Discover Endurance Riding with the American Endurance Ride Conference

November 28 2015

If you (or your horse) are interested in endurance riding, there is no better time to get started than right now. The American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) ride season began onDecember 1, and rides are scheduled for every month of the ride year, which will run through November 30, 2016.

“New members are welcomed into the sport,” said AERC Executive Director Kathleen Henkel. “We have an active group of mentors who will help you get started and answer any questions you may have about this sport, which can seem a little intimidating at first.”

New memberships are $63.75, plus $43.75 for a second adult family member ($17 for a family member under 18), which includes tracking of AERC mileage for both you and your horse, a monthly issue of Endurance News—an actual magazine sent by mail, not online—and a new member packet filled with educational materials.

The nonprofit organization, formed in 1972, has both an annual awards program and a lifetime mileage recognition program. “One of our most recognized awards is the Decade Team,” said Henkel, “which recognizes those riders and equines who have competed together on rides of 50 miles or longer for 10 seasons. It’s something many of our riders have as a goal when they get started in the sport.”

For a more in-depth experience, all are invited to attend the organization’s annual convention, held February 19 and 20, 2016, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. The two-day event includes a free trade show with all the newest gear for distance riders, plus seminars and awards presentations.

Among the 2016 convention presenters will be Susan Garlinghouse, DVM, a recognized expert in equine nutrition, with a seminar entitled “But I Read It Online!” which will examine the good and bad of online horse nutrition claims. Jeanette Mero, DVM, will cover the topic every equestrian needs to know: “Lameness: Prevention and Treatment.”
Dr. Robin Foster, a certified applied animal behaviorist, will present a seminar on horse-human communication in “The Social Horse.” Rider fitness will be covered by Deanna Guinasso, a longtime fitness expert. Other seminar topics are being finalized over the next couple of weeks.

At the 2016 convention, GF Brazil’s Envy, a 1998 Arabian mare owned by California rider Ann Kratochvil, will be recognized as a Perfect Ten equine—the horse has competed for 10 years, more than 10,000 AERC miles, and has won 10 first place finishes and 10 best conditions. “Ann and GF Brazil’s Envy are the epitome of what endurance is all about,” said Henkel.

Also honored will be hundreds of regional award winners, the AERC Hall of Fame rider and equine, and the horse and rider team that best exemplifies sportsmanship in AERC’s Pard’ners Award.

Just ready to find out more about endurance riding without making a commitment yet? The AERC office will send out a free information packet, including their “Discover Endurance Riding” booklet, upon request to aerc@foothill.net or 866-271-2372 or by mail to AERC, P.O. Box 6027, Auburn, CA 95604—just send your name and mailing address.

For AERC convention information, visit http://www.aerc.org/static/Convention.aspx and click on Convention Information.

To join, call 866-271-2372 or join online at http://www.aerc.org/mbrReg.aspx.

Contact: Troy Smith
American Endurance Ride Conference
www.aerc.org
endurancenews@foothill.net
866-271-2372, 530-823-2260

Ride Like Potato - ebook by Potato Richardson

Ride Like Potato: Learn to Enjoy Trail Riding More Than Ever from the Winner of the 2015 Tevis Cup Race

The Kindle version is here!

This first edition covers in detail the winning experience I had in 2015 while riding the 100 Mile One Day Race through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. This event known as the Tevis Cup had nearly 200 riders from all over the world most riding their own horses brought from all parts of the world. Top rider in the sport participated and many were past winners as well as riding horses that had won in the past annual event. This annual event from Lake Tahoe to Auburn California was first held in 1955 and is now the most prominent Endurance Ride in the world.

Available on Amazon at
http://www.amazon.com/RIDE-LIKE-POTATO-RIDING-WINNER-ebook/dp/B017GJG0W4

AERC Board Changes in November

AERC.org

November 25 2015

AERC Board member Randy Eiland of New Mexico announced his resignation after 23 years on the Board.

Carla Richardson of Colorado replaces him as a Director-at-Large.

2016 Ride Season starts in 6 days!‏

November 25 2015

From the AERC office:

First of all, THANKS to all of you for your support of endurance riding and AERC. Our membership numbers are up this year and it's all due to you, our enthusiastic members, those both new to the sport and longtime members.

Also, a big thank you to the 1,300 members who are already renewed for 2016. (If you're already renewed, skip the next paragraph!)

