Susan Murray CORRAL REPORTER, Sharon Hayhurst FACEBOOK, https://www.facebook.com/ groups/121257701223196
by Sharon Hayhurst Happy New Year! We have three meetings scheduled for January 11, February 8 and March 8, from 2-4 p.m. at the Arlington Luthern Church, 300 Main Street in Arlington, Ohio. Please bring a snack to share! Let’s start this year off with a full calendar of activities for 2026. Being the 250th Anniversary of America, of which horses and carriages were a big part of that early history, let’s bring ideas
for; drives, field trips, guest speakers, etc. to the meetings. Weather permitting we hope to get a chance to pull out the sleighs, sleigh bells and lap blankets and go for a ride. If you want to have a sleigh drive in your area, contact a member of the committee to get it announced quickly. Remember all are welcome, with or without a driving horse, come and see. Learning is what we offer. Friendships are what
you will find. New experiences are what you’ll have! Attached pictures are some of the fun activities club members
were involved in over the Christmas season. Stay safe and we hope to see you in 2026!
Join the Jr. Ambassador Club. Make friends. Have fun. Win prizes. Visit ohconline.com to get started. 14
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
January 2026
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Premier Mount N Trail
Happy New Year! PRESIDENT, Kelly Chapman VICE PRESIDENT, Stephanie Tarr SECRETARY, Justin Miller TREASURER, Susan Croft EMAIL, premiermountntrail@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.premiermountntrail.com
by Madison Eshelman Premier Mount N Trail (PMT) is looking forward to this new and exciting year! We have a lot of events planned throughout the year, but currently our winter series is still taking place. Please look for the attached flyer in this magazine, which includes the dates and information. We have a few more shows left of our winter series and would love to see you there! At the end of the month, we have our annual banquet. It will be held at Phoenix on Killian on January 31. Please RSVP by January
Photo credit: Madison Eshelman Photography 15. We are so excited to see what each horse and handler has accomplished in the 2025 season. To stay up-to-date with new information, fundraisers, and upcoming summer show dates, join our email list and follow us on Facebook! We look forward to seeing everyone’s accomplishments this year.
Deadline for the February issue is January 12th
Photo credit: Madison Eshelman Photography
Western Reserve Carriage Association
Happy New Year to all WRCA Members
11 am - 4 pm
New & Used Horse Items Gifts
40th Annual Great Tack Exchange Com e to Sell!
Good Food!
Booth Reservations Begin January 2, 2026
Admission $2 Greene County Expo Center & Fairgrounds 120 Fairgrounds Rd., Xenia, Ohio 45385 16
e Com o t Buy!
s Raffle
PRESIDENT, Barbara King VICE PRESIDENT, Michele Steven TREASURER, Shellie Kwitkowski SECRETARY, Cathy Rhoades WEBSITE, Westernreservecarriage.com
by Cathy Rhoades
Door Prizes
Warren County Chapter
Indoor/Outdoor Vendor Spaces Available out k us Chec ebook: c a on F T TACK GREA ANGE EXCH
(GTE)
Live Music
Onli Regis ne tr & Pa ation Comin yment g Soo n!
We start out the new year with a new WRCA board. Oncoming members Shauna Brummit and Pam Bassick will join current members Shellie Kwitkowski, Michele Steven and Cathy Rhoades. We are looking forward to a new year of fun, drives and education. If anyone has ideas for clinics, seminars, places to visit, or new drives, contact one of the board members. Our first event of the year will be Sunday, January 25 at Fieldcrest Therapeutic Center. This is a non-horse event and potluck that members, prospective members and friends may attend. We will
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
have Michael Geiger DVM as a speaker. Bring a dish to share and enjoy a day out with horse friends. Memberships will be taken at this time or you can renew on the WRCA website. Other events are in the works including a holistic and acupuncture demonstration in the spring. Drives are not scheduled at this writing but will be sent out as they are scheduled along with the Carlisle dates for driving. Other opportunities for driving are the National Drive April 24-27 and GLADS January 8-11 with Stacey Giere. Congratulations to long time member and treasurer Ann Petersen as President of CAA. Support the national and local driving community such as American Driving Society, Carriage Association of America, Central Ohio Carriage Association and USEF. They give us the opportunity to do the activity we love! January 2026
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Michigan Trail Riders Association, Inc.
2026 Ride Calendar PRESIDENT, Dug Jordan 1st VICE PRESIDENT, Jimmy Corlew SECRETARY, Jan Gould TREASURER, Cindy Lawrence WEBSITE, www.mtra.org EMAIL, mtra.office@gmail.com PHONE, 989/324-8549
MAY 7-11: Blossom Ride. Experience camping and circle riding with your horse at Luzerne Trail Camp near Luzerne, Michigan. This is
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not a trophy ride but a great way to start the summer riding season with the Michigan Trail Riders Association (MTRA). We will have a Potluck dinner on Saturday, May 9. A riding option is to the boardwalk that was rebuilt in early 2025. JUNE 13-28: June Ride. Welcome to the Shore-to-Shore trophy ride with layover days! During this 15 day ride we have four layover (rest) days. On these days we remain at one camp. Members can relax, or go do laundry, replenish
supplies, etc. We will start this ride with your horse’s hooves in Lake Huron and end with them in Lake Michigan after riding approximately 237 miles! JULY 11-15: July Ride. We welcome anyone who would like to try a MTRA ride to join us at River Road Trail Camp near Oscoda, Michigan. We will start off with an orientation to help new trail riders feel more comfortable. On the 13th, you have the option to ride 18 miles to South Branch Trail Camp. It is mostly single track and would be great for children and new members to sample what our Shore to Shore Trail is like. Once we are at South Branch, you can enjoy beautiful circle riding and activities for all ages. JULY 24-26: AuSable Pines Endurance Ride. We will be cohosting this ride with GLDRA at South Branch Trail Camp. The details are still being finalized; we will have more information soon. SEPT. 5-27: September Ride. 27th Criss Cross Ride. We will be starting this ride on the North Spur at Stoney Creek Trail Camp
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
near Afton in Northern Michigan. Then ride approximately 207 miles to Cadillac Trail Camp on the South Spur. This is the first trophy option. On September 16, we will drive to/arrive at Garey Lake Trail Camp. The second trophy ride starts in Lake Michigan on September 17 and continues approximately 237 miles to Lake Huron. You don’t have to ride for both trophies. However, a special Criss Cross trophy will be awarded to those who complete all 444 miles! OCT. 3-11: Color Ride. Come join us at Lake Dubonnet Trail Camp. This area is mostly hard woods with lots of circle riding. The fall colors will make this a beautiful time to be riding in the woods! On October 7, you have the option to ride 20 miles to Garey Lake Trail Camp. This camp also has beautiful circle riding. 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.
January 2026
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January 2026
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
19
Wayne County Saddle Club
Mark Your Calendar for Spring Cleanup PRESIDENT, Keith Holcombe VICE PRESIDENT, Randi Pearson, Angel Bonewitz; SECRETARY, Tricia Crilow; TREASURER, Beth Eikleberry WEBSITE, www.waynecountysaddleclub.com
by Angela Bonewitz Happy New Year members and friends! The Wayne County Saddle Club banquet is January 11 at The Lighted Lantern in Fredericksburg. Doors open at 4 p.m. We eat at 5 p.m. and awards, dancing and raffle baskets will be after we eat. Meet your board members and elections will take place also. If
you feel you want to become a part of the plan, throw your hat in. I hope everyone comes to party and support your club. Show dates will be set after the banquet. Your board members have been planning spring cleanups for March and April. It is important to come lend a hand. There are a lot of projects planned for the upcoming season; repairs,
building and painting. There is always wood to be cut and stacked for the bonfire pit. We are always interested in what new events our members would like to see. Your voice matters. Your participation is important. Become a new member at the banquet or renew your membership.
We did have some brave members attend The Shreve Christmas Parade on December 6. The Holcombe Family, you President Keith, wife Shenea, Reylee, and Ryker. It sure is fun to celebrate at a Christmas parade. Looking foward to the shows in 2026. Happy Trails!
Ohio Western Horse Association
Ranch Classes Being Added in 2026 Where the horse is always
First!
PRESIDENT, Gale Davis VICE PRESIDENTS, Marc Beck, Cinda Bame SECRETARY, Jeremy Reed TREASURER, Eric Haudenschield WEBSITE, www.owha.org
Hello Corral readers! Ohio Western Horse Association (OWHA) hopes you and your equine companions had the best 2025. As we start the new year, new you, it is time to start planning those goals for 2026! OWHA held their monthly meeting on December 4, 2025 at the Central Church of Christ in Kenton, Ohio. Details for the annual banquet were shared. It
will be held at the Moose Lodge in Kenton, Ohio, on January 17. The youth meeting will begin at 4 p.m., the adult meeting at 5 p.m., meal at 6 p.m., and awards at 7 p.m. There will be a silent auction, a 50/50, and a youth bake sale. RSVP needs to be sent in by January 2. OWHA is going to be adding ranch classes for 2026. Horses will be able to be cross entered in western and ranch. Ranch classes to be added are ranch halter, ranch showmanship, ranch horsemanship, ranch pleasure, ranch walk trot horsemanship, ranch walk trot pleasure, and ranch riding. The next meeting will be held on January 8 at Central Church of Christ in Kenton, Ohio.
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Risingstarranchohio
(502) 494-5314 W Pataskala, Ohio www.risingstarranchohio.com 20
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
Join us for one of the largest tack sales in Michigan! th
Breeding in 2026? Check out our list of stallions still available through the Michigan Stallion Service Sale! Get a breeding at a reduced cost AND participate in the mare owner classes! If you sell the resulting foal, eligibility for this event goes with the baby. No other fees to participate! Stallion breedings are available at the minimum bid listed (which is 60% of the advertised breeding fee) plus a $35 administrative fee. Be part of our Stallion Service Sale classes as well as our other Futurity classes held at the MQHA 100K Futurity held each September in Lansing, Michigan. The MQHA 100K Futurity paid back over $138,000 in purse money at the 2025 event! Open to all breeds! The stallion list, catalog and fees can all be found on the Michigan Quarter Horse website: www.miquarterhorse.com Contact the office with questions by calling 616-225-8211 or email: info@miquarterhorse.com
24 Annual New & Used Tack Sale NEW FOR 2026
Held in conjunction with the Equine Connection Weekend Clinics
2 Now ! Days
January 31 and February 1, 2026 9 am to 4 pm
Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU 4301 Farm Lane Lansing, Michigan 48910
Visit www.miquarterhorse.com for tack sale and clinic information! Mail checks to: MQHA—Tack Sale PO Box 278 Greenville, MI 48838 Phone: (616) 225-8211 Fax: (616) 835-9064 Mqha@hotmail.com
www.Miquarterhorse.com January 2026
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
21
TrailMeister Trail Meister
The Halter: Choosing the Right Tool for Your Horse or Mule by Robert Eversole
F
or something as old as horsemanship itself, you’d think the humble halter would be simple. You’d think the one piece of tack every horse and mule must have would be straightforward. Yet as anyone who’s spent time around barns knows, the halter world is full of opinions, debates, and ‘must-use’ ideas that don’t hold up once you actually put miles on the trail. The halter, derived from a Germanic word meaning ‘holder’, is one of the most familiar tools we use: catching, leading, hauling, grooming, training, camping, packing. Yet despite its simplicity, choosing the right halter can make all the difference in communication, safety, and confidence, especially once you leave the arena and step onto the trail. After scores of trail miles, countless clinics across the country, and working with horses and mules of every personality, I’ve found that halters fall into three categories: useful, situational, and occasionally disastrous. Here’s a field-tested breakdown to help you make confident choices long before your next trail ride or camping trip.
Flat Halters: Classic, Comfortable, and Often Misunderstood Flat halters, usually nylon or leather, are the standard in most barns. The broad straps distribute pressure and look gentle, which is why many riders gravitate toward them. Leather versions add a bit more
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give. Some include breakaway crowns intended for safety during panic situations. Used well, flat halters excel in: trailering, grooming or daily handling and short rides with a bridle over top. Ellie, my steady pack mule, wears a leather packer’s draw halter on the trail because it stays comfortable for long miles. She’s honest, consistent, and doesn’t test her halter, qualities that make flat a great match. But flat halters have downsides: Nylon can be too strong, if your horse panics while tied, failure points are unpredictable and often dangerous. Breakaway straps sometimes break at the wrong moments. Clever animals learn fast when equipment creates easy escape routes. This is one of the most common issues I help riders troubleshoot during my clinics: equipment that looks kind but unintentionally reinforces bad habits.
Rope Halters: Clarity, Precision, and Better Communication A rope halter is simply a single length of rope, usually 6–8 mm in diameter, tied into form. Because the knots and thinner material create more defined pressure points, your horse feels guidance more clearly. This clarity allows you to use less pressure, not more, which is why rope halters have become indispensable in my trail-skills clinics. Rope halters vary: • Diameter: thinner = more focused pressure; thicker = softer • Noseband style: knotted vs. flat braided Choosing the right one depends on your horse’s sensitivity and your goals. A major advantage, especially important for trail riders, rope halters rarely fail at the wrong time but can be cut loose instantly in an emergency. I keep spares in my truck, trailer, and saddlebag, because a rope halter can prevent a world of headaches.
