Maine Trail Riders Association, Inc. JULY 2018 VOLUME 25 7 HOOFBEATS Official Newsletter of The M T R A President s Stall THE NEXT MEETING IS August 4, 2018 Officers: Trudy Bickford, President Sally LaBree, Vice-President Cathy Small, Treasurer Sandy Craig, Secretary Board of Directors: Donna Tripp 2018 Julie Anderson - 2018 Cathy Small 2018 Riley Morse 2019 Melissa Bourgoin 2019 Lynn Aube 2019 Nancy Weeks 2020 Check out the ride schedule! Some fun times are ahead, with rides this month in Vienna and Bowdoin (first time riding from this location!). Keep watch for rides coming up in August and on! Soon it will be time for the Topsham Show! Please save the date, August 5, to help at the show. For the show itself, we will need help with setup, tear-down, and running the show, including ring crew, gate keepers, and people to hand out ribbons and awards. Missy Bourgoin can be contacted for show help, at gamblingforcash@yahoo.com or phone 207-576- 2721. For the food booth, we will need help setting up the food booth area, cooking/grilling, cashiers, folks to just help handle orders and serve, and then we will need help taking things down once the show is over. Please contact Nancy Weeks for the food booth, at mcgiver@tds.net or phone 207-557-3302. See you soon! Trudy Sally LaBree 2020 Elena Ledger 2020 1
SECRETARIES REPORT MTRA General Membership Meeting: June 9, 2018 The June 9, 2018 meeting was held @ the Maine Trail Riders Clubhouse in Litchfield and was called to order by President, Trudy Bickford @ 7:45 p.m. Guests Introduction / New Members: None Secretary s Report: Posted in Hoofbeats for general membership review, Nancy made a motion to accept report as posted, seconded by Julie and passed. Treasurer s Report: Copies of report passed out to general membership for review, read & accepted. Board of Director s Report: No report Committees: Trail Report: The trail ride today lasted 4 hours with perfect weather. Tomorrow s ride will be between 3 ½ - 4 hours and less road riding. Vienna ride will be next Saturday. Horse Show: Missy was not at the meeting, so we are not sure of the 4status of the ribbon order. Nancy send her text looking for the status while at meeting but did not receive a reply. Publicity Report: Two of our new members stated that they have not received their hoofbeats over the last few months and when accessing the webpage, it has not been updated since April, so the webpage was no help to them. Building and Land: Nancy is looking for 2 2x6x8 2 & 1 16 x4 rough cut to replace the arena rail, which was recently broken when an unknown person tied their horse to the rail. Karen stated that she will check with Ken as he has a saw mill and me able to provide. Nancy stated she would also like to have a sign made up stating do not tie horses to the rails. This is possibly something that Nancy s 4-H group may be interested in doing and she will check with them. She also stated that that she has the piece needed to repair the flag pole and if anyone is interested in helping that would be great. Julie stated that we really need new members as there were only 3 members in attendance for the Bingham Railroad Bed ride. Fund Raising: Nancy stated that she needs lots of volunteers for the Haley Cummings Fund Raiser. Food Committee Report: Nancy will lots of food donations for the Haley Cummings Fund Raiser. Entertainment Committee Report: No report Parade Committee Report: No report 2
Hospitality Committee Report: A card was sent to Stan and Sandy for the loss of their brother in-law. Junior's Report: No report Correspondence Report: Cathy received our membership renewal documents from the Farm Bureau Old Business: No report New Business: No report Remarks for the Good of the Order: No report Brags: No report Membership Count: 8 Seniors / Juniors 0 / 6 Dogs Raffles or Mystery Gifts: No report Motion to Adjourn: Made by Sandy, seconded by Cathy - meeting adjourned @ 8:35 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Sandy Craig TRAIL COMMITTEE REPORT Trail Committee Happy Summer! I hope you all are having lots of opportunities to be on your horse. We don t have a club meeting this month but there are lots of activities to get involved in. Fundraisers and trail rides; I hope to see you there! Julie IMPORTANT NOTICE The outer edge of the ring has been sprayed with poison ivy killer so I would suggest that you NOT allow your horses to eat the grass. I have posted signs at the ring entrances. I also sprayed around the roadside sign. Nancy Weeks, Building and Land Super 3