Not yet renewed? Please take a moment and do so now. You may give us a call, 866-271-2372, or use the form in your October EN. Or renew online: http://www.aerc.org/erol/aerc/reg/

The office will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving, but we plan to mail out lots of 2016 AERC cards before then.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and best of luck to those of you getting in one last ride this coming weekend.

Standardbred Racehorse Transitions to Endurance

Twohorsetack Blog - Full Story

Congratulations to Jen and Sidney Rain!
October 30 2015

Sidney Rain isn’t pulling a sulkey anymore, but that doesn’t mean his racing days are over. The 15-year-old Standardbred has transitioned to a new career with his human Jen.

Jen adopted Sidney four years ago from the American Standardbred Adoption Program and describes him as “my big love.” The pair are in the midst of their second full season of endurance riding and the ex-racehorse loves his new gig.

“He loves just being at ride camp and going new places,” Jen told us. “Zooming through the woods is one of our favorite things to do, whether training or at a competition...”

Read more here:
https://twohorsetack.wordpress.com/2015/10/30/congratulations-to-jen-and-sidney-rain/

Celebration of Life for Sue Hedgecock on December 12

Legacy.com

Suzanne "Sue" Chase White Hedgecock
July 16, 1952 – October 22, 2015

Suzanne Chase White Hedgecock passed away peacefully in the Hedgecock Family home on Hedgecock Hill in Park City on Oct. 22, 2015, with her son, Wesley Anson Hedgecock, by her side. She was surrounded by the support of Andrea Shotwell and close friends. Sue was born on July 16, 1952 in Brattleboro, Vermont with her identical twin sister Sally. Sue was the daughter of Arnold Miller and Ruth Ann Cerosky White. Sue was preceded in death by her father Arnold Miller White and her husband William "Tony" Anson Hedgecock, Jr., on March 16, 2014.

Sue grew up at her family farm in Marlboro, Vermont, with her identical twin sister Sally, both girls riding horses in the summer, and skiing every day in the winter at the family-owned Hogback Mountain Ski Area in Marlboro. Sue attended school in Marlboro and Brattleboro, Vermont. She went to college at Johnson State College in Vermont, Keene State College in New Hampshire, and the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

Sue went on to a career in Alpine Ski Racing as an amateur enjoying success locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. In the early 1970's Sue was named to the USST and competed in domestic World Cup Races.

Sue worked for UVEX in Salt Lake City for a time. She was a Certified USSCA Alpine Ski Coach Level 3, and a PSIA Level 3 Instructor for 40 or more years. She taught skiing in the family business at Hogback Mountain Ski Area, and she worked at Skyline Restaurant and Hogback Mountain Gift Shop in Marlboro, and later at Haystack Ski Area, Ski Club Vail, Aspen Ski Club, Alyeska Ski Club, and Juneau Ski Club. She spent time coaching the Women's Team at the University of Utah and spent approximately 35 years as a ski instructor at Deer Valley in Park City. During her years in Alaska, Sue worked as an Interpretive Guide and Naturalist for the U.S. Forest Service at Portage Glacier, and had a similar job in Juneau, Alaska. She was also a successful business woman, and worked for a number of years as Store Manager at the Guess Park City Outlet Store when it was first opened.

Her love for and involvement with horses never diminished, and later in life she was able to get back to her roots with horses. She became a highly regarded competitor in the Endurance horse racing field, having won numerous races and Best Condition awards both locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally with her own horses. Sue was a sought-after horse trainer, and highly-respected horsewoman.

Sue leaves behind her son Wesley Anson Hedgecock, her nephew Justin White Chandler (whom she called her other son), her identical twin sister Sally Miller White, and her mother Ruth Ann Cerosky White and cousins, aunts, and uncles in the Cerosky, Douglas, and Hamilton families, nieces Jessica and Jennifer Ray and many, many friends in the Alpine Ski Racing World and Winter Sports Industry, and the Endurance Horse Racing World, as well as her many close friends that she loved. Sue lived her dream in Park City.

Celebration of Life will be held at Mountain Life Church, 7375 Silver Creek Rd., Park City on Dec. 12 at 4 p.m.

- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/parkrecord/obituary.aspx?n=Suzanne-Chase-Hedgecock-Sue-White&pid=176483421#sthash.SE5hkK5M.dpuf

New sport gives Baris chance to run – and ride – her way to national ranking

Polksports.com - Full Article

By Andy Rhinehart - November 15, 2015

As did her older sister, Laney, Carrie Baris ran cross country and track competitively in high school.