How to Tie a Rope Halter Correctly Most rope halter failures trace back to incorrect tying. Done right, it’s simple: 1. Stand on the near side (left side) of your horse. Reach over the neck and grab the poll strap with your right hand. 2. Slide the noseband over the horse’s nose and the throat knot upwards below the jaw. 3. Take the end of the poll strap pointing towards you and run it through the tie loop. 4. Put your thumb on the top of the loop. 5. Run the end of the poll strap behind the loop and then tuck through the space between the loop and the strap. This forms a sheet bend, a reliable, secure knot I teach step-bystep in my clinics. Always make sure the tail points toward the hindquarters and not the eye.
The Breakaway Debate: Field-Proven Reality Few pieces of equipment spark more heated barn-aisle discussions. Here’s the blunt truth from real trail miles: In the backcountry, I do not use breakaways. A loose animal in deep country isn’t just inconvenient. It’s dangerous. Horses can vanish into timber and not return. Closer to home, breakaways create new risks. Once a horse learns it can ‘break away,’ many try again, usually at the worst time.
No Matter the Halter Type, Remember This: No halter is safe on an unsupervised horse. Remove it and remove the risk. This safety mindset is something I emphasize heavily in my clinics, because the right habits prevent emergencies long before they happen. Your halter is the first conversation you have with your horse every day, choose the one that speaks clearly, kindly, and safely Final Thoughts (and your next step) Choosing the right halter isn’t about trends—it’s about safety, communication, and confidence. Please turn to page 24 S 22
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
Ohio Paint Horse Club
Awards Banquet Slated for February PRESIDENT, Tim Snapp VICE PRESIDENT, Mark Peterson TREASURER, Jill Davis SECRETARY, Heather Collins WEBSITE, www.ophc.org
Zone 8 APHA 2026 Executive Board: (l to r) President Jennifer Shook Bishop, Vice President Heather Collins Nugent, Treasurer Linda Baer, Secretary Jennifer Peterson.
by Jennifer Peterson The Ohio Paint Horse Club is gearing up for the 2026 show season, and we have some amazing facilities and judges lined up. In addition to the APHA classes we are continuing to include All-Breed classes on our 2026 showbills. This includes money classes, Division and Res. Division awards at the show, and year end awards! Plus, the AllBreed classes are PAC approved. Must be an OPHC member to qualify for awards. Please visit ophc.org for full details. Speaking of awards, the second annual joint awards banquet will be held on February 21, in
Ann Arbor, Mich. This was an enormous success last year with amazing awards from the Ohio Paint Horse Club, Ohio Amateur Club, Ohio Youth Club, Michigan Paint Horse Club, and Zone 8 APHA-Midwest Connection Series. We will once again have the Trainer Auction featuring phenomenal trainers as well as a silent auction. If you would like to participate or donate to either, please follow and/or reach out to the Ohio Paint Horse Club, Michigan Paint Horse Club or Zone 8 APHA for more information.
GET
AT CHUCKS!
OTHER EXCITING NEWS: We would like to congratulate Tim and Cindy Snapp on being elected 2026-2028 National Ohio Directors of the American Paint Horse Association. We appreciate everything they do for Ohio Paint Horse Club at the state and national level! The APHA Zone 8 which represents Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky has announced their 2026 coordinating committee: President Jennifer Bishop, Michigan; Vice President Heather Collins, Ohio; Treasurer Linda Beer, Indiana; Secretary Jennifer Peterson, Ohio. IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES 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.
The Halter Continued from page 22
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No halter is perfect for every job, but each shines in the right situation. When you pair the right halter with good handling skills, everything gets easier: catching, tying, saddling, camping, and every trail mile in between. If you want to go deeper into practical, real-world trail skills, you’ll find more in my books:
Tim and Cindy 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. REMINDER: For those who 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.
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.
750 WEST SMITH ROAD MEDINA, OHIO 44256
WWW.CHUCKSCUSTOM.COM 24
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
January 2026
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
25
Massillon Saddle Club
2026 Event Dates Announced PRESIDENT, Leanne VICE PRESIDENT (PLEASURE), Alyssa SECRETARY, Francine TREASURER, Kathy EMAIL, massillonsaddleclub@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.massillonsaddleclub.org
Hello, everyone and Happy New Year! Happy January! The new year may have just started, but, Massillon Saddle Club (MSC) has been working on 2026 show dates, showbills, and plans since before the November 20 banquet. November was the culmination of the 2025 MSC show season with the November 20 year end awards and election of 2026 officers and trustees. Many thanks for the countless hours volunteered by the 2025 officers and trustees. As a completely volunteer run/ managed organization, it requires a full team of volunteers for any MSC function. Officers and trustees receive no compensation for their time and talents: they pay the same amount as any member for memberships, classes, and
events. They do not receive any discounts, or, ‘special’ rates on any program. In addition to the board members, there are countless volunteers who assist at the shows by opening gates, announcing the classes, setting up and tearing down patterns, resetting cones or equipment if needed, helping to maintain the grounds, taking the trash down to the gate for the refuse company. If you enjoy the MSC events and shows, please consider jumping in and helping, and please thank the volunteers and board members. Please welcome the 2026 MSC officers and trustees: President Leanne; VP Pleasure Alyssa; Secretary Francine. Open positions: VP Contest and Treasurer. One Year Trustees: Caroline, Kristen, Loretta, Lawrence, Machell Samantha, and welcome Jon Hofstetter. Two year trustees are Ruth and Lane. Junior Trustees are Ellie, Robert, and welcome to Marlea, Taylor, and Kayla S. The VP Contest, and the Treasurer position have since been filled: thank you to the Louive family for stepping in to run the contest
shows, and, welcome back to Kathy as the returning from retirement treasurer. Many thanks to the retiring 2025 Trustees: Carisa Wise, Madelyn Zerbe, Tyler Hershey, and Junior Trustee Tiegan Reed. Please watch the MSC Facebook page for the 2026 showbills. The VP Pleasure, Alyssa has added some classes, and, brought back some of the classic ones. Training classes will return, as well as the QH classes. Additional Small Fry and Youth classes have been added. The trail classes will return, but will be run at the end of the show after the western pleasure and ranch classes. Also added is a ‘Fuzzy’ show. This show will not be a point show; there will not be a judge, and it will not count towards year end awards. The ‘Fuzzy’ show is a way to get your horse in the arena before a point show. No show clothes or tack needed. There will be an ‘all day’ fee for those that want to ride in multiple classes. Class fees are similar to fun show fees. Here are the show dates and proposed show grounds cleanup 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
26
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
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. Andmany thanks for any returned medallions! The Massillon Saddle Club/ Wayne County Saddle Club joint tack swap will return in 2026. Please watch the MSC Facebook page for the 2026 date. Do you have any suggestions for any new events, or classes? What did you like about the shows? How can we improve them? What types of year end awards would you like to see? All suggestions are welcome, and if you are willing to help make your idea possible, please let us know. MSC is limited only by the number of volunteers willing to help. Until next month, MSC hopes everyone enjoys the late winter weather, and time with family and friends. May each of your days be filled with happy horse adventures! ~Your Friends With Massillon Saddle Club, Inc.
January 2026
January 2026
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
27
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Corral Calendar DISCLAIMER: The Horsemen’s Corral has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on this calendar of events. However, the information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. The Corral does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained herein. Where possible, event contact information is provided. Please “Call before you haul”. JANUARY 2026 JAN. 1 — Casino Classic New Year’s Day All Breed Horse Sale, Oak Grove RacingGaming Hotel, 777 Winners Way, Oak Grove, KY. FMI: Scotty Nicks, 502-6646561, https://www.facebook.com/profile. php?id=61552096796765 JAN. 2-4 — 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/ JAN. 3 — Foster Equine 25-26 Fun Show, Stonegate Equine Facility, 26236 Smith Rd., Coolville, OH. FMI: 740-291-3556, FosterEquineRescue@gmail.com JAN. 4 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com JAN. 8-9 — Hoover’s 16th Annual Mule & Horse sale, 255 John Paul Road, Russellville, KY. FMI: Jonathan Hoover, 270-305-2807, www.hooversauctions.com
JAN. 9 — Horse Sale, Sugarcreek Stockyards, 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH. FMI: 330-831-1720, www.facebook. com/sugarcreekstockyards JAN. 9-11 — 2026 Youth Timed Event Series, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 330-717-4329, garwoodarena.com JAN. 10 — Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www.mthopeauction.com JAN. 10 — Rockin R Ranch Youth Rodeo, 10 a.m., Rodeo Run Arena, 11641 Alspach Rd., Canal Winchester, OH. FMI: Raynelle Rickly, 740-538-1491, https://www.facebook. com/RockinRRanchYouthRodeoAssociation JAN. 17 — Blue Lakes Farm 2025-2026 Winter Series Contest Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website JAN. 17 — Davis Ranch Open Show, 385 East US Hwy. 150, Hardinsburg, IN. FMI: David Davis, 812-620-5707, dave@ daviddavishorsemanship.com JAN. 18 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com JAN. 22-25 — 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/ JAN. 25 — Chilled Classic Series Barrel Race, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 724-679-0816, chilledclassic@gmail.com
JAN. 31 — Ohio Horse Park Used Tack Sale, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Ohio Horse Park Welcome Center, 400 Bobcat Lane, Franklin Furnace, OH. FMI: Demetria Mehlhorn, 859-3399000, dmehlhorn78@gmail.com JAN. 31-FEB. 1 — Michigan Quarter Horse Association 24th Annual New & Used Tack Sale, Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU, 4301 Farm Lane, Lansing, MI. FMI: 616225-8211, mqha@hotmail.com, www. miquarterhorse.com 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 FEB. 7 — Rockin R Ranch Youth Rodeo, 10 a.m., Rodeo Run Arena, 11641 Alspach Rd., Canal Winchester, OH. FMI: Raynelle Rickly, 740-538-1491, https://www.facebook. com/RockinRRanchYouthRodeoAssociation FEB. 13 — Horse Sale, Sugarcreek Stockyards, 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH. FMI: 330-831-1720, sugarcreekstockyard@gmail.com, www. facebook.com/sugarcreekstockyards FEB. 13-15 — 2026 Youth Timed Event Series, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 330-717-4329, garwoodarena.com FEB. 14 — Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www.mthopeauction.com FEB. 15 — Blue Lakes Farm 2025-2026 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-564-7303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/website FEB. 15 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com FEB. 21 — 2026 Equine Announcer Seminar, Cashmans, 1646 US Highway 42 N., Delaware, OH. FMI: Joe Coalter, 330635-4145, joe@thehorsemenscorral.com FEB. 21 — Knox County OHC Tack Auction, 2:30 p.m., Knox County Fairgrounds Ramser 4H Building, 700 Perimeter Dr., Mt. Vernon, OH. FMI: Donny, 740-501-3976 FEB. 21 — Davis Ranch Open Show, 385 East US Hwy. 150, Hardinsburg, IN. FMI: David Davis, 812-620-5707, dave@ daviddavishorsemanship.com FEB. 22 — Chilled Classic Series Barrel Race, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 724-679-0816, chilledclassic@gmail.com MARCH 2026 MARCH 1 — Winter Barrels Award Series, Buckhorn Ranch Arena, 108 Simmons Lane, West Sunbury, PA. FMI: Dave, 724290-6949, buckhornoffice.108@gmail.com MARCH 5-8 — 23rd Annual Horse World Expo, PA Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, PA. FMI: 301-916-0852, info@ horseworldexpo.com, horseworldexpo. com
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HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
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 — Great Lakes CBRA Finals, Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU, 4301 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI. FMI: https:// www.facebook.com/MichiganHorseExpo, www.mihorseexpo.com/tickets 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 MARCH 9-13 — Mid Ohio Pony/Crossbred, Riding/Carriage & Tack/ Haflinger/Draft Horse Sale, Mt. Hope Event Center, 8076 SR 241, Millersburg, OH. FMI: 330-674-6188, www.mthopeauction.com MARCH 13 — Horse Sale, Sugarcreek Stockyards, 102 Buckeye St., Sugarcreek, OH. FMI: 330-831-1720, www.facebook. com/sugarcreekstockyards MARCH 13-15 — 2026 Youth Timed Event Series, Garwood Arena, 2538 Middleton Rd., Columbiana, OH. FMI: 330-717-4329, garwoodarena.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, https://www.facebook. com/RockinRRanchYouthRodeoAssociation 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 20252026 Winter Series Pleasure Show, 14037 Auburn Rd., Newbury, OH. FMI: 440-5647303, https://bluelakesfarm.wixsite.com/ website 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
More Equine Events can be found at www.thehorsemenscorral.com January 2026
Saturday, March 7, 2026 Farm Bureau Pavilion at MSU 4301 Farm Lane East Lansing, MI
Award Winning Announcer JOE COALTER
PRCA Barrel Man MIKE “THE SPIKE” WALLACE
Tickets Available at www.mihorseexpo.com/tickets
Mid Ohio Dressage Association
United States Dressage Convention PRESIDENT, Jessica Kuhnash VICE PRESIDENT, Christine Talbert-Bash SECRETARY, Vicki Sethna TREASURER, Angela Tewksbury EMAIL, midohiodressage@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.midohiodressage.org
by Catherine B. Jacob Happy New Year Mid Ohio Dressage Association members! Thank you, Cathy, for attending the convention and providing this synopsis: United States Dressage Convention was held December 3-6, 2025 at the Hyatt Hotel, in
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Lexington, Ky. In the Region 2 meeting, Regional Director, Debby Savage, discussed the issues that would come before the BOG. Region 2 is financially sound. The Catherine B. Jacob Schooling Show Program had 72 participants with Lisa Treiber winning the Education Award. Results will be posted on the Region 2 website. The Regional Championships held at HITS Lamplight, September 17-20, 2025 with 304 horses, 933 total rides, 442 championship rides. The USDF Finals was held at WEC in Wilmington, Ohio. October 29 through November 1, 2025 with great success. Region 2 GMO Volunteer of the Year is
Madeline Flynn from Dearborn Heights, Michigan (MDA). Newsletter Award General Interest/Information Article, GMOs with 175-499 members First Place Northern Ohio Dressage Association, NODA News, Issue 3: FEAR: Tara Workum Byers. GMO Website Award: Northern Ohio Dressage Association (nodarider.org) Various other council meetings discussed educational opportunities on the USDF website, Safe Sport, webinars, lessons on teaching, lunging, and working your horse from the ground. The judge’s session was showing how the Piaffe was performed by various types of horses and how they compared, noting the elasticity, traveling, number of steps, as well as the position of the poll. Rules and Regulation meeting discussed the rule changes and new rules that go into effect December 1, 2025. In other meetings the discussion also included the welfare of the horse and the perception that the sport portrays. To create a new GMO, it is now necessary to have only three
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
members instead of 25. To have a vote at the BOG, the GMO must have 25 members. USDF is working to get the Para Athletes more inclusive in the local and national dressage shows who have achieved gold and silver positions on the podium internationally. The Awards Committee announced for the 5–7-year-old young horses will only need three shows, three judges, three scores to compete at the Nationals instead of four. The membership, competitions and subscribers in the USDF is stable with about 1 percent fluctuation. The Dressage Foundation announced new grants being awarded that can be applied for through the Foundation for education, training, and professional advancement for licensed officials. The USDF Convention is open to all who want to share in the comradery, education and fun are welcome to join at the USDF Convention in Lexington, Ky., December 2-5, 2026 at the Griffin Gate Hotel. Catherine B. Jacob, representing Mid-Ohio Dressage Association.
