TRAIL MIX ITRA GOLD NUGGET CORPORATE SPONSOR. The Official Publication of the Indiana Trail Riders Association, Inc.

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1 TRAIL MIX July 2013 The Official Publication of the Indiana Trail Riders Association, Inc. ITRA GOLD NUGGET CORPORATE SPONSOR Brown County Spring Cleanup By Brett Erwood It always amazes me how fast those few days go by when I attend the annual spring cleanup weekends at Brown County. Like all others before it, the 2013 spring cleanup was quickly done and over with. However, there are three things that do not end quickly on these annual cleanup days. They are the fond memories and the positive impact we leave on our parks and the image we leave as volunteers in our beloved sport of trail riding. Like every year, we continued the trend by having mounted trash collectors and folks on the highway picking up trash left by the inconsiderate. We had the chainsaw crew working hard on deadfalls blocking our trails. We had volunteers brushing in the all too common illegal trails, which can cause erosion and other damages. This year we had a new project. All too often trail users misuse or abuse our privilege of horse trails in a number of ways. This may be either due to apathy or just by being uninformed in proper trail etiquette. We had some volunteers involved in a photo shoot to illustrate the dos" as well as the "don ts " of proper trail etiquette. Naturally, we ended the day with the usual fantastic pitch-in dinner. After the dinner we conducted a board meeting and discussed some exciting new concepts for the future of our organization. Some may think that every annual clean up is the same, but one thing is perfectly clear. When ITRA builds trails, we put the "trail" in trail riding and when we have cleanup days, we "keep" those trails in trail riding. Let's give all who gave their time and efforts a big YEE HAW! Road crew - Jim Britt, Linda Britt, Michelle Smith, Susan Altum, Anna Zupancic Chain saw crew member Duane Davis 1

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3 Just a Quarter Mile By Jody Weldy The northern Indiana chainsaw crew decided to tackle the downed trees on Trail 14 in Brown County at the spring cleanup with a very large tree over a creek crossing being our main goal. Bruce and I had ridden it the day before and that tree made the creek crossing very hazardous and needed to be taken care of. This almost world famous chainsaw crew consisted of Brian and Cindy Harnish, Brian being the chainsaw guy, Dale and Marlene Shirley and Bruce and Jody Weldy. We quickly came upon an excellent working formula...the guys got off and did all the work and the gals held the horses. We got Trail 14 all cleared and were making our way back to camp when Brian got off and cut a tree that was down on the B Trail. While he and Bruce were clearing the cut tree off the trail a rider came up and said there was a tree down on the Story trail and only about a quarter of a mile down the trail. Well, Bruce figured if it was that close he was just going to lead Lucky to the tree and stretch his legs a little. Well after what was surely a half mile walk, Bruce got back on Lucky and the next rider who came from the Story direction was asked about a large tree down on the tail and again we were told, just about a quarter of a mile down the trail. So off we went, heading in the direction of Story and after asking the third set of riders about the tree and being told, yes, just a quarter of a mile down the trail I remembered there was a Wine Tasting event going on that day in Story and I got to thinking maybe everyone we had asked so far had been at that event and maybe their distance comprehension was a little impaired by too much wine! Well, we finally came upon that tree, and it was a big one and it was practically at Story! Cheryl and Rick Rager on their way to pick up trash Duane Davis and a broken bottle someone left on the trail Brian Harnish with the chainsaw, Bruce and Jody Weldy and Dale Shirley clearing trail 14 End of the day pitch-in dinner enjoyed by all 2

4 Ride With the Governor By Jody Weldy ITRA s first ever Ride with the Governor was a huge success. Just about a year ago, I met then Congressman Mike Pence at Republican Headquarters in Goshen, Indiana. I introduced myself and said I was with the Indiana Trail Riders Association and that after he was elected Governor that we should have a Trail Ride with the Governor to give trail riders in the state of Indiana a chance to meet and ride with him. He said it was a great idea and to plan on it if he was elected. So I waited until after the inauguration to contact his scheduling people and to start working on a date for the ride. I had asked for a Saturday in May knowing the weather would almost certainly be warm enough and the woods would be pretty with spring colors. I had planned from the beginning to have the first ride at Deam Lake because the horse campground is so awesome and I kind of wanted to show it off. The Governor s scheduling team came through with a date of May 18th and Greg and I got into full gear. Greg got some sites set aside for us and we started rounding up well broke horses for our guests to ride. Greg brought one, Rheba Montgomery brought one, Mindy LeVeque brought Joe Cool who the Governor s son Michael rode, Yvette brought one and Duane and Sarah Davis brought Prince, who the Governor rode and Mary Williams brought one of her former show horses. I was visited a couple of days before the ride by one of the Governor s detail guys, an Indiana State Trooper, Aaron Haney, who came down to make sure he knew where he was going on Saturday. He and the other Trooper, Eric Freeman, had never been on a horse before but they were both game to give it a try. Also, Zach Bauer, the Executive Assistant to the Governor had not ridden in several years