Some 10 years ago, Laney began running again, and so too did Carrie. Laney entered the Death Valley Marathon, so Carrie entered and ran with her.

But when Laney suggested Carrie follow her lead and take up a new sport, one that involved both riding on and running with horses, Carrie wasn’t exactly certain whether to stay that course or not.

“She told me many stories about this crazy sport,” Baris said of the perhaps not-so-well-known sport of Ride and Tie.

“In 2013, when a race was held at Clemson for the first time, one of her regular partners, Janice Heltibridle, needed a partner for the 30-mile course. Laney volunteered me, and I partnered with Janice and her horse, Bubba. Hot, steamy, exhausted and filthy, we crossed the finish line last in my first race. But I had been instantly drawn in by the close-knit community...”

Read more here:
http://polksports.com/new-sport-gives-baris-chance-to-run-and-ride-her-way-to-national-ranking/

AERC Board of DIrectors Meeting Nov 10

The AERC Board of Directors met by phone conference November 10. The membership report shows significant increases over last year in the 8-10% range with about a 12% increase in rider fees.

The board heard reports on USEF and FEI from Jan Stevens (AERC liaison to USEF), Dr. Meg Sleeper (chair of the AERC-I Cmte.) and Valerie Kanavy (athlete representative to the FEI Technical Committee). Board members asked questions and the ladies were very helpful.

The Board also reviewed the Strategic Plan.

The Board passed a motion from the Trails and Land Management Committee to fund a Trails Grant project in Wisconsin.

The Board passed a motion to include Phenibut in the prohibited substance and referred back to committee the addition of Levothyroxine a drug used to treat hypothyroidism in horses. If you have a competing horse that is treated with Levothyroxine, the Board would like to hear from you.

Posted by AERC President, Michael Campbell

5000 Miles of Morgan Power: Bogar Tucker and Cindy Bradley

November 12 2015
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net

"How was he?" Steve Bradley asked his wife Cindy, as she led Bogar Tucker, her big bouncing Morgan back to the horse trailer after vetting in for the Owyhee Canyonlands endurance ride.

"Airs above the ground," Cindy said, trying to sound exasperated, but clearly delighted. "He thinks he's 4 years old again!"

It's a typical scenario for the 16-year-old gelding, who is in his 12th year of endurance competition - always full of himself, confident, and very opinionated.

He's been that way since he was a foal, when Cindy first saw him and fell for him at Karl Morris's Morgan farm near Boise, Idaho. "Some horses just hit me right off, and he was a lot like an old horse I had that my dad gave me when i was 15."

Morgans have been in Cindy's family since she was a little girl, and they've been an integral part of her life ever since. And as her primary endurance horse was getting old and Cindy was looking to replace him, it was inevitable she'd want another Morgan for endurance.

She'd previously trained some of Karl's Morgan horses to drive, and Cindy really liked Bo's sire, Stick Tucker. When she asked Karl about the foal, he answered her with a little sarcasm. "Karl told me, 'Well, everything here is for sale, for the right price.' I made an offer for him, and Karl's mouth just dropped. He said, 'Well, I guess he's sold then,' but he wasn't too happy, because he kind of wanted to keep him. So I picked Bo up when he was 3 months old, because Karl was kind of angry about it!"


When Cindy and Steve pulled up at Karl's farm in their horse trailer to fetch Bo, out of the kitchen came Karl, followed by Bo, as if it were completely normal to have a foal in your house. "He loaded right in the trailer and came home with me."

Bo was an easy horse to break. "When I took him home at 3 months, I started taking him out and hand-walking him with me, just down the side of the road, through the creeks, and playing in the water. And when he got a little bit older, I started ponying him. I think that's where he learned to walk so fast. He's got a very fast walk, because he had to keep up. I drove him first, before I put a saddle on him."


At 16 hands, Bo's a big horse. And because he grew so big so fast, that's probably why he had some issues with stifle joints in his early years. Cindy started Bo on 25-mile endurance rides when he was 4 years old. "I was told, oh, he'll never be an endurance horse," Cindy said, "so for quite a few years I did 25's. And they said oh, he's only going to be able to do a couple of 25's, he won't be able to do any more that that; but after about 4 years of riding 25's, I said 'Well, maybe he can do a 50.' And that's when I started riding him on 50's.