January 2026
January 2026
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OSHRA members at the roping jackpot held before the rodeo: Gracie Asbury, Emery Scott, Daphne Lanctot, Isla Corzatt, Wyatt Cummings, and Wyatt Asbury.
Members and parents at the golf ball toss fundraiser in Eaton, Ohio.
Ohio High School Rodeo Association
Looking Forward to Cowboy Prom and Mid-Winter Meeting NATIONAL DIRECTOR, Nikki McCarty PRESIDENT, Chelsea Schoch SECRETARY, Holly Rowe PHONE, 419/651-0111 WEBSITE, www.ohiohighschoolrodeo.org
by Emery Scott Student Vice President This month brought some unexpected changes for the Ohio High School RodeoAssociation.
Due to the EVH outbreak, we made a difficult decision to cancel our upcoming rodeo. While we were disappointed, the safety and well-being of our contestants and horses will always be our
top priority, and we appreciate the patience and understanding shown by everyone involved. At our most recent rodeo competing alongside Indiana, our Ohio team had a strong and successful weekend. Our contestants represented our association well by showing responsibility, sportsmanship, and respect both in and out of the arena. We are thankful for our parents, volunteers, stock contractor, judges, and all those who work behind the scenes to help make our rodeos possible, we truly could not do it without their continued support. Looking ahead, we are excited for what’s to come. Cowboy prom will be held this spring and our mid-winter meeting will take place sometime this winter as planning continues. Rodeo will kick back off March 14-15, we can’t wait to get back in the arena together! Until then, we’re looking forward to staying connected and continuing to support one another as an association.
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OHSRA Queen, Daphne Lanctot, presenting the flag in the grand entry. 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 on July 1, and this rodeo family is always looking to grow.
January 2026
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.
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View From the Cheap Seats
The Industrial Revolution by Sarah Vas
O
ur 21-acre property purchase back in 2002 included a dilapidated tractor. If I recall, it was a late 50’s model, no bells and whistles except for its only fancy accessory, a front-end loader. Poor gal hadn’t been run in a while and certainly hadn’t had proper maintenance in even longer. But we were delighted to have it. From the jump, we felt positively upper crust to bypass the wheelbarrow brigade and clean stalls right into the frontend loader. The seller left behind a brush hog attachment and even though the deck had rusted so badly, one could feel the breeze of the whirring blades through the holes, again we counted ourselves high-fallutin’ owning this technologically advanced tool. Of course, these heirloom pieces of machinery weren’t without their foibles. My hubby had to learn how to repair and maintain our equipment over the
years via YouTube videos and trial by fire. This tractor had no power steering, only four manual gears, and choked exhaust smoke like a hippy at Woodstock. The poor thing needed lots of love just to crank over in anything colder than 35 degrees. We got very good at knowing just how much starter fluid ether to spray down the carb hole and she flooded with just a sideways glance at the throttle. It became a right of passage getting the tractor stuck in the mud and an even greater accomplishment to get it unstuck on our own. We got to know our tractor-owning neighbors quite well those first few winters as we begged for tows from more capable operators and machines. Once, the poor thing sat out in the field for over a week until we managed to drag it to solid ground. Kevin was mowing when the hydraulic hoses blew out, covering him in oil from head to waist, and rendering the bucket
Hey. You there. It’s January.
Check on your fellow horse friends. They Aren’t OK!!
Winfield
Wit & Wisdom 36
Sarah Vas Budding Author & Apprehensive Artist Intellectual Equestrian & Carriage Driving Enthusiast Perceptive Observer & Veteran Wisecracker AVAILABLE FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, COACHING, CLINICS & GENERAL SHENANIGANS 330-242-3440 • vas507@yahoo.com
inoperable once it slammed to the ground. Poor guy, that was a long walk back to the barn. There were two more tractors to follow when that first handme-down finally drove us mad. Each successor appeared to be a step up from the last, but it took little time to discover the shortcomings of the replacement vehicles. We had to forego the versatility of a bucket loader on tractor #1 in exchange for second-hand models in our price range that had birthdates closer to our own, more horsepower, and rudimentary power steering. I barely recall the second tractor but the third, a yellow beast of a thing, was my most scorned. The gear box mechanism was horribly worn out. Shifting through the gears required a delicate hand. Otherwise, the doohickey that goes from gear to gear would slip, then jam completely out of place. I lost count how many employees came trudging in from the fields on foot, sheepishly confessing that the tractor was “stuck in gear”. It got to the point where Kevin would have to disassemble the housing over the gear box and manually correct the misalignment just so the tractor could operate. It’s quite a testament of a suburban-raised spouse to see his arms deep into a greasy gear box, his head strained around to watch the curated set of grainy repair videos and PDF gear box schematics he’d found on the Dark Web. That yellow clunker was so finicky, we got to where farm employees weren’t permitted to drive it. Too risky. There were only so many hours in any given day and if Kevin wasn’t home from work, we were dead in the water if that stupid Big Bird piece of garbage wouldn’t behave. Kevin mentioned shopping for the next tractor after yet another episode of self-taught mechanic school under that rotten lemon of a thing. I looked my dear, sweet, generous, obliging hubby straight into his soul and I said, “Kevin… if you bring one more cheap piece of s%*@ tractor onto this property, I’ll feed it to you for lunch.” This was a bold statement considering I don’t cook. Kevin does all the meal-making so he knew I was serious. We bickered about the cost of new tractors,
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our current state of poverty, and the price of tea in China. I agreed to dutifully cajole that stupid machine into life for the 20 minutes of work we asked of it any given day. He agreed to be more judicious in his shopping. And then… Here came Kevin into the barn not too long after that exchange. He confessed to me that he’d bought a tractor. He’d braved himself up enough to head down to the local tractor dealer and actually look at price tags but more importantly, at the payment plans. Surprisingly affordable. We were now the bougie owners of a brand-new tractor complete with hydrostatic everything, hydraulics here AND there, detachable front-end loader with fancy Float feature, four-wheel drive, and a PTO machined in this century! Over the years, we discovered many truths about reliable, versatile, properly functioning tractors. You’ll get a lot more done when you have the best equipment you can afford but employees will still leave the key on, run into barns and fences, and get stuck in the mud. Once you upgrade equipment, you never want to go back. And as the years go by, you ponder with bewilderment at how you got along without the new and improved. So much so, you’ll have a hard time parting ways with your treasured companions even when you know you’re doing them a disservice letting them sit. We brought that now 10-year-old tractor with us to our one-acre suburban home and hadn’t used it a dozen times. Please turn to page 38 S January 2026
Lake Erie Mounted Vaqueros
Lots of Changes Coming to LEMV 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) I hope everyone had a blessed family filled holiday season.
Our new officers and board members are on board and making necessary changes. They are getting us into the computer generation by offering our meetings to be viewed on the computer by our members. If anyone was missed on being able to join us, please let Christy Pellegrino know so she can get that taken care of. They are also working on getting sign in information printed from the CMSA website, so those who sign up ahead won’t have to fill out sheets at the shoots.
It is FREE to add your Equine Event to the Corral Calendar. Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information: Name of Equine Event • Date/Time of Equine Event Venue Name and Address of where event will be held Contact name and phone number You may include an email and website address also.
Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine and added to our website.
www.thehorsemenscorral.com
Thank you to Christy Pellegrino and Steve Kitzmiller for their computer knowledge. We are also going over our bylaws to see if there are any necessary changes to update them. We are also looking to possibly change our logo so if anyone has any ideas, draw them up and send them to Sylvio Pellegrino and we will look them over. The Board will have the final say. We are planning on having a border war shoot with Steele Town this year. All the
information will come through Facebook and our minutes. Our banquet this year is going to be in March to hopefully avoid our wonderful January snowstorms. Our award committee is working hard to make it a fun banquet so plan on attending! We are looking forward to a fun season of shooting. Hope to see you all Runnin’ and Gunnin’ Thank you to our great sponsors: Big Ds, Kiko Meats, Jefferson Milling, Siracki Realty, Agile Equine Body Works.
View From the Cheap Seats Continued from page 36
After a year and half of sitting outside our kitchen window, Kevin finally bequeathed that little guy to a buyer in Toledo last December. It was bittersweet watching that piece of our life go down the road but once it was gone, we didn’t miss it. And it felt good to know we started someone else on their own timeline of equipment upgrades and upheavals.
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.
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January 2026
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39
Western Dressage
Refining Your Ride: The Journey into Lateral Work by Kelley Bitter
W
elcome, fellow riders! Today, let’s explore a fresh dimension of your western dressage journey—lateral work. If this sounds a bit technical, don’t worry. Picture it as learning to dance with your horse, but instead of only moving forward, you and your horse start to glide sideways together. It’s not just impressive, it’s also an excellent way to build strength, refine communication, and add finesse to your partnership. So, what is lateral work, exactly? At its heart, lateral work means moving your horse both forward and sideways at once, instead of following a straight line. Imagine your horse gliding diagonally across the arena, sidestepping while still progressing in the direction you choose. For these maneuvers, your horse needs to bend its body— softening at the neck and ribcage—while shifting either its shoulders or hindquarters depending on the specific exercise. Mechanically, you’ll notice that as you cue your horse to move laterally, the inside legs cross over and in front of the outside legs. For example, moving to the right, your horse’s left front and left hind step over their right counterparts. The amount of bend and positioning changes depending on the movement—such as leg-yield, shoulderin, or haunches-in—but each demands that your horse moves both diagonally and forward, sometimes with a ‘crabbing’ motion. Practicing lateral movements comes with many benefits. Physically, your horse gains flexibility and builds important strength, especially in the core and hindquarters. Mentally, your horse learns to notice and respond to your cues, becoming more attentive and coordinated. Lateral work also lays the groundwork for improved balance and straightness, making every other movement easier and smoother. By gently introducing these exercises, you help your horse become agile
and responsive, opening the door to more advanced dressage as you both grow together. Lateral movement isn’t just about going sideways; it challenges your horse to step across its own legs—whether in front or behind—while staying balanced and moving forward. Imagine drawing a diagonal line across the arena and traveling along it: your horse must coordinate crossing both its front and hind legs, building flexibility and balance along the way. In a leg-yield to the right, for instance, the left front and left hind cross over the right front and right hind legs, and you can clearly see this crossing at the walk. Different lateral movements place different demands on your horse. In a leg-yield, your horse stays straight in the body, moving away from leg pressure rather than heavily bending—think of it as ‘move over, not bend over.’ By contrast, exercises like shoulder-in and haunches-in require a distinct bend. In shoulder-in, your horse bends around your inside leg and shifts its shoulders inward while keeping the hind legs on the track. In haunches-in, it’s the hindquarters that move inward, wrapping the horse around your inside leg in the other direction. Both movements ask your horse to use its core and hindquarters to maintain a steady bend and rhythm. For both horse and rider, the rewards are huge. Lateral work strengthens, flexes, and sharpens your horse’s focus, while you become more coordinated and precise in your aids. Over time, you gain a partnership that’s more balanced, supple, and ready for new challenges. Let’s summarize the vital qualities: • Lateral work asks for coordination: stepping across and moving forward. • It strengthens muscles, improves flexibility, and encourages focus. • Rider and horse both develop greater communication and understanding. By weaving lateral exercises into your training, you’re setting the stage for harmonious riding and better performance, no matter where your dressage journey leads.