and was looking forward to getting in the saddle again. Diego Morales, the Governor s Community Relations guy rounded up the riding crew. The ride was set for 10 until noon and we had all the horses saddled up and ready to go when the Governor arrived. The black suburban arrived with the detail and it was followed by the now famous red Silverado, which is the Governor s personal pick-up. I made introductions and the Governor greeted several trail riders who had ridden up just to say hi and several got to shake his hand and get their picture taken. We knew we didn t have a lot of time so we tried to get riders and horses matched up and get the ride started. We already knew what route we were taking and within a few minutes, folks were in the saddle and the group headed out. About halfway through the ride, the trail passed a parking lot for hikers and there were a few trail riders there, taking a break and to their surprise, here comes the Governor of Indiana riding up to shake hands and to say hi! After a brief rest and much picture taking everyone was mounted again and back on the trail. When the group got back to camp another large group of trail riders were waiting to see the Governor and again, much hand shaking and picture taking took place. Greg presented the idea to Governor Pence about maybe riding in every horse facility in the state and Mr. Pence thought it was a great idea. We are hopefully going to have 4 more rides yet this year. Everyone had a wonderful time and the two detail guys had a blast and both said they d volunteer for this detail again! Sarah Davis adjusting the Governor s stirrups. The Governor is on Sarah s horse Prince. Michael Pence, Governor Mike Pence, Jody Weldy and Bruce Weldy Governor Mike Pence enjoying his ride 3

5 ITRA & OBWSP Host the 4th Annual Memorial Day Picnic By Ranger Bob Sawtelle ITRA leadership continues to make its presence known in Southern Indiana; most recently with a horse ride with our new Governor Pence at Deam Lake State Recreation Area, and then with the annual Memorial Day gathering at O Bannon Woods State Park. Seems like there is always some discussion and light debate on how long we have been having the ITRA and OBWSP staff Memorial Day Cookout. Four or five years, or what seems like forever. We have all known each other for a long time, professionally as we pursued in- partnership the continuance, preservation and advancement of the horse riding and trail tradition on State Park and Forest Lands, and personally as we developed deep rooted friendships and associations through those efforts and endeavors. Our entire park staff always looks forward to and welcomes the ITRA leadership and membership to the park for the Memorial Day Picnic, for volunteer work weekends and when you just come to ride. We appreciate seeing folks and their families enjoying what we collectively work so hard to provide. We continue to work hard to make trail and campground improvements and are always in need of extra help. If you would like to volunteer please contact us at bsawtelle@dnr.in.gov or sbaelz@dnr.in.gov We have volunteer campsites available in both the electric and Horsemen s Hideaway campgrounds. There is plenty of work to do but also always time to enjoy the Park, Forest and Trails. Come join us for a weekend or longer stay. The Hersberger cart getting rigged and ready for a brisk tour of the electric horse campground and wagon trail riding on Park and Forest roadways and trails. National Trails Day The cleanup at Potato Creek had to be postponed one week due to everyone having other things on their schedule but everything worked out great. I had contacted Jim Webb, the Property Manager, and he said he d like us to pick up any trash we may find on the trails and to trim back the limbs and brush. We had wonderful weather and several members showed up to help. My neighbor Ginger Craigo came and camped plus Gayle Vautaw and her hubby were camped a ways down the road. Our usual crew of Brian and Cindy Harnish pulled in Saturday morning with their horses and our other regulars, Jeff and Sally Babcock and Marlene Shirley came horseless but helped clean up the trails right outside of camp. My sister Jan Donath and her daughter Laura hauled in with their horses from Michigan and brushed back several trails and Larry Hahn and his good-looking mule also helped. Pam Bice brought her horse and camped with us but helped the horseless bunch with trail cleanup. After the work was done we had hamburgers and brats over the fire plus everyone involved with cleaning also brought a dish to pitch in and the eating was good! Jody Weldy We held our annual clean-up ride at Yelllowwood State Forest. We had a small turnout, but we did accomplish a lot. We cut back brush in the camping areas in the horse camp, picked up trash on the Y trail, cut back a lot of brush on the south loop of the Y, particularly between DuBois Ridge Road and Martlett Road. This area had been neglected for over a year as that trail was closed due to logging. The trail has since been re-opened. Afterwards, we rewarded ourselves with grilled Italian sausage with peppers and onions. If you've never grilled Italian sausage, you should try it, It s very tasty. Come join us next year. Chris Riehl The Mayor of the 1840s Historic Hickory Hollow Pioneer Homestead and Hay Press meets with ITRA leadership to discuss the contribution and tradition of horse riding and working farm animals in Indiana Trail Riders and Equine enthusiasts from the Greene County Horse Council, Indiana Trail Riders Association and Traildusters Saddle Club worked side by side with Property Manager Steve Siscoe and his staff to remove trees and 4