"He's got 5000 miles of 'em now! But slowing him down for those 25 miles for several years was probably the best thing I could have done for him."

After finishing 3 of 4 50 mile rides as as an 8-year-old in 2007, and then finishing all 5 of his 50-mile starts in 2008, Bo and Cindy never looked back. In 2009, Bo finished all 22 of his 50-mile starts, for a total of 1,010 miles. He did two days in a row for the first time that season, at Old Selam in Idaho, the Owyhee Canyonlands in Idaho, and the Grand Canyon XP in Arizona.


Cindy and Bo became a familiar sight: the big dark bay opinionated horse and his rider gliding down the endurance trails solo in the West, Southwest, Northwest, and Mountain regions. But don't try to catch up and ride with them, because Bo won't let you.

Bo does best alone on a ride, and Cindy prefers it that way anyway. "He's better by himself," she said. "He doesn't like to be alongside others. He's sort of competitive - he likes to get ahead of everybody. And I can actually tell when a horse is feeling better when they're alone, because they're not interacting with another horse."

The 'slow and steady wins the race' motto has been a key to success for this pair over the seasons, where they've consistently finished mid to back of the pack. "We've done slow miles just because I want to ride slower, and I wanted him to get to 5000 miles. He doesn't want to go slower. I think slow and steady is better than trying to race."


Riding solo so many miles together builds close communication and a strong bond between horse and rider. A few years back in an Idaho ride, Bo and Cindy came to a 3-way intersection where the ribbons were down. "It was an area where it was hard to tell by ground hoof prints which way to go," Cindy recalled. "I remembered riding there sometime before and decided to go left. I urged Bo with leg pressure.  His ears went back... more urging and he started backing, whirling, and being an ass.  

"After several minutes of this I got angry and said, 'Okay, go your way, but you're wrong, and you will see!' About half a mile his way we ran into the right color ribbons. I patted him on the neck and thanked him! Many people went the wrong way that day.  

"Doing all those miles together, you get really bonded. Riding with somebody else, you lose all that special connection with your horse." It's a closeness that Cindy treasures with her special gelding. "Some people miss the whole issue of being that connected with a horse, I think. "

In 2010, Bo did 5 days in a row at the Paunsagaunt XP at Bryce Canyon in Utah. "That's a very tough ride," Cindy said, "and I just had it in my head, we would do all 5 days - not even thinking he had only done 2 50's in a row before that. He did it easily. That was our biggest event!"


Their next biggest milestone was when Bo passed 5000 endurance miles, at this year's Grand Canyon XP on September 6th. He was only the 5th Morgan (or part Morgan) in AERC history to reach this laudable, coveted milestone.

Bo's is an outstanding AERC record: (to date) 5090 endurance miles, 495 LD miles over 12 seasons. He has only 6 pulls in 124 starts. The pair made the cover of the 2012 December Endurance News magazine issue, in a spectacular photo taken by Cindy's husband Steve at the Grand Canyon XP that year.


In addition to his AERC achievements, Bogar Tucker won the American Morgan horse high point award for endurance twice. He also won 2 reserve championships in endurance from the American Morgan Horse Association.

One more AERC award is waiting just around the corner: the Decade Team. According to AERC.org, "this special award recognizes an achievement that represents the foundation on which AERC was formed, by acknowledging a rider who, over a long period of time, has kept an equine sound and actively competing. The Decade Team award recognizes those equine and rider teams who completed at least one endurance ride (50 miles or more) each year for 10 years."

With the new endurance season set to begin in December, Cindy is looking toward the Death Valley XP, in California on December 28-31, to reach this next milestone with Bo.

Cindy said she'll start to back off on Bo, now that he's reached 5000 miles. "We're going to do some 25's and a few 50's." Just don't tell the big horse that, though, since he might have a few other opinions about that.

"I have owned and ridden many horses in my life, but Bo is my once-in-a-life time horse," Cindy said.

"I hope we have many more years together!"