Key Lateral Movements to Know As you progress in western dressage, you’ll encounter a few core lateral movements: Leg-Yield: This is usually the first lateral movement you and your horse will master. Here, your horse moves forward and diagonally, remaining mostly straight in the body while crossing its legs. Legyield introduces the idea of moving away from your leg pressure. You’ll first see leg-yield required in Basic Level Test 4. Shoulder-In: A more advanced exercise, shoulder-in asks the horse to bend around your inside leg so the front end comes slightly off the rail. The horse moves forward on three tracks, with the inside hind following the outside front leg—a powerful exercise for supplying and collecting. Haunches-In (Travers): This is the reverse of shoulder-in. The hindquarters are brought to the inside, so the horse travels forward on three or four tracks, bending around your inside leg. It’s excellent for engaging the hind end. Shoulder-in and haunches-in first appear in Level 2 and become more polished as you climb the levels.
Getting Your Horse Ready for Lateral Work
Before asking your horse to move sideways, build a solid foundation. Preparation really is everything! Make sure your horse is comfortable moving away from pressure, while maintaining rhythm and forward momentum. Here are some tried-and-true exercises: Transitions: Practice smooth transitions between gaits (walk-jog, joglope, etc.) and within gaits (like working to lengthened jog). This helps your horse become balanced and attentive to your seat and leg aids. Circles and Bending: Ride circles of different sizes, teaching your horse to bend evenly from poll to tail. Focus on maintaining a steady bend and rhythm. 40
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
January 2026
Western Dressage (continued) Serpentines: Ride serpentines down the arena for great practice in changing bend. This prepares your horse for the shifting balance and direction changes of true lateral work. Start small: ask for a step or two sideways from a halt, move to the walk, and gradually build up. Always reward your horse for every genuine effort!
How is Lateral Work Judged? Lateral work in Western dressage is judged on much more than just whether your horse moves sideways. Judges evaluate each movement based on a set of nuanced criteria, aiming to find evidence of correct training, communication, and athleticism. Here’s a deeper look at what’s happening in the judge’s box when you perform lateral work: Clarity and Purity of Gaits: Judges first check that the basic gait remains pure—whether that’s the walk, jog, or lope. Lateral movements shouldn’t disrupt the rhythm or lead to shuffling, pacing, or hurried steps. Each stride should be clear and steady even as the horse steps sideways. Correctness of the Movement: The judge observes if the movement is being ridden as described in the test—are you achieving the right degree of angle or bend? For example, a leg-yield should have a mild bend away from the direction of movement, while shoulder-in and haunches-in require distinct inside flexion and correct placement of the shoulders or hindquarters. Over- or under-bending, crookedness, or resistance will lower your score. Quality of Bend and Positioning: The judge will look at the horse’s frame and how well it maintains the bend required for the specific movement. For shoulder-in and haunches-in, they want to see a consistent bend from poll to tail and correct alignment of the horse’s body on multiple ‘tracks.’ Balance, Suppleness, and Engagement: One of the goals of lateral work is to increase the horse’s suppleness (the ability to bend and flex easily) and engagement (active use of the hindquarters). The judge pays attention to how well the horse responds to aids, how soft and flexible it appears, and whether it powers the movement using its hind end or just drifts sideways with minimal effort. Willingness, Relaxation, and Attitude: A hallmark of good Western dressage is visible harmony between horse and rider. The judge expects to see a horse that looks relaxed, attentive, and willing, moving forward and sideways confidently with minimal, almost invisible, cues from the rider. Visible tension, pinned ears, tail swishing, or overt resistance reduce marks. Accuracy and Execution: Judges watch closely for precise execution— starting and ending the movement at the correct spots in the arena, maintaining the required angle throughout, and flowing smoothly into and out of each lateral movement. Cutting corners, wobbling in the line, or drifting off track shows lack of control and preparation. Overall Impression: The judge’s scoring also considers the overall picture: does the movement look harmonious and effortless? Is there a smooth connection between movements, and does the horse appear genuinely engaged in the task with soft acceptance of the bit and supple topline? Scores are typically given out of 10, with comments that will often note specific strengths and areas to improve. The most successful lateral work is not just about technical correctness but about showing the judge a happy, athletic, and willing horse in true partnership with its rider.
When you ride a test, the judge isn’t just looking to see if you can get from point A to point B sideways. They are evaluating the quality of the movement and the harmony between you and your horse. Here’s what’s under the microscope: • Willingness and Harmony: Does your horse look happy and eager to work? Your aids should be nearly invisible, producing effortless movement. Accuracy: Are you hitting the right markers and maintaining the correct angle for the movement? Rhythm and Bend: Is your horse moving in a consistent tempo and showing the right amount of bend through the body? Suppleness and Engagement: The judge will be looking for a horse that bends easily and powers the movement from its hindquarters. Lateral work is a journey, not a destination. It takes patience, time, and dedication—but when your horse finally “gets it” and dances sideways with you, the feeling is pure magic. Embrace the process, celebrate those small victories, and most importantly, have fun as you and your horse learn to move in harmony. Want to know more? Join our Facebook page, Eagles Nest Equestrian. Ready for a team to help your succeed join our 2026 show team! 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/
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41
The Cowboy Perseverance Ranch
Soar Like An Eagle by Rob and Tanya Corzatt
A
t the beginning of October, a couple friends and I were able to take a girls’ trip for a long weekend and go visit a client/friend of mine in Virginia. She lives there from April through October then comes back to Ohio for the winter months. She purchased one of our lesson horses, Chance, a couple of years ago and keeps him at our barn during her time back here. Chance was our top lesson horse. His patience was fabulous, he was great on trails, and all his gaits were great for riders to build confidence and be able to learn to sit and balance. He also had a variety of advanced maneuvers making him a wonderful teacher for beginners as well as advanced riders. When Rob and I started Cowboy Perseverance Ranch we knew that eventually we would need to sell lesson horses while they were still in their prime so we didn’t have a barn full of geriatric horses. This special
horse was at a point where we felt he deserved to retire. He was still in his prime and physically fit, so we felt it was a good time for him to be a blessing to someone else. Prior to purchasing Chance my client had taken lessons with us and rode him for many months. When back in Ohio she continues her lessons here with me on Chance and knows his disposition well. This past summer he began exhibiting unusual behavior. When working him in her outdoor arena in Virginia, she would ask him to canter and he began to kick out. This began to make her very nervous. When she contacted me about this behavior, she shared that he did not do this when they were out trail riding. I asked her what she did when he reacted in this manner and she said she would get off and lunge him. He continued to challenge her in this manner, so she contacted a vet to check him out. The vet didn’t see any major signs to cause him to possibly buck but treated him
The Corzatt’s
CP erseverance R owboy
anch
“CPR for the soul”
Camdon
Tanya Corzatt
(614) 519-1042 Marengo, OH
cwbypranch@gmail.com
42
Tanya and Rob
accordingly to help with any possibility of soreness My friends and I arrived in Virginia the day after his examination. The instructions from the vet were that he could be ridden but to work him lightly as a precaution. On our first day there we all tacked up to ride our horses in her outdoor arena and my client cautiously rode Chance. When we least expected it he kicked out lightly, but we did not witness it at that moment. He acted up a second time and this time I witnessed his behavior. I could tell my client was getting uncomfortable, which was understandable, so I asked if she would mind if I got on him. She was all too happy to let me. My suspicion was that since she had shared with me earlier that she would get off him when he reacted inappropriately, this was becoming a learned behavior. As I rode Chance, he did great walking and trotting but when I asked for the canter he challenged me also. I briefly corrected the behavior, began trotting again and then asked for the canter. We repeated this process a couple more times. He kicked out a little bit and each time I corrected him. After about three times of this pattern and then asking for the canter departure, he did not attempt to kick out. I let him stand for a bit to reward him. We repeated the process one more time and it went very well. We quit on a very good note! The next couple of days we went trail riding at a beautiful park that was close by. All the horses, including Chance, did very well! We even cantered a short distance around part of the trail and once again Chance performed admirably. Like any relaxing get away our long weekend came quickly to an end and it was time for us to head back to Ohio. My client expressed concern about riding Chance without someone being close by in case of any incidents. She was also uneasy about making the corrections if Chance would act up again. We discussed how she should correct him, and she knew it was necessary but was also understandably nervous. I asked her to please keep me posted. A few days later I received a text from her explaining that Chance did great at the trot then did his
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Tanya and Rob Corzatt little kick, surprising her, when she asked for the canter. She explained that she was a little slow in making the correction but did it and circled off and asked again. Her heart was racing but she said they persevered and cantered both directions. They ended on a good note. I happened to read a verse in Isaiah 40:31 prior to her text and thought of her. When she texted me I responded back to her with a screen shot of this verse. It says “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I wanted to teleport through my phone and give her a big hug! I told her she just soared like an eagle. The explanation of Isaiah 40:31 in my Bible explains that “hoping in the Lord is expecting that his promise of strength will help us to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties.” My client needed encouragement and strength on how to face this challenge. She trusted me and the instruction I had given her on how to handle this situation with Chance. It never ceases to amaze me how God reveals himself and teaches us valuable lessons through our experiences with horses and people here at CP Ranch. We all experience our unique kicks and bucks in life and even the strongest people get tired at times. But we need to trust and understand that God’s power and strength will never diminish. In 2 Corinthians 12:10, Paul reassuringly states that with God’s strength “when we are weak, then we are strong.” Romans 5:3-4 describes the benefits of going through sufferings, “but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, Please turn to page 44 S January 2026
Northern Ohio Outlaws
Have Your Group Set Balloons in 2026 for Extra Cash PRESIDENT, Ron Kiko VICE PRESIDENT, Deb Harris SECRETARY, Kelsey Gibson TREASURER, Mark Maxwell EMAIL, northernohiooutlawsinfo@gmail.com WEBSITE, www.nooutlaws.com
by Joyce Higgins As we head into the new season we are asking any groups that
might be interested in making some money to consider setting balloons for us in the 2026 season. The shoots are held at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. This years shoot dates are April 24-26, June 5-7, July 10-12, August 7-9, and October 2-4. We run two arenas each day and recommend having at least 10 people per arena. Friday night shoots start at 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday shoots start at 9 a.m. If you are interested in learning more please contact Lynn Bussell, 330/242-34552 or
Kathy Zadra, 330/988-4692. Don’t forget the year end awards banquet is February 28. There is a black and white theme this year.
Wishing you the safest and happiest of holidays!
Geauga Horse and Pony Association
Tentative Show Dates Announced holiday. Wishing you all a very prosperous and happy New year!
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 Happy New Year! We hope everyone had a safe and happy
BOOT SCOOTIN BANQUET Our annual awards banquet will be March 14 at the EOUV Club in Newbury, Ohio. If anyone is interested in being a part of the banquet team, please contact Rachel Formica. We are looking forward to our 2026 show season with many new updates to come! Please stay
tuned for upcoming showbills. Tentative 2026 show dates: Open Shows: May 31 and June 21 Contesting: May 29 and June 19 Two Day Combined Show: July 18-19 and August 1-2 Please 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.
Buckeye Equestrian Association
Wishing All a Blessed Holiday PRESIDENT, Patricia Andio VICE PRESIDENT, Susan Smith-Gordan SECRETARY, Jennifer Milliner TREASURER, William Milliner FACEBOOK, Buckeye Equestrian Association
by Jane Malmsberry Well, here we are..it happens
every year! As I write this it’s the middle of December and Christmas is right around the corner. It sneaks up on us
It is FREE to add your Equine Event to the Corral Calendar. Email your event(s) to michelle@thehorsemenscorral.com with the following information: Name of Equine Event • Date/Time of Equine Event Venue Name and Address of where event will be held Contact name and phone number You may include an email and website address also.