6 obstacles from many of the more than 25 miles of trails in the 9000 plus acre forest. The workday, organized by past ITRA President and current board member, Yvette Rollins, attracted volunteers from as far away as Shoals (more than 50 miles). Workers were treated to grilled Angus Burgers with all the trimmings and ice cream. Greene-Sullivan has a primitive horse camping area about 4.5 miles south of Dugger on State Road 159. There are four water stations and room (unmarked) for about 25 horse-trailers. There is a pit toilet. No electricity or lights anywhere near the campground. Unless there are other campers using the campground, it can be very dark. The day riding area is 1.5 miles south of the overnight campground. There are hitching rails and a mounting block. Plans call for a new day ride area to be constructed near the entrance to the overnight campground by spring Considered one of Indiana s best kept trail riding secrets, Greene-Sullivan State Forest (Southeast of Terre Haute) boasts more than 120 lakes and equine trails that wind through some of the most unique areas in Indiana. Yvette Rollins President s Message By Bob McPheeters The 2013 season is going well. The ride at Deam Lake with Governor Mike Pence on May 18, was great! We had a wellrepresented turnout, the weather held just for us, and we believe the Governor had a very good time with the ITRA representatives. Thank you, everyone who helped with the planning and execution of this great event. There have been several successful clean-ups at various sites around the state...and several postponements due to weather. Salamonie State forest and Lost Bridge had to be delayed 2 weeks because of all the rain. The F trail at Brown County is getting some sorely needed work, headed up by Yvette Rollins. My own pet project, the Trails of Anderson, has hit some snags. We're having trouble with uncooperative local horsemen who will not abide by the wishes of the city, and continue to ride on the designated mountain bike trails in Rangeline Nature Preserve. Signs have been installed, only to be vandalized and torn down. At this time, we have a new set of signs to put up. We will continue to work on improving and promoting safe and cooperative trail use in our community. Barb Ferguson is looking for volunteers for a stall and trail cleaning party at Deam Lake in August. She is hoping to have everything spruced-up for Labor Day Weekend. Anyone interested, please contact her. Horseman s Camp Christian Outreach Serving God In Brown County State Park and Beyond July 2013 By Pastor Dean Manuel Left to right. Betty Duffy, Steve Siscoe, Sandy McDaniel, Mike McDaniel, Grace Helms, Yvette Rollins, not shown is Jim Helms, photographer (Greene County Horse Council), Penny and Steve Murphy, Debbie Vire, Marsha Bedwell and Martha Jackman from the Dusty Trails Saddle Club Deam Lake Henryville News By Barb Ferguson I will be hosting a Horse Trail and Stall clean up at Deam Lake on Saturday August 24th. The clean up will begin at 9:00AM. Lunch will be provided. It might be hot so bring plenty of water. Tools for cleaning stalls will be needed like, rakes and manure forks. Anyone interested in helping can me at itra.barb@gmail.com or call me at (812) /4 of Mountain Grove Loop horse trail is still closed from the tornado damage from March We hope the salvage logging and re-hab will get done soon so the DNR will open it back up. How do you hit the trail? I am sure we have all anticipated getting ready to go hit the trail and ride. Most of the times it is with friends and family for a "much needed" ride. But what about those times when you re going down the trail or maybe it feels more like a path and maybe it s a path of lonesomeness, doubt, trouble, or you just don't feel loved. This is the time that we need to remember that Jesus said he would never leave us or forsake us! Hear what Romans 8:38&39 says! I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow not even the powers of hell can separate us from God s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. So you see Jesus is ALWAYS with us, even on life's trail, don't leave without him! Stop in and see us sometime at Brown County on Sunday Morning at 9:30 am. at the Trail A cabin. 5

7 Until the next time, MY Friend By Greg Hersberger Many, many trail miles ago there was an ITRA annual membership meeting in which some new directors and officers of the ITRA were elected. This brought some new friendships and working partners together that have lasted for the majority of 2 decades. One of these was Ron McCoy. Ron was elected as a Director and then Chairman of the Board of Directors. During those early years we had some major hurdles to climb over. The state wanted to close two areas to horse riders. The Potato Creek campground and the majority of Salamonie State Forest were targets of the IDNR at that time. With Ron at the lead and Jody as the President and Yvette as Vice President we were able to stop both of those things from happening. We ve had many challenges since that time but nothing to compare to them. A few years back Ron and his family moved to Arizona so Ron stepped down from the Board and his Chairmanship and went to ride out west. Many of us stayed in touch with Ron and talked to him on a regular basis to get his wisdom and insight on how to handle issues we were facing back here in Indiana. Ron never did get ITRA out of his blood as he followed everything we did and offered his help whenever we needed it. It was after a few years that Ron and Karen decided to move back to Indiana and Ron was running for a director s spot even before the move was completed. If memory serves me right he was elected to the Board and then elected as Chairman again even before they were settled into their new home back here in Indiana. Ron dug right back into working with everybody here and got a few things going that were somewhat stalled. He was a driving force in getting the new Versailles horse camp started and getting the grants for that pushed through. I won