Outbreak Alert - Rabies 1. A case of rabies was recently reported in a Fox in Brunswick, Maine. Among wild animals, the disease is most often reported in skunks and raccoons but is also found in bats and foxes. Rabies is usually transmitted from the saliva of an infected animal via a bite wound. 2. A case of rabies was recently reported in a Skunk in Brunswick, Maine. Among wild animals, the disease is most often reported in skunks and raccoons but is also found in bats and foxes.1,2 Rabies is usually transmitted from the saliva of an infected animal via a bite wound. Every case of rabies presents a death sentence to the infected horse and a risk of infection for other horses. Infected horses may show common signs, including depression, lack of coordination and aggressive behavior, or display more obscure signs such as lameness or colic. Because the signs of rabies can vary so widely and the disease is so serious some experts recommend that horse owners think of rabies first whenever they see unexplained clinical signs in horses. Disease prevention through vaccination and good management is the best preventive measure for the horse, owner and equine veterinarian. For more information about rabies or other equine diseases, talk with your veterinarian and go to www.outbreak-alert.com, sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim. Merial is now part of Boehringer Ingelheim. 2018 Merial Inc., Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQU-0595-GEN0418-D 1 Marteniuk J. Rabies in horses. Michigan State University, College of Veterinary Medicine.2 AAEP Core Vaccination Guidelines. Available at: https://aaep.org/horse-owners/ownerowner-vaccination-guidelines/owner-core-vaccination-guidelines. Accessed February 27, 2018. 3 Weese JS. A review of equine zoonotic diseases: risks in veterinary medicine. AAEP Proceedings. 2002;48:362-369. BUILDING AND LAND Report from the building and grounds chairman. Please use the rings provided to tie your horse while in the ring. Rings have been installed in various location around the ring near exits, announcers booth and shed gate. Using the railings is unsafe for your horse and causes extra work to repair. Thank you to Karen Label for getting the plank necessary to replace the broken rail. The rotten planks on the bleachers have been replace. Thank you to Sally and Carleton for getting the necessary 16 pressure treated planks. Also, the flag has been reinstalled and looks very nice. Thank you to Mark and Lynn Aube for helping me complete this project as well as cut up the fallen apple tree. The usable firewood has been picked up and all that is left is the brush. There is a lot of it so I would suggest a bone fire some rainy night. I will coordinate this task. Thank you to Rick Casavant for harrowing the ring and Julie Anderson for use of her tractor to do so The ring is open to members and accompanying guests. The sun goes behind the trees in the afternoon so it is shaded. It is a great opportunity to train your horse.. You should be very proud of how nice the grounds look. Nancy Weeks, chairman Building and grounds. 4
Trivia Question for June 2018: You're considering buying one of two horses. As you ride the first one, you notice he makes an odd whistling sound when he inhales. The other one seems to make a strange fluttery noise when he exhales. Would you suspect a respiratory problem with both, just one, or neither horse? Answer will be in next months issue. Answer: Noise heard when a horse exhales is usually caused by a flutter of the membrane at the edge of the nostril and is not considered a problem. Noise on inhalation may mean partial paralysis of the laryngeal membranes, a condition that often obstructs free breathing. One Trick Pony Origin: Would refer to a small horse that has been taught only a single trick. Most common meaning: A group or person that is known for only a single skill. Submitted by Sandy Craig I* * * * * Myth #9 from The Trail Rider magazine March 2017 edition submitted by Lynn Aube If your horse paws, whinnies, or stomps in the trailer, you should immediately stop your rig, get out, and unload him until he calms down.. Busted: By taking these steps, you ll actually inadvertently reward your horse for his fractious behavior. Avoid unloading him until he settles down. Even better, make the trailer ride more comfortable for him. To understand the plight of your traveling horse, drive your rig to level ground on private property. Ride in the trailer while someone else drives. Listen to the sounds. Feel the trailer sway. Identify and fix any swinging chains, rattling gates, or squealing brakes that might be terrifying your horse in your trailer. July 2018 Trivia Answer: In what equestrian discipline might a spectator see a real live unicorn? trivia submitted by Cathy Small 5