Events will be added to the calendar in the magazine and added to our website.
www.thehorsemenscorral.com 44
every year! I could not skip this newsletter and not wish everyone a very blessed holiday season! Things are pretty quiet in the horse world around here. The weather forces everyone to take a step back with their activities. People are caught up in all the seasons festivities. And on top of
all that, we have the scare of an infectious equine disease shutting down major events. So not much to write about until next month. Give your horse an extra carrot, hug a loved one or two..and have wonderful safe, healthy and happy holidays!
Counting Our Blessings Continued from page 42
character and character hope.” If everything with training horses was easy, we would not become better at handling challenging situations. The same goes with life experiences. My friends, I pray that through life’s unexpected kicks and bucks, you will persevere and soar like an eagle! May you be blessed on your ride! The and
Corzatt operates
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family owns 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. January 2026
Ohio Horseman’s Council, Inc. Member of American Horse Council ohconline.com SECRETARY Catherine Estill 513/319-2517 secretary@ohconline.com
TREASURER Margaret Hite 740/407-6986 treasurer@ohconline.com
PRESIDENT Mary Alice Kuhn 330/413-6589 president@ohconline.com
VICE PRESIDENT Charlene Santee 740/670-3470 vicepresident@ohconline.com
MEMBERSHIP Catherine Estill 513/319-2517 membership@ohconline.com
OHC COUNTY LINES EDITOR Kirstie Seeger 937/974-3345 countylineeditor@ohconline.com
Greetings From Your President Making Ohio Better, Four Hooves at a Time highlights how volunteers of the Ohio Horseman’s Council dedicate personal time to enhance Ohio’s outdoors and equine experiences, fostering pride and a sense of contribution through trail clearing, clinics, events, fundraising, and community support.
By now, OHC county chapters have, or will soon have, their yearly calendar of events set. If you’d like to connect with other equine enthusiasts, follow the activities in the subsequent pages, on the state OHC and county OHC Facebook pages, or on the OHC website at www.ohconline. com. There’s much for all ages
of rider, disciplines of riding, and breeds of equine. No horse? No problem. Join in the camaraderie and fun with gymkhana events, parade riding, murder-mystery rides, glow-stick rides, chapter rides, Junior Ambassador activities, county fairs, and more. Everyone is welcome. Over the last year, OHC has
added more hooves hitting the ground. Welcome to our newest county chapters—Highland in the SW region, Noble and Jackson in the SE region. We’re excited to have these chapters join the others in this growing state-wide community. ~Mary Alice Kuhn
County Lines AUGLAIZE It’s hard to believe that I’m writing this. The year of 2026 seems almost mythical, but exciting all the same. The year of 2025 had so many happy memories and while the Auglaize County members are excited about turning a new leaf and planning new events, we still remember the fun times we had. Mayberry Market had an amazing turn out of people and the vendors were amazing. They had so many cool and exciting products ranging in creativity and style that there was something for everyone. We had our equine royalty there as well, selling raffle tickets and visiting with shoppers and vendors alike. They had a lot of fun. We were also able to present Mark Ruppert with a retirement gift in thanking him for his 30 years of fair board service as being
Destrei Burden and Jack January 2026
Mayberry Market, 2025 head of the horse department for the Auglaize County fair. We are going to miss him, thank you Mark Ruppert for all your time and effort you put into our department! In addition, Destrei and Kinlei Burden go all over for equine shows and events. They are junior ambassadors for Auglaize County and mainly stick to open shows. Both girls have traveled to Cloverdale, Ind., to participate in the 2025 Open Worlds Show where Destrei and her horse Jack placed seventh in 14-18 western pleasure class. Kinlei also participated in the western pleasure class with Jack and placed third in the 10-13 class. Furthermore, Kinlei had the opportunity to take her horse, Remy’s Invitation, or as they like to call him, Chewy, because of his antics, to Palomino Worlds in Springfield, Ill. She placed fifth overall in her color breed class, fourth in hunter hand, and eighth in the 8-10 showmanship class. Likewise, the girls also had the opportunity to go to the 2025 All American Youth Show in Columbus, Ohio. Destrei and
Kinlei Burden and Chewy Jack had a wonderful experience where they placed third in Quarter Horse western pleasure and seventh in ladies western pleasure. Kinlei also rode Jack and placed first overall in the 11 and under western pleasure class. These girls love their horses, and I’m sure that they are excited for what the new year has in store for them. As always, you can check our Facebook page, Auglaize County Ohio Horseman’s Council Inc. for any additional events or posts concerning our county. ~Veronica Mertz CLARK First, I have to say that it’s impossible that 2026 has arrived and another year has passed. Our members had a busy year and participated in lots of fun events. I went with family to the Kentucky Derby for the second time in my life and it is better in the clubhouse than the
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infield. We had a campout in the spring and one in the fall which included lots of games, obstacles, prizes and as always, good food. In the spring at our campout we were treated to ‘Unbranded’ on a large outdoor screen which reminded us of our good old drive-in days. At our fall campout we were treated to having our photos taken by Lydia Kaverman of Linde’s Livestock Photography. Buck Creek is always well ridden by members, but some other camping spots members visited were Van Buren, East Fork, Elkins Creek, Hueston Woods and Hocking Hill. The What 3 Words app has been utilized often this year also. Riders have sent the information to Ed McGowan at the Buck Creek office and he has been very helpful in helping with some of the trail maintenance. Club members once again stepped up to help serve at the pork chop booth in August. This is our main fundraiser and is very important to our club. We utilized the grant we received from the state and hired Denver Thompson to repair our muddy areas and that section of the trail is now in great shape. Members also attended the Little Brown Jug race on a very steamy day in September. Some winners were picked but no one gave up their day job. Members set up a booth at the ribbon cutting of the new nature center at Buck Creek. It was attended by Governor DeWine and ODNR officials and they answered questions about 45
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Clark County OHC our organization and how we partner with the park. There are lots of exciting things planned for 2026 and now is a good time to renew if you have not done so already. There are several events coming up soon. The central region meeting is February 14 at the West Jefferson Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a potluck lunch. Equine Affaire is April 9-12 and offers opportunities to volunteer either setting up on Wednesday or taking a turn at the booth informing people about OHC. Many trail riders attend the event and are not aware of how Ohio Horseman’s Council supports the trails and other equestrian events around the state. Come ride with Clark County! ~Jonna Ledyard CLERMONT Winter arrived with a vengeance in Southwest Ohio, dumping almost 5.5” of snow December 1! Where did that come from?! Winter is not supposed to arrive until after December 20! Below freezing temperatures followed to freeze the melting snow, slick sidewalks, freeze water tanks and water hoses. I hope everyone is staying warm and prepared for a cold and snowy winter. Seasonal predictions for January through March indicate increased snowfall. It’s only early December and I’m already done with winter. Just a quick reminder to renew your membership for 2026. You do not want to miss out on all the benefits of being an OHC member, and news provided in the Corral. Our state meeting was just short of awesome! I certainly enjoyed connecting with all the members, especially our Jr. Ambassadors! We all work to connect to bring even bigger and better events 46
happening throughout the state to benefit our trails. Tim Sheppard presents an outstanding presentation regarding the improvements made to the Blue Trail. Our 1.5 miles of Blue Trail connecting the green perimeter trail at the campground to the trail head at the Tim Applegate Area is holding up very well. As we begin planning for additional trail improvements at East Fork State Park, the list is just too long to write in this article. Stay tuned monthly as we approach this spring to plan the additional repairs to the ‘Harmon Hill’, Red Fox, and Cain Run Road area. As we move into 2026, we plan to spotlight members who played an influential role in the development of the East Fork State Park trails. Many of the original trailblazers, some dating back to the 1970s, are still known to our community, and we’d love to share their stories with members who may not be aware of the park’s early history. If you know of anyone from past years who contributed to creating or developing the trails, and you’d like to share their background or accomplishments, please reach out to me. I’d be happy to include their information in an upcoming monthly articles. Send an email, limb-oh@roadrunner. com, or call 513/720-2464 (text before you call please). We realize that the history of our trail system could easily be lost over time, and we want to honor and remember those whose hard work and vision made the trails at East Fork State Park possible. Until February, everyone stay warm! ~LaWana Bogard CLINTON Hello fellow horseman and women. I hope you have been staying warm. I don’t know about you but I love to winter ride! Staying warm yourself is important. I find keeping your hands and feet warm your body stays warmer. I love keeping hand warmers in my pockets also! I hope your Christmas and New Years were amazing. Next issue I’ll include some of our Christmas party photos! Member Amanda Snell is an amazing trainer and lesson giver! I included a photo of Abby Fox’s granddaughter Kennedy getting her first lesson, on Neo! The other photos are of Amanda Snell and her sister Amy winter riding. Amy hasn’t ridden in 20
Kennedy and Neo.
Amy riding Jax.
Julie Baughman on Billy. years. She rode Jax and she’s in love! The other photo is new member Julie Baughman on Billy on her first ride on her property. Remember take a kid riding and see the future! Happy trails, ~Sue Lamb CUYAHOGA Where will we be when this new year of 2026 comes to an end? How many new friends will we make? Hopefully we will not lose any friends for reasons of illness or death. Moving perhaps is acceptable but if we are true friends we will remain so. It just takes a bit of work to keep in touch. With that said, today may be a good day to reach out and check in with an out of town friend. It is a worthwhile task that can bring warmth and continued friendships. OHC offers the opportunity to build many friendships in chapters, in regions, in the whole
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state of Ohio for that matter. It just depends on how much of yourself you are willing to put into it. I say it is worth the effort. There is always a need to help out a bit. Have you let your membership in a chapter laps? How about rejoining and get back on board for the fun, education, friendships and of course the great food that is served throughout the year at potlucks, dinners, meetings, campfires, and any other time we get together. We love to eat. We also work together to preserve and expand bridle trails and facilities throughout the state in national, state, county, and Metroparks. The trails you ride may be because of the hard work of OHC members. We need you. Even if you don’t ride at this time, come join and continue to be part of the horse world. We are bound together because of the love of the horse. If you are not yet a member, come on and join a chapter. There is probably a chapter near you and you don’t need to live in the county of your chapter of choice. You can even join as an At Large Member and attend many chapters events till you decide which one fits your fancy best. We in Cuyahoga will welcome you warmly. We ended our events for the year with a gathering at Look About Lodge in Cleveland Metroparks South Chagrin Reservation. This beautiful lodge was built with over 300 chestnut logs many years ago. Its huge fireplaces and animal artifacts make for a treasure in the park system. We were joined by members of other chapters and this expands our circle of friends. Thanks to all who joined us it was so good to see you. If you are interested in OHC and thinking of joining, just log into www.ohconline.com where you will find a great deal of information and how to join. Look us over, you will be happy you did. Will you be our next new friend? You can also get more information from our Cuyahoga Chapter membership chair, Joani Hedderick, joani.hedderick@ gmail.com or call her 330/7304652, we hope to meet you soon. ~Penny DELAWARE Happy New Year, 2026 from your friends in the Delaware Chapter! First off, congratulations to our 2026 January 2026
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2025 Christmas party. 2025 Christmas party with Jim and Debbie Strayton. chapter officers! President Theresa Burke, Vice President Kim Vorbau, Treasurer Jim Vorbau, and Secretary Bobbi Arters. It is both an honor and a privilege to be chosen to serve our members and to be entrusted to further the enthusiasm and achievements of past years. Thank you and welcome to all our first-time Delaware chapter members as well as all our renewing members. Your officers look forward to an infusion of new and exciting ideas that offer the best possible experience for our chapter members. This month, the officers will meet to discuss and brainstorm ideas for chapter activities, including ideas for speakers and topics, social outings, and of course, chapter trail rides. Our first, in person meeting will be held on Friday, February 6 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Kilbourne United Methodist Church on SR 521. Join your friends for an entertaining evening when we welcome member, Dan Chambers, who will share his experiences and knowledge gained from his time spent with professional trainer, Ken McNabb. Last year finished on a high note with our chapter’s annual Christmas party, held on the first Friday of December. Sadly, although not able to attend myself, I was told that a good time was had by all, especially during our traditional secret Santa gift exchange. Other members added to the festive atmosphere by sporting their favorite ‘ugly’ Christmas sweater! As expected, the food was both abundant and delicious! Looking ahead, watch for an announcement concerning our OHC Central Region meeting slated for February. All members are invited to attend this organizational meeting for all central region chapters. This will be an opportunity to hear about what our neighboring chapters have planned for the year as well as begin organizing our annual January 2026
Central Region trail ride and campout. Wishing everyone a blessed and Happy New Year! Safe riding! ~Theresa Burke FULTON November was a quiet month. The newly formed planning committee met and tentatively scheduled our customary events. Our November chapter meeting was held at the Bunker Bar and Grill where we meet November through April. Twenty-six members attended. We finalized some of the plans for our Cowboy Christmas Tack Swap and Live Auction on November 30 at The Show Arena in Swanton. Donna McHaffie reached out for a few more volunteers and another horse or pony for the pony ride activity. We also went over the proposed club activity calendar for 2026. Our tentative schedule includes traditional activities such as a winter blues breakfast in March, soup or rides Fat Saturday and New Years Day, and four themed camping weekends at Reed Road Ranglers on the first weekend of May, June, August and October. We are also planning a first aid class in February for interested members which is new this year. Ultimately, our Cowboy Christmas tack sale and auction on November 30 was cancelled when the venue, The Show Arena, closed for two weeks in response to the EHV outbreak which reportedly originated in Texas in early November. With only 10 days notice, we were unable to secure a different location and get it all moved and restructured. Several members attended the state meeting in Delaware in November where our member, Jo Neeley received a merit award for her long-time dedication and exceptional service to OHC, to both The Foundation and the Fulton County chapter. Jo has been a member since 2011 according to state records and has been our treasurer for many years as well as treasurer for the Foundation. In addition to Jo, our chapter has
many extraordinary volunteers, and a volunteer recognition spot was recently added to our website. We have recognized Joel Sutton for his volunteer work with Oak Openings park personnel on trail maintenance; Polly Alvarez for her organization of our food committee for events (let’s face it, we like to eat almost as much as we like to ride) as well as representing us in parades and at the state chili cookoff; and Terry and Amy Obermyer for organizing meetings and Terry organized and oversees our apparel store through 3Chord which was recently reopened with new apparel items added. These people, as well as many others, not only step up and volunteer but get the job done repeatedly. It is so nice to have people you can count on, and we have many. Chapter meetings are usually on the first Tuesday of the month and will be at The Bunker Bar in Holland, November through April. 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. We hope your holidays were good and that you have a happy new year! ~Kathy Brown
Lebanon Holiday Carriage Parade.