t go into every detail on things he has worked on but the list is long. Ron and Karen are now going back to Arizona to be closer to the girls so he is leaving us again. He does leave his legacy here in Indiana and many friends who will miss him but we will stay in touch as he doesn t change his cell phone number no matter where he lives. Good Luck My Friend and stay in touch with all your ITRA member friends. I miss you already! Greg Send articles for the Trail Mix to: Marsha Berry C. R. 13 New Paris, IN mlberry@bnin.net Deadline: August 10, Tell us about your worst trailering experience Stuck at McDonald s Giving my age away. Back in 1980 I was pulling a brand new 12 foot stock trailer (which I still own and use). it was the first time my parents allowed me to pull a trailer with a horse in it by myself. I was heading to Brown County State Park with my girlfriend for the weekend. My parents were so concerned, after all, two young ladies all by themselves, driving so far away with two horses! Everything went well until we got hungry and decided to stop for something to eat. We were in Franklin Indiana on Highway 31 and found a McDonald s. Given we did not want to leave the horses unattended, we decided to do the drive through. Back then the drive though had sidewalks on each side; the sidewalks were about 8 tall. We placed our order and went to drive up to the window and came to a hard stop! The truck fit just fine, but the trailer was about a foot wider on each side and got wedged between the sidewalks! It was wedged so tightly the truck could not back it up! We were about 3 feet away from the window. One of the employees came out to see what the problem was and started laughing but I was in tears! Cars were behind us; everybody was walking over to look and then they would laugh. I wanted to die! After a bunch of people tried to push/pull it out for about an hour it was determined a tow truck was needed. Of course I could not call my dad or mom, so I borrowed a phone book and found a towing service. The tow truck driver got to McDonald s and got out of the truck to see what was going on and he starting laughing! When he could finally speak he asked us to unload the horses, and we did. He had us out in about 5 minutes! I asked him how much the bill was because he told me on the phone it would be between $30-$50 dollars. He told me No charge, in 25 years of towing cars this is the hardest I have ever laughed. Then the manager carried out a sack full of food and drinks on the house and told us he hoped the rest of our weekend was uneventful. Becky Bennett Adventures in Hauling Horses Hmmm, how to just choose one of my adventures in hauling horses? Well shoot, I'll just tell all of them, or at least, all of them that I want to admit. When I was raising Appaloosas, I hauled a mare to Michigan for breeding. No problems. A couple of weeks later I went back to "fetch" her. It's a long trip, about 6 hours for me, one way. And of course, like most of my hauling adventures, I was alone. About a mile from my house, in the wee hours of the morning, a police car squeezed up beside me on the narrow country road. I pulled over. He came up to tell me that someone had reported me weaving around on the road, and hey, "just what IS in that McDonald's cup there?" I told him it

8 was Diet Coke and he was welcome to take a sip; and I was not weaving. He looked at me suspiciously but let me go on home. When I got home, the dog ruckus caused by my arrival awoke my husband, who came out to see if I was in one piece and to help me unload the mare. He casually asked where my other trailer wheel was. I said, "Well, I suppose it's on the trailer," too tired to joke around. As he pointed out, somewhere between here and central Michigan, I had lost a wheel. Maybe that was why I was allegedly weaving on the road? Another adventure was having a truck tire blow out on I69 east of Indy at rush hour, 92 degrees, with a 2 year old filly in the trailer. My cell phone had just died (this is in the old days and I didn't have a car charger). It took about a half hour for a state police car to stop, then call a local service truck. The young man who came was tattooed on all visible surfaces, and had enough piercings to set off TSA alarms. I thought, "Oh no." But you know what? He hopped out, was unfailingly polite, quickly efficient, and fearless in changing that truck tire (on the traffic side, of course) alongside the interstate racetrack. I was grateful. My next adventure was driving home from a horse show in the south. It was a busy Sunday late afternoon. I was hauling my 17 hand hunt seat filly, and a friend's 3 yr old World Champion hunt seat gelding. A trailer tire went flat, and the tread began to come off, smacking against the trailer and smoking like a forest fire. I was 4 miles from the nearest exit. I pulled over and waited to see if someone would stop. And waited, and waited, wracking my brain to figure out how to get help. Finally, knowing AAA wouldn't touch the trailer, I called them and...yes, I lied. I told them it was a truck tire that was flat. When they connected me to the local dispatcher, I 'fessed up and told him it was my trailer tire. Before he could hang up, I asked him to just give me the number of the service truck he would have called if it had been my truck. I'd happily pay, if only someone could come rescue me. Semi trucks were almost blowing me off the road as they roared past in an almost solid convoy. Of course the flat tire was again on the traffic side. The dispatcher gave me the number. I called the gentleman, who said he'd be there as soon as he was out of church. He came, had some problems getting the spare tire off even with his impact wrench, but eventually we got it changed. In the two and a half hours I was on the side of the road, not one person stopped and not one state police