November's Endurance Day on Horses in the Morning with Karen Chaton

Horsesinthemorning.com - Listen

HITM for 11-10-2015 by the AERC – Endurance Listeners Radiothon Challenge, Mechanics of Better Riding, Flax Myths Busted

This month's AERC Endurance episode with Karen Chaton: following our usual adventures with Karen's re-cap we'll get down to the mechanics of better riding with Donna Snyder Smith, The Distance Depot offers up clever covers for your consideration, and rounding out the show, Dr Susan Garlinghouse offers some advice on social media etiquette and busts a few online myths. Listen in...

http://www.horsesinthemorning.com/hitm-for-11-10-2015-by-the-aerc-endurance-listeners-radiothon-challenge-mechanics-of-better-riding-flax-myths-busted/

Equine masseuse practicing in Warren County

Desmoinesregister.com - Full Article

Paige Godden, pgodden@registermedia.com
November 9, 2015

Martha Becker slowly ran her hand down the neck of a mild mannered horse named Chevy at the Ridgetop Horse Ranch in Milo one recent weeknight.

When she hit just the right spot, the horse blinked. The simple action told Becker Chevy had some tension built up at that spot in his neck.

Becker kept her hand still and waited. It tells the horse where the tension is so he can release it. This time, Chevy let out a heavy sigh.

Other times the horse will start licking its mouth or chewing, which is another signal of release according to Becker.

"All horses carry tension," Becker said. "It doesn't mean they hurt or are in pain, it's just because they're prey animals and they're thinking everything is trying to eat them."

In fact, if the horses are hurt, Becker won't work on them because she's not a veterinarian. She's a masseuse.

Technically, Becker is a Masterson Method Equine practitioner.

The city clerk for Melcher-Dallas said she's been practicing the technique for more than two years, and became certified through classes with the man who developed the Masterson Method, Jim Masterson, in Fairfield.

Becker said Masterson stumbled on the technique by watching other massage therapists and acupuncturists work on his horses.

"He noticed the horse would start blinking when they got to a certain spot, or get fidgety and decided it was interesting," Becker said. "So he started mapping out all these different techniques and over the course of the years he has just put it all together."

Now, Becker said, Masterson works as the massage therapist for the United States Equine Endurance team and has programs in Australia, Ireland, England and across the United States...

Read more here:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/warren-county/2015/11/09/equine-masseuse-practicing-warren-county/75099896/

Friend’s living kidney donation keeps Cathe in the saddle

MHealth.org Blog - Full Story

A former hobby farm-owner and endurance horseback rider, Cathe Cheesebrow never sat still. But when kidney failure threatened her quality of life, a close friend stepped up to become a living donor.

November 9 2015
Staff Writer
M Health

Cathe Cheesebrow is not the type of person who likes sitting still. A former hobby farm owner and an avid endurance horseback rider, Cathe describes herself as a “doer and goer.”

“The only time I ever sat still was when I came in for supper and then went to bed,” Cathe said.

When Cathe’s energy levels bottomed out in the winter of 2013, she knew something was very wrong. Diagnosed in the early 2000s with kidney failure, the rural Wisconsin resident visited her nephrologist. After testing determined she had reached end-stage kidney failure, the doctor gave her two options: Wait for a donor from the National Kidney Registry—a lengthy process that would likely involve dialysis—or seek out a living kidney donor.

“Dialysis terrified the heck out of me. I did not want to be tethered down,” said Cathe, who received the unwelcome news on July 3, 2014. But on a getaway over the July 4 weekend, her failing health made it impossible for her to get into the saddle without help from her friends.

Desperate for help, Cathe posted a message on Facebook when she returned home seeking a volunteer donor. Little did she know a close friend had already taken matters into her own hands.

An uncommon gift

Enter Janet Sarver, who met Cathe in 2003 at a long-distance horseback riding competition. The sport is known as endurance riding, and participants often compete over distances ranging from 25 up to 100 miles. Like Cathe, Janet is an enthusiastic endurance rider, and participates in trail riding competitions across the state. Janet and Cathe’s friendship was cemented in 2012, during a 25-mile endurance race...

Read more here:
http://blogs.mhealth.org/11-9-2015/friends-living-kidney-donation-keeps-cathe-in-the-saddle

Deirdre Monroe—If you map it, they will come

LANL.gov - Full Story

November 2 2015

During her spare time, Lab engineer and endurance rider Deirdre Monroe helped make Santa Fe's Caja del Rio plateau more accessible for hikers, rock climbers, mountain bikers and equestrian trail riders.


When the Weapon Systems Engineering Division’s Deirdre Monroe and a horseback riding friend left her horse’s boarding stable on the fringes of Santa Fe to ride west toward the Santa Fe National Forest’s “Caja del Rio Unit” for the first time, she could not have imagined that the “Caja” would capture her heart so dramatically and completely as to turn her into a dedicated endurance rider, Caja advocate, trail developer and cartographer over the next 18 years.