Belinda Voiles, Piqua Parade.
GREENE The holidays have passed, and we are in the winter riding time (for those of us who ride year around). Layers matter when riding in the winter. We held our Christmas event for the chapter and had a lot of fun. Many members sported an ugly sweater or wore their favorite Christmas or holiday gear. Several members of our club participated in local holiday parades and had a lot of fun. One of the parades is the Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade in Lebanon, Ohio. Some of our members, along with nearby OHC clubs, volunteered for this parade. Cindra Phillips, and her horse, Henry, were recognized at this parade with an ornament. This is an honor to be recognized. We had several members ride in the South Lebanon Parade (not part of the Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade). The South Lebanon Parade is a great way to introduce your horse to a parade. Our chapter will resume the Easy Peasy Group Rides in the spring of 2026. Look for the rides on the Greene County Facebook
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Brenlee, Stacy, Danny, at the Piqua Parade. page. We look forward to seeing you on these trail rides. Please be sure to turn in your trail miles to Cindra Phillips by January 15. Recording your trail miles is important, as the miles indicate how much we use the trails in Ohio to enjoy our favorite pastime—riding, and allows us to maintain all the beautiful trails throughout Ohio. 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 Yeehaw! I finally got my truck back! It was at the dealer for 11 weeks. General Motors finally 47
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New toilet at Salt Fork.
report, the more funding we get headed our way. There’s been a lot of improvements at Salt Fork in the last year, for which we are grateful. When the call goes out to start the Winter Trail Work, please be a part of the work crew. Every worker and every hour counts! Happy New Year! ~Lee Randolph HAMILTON
Melissa and Mule.
Cindy’s horse in Salt Fork Lake. came to the dealership and fixed it, I hope! I’d been saying all along, it had to be a wiring issue. Well, it was, along with many other things. They replaced a lot of stuff! That truck is the only truck I have to pull my horse trailer, and it cost me and Dee Dee a lot of riding this fall. I’m not happy about that, but there’s always next year! Cindy and Melissa spent the weekend of November 18 riding the Blue, Orange and Purple Trails, Salt Fork State Park. They had an awesome time riding the late fall-colored trails, as well as getting their horses feet in the lake. Melissa is on the mule and Cindy’s on the back of the paint, standing in the lake. The park is making progress on the new restrooms at Horse Camp. The old pit toilets have been removed. If all goes to plan, there will be a second wash rack in the area near the new toilets. Our annual Christmas party is in two weeks and it’s time to remind everyone to submit their riding miles and trail work hours! Yes, it matters, it’s like the itch that gets scratched! The more we 48
Happy New Year and welcome to 2026! Hamilton County OHC is blessed with having four, delightful, Jr. Ambassador members. These members are Elizabeth Landfried, Emma Schultz, Kenlie Shartzer and Reese Stuart. In the October edition of Horsemen’s Corral we highlighted Emma Schultz. Today we are happy to kick off the new year highlighting Elizabeth Landfried, Kenlie Shartzer and Reese Stuart. Elizabeth Landfried is an 11-year-old sixth grader from Harrison who attends McGuffey Montessori in Oxford, Ohio. Elizabeth has been a 4H member for three years where she is an all-around rider showing both 4H and open shows in showmanship, western pleasure, and barrel racing. This summer, Elizabeth and her horse Ruby enjoyed a couple of big wins at the Butler County Fair: Champion in showmanship and in western pleasure earning the pair a beautiful trophy. Elizabeth enjoys taking care of the family’s horses, donkeys and other livestock, ice skating, hanging out with her sister and equestrian grandmother and most of all, riding Ruby. Elizabeth is interested in working with horses in the future and currently plans on going to veterinary school. Kenlie Shartzer is an 11-yearold, sixth grader who attends St. James White Oak Elementary School. Kenlie has been a
Reese Stuart and Capi.
Elizabeth Landfried
Kenlie Shartzer
member of Butler County Top Hands 4H club for three years and enjoys contesting and showing her horses at 4H and open shows in barrel racing, contesting and jumping. In 2024, Kenlie enjoyed being Butler County Top Hands 4H club High Point rider. For 2025, Kenlie enjoyed a couple of big wins at the Ohio State Fair, placing sixth overall in barrel racing and seventh overall in keyhole. In addition, Kenlie took up a new discipline, combined training (better known as eventing) and completed her very first mini trial this summer on her horse Tipsey. In addition to competing, Kenlie enjoys trail riding, volleyball, softball and golf and enjoying three dimensional arts, crafts of any kind, sewing and accessorizing. Kenlie would like to ride horses at the college level and plans to keep horses as a hobby throughout her lifetime. Reese Stuart is a 14-year-old, ninth grader who attends Oak Hills High School. Reese has been riding her family’s gaited horses for five years and is a member of the Tri-State Rocky Mountain Horse Club. Reese is also coming off a big win this summer, placing first in Show Pleasure riding Capi at Tri-State Rocky Mountain Horse Club’s end of year horse show. In addition, and although not very common in the gaited world, Reese and Capi really enjoy weekly barrel riding lessons, pushing the two to better their horsemanship. Reese has participated in horse camp at Wilmington College and continues to learn about horses by attending local veterinarian farrier clinic days. In addition to competing, Reese enjoys caring for the family horses, time with friends, and following formula one car racing. Riding and being around horses is a huge part of Reese’s life and she currently plans on going to veterinary school.
To find out more about HCOHC and access our membership application link, please go to ohconline.com, ‘find chapter’ and type in ‘Hamilton County’ in the search bar. You can also follow us on Facebook at Ohio Horseman’s Council Hamilton County Chapter. ~Ann Frederick
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HARRISON Hello OHC! Happy New Year! It is so hard to believe another year has passed. I can remember my older relatives commenting on how fast time goes by and now I am seeing that myself firsthand! I hope you all have wonderful plans for 2026. What are your OHC goals for this year? Our chapter is hoping for some more growth. We are seeing more interest in the younger riders in our county and that is so exciting! OHC’s Youth Ambassador program has caught the attention of our 2025 youth scholarship winner, and she hopes to check it out this year. She will be presenting information about OHC and the Youth Ambassador program to her 4H group. We are hoping some of her friends might want to join her! We also just elected Desarah Berry as vice president for this year. She is 29 (and holding!) and wants to recruit some new members in her age range. Desiree grew up riding horses in Harrison County before she could walk. She participated in 4H and even some rodeo. After her grandpa passed away, she was away from horses for about 11 years. Once bitten, however, you never lose that love. Desarah returned to horses about 3 years ago with her purchase of her beautiful Quarter Horse stud colt, Zuko. I love palominos and he is one of the most gorgeous ones I have ever seen! While Zuko is in January 2026
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each month to eat, drink and talk horses. Please feel free to join us! ~Sherrie Hart HOCKING
Desarah, new vice president of Harrison County OHC.
Desarah’s new mare, Fallon. Texas for training, Desarah rides JD, her 21-year-old Friesian cross rescue. She also recently purchased a beautiful mare Fallon, with plans for breeding next year. She is back into horses full force! Desarah hopes to organize more horse-related activities for our club beyond the club rides. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with! Our other officers were reelected for another year. Mark Westlake as president, Cheri Westlake as secretary and Sherrie Hart as treasurer. We also have Monna Dowdle as membership chairperson. She is the go-to with the online membership stuff! Cindy Scrader and Faye Verhovec collect and report riding miles and work hours. All the members help out in one way or another. We really do have a nice group! Beyond recruiting new members, our club goals for this year include building a new and safer mounting block in the Trail Riders Campground at Harrison State Forest as well as continued maintenance of the trails there. Just a reminder, the trails at Harrison State Forest remain closed for the winter until March 31. During the winter months, we will continue to meet January 2026
Wow! Another year in the books. Is it just me, or does it seem that time keeps going faster? If you don’t yet already have your new 2026 planner, I bet that they are on sale right now. Cabin fever is about to set in, and one of the ways to beat it is by daydreaming and planning all the events that you want to attend this year. The most important step is by writing it down, to make sure that your spouse or significant other doesn’t plan something first! Year-end awards and receiving them are always the result of dedication and hard work, which begin at the beginning of every year. Nothing is more rewarding then being called to the front of the room before friends and family to receive kudos. We have several members who wrapped up 2025 in spectacular fashion. The first is Quincy Lehman. From the first day that she told her Grandmother that she wanted to show horses in 4H, she has poured 100 percent into her efforts. At her end of the year banquet, she took home third in small equine, fourth in beginner equine and third in beginner ranch pleasure. Keep in mind that this young lady has a lot of years left in 4H. She is going to be the one to watch for, as the years go by. In addition to showing, she can also be found at most club trail rides and parades. Her love of horses is boundless. The next person who was surprised at their end of the year banquet was Donna Shade. Donna belongs to the Mid-Ohio Mounted Shooters Club. At the awards banquet, she received her move up buckle. It has taken three long
Mounted Shooting
4-H End of the Year.
Lancaster Holiday Parade. years, but she finally had enough qualified wins to move up from a Level One, to a Level Two. Unknown to her, when you move up, you take your winning points with you. So, she also won 2025 Senior Ladies 2 Championship. However, the award that she is most proud of is the Most Improved Senior Lady award. Have I mentioned that our club is very diverse in the horse activities that our members participate it? Yeah, I believe that I have mentioned that a time or two. Do you like parades? So do our members! We had a great group of people who paired up with Perry County to represent OHC in the Lancaster Holiday Parade. The day was mild, and perfect for decorating and riding horses on the streets of Lancaster. We very much enjoy sharing our love of horses with the public. The 2026 club officers are: President Raven Rau, Vice President Brenda Lehman, Treasurer Dianna Lowe, Secretary Robbyn Truax. 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
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Watching it snow while sitting at the computer writing the January article. I guess it is winter now. We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years. While our club activities have slowed down as has our riding, they have not stopped completely. Our spring banquet planning continues. It will be held April 18 from 4:30 to 8 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. Our raffle and 50/50 at the banquet are our main fundraisers for the year. We very much appreciate the raffle donations from our local merchants. More information can be accessed by contacting an officer or myself through the OHC website. Our club elected officers at the last meeting and would like to recognize out going treasurer, Sue Rhodes for her many years of service. Thank you, Sue. Our president, vice president, and I attended the state meeting in Newark, Ohio on November 11. We appreciated the organization and good information presented. It was good to get an update from the regional representatives. The Junior Ambassador program is growing and successful. We look forward to attending our
Aubrie Olinger
Emilie Olinger 49
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Members at Salt Fork.