car went by. After that episode, I saw an ad for US Rider, signed up, and never had that problem again. I'm not going to tell you about the time I hauled, alone again, from Madison to Ft. Worth, TX...took me 22 hours from the time I left the driveway to the time I got the horses bedded and watered and could park the dang trailer and go to bed. Oh, and during that trip I stopped at a Love's truck stop, got both horses out, and took their blankets and slinkys off. The younger one, a huge yearling hunt seat star, was a calm quiet filly. Luckily, because when I took the slinky off, her halter came off and she was standing in the truck stop lot naked for about 5 seconds. When I recovered from THAT heart attack, I loaded them back up and on we went. Never a dull moment hauling with me. Or the time my truck wouldn't start at HHP in Edinburgh, and AAA wouldn't come into the park. They wanted me to ride the horse to the main road and meet them there, and guide them to the horse barn. I declined to do that. And may have given them a small piece of my mind. Or the time I put regular fuel in the diesel truck 60 miles from home (no horse with me that time) and badgered the tow truck driver to let me ride in the truck, which was on the wrecker, so I could finish listening to my excellent audiobook. I first asked nicely if I could drive the tow truck, which has 7 always been a goal of mine, but when he said no for the fifth time, I asked if I could ride in my own truck. I think by that time he was glad to get me out of HIS truck. I did have to lie down on the seat of my truck so a passing officer couldn't see me. Ok, so I've learned a lot since those days. I still haul alone a LOT, but now I have a reliable cell phone, charger, and pay US Rider to rescue me. Cherri Cronen Lost Trailer The worst experience I ever had with a trailer occurred about 50 years ago. I had an old two-horse trailer, bumper hitch, on an equally old 1948 Ford pickup. I had just delivered a horse for a friend of mine and was on my way home. I came to a stop sign on a hill. As I stopped I felt a bump and as I looked back I noticed my trailer and back bumper backing down the hill without me. Back then we didn't know about safety chains so the trailer went into the ditch. I retrieved the bumper, took it to my brother-in-law's and had him re-weld it. With the help of a log chain, I was able to pull the trailer out of the ditch, re-hook and continue on my merry way. I am just thankful that I had no horses in the trailer, no one was behind me and that God was looking out for me. As I was looking through some old issues of the Trail Mix, I noticed a subject that I had missed because of being ill. The subject was "Unusual Things You Found on the Trail". Back in 1993 Judy and I were riding in Brown County on Trail C. We came to a hill and I saw something shiny stuck in a mud hole. I got off and picked it up. It turned out to be a Westclox wind-up pocket watch. I wound it and it started running. The only thing I saw wrong with it was the crystal was cracked. Now 20 years later I still have that watch, it still runs and the crystal is still cracked. It just keeps on ticking. Larry Gates The Trailer Wreck The year was 1966, it was in October and we were headed to the All Breed show that later became the Quarter Horse Congress. I was just 16 at the time. We were hauling 4 horses, 2 mares and 2 stallions in a 4 horse WW tandem axle trailer. They were all half brothers and sisters. They were sired by the good Quarter Horse stallion, Skipper Junior. The stallions were in the front and the mares in the rear. Dad had worked all night and drove for a while, but at the time of the wreck Mom was driving and Dad was asleep. We were somewhere around Dayton, Ohio, probably just east of there. We had a slide in truck camper, which is where I was riding. Suddenly the truck started swaying violently and I thought it was going to turn over so I got on the floor but as suddenly as it started, it stopped and the truck pulled over and stopped. I opened the door and looked out and there lay the trailer on its right side, about 50 yards behind the truck. We all instantly went into panic mode. Dad tried to rip the top off the trailer with a claw hammer, but of course that wouldn t work. He felt like he had to do something, he couldn t just stand there and wait. We had a lariat in the truck, so he got that and tied it to the hind legs of one of the mares and hooked it to a car of some teenage boys who had stopped to see what was going on. They had skipped out of school that day. They slowly drug the first mare out with the car but when she got out she started kicking and struggling so much that she kicked the lariat off and it hit one of the boys in the mouth so the boys left. Then a couple of truck drivers stopped to help. They were in a McLean s semi, pulling doubles. One of the truck drivers

9 had a bad arm, so he could only use one, but he sure used it to help. They did the same thing, tied the lariat to the hind legs of each horse and slowly eased them out, one by one, with the semi. The stallions were banged up some, but overall looked like they were in pretty good shape. They really didn t struggle; their injuries seemed to have happened as the trailer rolled over. The first horse was beat all to pieces. Each joint was broke open and she looked awful. She was a 2 year old and we hadn t had her very long and she hadn t been handled very much. She was the first one out and she struggled a lot. She lived several years after the wreck, but was never usable. The second mare didn t have a mark on her. She had been under the first mare and she stayed calm, didn t seem to struggle any. We went on to ride and show her for several years. The first stallion out, Skipper Skip, was the younger of the two stallions. He wasn t beat up much, but he died 6 months