Today, thanks in large part to Monroe’s efforts, the Caja is one of Santa Fe’s best high-desert plateau areas for hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and equestrian trail riding.

“Our initial ride took place in 1997,” Monroe recalls. “It was a crystal-clear but chilly fall day as we rode out, just the two of us, over the rolling, piñon-dotted hills that are now developed as part of Santa Fe’s Las Campañas subdivision. We rode past periodic homes at first and then across nothing but open land interrupted by an occasional stock tank for cattle, which was welcome to both of us and our horses...”

Read more here:
http://www.lanl.gov/careers/stories/spotlight/deirde-monroe.php

AERC Youth Representative (reminder)

Are you a young rider between the age of 12 and 21? Do you want to help AERC grow into the future?

AERC has a Youth Representative position - an opportunity for you to attend board meetings, learn how AERC does business, and help the Board of Directors make decisions about the sport. Statistically, we are an aging organization, with a median age of 52 according to recent numbers. We need more juniors and young riders participating - and you can help us figure out how to energize the sport.

You should be willing to attend board meetings and take part in discussions. You will be encouraged to speak on all of the issues but will not have a formal vote. There are two board meetings at AERC convention: Thursday evening and Sunday morning. Additionally the board meets every month by conference call and holds one mid-year meeting. You should have ideas to share with the board about improving junior and young rider participation and keeping the board in tune with the younger generation. You will also become an active member of the Junior Committee.

We would like to select a few individuals to qualify as Youth Representatives so that one person doesn't have to do it all. If you are interested send a letter by post or by email to the AERC office telling us your age, your riding experience, and why you would like to be an AERC Youth Representative. Please include a letter of recommendation from a senior AERC member.

Deadline for application is December 1.

Get involved, we need you!

UnBranded in Madras

October 20 2015

3,000 Miles. 18 Wild Horses. 6 Months. 5 States. 4 Men. A documentary about Conservation, Exploration, and Wild Mustangs

November 13th, 6:30 pm the doors will open to the State of the Art Madras Performing Arts Center. Once inside be ready to experience an exhilarating wild ride documentary along with “four young Texans who have hatched an outrageous plot to adopt, train, and ride wild mustangs 3000 miles.” Beginning at the Mexican border these four men travel the great American West through public lands which include the States of Arizona, Utah, Idaho and Montana to the Canadian Border. Accomplished remarkably on the backs of recently trained wild mustangs adopted from the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM), in little over a five month period. Through the wildest terrain of American public lands, these men endure the wilderness of a romanticized American West to find not only magnificent vistas as stunning as the old master’s paintings but what their own souls hold within. They discover endurance is not just making it to the end of a finish line it entails life skills pushed to the brink of human nature. Strength to provide the ability to survive in what the real American West was and is about today. These men and mustangs experience a journey that faces them down through sickness, death, injury and reveals true meaning of endurance and courage. “The Audience Award winner at Telluride Mountainfilm and Hot Docs Film Festival, Unbranded is a soaring tale of danger and resilience, an emotionally charged odyssey that shines a bright light on the complex plight of our country's wild horses.”

The local nonprofit group, The Warm Springs Horse Network (WSHN) is proud to bring this passionate film for review, as it brings to the forefront the need to recognize these amazing animals for their true value in many cultures historically as well as in today’s world. Many liken these challenges to mankind itself realizing the confines of thriving in today’s world. Horses face yet intensified challenges presented on lands compromised by fire, drought and government regulations. Changing equine perception, we as a people face mounting trials testing even the strongest of men, bringing awareness to the mustang will begin the conversation necessary for the reality of “Wild” and “Mustang” to maintain its origin. The efforts of homing the local mustang foals from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs became apparent in May 2014. WSHN has been working with the Range Management department since that time. Enabling foals to become welcome productive members of the equine society, winning blue ribbons at the Oregon State Fair, numerous first place ribbons, awards and cash prizes for participation in yearling shows and the hearts of any family who proudly houses a Mustang. The foals from the Warm Springs Reservation are now referred to as Pacific Northwest American Heritage Horses and may be registered as such with the American Indian Horse Registry. As WSHN fast approaches 400 horses’ successfully homed, costs continue to rise for continued care of these orphans. All proceeds from this presentation will go to enable continued efforts to house, care and provide loving homes for foals, along with some mare foal pairs. The WSHN board members wanted to provide a value to the community by showing this exhilarating documentary as it relates in many ways to the foals in our own backyard. WSHN acted quickly to bring this majestically presented production to our own Performing Arts Center here in Madras, Oregon. We know it will touch your heart as it did ours.