Upcoming Events Please note: the event calendar will be posted at the clubhouse prior to all meetings. The calendar will not be read at the meetings. Club meetings are at 7:30 P.M. unless posted otherwise. July 8th - Chelsea Ride, sponsored by Marsha Polley-Bonin July 14th - MTRA monthly meeting cancelled July 13th thru 15th - Vienna Ride, sponsored by Julie Anderson July 21st and 22nd - Bowdoin ride @ Triple J Farm sponsored by Lynn Aube July 29th - Chelsea Ride, sponsored by Marsh Polley-Bonin August 4th - MTRA monthly meeting cookout @ Nancy s. (This is a potluck picnic, bring your bathing suit. Also we will need volunteers to help with preparation for the horse show the next day. August 5th - Topsham Fair Show and Food Booth w/mebra show starting @ 1PM August 11th & 12th - Shirley Mills Ride, sponsored by Dana Lary Sept 7th thru 9th - Litchfield Fair Food Booth Sept 15th & 16th - MTRA monthly meeting changed from 9/8 & Fall Ride Weekend Sept 17th thru 23 - tentative Andover camping Sept 22nd - tentative - Andover ride sponsored by Cathy Small Sept 29th thru 30th - Parkman ride, sponsored by Donna Tripp Oct 6th thru the 8th - Mt. Vernon ride sponsored by Walt Williams Oct 13th - MTRA monthly meeting Oct 20th - Lucky L Farm, Bowdoin, sponsored by Dana Lary November 3rd - MTRA Annual meeting changed from 11/10 to be held at the clubhouse December 8 - MTRA monthly meeting and Christmas Party to be held at the clubhouse Ride Information Contact the trail secretary, Cathy Small, to sponsor a ride: Email: Cathy@MaineTrailRiders.com Phone: 207-582-2093 6
Chelsea Ride, Sunday. Both July 8th and July 29th The ride will start at 10 am and we will aim for just three hours of riding. It will be mostly trails with a little bit of road riding here and there. We may do some down and back trails. I have several trails that dead end but are still nice to ride. We will play it by ear on lunch. It can be very hot at this time of year and, worse, very buggy. It may be too horrible to stop. Pack your lunch, halter, and snacks in case we decide to just break for 15 minutes or so and keep going. Directions: From Litchfield area or from the West Gardiner Turnpike exit take Route 126 towards Gardiner. You will take a left onto Bridge Street. Continue to follow 126 through Gardiner. It will take you over the Gardiner/Randolph bridge which I believe is also called the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Bridge. Off the bridge take a right to continue to follow 126. Go.8 miles and take a left to again stay on 126. Go 3.4 miles. Turn left on Nelson Road. Go 1.8 miles and my house is number 381 on the right. From the Bowdoin/Topsham/Richmond area come down 201 into Gardiner and then pick up Route 126 and follow the instructions from above. My address if you want to use your GPS or Google Maps is 381 Nelson Road, Chelsea. Notes: I do live in Chelsea but I am on the Pittston side of Chelsea. Those somewhat familiar with the area might think they are headed to Pittston or even Whitefield but half way down my dead end road you cross back into Chelsea. Second note is that my driveway is at the base of a little knoll in the road. Cars sometimes come over that knoll quickly. Those of you with big rigs may need to use the oncoming lane to pull into my driveway. Just take care and don't dawdle. Same goes when you leave. Parking is in my horse pasture. The best spots are going to be all the way down to the back field, but if you see a spot you like, grab it. There will also be a VIP spot open on my front lawn. First one who wants it can take it. Vienna Ride, July 13th thru the 15th Camping is available in the upper field next to my moms driveway. There is room for temporary pastures. There is a water hose at the house in case you need to refill water containers. I will arrive on Friday around noon in case anyone wants to get an early start. Friday ride: ride starts at 5pm and will be on quiet country roads and tote roads. It will be a 3 hour ride. Saturday ride: this ride starts out at 10am. Lunch is on the trail so bring your lunch, halter & lead rope. Ride approximately 4 1/2 hours. Potluck supper at 6pm. I believe Vienna village has a play going on at the Union Hall. Might be fun. Sunday ride: ride starts at 10am. Lunch is on the trail. This day will be approximately 4 hours. Directions: To my mom s house: From Manchester take route 17 north 9.6 miles to Kent s Hill. Bear right on route 41 for 7.1 miles. Turn left onto Seavey Corner Road. (This turns into the Tower Road.) 509 Tower Road is 4 miles on the right. 7