later, from an intestinal injury that he received from the wreck. The second stallion, Skipper Laddie, wasn t beat up and he didn t struggle. That year, 1966, was the most successful show season we had with this horse. He went on to become an AQHA champion, the following year. He was my youth activity horse, showing in western pleasure, horsemanship, halter, reining and barrels. Every time I showed him in youth halter, we won. He also went on to sire many red dun AQHA foals. He only lived about 2 ½ years after the wreck. He became sick in his stall one day while we were at the house having lunch and died about an hour later. When the wrecker got there, the truck driver with one good arm, helped the wrecker driver get hooked on to the trailer and set it back upright. It was pretty beat up, but usable. We loaded the horses back in it and took them home. The only damage to the truck or the camper, was the left rear jack was torn off the camper as the trailer came loose and caught on it. That was where I had been sitting. When it was all said and done, it seemed like a semi passed and Mom lost control, because of the swaying. One of the rear tires on the trailer blew, somewhere along the line. Dad said it was probably a good thing she was driving, because she was only going about 45 mph. He had been driving earlier and going a whole lot faster and thought the wreck would have been much worse at a higher rate of speed. We never really knew if the flat tire was the cause of the wreck or a result from it. We felt like it was the cause, however. Mom is still living and is 85 years old and never pulled a trailer again. Stan Estes The Old Trailer My worst trailering experience was actually my first for me and my horse. I was 12 years old and my mare, Stormy, was 2. My dad had an older, homemade trailer that had one axle and the floor of it sat 4 feet off the ground. It had a very long ramp that the horse had to go up to get in and once in I could feel the trailer sway with every move while I was in it tying her up. She walked in the trailer with no question and everything seemed to be going smoothly. I closed the ramp behind her, climbed in the truck and off we went. Unfortunately, the very first curve we came to was a half-mile from the house and the tire blew on the trailer. The whole trailer went nearly on its side. We immediately stopped, pulled Stormy out, thankfully without a scratch, and my dad put a new tire on. I was ready to go back home but he was determined to get me to my 4H meeting. She loaded but with more resistance this time, stopping several times on the ramp before getting the rest of the way in. We closed everything up and away we went. When we got to the meeting, the leader came running over to me shouting for us to stop. Stormy had laid down, legs tucked up under her and looking around, while we were driving. After that I didn't tie her in case she felt like she had to lie down while we were driving. Unfortunately I had to use that trailer my whole 4H years but when I got old enough to buy my own, I got a newer Stidham 2 horse and Stormy was never happier to be closer to the ground! She was always the quietest horse in the trailer. Tammy Ramsey Next topic: Tell us about your escape artist Send your stories to Marsha Berry C. R. 13 New Paris, IN or them to me at mulberry@bnin.net Booger By Linda Earl The horrible story of the dead and starving animals in Madison County brings to mind the story of my horse Booger J. My father bred and raised Booger J. He sold him as a colt to a man who later had to make a tour of duty to Viet Nam. When the soldier returned from duty he found his horse in dire straits. The man he had asked to care for Booger had neglected him to the point of near death. After seeing Booger's condition, the man felt he had no other option than to send Booger to the slaughterhouse. My Dad had just sold my pony, Blackie, and I was heartbroken. I had Blackie since I was 3 years old. I had never ridden her in a saddle. I would just pull her up to the fence, climb the fence and get on her. One day I came home from school and she was gone. I believe now that my Dad must have needed the money because his horse training business had just begun and he had a family of 6 to feed. But anyway, at 9 years old, I sure missed having a horse to love! So back to my story about Booger J. On his way to the slaughterhouse the man stopped by to show my father how badly malnourished Booger was. My Dad bought him for $50 and gave him to me. Due to starvation, Booger had started cribbing very badly. (Cribbing is when a horse bites down on wood and sucks in air in order to fill their stomachs with air to feel full.) His cribbing and grunting were so loud you could hear it throughout the 60X120 pole barn my father had just built for his horse training operation. Booger was so thin you could see all of his ribs and his hip bones stuck up like tent poles under a tent. I spent the whole winter feeding Booger little handfuls of feed at a time so he would not get sick from overeating. When Booger was healthy enough I spent many hours riding him. Finally I even got to use a saddle! He still wasn't very pretty. He was an Appaloosa. His confirmation wasn't the greatest. He was kind of a red roan with leopard spots and a lot of mottling around his muzzle and eyes. But I sure loved him! I decided I wanted to put him in the county 4-H program. My Dad said that if that was what I was going to do, I would have to be the one to care for him and do all the riding to get him prepared. I was more than happy to do it! The following summer Booger repaid me by winning the Montgomery County Horsemanship. At that time you had to show the judge that you could mount and dismount your horse. I had learned how to reach up on the 8