Tickets are on sale now - $10.00 may be purchased through the website - http://www.wshorsenetwork.myevent.com/3/online_payment.htm or at the door, November 13th, 2015 6:30 pm.

Warm Springs Horse Network (WSHN)
Contact Person: Beth Matanane 928-221-7601

AERC Riders Win Nevada Day Parade Award

Pictured L to R: Connie Creech on LS Shardonney Bey, Phyllis Keller on Curious George, Karen Chaton on Granite Chief, Riley McHenry on Pro Bono D

November 2 2015
by Merri Melde-Endurance.net

16 AERC horses and riders placed first in the "Parading Arabians" group in the 2015 Nevada Day Parade on October 31 in Carson City, Nevada. Four of the riders (Creech, Keller, Chaton, and Crysta Turnage) and five of the horses who participated are part of the AERC Rose Parade Riders headed to the Rosebowl Parade on January 1st.

Now in its 77th year, the Nevada Day Parade celebrates Nevada Day, a grand celebration commemorating admission to statehood on October 31, 1864.

"It was a big parade, over 200 entries, and an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 people," said participant Karen Chaton, a member of the northern group of AERC Rose Parade riders. "There were several other equestrian groups - military horses, dancing horses, vaqueros, Pony Express, and politicians riding."

10-year-old Junior AERC rider Riley McHenry, who just recently joined AERC and completed her first 50 mile ride, participated in her first Nevada Day Parade. She was aboard Pro Bono D, owned by Chaton. Before the Parade was over, McHenry said to Chaton, "I'd rather ride a 50 than do a parade!"

The "Parading Arabians" are all dressed in Native Arabian Costumes. Veterinarian Susan McCartney provided some of the horses, and several of the costumes for the parade riders, and her husband Dave Cookware rode in the lead on one of their 33-year-old horses.

Endurance riders converge on Big Foot

Melissa Woicek (left) of Stone County begins the 25-mile portion of the AERC race at Big Foot Saturday. Woicek won the Turtle Award as the last finisher. Enterprise photo by Jody O'Hara

Stone County Enterprise

By Jody O'Hara
Oct 30, 2015

The Big Foot Horse Trail in the DeSoto National Forest was the focus of the American Endurance Ride Conference this past weekend.
Hunting for Big Foot involved 16 riders in a 50-mile endurance ride and 24 more in a 25-mile ride.
Jane Lee of Poplarville was the manager for the event and said she had wanted to share the riding facilities at Big Foot with a larger group of riders.
"This is where I come to train and condition and I thought, 'We should share this,' because it's such a fantastic facility and it's really rather unknown," she said.
Lee owns the No. 1 horse in the Southeast Region of the AERC, a paint named Ruby, and has been involved in the sport for seven years.
She took on the task of managing a race because she believes she's taken a lot from it.
"I felt the need to give something back to the sport," she said.
On Friday, riders brought their horses to a check-in station where veterinarians gave them a thorough going over, checking for hydration, muscle tone, soreness, tack galls, soundness and heart rate.
Steve Huffman of Tupelo was on hand with his Spanish mustang, Choctaw Warrior.
"We came down to support Miss Jane because she's putting on this race in Mississippi," he said. "There used to be a lot of races in the state, but it's kind of died off over the past several years."
On Saturday morning, the 50-milers left first, followed shortly by the 25-milers.
Local rider Melissa Woicek, aboard her rescued walking horse, Peotyr, was participating in her first endurance ride and was presented the Turtle Award for being the last finisher in the 25-mile event.
"That's really quite an accomplishment, to go out on your first endurance ride and finish with a horse that is happy, safe and sound," Lee said. "Our motto is, 'To Finish is to Win,' and she certainly did that."
Lee said the overall event was a huge success.
"For our first time, we had great participation and the feedback was all really positive," she said. "We were able to introduce a bunch of riders from several states to our beautiful DeSoto National Forest and the amenities we have to offer for riders here."
Riders were on hand from Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana and Texas.