Mohican Northeast Regional meeting on February 21. One of the highlights of the meeting was the cake auction which raised money for the Junior Ambassador program. It was very well supported and a big thank you to Joe Coalter for auctioneering and to his wife Bobbie for her great support. They went home with several beautiful cakes. A very special thank you to two of our Holmes County Junior Ambassadors, Aubrie and Emilie Olinger, for making two beautiful well decorated cakes. We appreciate their contribution very much. Ava, one of our other Junior Ambassadors scored a 14-point buck during youth season. Bruce and I got a few nice rides in at Mohican before the closure and before the deep freeze we are now in. We are hopeful that we will eventually have some warmer days here and there in order to head for Malabar or Salt Fork for a day ride. It would be nice to keep ourselves and the two mares used to the routine. Meanwhile, we will make do with a couple of OHC Christmas parties and plan on attending some swap meets. It would be nice to clear out some tack in the process, but we will see. Happy Trails. ~Bev Hanna KNOX Happy trails and greetings from Knox County! We had our last official campout of the year at Salt Fork State Park at the end of October with 14 campers and day riders attending. This is always a fun camping trip as it includes all the usual Halloween festivities. The winner of the pumpkin carving contest was Mike Smith, the costume class was won by the adorable Addie Ross (a young Junior Ambassador) in her dinosaur outfit, and the trailer site decorating contest was won 50
very popular event and includes not only great tack from our supplier, but tons of additional and unique items in our silent auction. We also have food and a 50/50 raffle. Save that date and look for our ad in the Corral and on Facebook in the near future. 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, a fun event, or riding down Ohio’s beautiful trails! ~Cindy Cossin LAKE
Pumpkin carving Mike with Addie.
winner,
by Kathy Shoemaker and Cindy Cossin. It was a great weekend and a great way to top off a great camping season. Members will be meeting in January to make plans for 2026 campouts with Laurie Murdick agreeing to act as Trail Chairperson. Thanks Laurie! At our November club meeting, we elected officers for 2026. Returning officers are Teresa Smith as president, Donnie Cline as vice president, Barb Stevens as treasurer and new this year, Rannay Cline as secretary. We thank all our officers for stepping up and for their commitment to KCOHC for the new year. A special thank you to Kathy Shoemaker, our former secretary, for the many years and countless hours she put in doing our monthly newsletter and the other duties of being the secretary. She has left her position in good hands with Rannay. We are looking forward to two upcoming events. First is our annual ‘after the holidays’ party which will be January 10 at the Fuller Center in Centerburg. We will have the usual potluck with the club providing ham and turkey, with the always spirited gift exchange following. This is always a fun time and a welcome get together with friends. I will have details and a picture or two in the next article. Next up will be another annual event, our Tack Auction on February 21 at the Ramser 4H building at the Knox County Fairgrounds. This has become a
Yes, the weather outside can be frightful, but our horses are still delightful. Keep telling yourselves that as the temperature drops to near zero degrees or lower, and the snowdrifts rise higher and higher. Yet, we are in the snowbelt. Our Lake OHC’s celebration of the past year 2025 will be on January 11 at Honey’z in Kirtland. There will be a gift exchange, and awards for trail miles will be given. Some of our members plan to attend Cuyahoga’s celebration dinner at the Holiday Inn in Independence on March 1. Donna K. asked for volunteers to present how we would choose a horse for ourselves. Cheyanne, Barbara M., Michelle S., and I volunteered for the presentation. Our requirements are very different as we age. Michelle S. and Rosemary attended the state meeting in Newark. There they learned that various other chapters had improved their county’s park systems with mounting blocks. They commented on how successful the OHC Jr. Ambassador program has been. Three Jr. Ambassadors spoke to the group and then gave out bags of horse treats. The young riders also made cakes for the group. During our meeting at the Chester Tavern in Chesterland in November, we discussed all the afore mentioned, while deciding that our officers shall remain the same for the coming year. We were informed of Blue Lakes Farm’s tack sale in February. Rosemary and Ken told us about attending Cuyahoga’s event at Look About Lodge in the South Chagrin Reservation. Ken won a Big D’s gift certificate after enjoying pizza and salad. Big D’s is always a great supporter of our OHC chapters. Thank you Big Ds. We offer our condolences to Michelle Sheligaon for the death of her husband Doug.
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Doug, along with Ken, helped at different cookout rides by preparing and grilling various meats for us all. He attended meetings and banquets with Michelle, offering his own unique opinions on various topics. When Michelle was president of our chapter, he helped her put out our chapter newsletters. Rest in peace, Doug. We start a new year, a new beginning and a time for new adventures. May we have a blessed New Year in 2026. ~Rayneen Tisovic LICKING Happy New Year and welcome 2026! Hoping everyone had a happy and healthy holiday and are all ready to begin a new year and season. As mentioned last month, State Forest bridle trails closed December 1, 2025, and will reopen Monday, March 30. This closure allows time for forestry staff and approved volunteer groups to conduct maintenance and improvements. Maumee State Forest is the only exception, their bridle trails will remain open year-round. Trail rides may be permitted during the closed season but only by special permit. Riders must submit a Special Use Permit application to the local forest manager at least 14 days before the event. Forest affected by the seasonal closure are Blue Rock, Brush Creek, Dean, Harrison, Hocking, Mohican Memorial, Perry, Pile, Scioto Trail, Shawnee, Tar Hollow and Zaleski. Another reminder that from November 1 through March 31, riders may encounter dry land mushers at Taft Reserve South/Middle and Infirmary Mound parks. Please use this as a learning opportunity to promote good will for all concerned. It’s time to start keeping track of trail miles for 2026. You have until January 15 to report 2025 trail miles/hours. Please go to our website under documents and use the trail miles members form. This may be emailed to Chris Lloyd at dblcbarfarm@aol. com or mailed to Chris Lloyd, 9011 Palmer Road, Pataskala, Ohio 43062. Our annual Christmas party was held December 6, pictures to follow. Stay warm and keep riding! LOGAN So hard to believe I’m writing for the January Corral, where January 2026
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Logan County OHC does the time go? The year 2025 has come to a close, and burr went from fall to winter jeeze! We had a scheduled ride for November 9 at Marmon Valley Farm and due to weather rescheduled the ride for November 16. It was a much better day for sure, we had a wonderful trail ride with 10 members in attendance. We saw lots of deer and one buck that didn’t even get up when we passed, I swear he was at least a 12-point buck. Wrangler Matt, lead the way and stopped overlooking the valley and gave us a very informative history lesson on this area of Logan County. Two of our members attended the state meeting on November 8. At our November 18 meeting we elected our new Logan County officers: President Brien Lambert, Vice President Becky Porter, Secretary and Reporter Monica Young and Treasurer Becky Martin. This is my last Corral article for a while. I know Monica will do a great job as our new secretary and reporter. I think I have done this for five or six years, it’s been an education for sure and enjoyable. So long for now, I hope everyone had a wonderful NewYear! ~Cynthia Orr LORAIN Happy New Year to all! Winter is here in northeast Ohio, for January 2026
Turkey Trot at Carlisle, Karen and Sue. sure! Let’s make sure to bundle up when out with your horse and do what you can to keep your horse sheltered from the bitter cold. Due to a computer glitch, our Lorain County newsletter did not make it into the Corral for the December issue. Please visit our Lorain County OHC website if you would like to read about the various events that we had in the fall. I would however like to recognize Dundee Automotive Incorporated, our last month’s calendar sponsor. Additionally, we’d like to thank our January sponsor Centerra Country Store located in both Grafton and Medina, Ohio. They are a Purina certified expert dealer! They offer a variety of farm and home essentials as well as feed for livestock and pets. Sherry Hoover worked diligently throughout this past year to put together another awesome calendar that is both functional and interesting. Members receive a calendar with their enrollment for the year. Photos adorn each month. Businesses graciously help by sponsoring a month. Each day includes a place to record location rode and the mileage they traveled. In addition, the calendar provides a page dedicated to horse care, a list of our officers and committee members with contact information and the final page is a form to fill out on our horse riding miles and saddle hours for the year to submit to our state OHC. Best of all, every member may submit personal photos. It’s always fun to see the photos of our members and places they have been riding over the past year. We sincerely thank everyone who helped to contribute to this wonderful, useful gift. This past fall we had many adventures. One was riding in the Allegheny Mountains. Several of us came upon a majestic bull elk with a huge rack. He was one busy guy, as he had a harem
Dave and Kathy at CVNP Wetmore of 20 cow elk! Our weekend campout at Hocking Hills was the best turnout of the year. A big thank you goes to Tony who cooked us steaks on the grill that accompanied our potluck dinner. It was delightful! Oddly though, there were wanted signs posted throughout the camp for a certain Lorain County OHC member known for excessive shenanigans. She has a long history of hiding snakes to scare others. Stay vigilant! Our fall meeting/clambake/potluck at the Monyaks drew many members. As they say, feed them and they will come! We want to thank the Monyaks for all the work they did to make this a great event. All officers are returning this year. A big thank you goes to President Wendy Pugh, Vice President Jim Wallace, Secretary Karen Norton, and Treasurer Monica Haschak. We are grateful for their dedication to our council and are confident that they will continue to keep it running smoothly so that we may have an enjoyable year of horse related activities. Also, we thank all our committee members who have volunteered this past year. They have contributed their time and talent to also keep our council up and running smoothly. Please refer to the list of officers and committee members in the back of the Lorain County OHC calendar. Please note that their phone numbers are included as a quick reference. Our fall planning meeting was well attended. We thank you Wendy for calculating the statistics and presenting the information. Lorain has many repeat favorites with a few new places thrown into the mix. We are looking forward to an exciting year filled with a nice variety of activities to choose from so please join in the fun! Please note that our January Lorain County OHC meeting is
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moved up one week and thus will be held on Monday, January 12 at the Carlisle Visitor Center at 7 p.m. If you’d like to bring soup or a side, plan to gather at 6:30 p.m. If you are a Lorain County OHC member, please be sure to turn in your money for the Pine Creek horse camping trip in October. Please kindly submit your miles to your state horse council. This is what helps us to retain our trails as it informs the park officials at the local, state and national levels. This data is our justification of trail use so that hopefully the parks will keep and help maintain the trails for equestrian use. Thank you to all who submit their miles. Together, we can make a difference! If you are an at-large member, send the mileage form directly to the state chairperson, otherwise, use the form entitled Individual Member Summary or a form that your county prefers and then submit it to your county. Lorain County OHC members need to send your mileage and saddle hours to Brenda Lang by January 15. She will then send them on to the OHC. Please note that we will not be having a meeting in February. Highlights for February include: a Sweetheart ride at Carlisle on February 14 and sled riding at Wellington Reservoir on February 28. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! ~Kathy Duncan MEDINA Happy New Year and for us at Medina OHC it’s Happy 40th Year! Yes, we are 40 years of Horsemen Helping Horsemen. Among our plans is a fun anniversary ride this summer and dinner banquet this autumn. We feel honored to have had (and still have) wonderful members whose dedication to the trails in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park as well as other trails in the state is really something to celebrate. Charter members as well as newer members will be asked to contribute to a history book (booklet?). More news to follow! Our December meeting was a fun evening hosted by Jan and Ray Dalton at their home. A nice little group of members had lots to eat and drink in a very festive atmosphere. We set up our budget for the coming new year and there was much discussion about how we wanted to celebrate our anniversary. Louise Harting and Kathy Schmidt drew up a wonderful design for T-shirts 51
County Lines and Louise will be checking out vendors soon. There will also be an anniversary ride at Robinson Field in the Cuyahoga Valley this summer and we will be welcoming all our past and present members to come on down to the valley for a day of riding, eating and good times with old and new friends. Thanks to all new and renewed members who have joined us this year and a special welcome back to legacy members Phil and Ronda Urbank (2025), Hope Orr and Sandy Bauer who have signed up again! A reminder to current non-renewed members, get your membership renewal in ASAP! Ring out the bells! We are 40 years down in the valley! ~Rosemary
Reese and Rowen taking a break at the pony rides.
Brenda Lehman at parade.