10 saddle as high as I could and wiggle my way up the side until I could finally reach the saddle horn and pull myself into the saddle. All along Booger would stand there patiently waiting for me to get into the saddle! Afterwards my parents were contacted by the leaders of the 4-H program saying that some of the parents believed I had an unfair advantage against their children because of my father being a professional horse trainer. They believed I should not be allowed to show against their children in the future. So that was the last time Booger and I were in the ring together. My father sold him afterwards to a girl who continued to win with him. Even though I wish I could have had many more years of memories with Booger I know that because of my love for him (and my Dad's $50) Booger had many more years of quality life and HE TAUGHT ME SO MUCH! Cowgirl (Cowboy) Adventures in Big South Fork, TN By Sara and Duane Davis We (Duane & Sara Davis) had a wonderful adventure over Memorial Weekend at Big South Fork, TN. Pam Weston s private camp is centrally located at Big South Fork. Pam s facility is designed for women to come and stay in the Bed & Breakfast or has electric hook-up for your trailer. She will guide you on many different trails or give you really good directions. The trails have a variety of hills, rocks or flat riding along the river or through the woods and fields. There are many lookouts and rock formations. The trails can be for experienced or new riders; Pam will tailor the ride for you. At the end of the day your horse has its own private stall and paddock to roll in the grass. Pam is also a registered nurse and on the police horse patrol and she has experience with horses and safety. We highly recommend the ride for small groups of women who want to feel safe and secure on their ride. We enjoyed the riding and the hospitality of Pam Weston. Check out her website at: CowgirlAdventures.com or Pam at WomenRideBSF@gmail.com or text/call Basic understanding of a GPS GPS stands for Global Positioning System and is a form of navigation that uses a network of satellites and ground coordinates to determine a precise location anywhere on earth. Mapping and coordinate systems are based on a mathematical surface, called a Datum, that best fits the shape of the Earth. The coordinates are latitude and longitudinal lines drawn on the earths surface, using a map. Latitude indicates how far north or south of the equator a location is and longitude indicates how far east or west of the prime meridian a location is. The meridian line is similar to the equator line.it means center of the earth running north and south; wear the equator line is the center of the earth running east and west. From there, the earth is divided up into various lines and given numbers called coordinates to define an exact location on the earth s surface. For example, Midwest Trail Rides exact coordinates where taken just off the front porch of the store; N W When inputting these coordinates into the system, you are asking the GPS to read the exact location of the waypoint you are trying to find. Waypoints are what locations are called in your GPS. You set certain waypoints that you want your GPS to remember and save in its memory. Once you have entered your address or your coordinates, your work does not end there. You need to program your GPS unit for how you want to get there. You can set it for walk mode or shortest route, or the routes that will keep you on main roads and highways. Why Does My GPS Get Me Lost?! By Kim Humphries As a campground owner/manager I can t tell you how many times people get lost coming to our place, Midwest Trail Ride. It is very easy to find us, we are right off a state highway with large signs directing travelers where to turn. However, too often times folks want to punch in our address into their GPS and wonder why they get lost. Let s take a minute to examine how a GPS system works, what it is designed to do and how we horse traveling folks can best put it to use. Most of the time, when folks get lost using their GPS it can be attributed to operator error. Most folks don t take the time to read all the material that comes with their GPS so they can understand how it works before they head out. They just take it out of the package, prop it up on the dashboard of the vehicle, type in an address and assume it will just take them there like magic! GPS s are just like your computer, they are only as accurate as the information you give them to do their job. 9 How they work and Common Problems GPS systems operate off several satellites, in space, orbiting the earth. A GPS needs to make contact with at least four satellites for a more accurate position. If your GPS is setting on the dash of your truck, it may receive something called multipath interference. It has to do with reflections off the windshield, the metal roof of your truck or car, tall buildings, mountains, large bodies of water are just some of the things

11 that cause multipath; thus you will receive inaccurate directions. To avoid multipath, you should put an external antenna on the roof of your vehicle for a more accurate satellite reading. Many of these GPS units go by the National Geographic maps that are only updated every ten years or so. Many old logging roads and abandoned roads in our state parks and national forests will show up as a road on your GPS, but might not be anything but a cow path. A person needs to be very careful and plot your course against a real map of the area or region before blindly following turn by turn directions. There are settings within the GPS for Turn by Turn directions or a map view. Map view is probably the best use of your GPS when you are traveling long distances pulling a big trailer. You can look at the map view and then look at a road atlas and make sure that the GPS is plotting your course over state roads and highways.not leading down cow paths and