Triple J Farm on July 21 st & 22 nd. 7/21 Ride out 09:30AM for about a 4-4.5 Hr ride, lunch on the trail (bring your lunch). Potluck for supper, everyone is to bring something for the potluck. May stay over night on the grounds with your horse. For those who do not have their own portable fencing, let us know by 7/20 if you need a stall let Lynn know by 7/20. Bonfire to end the day, you will need to bring a lawn chair. 7/22 Ride out 09:30 AM for about 3-3.5Hr.. Bring a snack. All participants will need to sign in on sign up sheet. The sign up sheet will be on a table by the barn. No official charge, members pay $5.00. Non- members may make a donation of any amount. PLEASE!!!! Go to the Maine Trail Riders web site and read rules. We want everyone to be safe. Question/Concerns please contact Lynn 751-6869 Hope to see you on the trails! Trail Ride Out of Triple J Farm (also known as Home Of Healing Horses) Coming from the North take Exit 43, then take a right onto 197, stay on 197 to route 201 (1.8 m), take a left onto 201, go 5.5m, Triple J Farm will be on your left ( 1567 Augusta Road). On your right will come along the Adams family cemetery, on the left the Adams family farm(white farm house cows in field),then immediately a good size red barn will be on your left( the Forever Young Farm), Triple J Farm is immediately next on the left. And immediately after Triple J is Country Fare Landscaping and Golf. From the South take Exit 44 Bowdoin, take right onto 138, then take first right onto Pond Road, at the end of Pond Road take right on to Route 201, go 2.5m. Triple J will be right after Country Fare Landscaping and Golf on right. Slow way down when see Country Fare. Before Country fare is a gray raised ranch and field on right. On the left is a big old gray house, then a sign Timarias. 8
Recycle-IT Do YOU have something you would like to sell/trade/or give away? If so contact me and I will post it here in the HB s. ***** Past trail riding member has 80 items to sell as a package deal. Estimated value $450. will take best offer. Items are stored in metal green tack box that goes with the sale. I am willing to send via email to interested party the complete list : 1 saddle, bits, saddle bags, etc. Everything you would need just starting out as a trail rider.! Send email to : aroy.1974@gmail.com tel 242-7691 ***** 1999 Diamond D steel 3 horse slant goose neck with weekend package, this trailer has been completely redone, all new inside plus has set up for generator or just plug in for electric. Also runs on propane and has rear tack and 50 gallon fresh water tank, new paint and new awning length of trailer and lots of storage, electrical outlets new mattress, trailer has too much to list. This has been done by Dave at ALT in Monmouth. Looking to sell for $15,000 only selling to buy 2 horse with living quarters I hate to sell it because it is a great trailer and hauls beautifully and no longer need a 3 horse. Also has walk thru door from living area to horses for more info email me. Texas.rachel@earthlink.net Rachel ***** 17 Cordura saddle with bridle, Pad needs nothing. Saddle in excellent condition, used once, sadly lost horse. Asking $300 OBO. Contact Rachel @ 207-713-4927 ***** Tack truck and 3 corner feeders, free to anyone who wants them. Contact Sally LaBree @ bitsweet@megalink.net Contact Info for Officers Trudy Bickford, President trudybickford@mainetrailriders.com Phone: 207-720-0550 Sally LaBree, Vice President bitsweet@megalink.net Sandy Craig, Secretary codycraig9@outlook.com Cathy Small, Treasure Cathy@MaineTrailRiders.com Editor s Note The deadline for submissions for the June issue is due by July 24th. Send your email address if you would like to receive this newsletter via email. Photos and tips are welcome! Send to: Nora MacDonald 15 Faith Street Lisbon Falls, ME 04252 Email: hollyo51493@yahoo.com Phone: 207-319-8922 9
Website http://mainetrailriders.com If you have info to submit to the website, please contact Trudy Bickford by phone 207-720-0550 or email trudybickford@mainetrailriders.com. Hospitality Please help Cathy Small by keeping her informed of anything where the club should send out a card, flowers or more. She can be contacted via email at: Cathy@MaineTrailRiders.com Boarding available in Litchfield 10x12 stalls, 15 acres of pasture. Includes daily turnout, hay, bedding, basic grooming. Trails available with no road riding. Boarding & Lessons Located only 1/10th of a mile from the Maine Trail Riders Association clubhouse & riding arena. Call (207) 446-1604 for pricing or to make an appointment Available at Greene-Horse Farm & Livery, Inc. We are privately owned and operated and offer all our guests a 10 X 12 box stall in a newly built barn. Horses are turned out daily in individual paddocks or herd pasture depending on compatibility. Board includes: stall, tack cubicle, feed and basic grooming. There is a round pen on site for your use, and miles of trails and dirt roads for your riding pleasure. We are conveniently located 4 miles off Route 202 in Greene between Lewiston and Augusta. Also offering beginner lessons and training. Stitch In Time Embroidery service available through Rachel JalbertPalian. Please call 207-713-1008 for more information. 10