MEIGS Our officers will stay the same for the 2026 season. President Ed Turley, Vice President Beka Setzer, Secretary Jocelyn Wilson, Treasurer Kelli Wilson, Membership Chair Susan Sheppard, and our Trustees are Jim Birchfield, Joe Maugans, Kevin Sheppard and Roger Swartz. Thank you all for volunteering and working hard all year to make our club a great place for fun! We had our annual Christmas party on December 6, 2025, where we had a great gathering and awesome dinner. We awarded our year-end fun show buckles. In the adult division Jocelyn Wilson was first, Michele Schein second, Kelli Wilson third, Opal Huggins fourth and Shelby Runyon fifth. In the Youth division Lane Schein first, Dixie Pyles second, Emmalee Setzer third, Annalyn Setzer fourth, Connor Schein fifth, Haley Mitchell sixth, JoJo Pannell sevength, and Reese McWilliams eighth. We also awarded our buckles for top trail miles. Cindy Rodgers came in first with 310.8 miles ridden. Melissa Angel was second with
Ellen Pannell and Ed Turley giving pony rides. 52
Susan and Hanna at the November Fun Show. 296.98 miles, Cindy Baker Blosser had 223.93 miles for third and Shelby and Cassidy Runyon both tied for fourth with 111.8 miles each. Congratulations to all our winners and we hope to see you all next year! We had a great time with our gift exchange with a couple things passing around a few times before heading home with their winners. We look forward to seeing everyone this year out on the trails. The Meigs chapter meets each month on the third Tuesday (January 20) 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 PERRY The Perry Club wrapped up 2025 in style with participation in both the Lancaster and Logan holiday parades. The gals did a great job decorating themselves and the horses. Many thanks to Laura Owings, Brenda Lehman, Quincy Lehman and Jennifer Smathers for making us look good and ringing in the holidays! A birdie did tell me that Brenda had the Santa hat backwards on her horse but hey, that’s what makes it special. Snow came early and ended riding season for many while some still enjoy getting out in the white stuff. I can’t wait to see those
pictures even though personally I am a fair weather rider. No doubt the weather and the EHV breakout impacted trail excursions. We are currently making plans for 2026 and are certainly open to member suggestions to make it another successful year. Please reach out to any of our officers if you would like to provide some helpful input and plan to attend our January meeting. Just when she thought it was safe to go outside, Heather Stengle managed to rebreak her arm (arm in the general sense) and is now laid up until sometime after the first of the year. I think the club should consider purchasing some bubble wrap and make a donation! We wish her a speedy recovery and a healthier 2026. To new friendships and new beginnings in 2026, ~Marianne Patton STARK Happy New Year from Stark County OHC. We are glad to welcome our new officers for 2025; President Valerie StrohKline, Vice President Ida Noel, Secretary JoEllen Reikowski and returning as Treasurer is Linda Misko. We also have several of our members who serve as Trustees; Julie Epler, Vickey Heberlein and Stacy McGill. At the last state meeting in November, Catherine returned to several chapters folders she had. Ours for Stark County showed information on when our chapter was started. This was back on January 29, 1979, and it was so interesting to read about this. Originally a group of horse riders met with the intention of joining OHC which they did but since these persons were from surrounding areas, they form chapters for Stark, Carroll and Tuscarawas Counties. It sounds like they held their separate
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meetings but jointly and a lot of times these meetings included other local riding organizations. This happened through 1986. These were very active riders and held some competitive trail rides in the area. One of our original members, Al Zaleski was a very active rider and was mainly responsible for helping to bring Quarter Horse Congress to Columbus. Over the years Stark County members did a lot of work with other counties to help them start a campground and trail system. Some of these were Cuyahoga Valley, Salt Fork, Beaver Creek, Tappan, Jefferson, Harrison, Mohican and Pleasant Hill to name a few. I feel this just shows how important and active OHC can be. Each chapter is different but very important. Best wishes for a good year and a successful one. ~Jo Ellen SUMMIT Here we are again at the start of another new year full of hope and aspirations. Whatever yours may be, give them a sense of importance. Say them out loud with determined affirmation, write them down, place them some place as a reminder, and don’t be afraid to share them with those close to you because they will be your biggest cheerleaders. 2025 may or may not have been a stellar year but regardless of the circumstances, don’t be afraid to dream and keep trying. So many of you have been a quiet inspiration to others without ever knowing it. Speaking of fulfilling dreams, many a child’s wish to ride the Polar Express was made even more special by Christmas Elf Joyce Tretow and her volunteers. The merry group and her mini horses dressed in their holiday finest to greet the crowds and rest the reindeer for their big night. Joyce has been a great equine ambassador at various events throughout the year and we thank her for giving children of all ages that special encounter with a horse that may just inspire a new generation of riders. Thank you ladies. Although the horse trails at Richfield Heritage Preserve are now closed for this season, Summit OHC has continued to support the parks commitment to honor equine activities at the former Girl Scout camp. Our chapter has previously raised funds to provide a new roof January 2026
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New corral gate.
this coming year. Oh, if anyone decides to stop for a visit, the Christmas/Holiday decorations will still be up to enjoy through January. Thanksgiving was late and it took too much work to only be up four weeks. Besides, 1000 tiny white indoor tree lights do wonders for seasonal affective disorder. ~Joann Ulichney UNION
Polar greetings.
We did it! for their summer barn. This year we raised funds to replace the old rotted out fencing and rusted gates around the corral. This improvement will provide a secured, enclosed area for future events. Thank you to our chapter and community volunteers who worked so hard to demolish the old fence and erect the new one. Each project reminds the community that such partnerships secure multiple uses for these special areas now and in the future. January is the month our chapter designates as our opportunity to honor our riders at our winter banquet. Riders turning in trail miles/saddle hours for 2025 by the deadline will receive a gift certificate from Big Dees. This year we recognize and congratulate Lee Hendrickson for logging her 1000 miles plus in Ohio and across the country’s horse trails. This is an astounding feat to have the dedication, perseverance and time to commit to riding in all types of weather and terrain. Also, Lee has been instrumental in creating our three mystery fundraiser rides and we sincerely thank her for all the hours she has invested in our chapter and OHC. Best wishes to each and every one of you for January 2026
Howdy. I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. By the time you read this, the holidays will be a memory, and winter will be upon us. Our 2026 officers are President Jim Strayton, Secretary Debbie Strayton and Treasurer Julie Belli. On November 8, I attended the OHC general membership meeting in Newark. The turnout was impressive, and the meeting was informative as usual. On December 5, Jim and I attended the Delaware County chapter Christmas party. I wore my ugly sweater for the ugly sweater contest, but lost yet again. Maybe next year. Keep warm and happy trails. ~Debbie Strayton WARREN Happy New Year! I’ll tell you, Mother Nature is not making my holiday decorating easy. First, we had an early snow, before I could get all my Halloween decorations down. There’s just something wrong in the sight of Halloween decorations covered with snow (see photo 1, taken out my front door). Then we got another snow before I could get much of the Christmas up! It’s hard to decorate for Christmas with frozen hands. But as I write this, I’m getting close to the end. I go big at both holidays and it’s fun, and worth it, even if it takes twice as long as it should. Hopefully the weather will be good for our New Year’s Day ride. It could be 50 degrees, or it could be zero. Hard to tell. But we ride out of the Caesar Creek horse camp at 1 p.m. I’m going out the night before, but hope to get there in time to take photos. If I don’t make it, hopefully someone else gets some. Our membership appreciation dinner will be on January 18 at McCoy’s. We always have a great time at these events. Please join us if you can. Horse people know how to eat well! The following is from Belinda
Warren County OHC Snell: It’s that time of year again. We are putting together the Great Tack Exchange for March 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to be held at the Greene County Expo Center in Xenia. This is our 40th year hosting the GTE. Each year we welcome almost a 100 vendors and from 700 to 900 shoppers. This fundraiser enables our chapter to support the bridle trails at Caesars Creek State Park. Check out our Facebook page Great Tack Exchange. Online reservations and payments will begin January 2. In the meantime stay tuned! And from me again. We also need a lot of volunteers to make this event the success it is. If you can volunteer, it doesn’t need to be the whole time. We try to split jobs into shifts so everyone has a chance to shop, eat and socialize. Contact Belinda if you’re able to help. That’s it for this month. Stay warm! ~Mickie WASHINGTON Happy New Year! We are excited to begin a new year in Washington County and are full of expectation! The first thing on our list this year is to be the first OHC chapter to achieve one million miles ridden! We have been fortunate to have great riders in
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our club and have many 25,000mile buckle winners. We even have a 50,000-mile rider! With a concentrated effort we could break the one million mile mark this calendar year. It is going to take all of our club members riding more, some of our old stand-by riders have slowed down and we are going to try to pick up the slack! Expect to see us at some of your rides across the state. This is our opportunity to get around the state, ride different places, meet new people and work to achieve our goal! If you have not yet turned in your 2025 trail miles to Debbie Johnson, please, do so right away. Our second project is at our home trail of Kinderhook in Wayne National Forest in Newport, Ohio. In cooperation with the forest, we have planned new picnic tables, fire rings and other upgrades to the trails and trailhead. Most notably will be a re-naming of the trails and new signs throughout the system. The current names were when the trail began and even old-timers get confused where some begin and end. Our club will provide the funds and the forest will build our tables and make the signs. They will also consult us in the re-naming. Our desire was to rename the trails for some of our members who have passed away. Former State President Larry Matthews and long time Chapter President Dave Matthew were at the top of our list. They were instrumental in getting Wayne to allow us to build trails. However, Federal law would require an act of Congress to do that. Nevertheless, new names will help keep folks from getting lost. The other part of the project is to fix several muddy spots. For tails nearly 40 years old they are in pretty good shape. However, there are some places that are nearly impassable at certain times of the year. We will work with Wayne to fix these spots. They have agreed to use their equipment, if we provide the stone. It is our goal to get the work done very early this spring so you can come ride with us at our home trail. Finally, we hope to have a great year riding and fellowshipping with our OHC friends both near and far. We understand our club is aging and we are going to plan on more non-riding events to keep our relationships strong! With that being said, we are grateful for our new members who are 53
County Lines bringing our average age back down! Overall, we are expecting 2026 to be a great year! I pray all will have a safe year ahead with lots of wonderful trail rides. ~Rita V. Schultheis WAYNE As the days grow short and cold and the campfires are just a glowing memory, let us end the year thankful for all the good friends, horses and rides we have enjoyed this past year. It was a year filled with travel to new camps in other states, success in the show ring and the making of lots of new friends. Even with the colder weather, Cindy Gray got on a trail ride at Mohican on Thanksgiving Day. Erin O’Neil, with her new shoulder got in a ride around the farm on her new horse. Heather and Taran Tate ended the year with a lot of success at the Massillon Saddle Club. Heather took home the Jack Benny Reserve Champion, fourth in halter in hand, first in trail class and second in trail riding class. While Taran won Reserve Champion Youth Western. Gus, the steady stead who carried both to these impressive wins won the Champion Generation Gap Horse. Congratulations are in order all around. Remember, Mohican bridle trails are closed now until April 1. Please let anyone who is not a member of OHC know of this closure and more importantly, explain why it is so important for the upkeep of the trails. You are always free to hike the trails during this time. It is a good time to look over the trails and make suggestions on improvements and repairs that can be done in the spring. The Winter Bash will be held January 17, at the Barn Restaurant in Smithville. The doors open at 11:30 a.m. and the meal will be served at noon. Cost is $23.95 for adults and children from 3-12 are $1.65 per year old. Payment can be made at the door but please email or text Sue Baker or Leigh Litman with an RSVP
Barb, Matt and Tina enjoying a nice fall day. Heather Tate
eat a great meal and help plan the rides and campouts for the 2026 season. All primary and secondary members are welcome, so get your membership as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on the planning and fun. Happy New Year to everyone. ~Sue Baker WOOD
Wayne County OHC
Thanksgiving ride. so we can give the restaurant as accurate a head count as possible. The meal will include two meats, two sides, tossed salad, home bread, beverage and dessert. Tip is included. Hope to see you all there! The annual trail ride and camp out meeting will be held February 7, at Plain Lutheran Church in Blachleyville outside Wooster. It will start at 1 p.m. and is a potluck so bring a dish,
The feeling you get after spending time with your horse. 54
Merida enjoying a winter’s morning.
Happy New Year from Wood County OHC! We hope you and your family (of course including your four-legged family members!) had a wonderful and very special holiday season. Now, on to all those New Year’s resolutions… how are you doing so far in keeping those promises you made? We hope that more camping trips and riding in general are a part of your choices for this new year. With that in mind, here is our (tentative) camping schedule for 2026: APRIL 24-26: Waterloo/Farm Lane (MI) MAY 8-10: Pontiac Lake (MI) MAY 22-24: Van Buren (Memorial Day weekend) JUNE 5-7: Beavercreek JUNE 19-21: Tar Hollow JULY 3-5: Van Buren (Fourth of July weekend) JULY 17-19: Weather/ Temperature Dependent JULY 31-AUG. 2: Weather/ Temperature Dependent AUG. 14-16: Hueston Woods AUG. 28-30: Lost Bridge West (IN) SEPT. 4-6: Van Buren (Labor Day weekend) SEPT. 18-20: Van Buren (Northwest Region State Ride) OCT. 2-3: Octoberfest/Reed Road Wranglers OCT. 4: Harry Hughes Ridea-Thon OCT. 9-11: Van Buren (annual Hobo Stew/Soup Fest) OCT. 23-25: Hocking Hills State Forest We invite you to join us for
HORSEMEN’S CORRAL
Fall ride at Van Buren any or all of these trips; please reach out via our Facebook site to confirm dates or directions. Also, several of our members choose to arrive for these trips on the Wednesday prior to the weekend and stay through Sunday, to make the most of the drive time. At November’s monthly meeting, Wood County OHC members re-elected our current slate of officers. President Jon Myers, Vice President Diane Joseph, Treasurer Dick Stephens, and Secretary Tina McGinn will serve again for 2026. We appreciate each and every one of them for all the hard work they do! Wood County OHC’s annual Christmas party will be held at the home of President Jon Myers (500 Deer Valley Lane, Findlay Ohio) on Saturday, January 17, starting at 1 p.m. Please bring a covered dish and a dessert to share and a gift for the exchange (optional, $20 value). We welcome you to join us; please RSVP via our Facebook site so we have a spot at the table for you! As January can sometimes be a lonely, cold month, Wood County OHC hopes you will find time to keep busy by catching up on some pesky indoor chores and having some meaningful conversations with friends and family too. Until next month, enjoy some warm beverages and a cozy blanket! ~Juliann Flage January 2026