non-existent old road beds through the forest! What a GPS is designed to do GPS are designed to help you get where you are going in this fast paced, high tech world. Since we travel by different modes of transportation, there are many different GPS units. It is important to select the right type of GPS for your mode of travel. There are marine GPS that are specialized for fishing boats and large marine vessels preloaded with the latest US Coastal Marine maps, Blue chart technology and fish finders. There are GPS units for hikers, trail riders and geo-cachers that have all the trails, topographical maps, and trailhead amenities. Then there are automotive GPS units and Truck and RV GPS units that will give you all the streets and roadways across the country. Most of them have traffic reports, exit amenities, lane assist and lifetime downloadable maps. The automotive vs the RV GPS For those of us traveling with our horses, it is important to have an RV GPS system and not an automotive unit. The difference is the RV unit will be pre programmed to keep you on state roads and highways designed for large vehicles. The Truck and RV GPS systems are set up with campground information, exit services that RVers will need, like dump stations, gas and propane refueling, truck and trailer breakdown directories, etc. Many of these units have external video input for back up cameras and are programmable for your specific length and height to keep you out of tight places in large cities and off narrow roads. Automotive GPS can work with horse trailers and large RV s if you have a setting that will only route you on main highways and state approved roads. Many automotive units are defaulted to the shortest route available and that is not always the wisest choice when pulling around a 35 horse trailer. Traveling in rural America When you get out in the country where you are going to trail ride, go to a horse show or even pick up a new horse, your GPS unit will not understand many of the country addresses. Some addresses out in the rural parts of America might not make sense or be exact to the GPS. That is where knowing your coordinates can be helpful. By putting in the GPS coordinates of the exact location of where you are going it will take all the guess work out for the GPS unit. For example, Midwest Trail Ride is in Lawrence County, but our street address is located in Jackson County, Indiana. The GPS will either take folks to the fire tower in the middle of the National Forest or it will take them to the post office in Norman. We are neither place! We try to advise people to call us for directions before they come or if using a GPS we ask that they input the coordinates instead of the address. 10 Even if you are using the coordinates, you will still need to make sure your setting is on best and safest route not shortest route. We have many frustrated and frightened women who get out on the old gravel roads in the national forest and run out of gas or have to spend the night alongside a dirt road in the wilderness. Remember, once you get back in these areas, the forest canopy is thick and will block your GPS signal as well as your cell phone signal! It is important to use a real map to plot your course ahead of time, make sure you have the correct GPS unit for the job and make sure you understand how to program your GPS unit to keep you on the state approved highways for large vehicles. High Gas Prices All right folks, step right up! You don't want to pay $4.69 for gas, no problem; I have the perfect vehicle for you. Needs no gas, no oil, or even a battery, just a little grass and water will do these animals fine. Now everyone has different needs, so choose from the following models: 1. Trail Horse - Your average run around town animal. Has the energy to get where you are going, the brain to find the best way to go, big enough to carry the normal sized American. 2. The Arabian - perfect for those who travel long distances in a day and try to multi task while driving. Although the Arabian may not go to your home or office without specific instruction, it WILL go somewhere. 3. The Draft - Calling all soccer moms. This big guy can carry the whole team, their gear and snacks. Just like the big machines, this guy will require more fuel, and his shoes will be more expensive than the compact model. 4. The Western Pleasure - The right car for the high end white collar workers. This animal works harder and requires more special knowledge so only the best can figure this one out. Be sure to take your cell phone. You wont be stuck in traffic, you just wont be getting anywhere fast. 5. The Parelli - Salesmen, stay at home moms, and high school kids will all enjoy this dream. You can load him down with flapping Wal-Mart bags, ask him to walk in places a horse wont fit, and you can dance with him as you listen to the latest tunes. 6. The Ranch - The most dependable animal available. He will go wherever you ask him to, at whatever speed is appropriate. You can tie him to the stop sign and he will be there when you get back. Best of all, this model has been specially engineered to be able to go without water for days and stay fat and slick by eating sagebrush and dead prairie grass. Of course all models are available in base colors (sorrel, bay, black). Special order colors are available (dun, gray, palomino) and for an additional fee, custom paint jobs are also available (overo, tobiano, blanket, leopard). No horse is sold with a warranty, however maintenance plans are available in the event brakes, steering, or accelerator fail. Help us increase our membership. Sign up the most new members and you could win a free membership for Be sure to include your name as the referring member on their membership form.

12 ST RD 15 SILVER LAKE, IN US 30 EAST WARSAW, IN

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