The The Leadline Summer 2012 Leadline - NATRC Region 1The Leadline Summer 2012 3 THE LEADLINE is the...

The Leadline Summer 2012

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In This Issue.…

TheLeadline

Summer 2012

The Voice of NATRC Region 1 Competitive Trail Riding

www.natrcregion1.org

My Horsie is My Hero!By Barbara Berlitz

What a challenge and joy I had at the Round Valley Regional ParkNATRC ride on June 16th, 2012, outside Brentwood, CA. The Friday nightbriefing was sobering: hot, hard, rocks, climbs and LONG for Novice class(24.97 on my Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS). We had great attendance, with afew first-time adult and junior riders. Well, I am seeing this season as my bestshot with Tuscany, 22 years old, nearing the end of his distance career andme finally in a place both to be able to go to rides and to be able to pay forthem. This season is our best chance.

Given the somber counsel at the ride meeting, Tuscany’s age, and ourcoastal cool home climate, I decided to "ride my own ride" and not buddy-upwith anyone. I wanted my full attention on Tuscany and not be slowed orpushed by others.

7 a.m departure and it was already over 80 degrees...Ahead was a long, flat, valley with all horses visible and strung out.

Hmmm...seeing those horses pulls "Mr. I can beat' em” to go too fast.About 15 minutes into the start, I decided to use a trio of gaited horses to

set my pace. They were two new riders (first timers with some enduranceexperience) riding a pregnant ex- show Missouri Fox Trotter and a lovely blackTennessee Walker, followed closely by Joe Pimentel, a wise, consideraterider, on his auction-special-who-knows-what gaited something. Ride meetingrequest was not to get ahead of theP&R schedule by more than 15 min-utes so that the volunteers could be inplace when we got there. Thus, ratingthe horse and diligently managing timewas crucial. But I wanted to take ad-vantage of that long flat valley beforethe grueling, rocky climbs later in themorning. (I am glad I had done thisride before so I knew what wasahead). Tagging on the visible trio ofgaited horses was magic. I kept Tus-cany about a half-mile behind them,sometimes less, but had a hole for justthe two of us - no one visible behind topush us. We all moved out much fasterthan a typical NATRC start.

Oh, and then gates... On this ride,there are LOTS of those wide cattlegates, with little spring-loaded peoplegates on the side set up so that, unlikeat Harvey Bear Park near San Jose,

Continued on Page 3…

Chairman’s Corner 2

Region 1 Mini Convention 4

National Board Election 4

Proposed Rule Changes 5

From the Editor 6

Ride Schedule 6

Highlights fromNat’l BOD Meeting 7

Ride Results 8

More Ride Results 9

Resume for AngieMeroshnekoff 9

More Ride Results 10

More Ride Results 11

Minutes from Region OneBOD Meeting 12

Nat’l BOD Resume Form 13

Electrolyte Supplementation of

Endurance Horses 14

“I Survived The BMBB!” 16

Membership Form 18 Barbara Berlitz &TuscanyPhoto by Jamie Dieterich


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Region One Board of DirectorsChairman:

(530) 283-3221 [email protected]

Board Treasurer &Alt. Nat’l BOD:Phil Young

(530) 432-6513 [email protected]

Recording Secretary:Stephanie Swain

(707) 528-2775 [email protected] Secretary:

Linda Thomason(510) 651-9470 [email protected]

National BOD Rep.:Jamie Dieterich

(530) 836-1075 [email protected] BOD Rep.:

Jim Ferris

Regional Board Member:Laura Harvey

(916) 689-1631 [email protected] Board Member:

Gene Boicelli(925) 672-649 [email protected]

Regional Board Member:Steve Meroshnekoff

(707) 743-9973 [email protected] Board Member:

Angie Meroshnekoff(707) 743-9973 [email protected]

CommitteesRegion One Points & Membership

Jim Ferris(530) 432-6513 [email protected]

Wonder Worker RecruitmentSteve Meroshnekoff

(707) 743-9973 [email protected] Leadline Editor

Laurie Knuutila(907) 378-9190 [email protected]

Publicity / OutreachLinda Thomason

(510) 651-9470 [email protected]/Clinic Coordinator

Jamie Dieterich(530) 836-1075 [email protected]

HistorianKathy Nixon

(530) 283-9336Trails Advocacy Rep.

Judy Etheridge(925) 862-0232 [email protected]

National NATRC Exec. AdministratorLaurie DiNatale

(303) 688-1677 [email protected] Print Editor

Kelly Carper [email protected]

NATRC Home Page: www.NATRC.orgCTR Listserve info: [email protected]

See www.natrc.org for National Board,Committees, and Secretaries

Linda Thomason(510) 651-9470 [email protected]

Chairman’s CornerIt’s been great seeing all the smiling faces at the first few rides of 2012. I

want to congratulate all of you who are helping to spread the word aboutcompetitive trail riding and NATRC. We are seeing the rider numbers slowlyincrease, but we need to keep up the efforts. More riders improve our chancesof offering additional rides in the future. The cost of the rides has increasedover the years, and ride managers need to at least break even or they may notbe willing to put the effort into future rides. And yup folks, it’s a lot of work thatmost riders aren’t even aware of. You’re all cordially invited to try it sometime!!So, please thank your ride management whenever you have the chance - theywork tirelessly so YOU can enjoy the rides and new trails.

I laughed over the most recent stories on the Region 1 website (thanksagain Donna, for such a great job!!). I hope riders continue to send in storiesas 1) it makes for fun reading 2) it personalizes the sport and provides a senseof “community” and 3) it helps ride management assess what riders liked anddid not like at rides. Whether you’re new to the sport or an “old timer,” pick upthe pen (or boot up the computer) and share your trail tales.

This year I had the “privilege” of again being the Round Valley Secretary.This year’s ride will go down in the NATRC history books as one of the hottestrides (literally!) ever. Yet folks had fun and maintained their sense of humorduring a pretty challenging two days. When you accomplish something withyour four-legged partner that you never thought you could do, it’s an amazingfeeling. The joy, the respect you develop for your horse and the sheer senseof accomplishment is something you cannot describe to someone who hasn’texperienced this phenomenon. Even when you don’t finish or do as well asyou wish you could, you and your equine partner learn something from eachand every one of the rides and the challenges they present. In the end you andyour horse “mature” as a team and this is what it’s about. Some of my toughestrides are the fondest in my memory. OK- so they weren’t at first- but just wait!!

I wish everyone many happy days of riding this summer and hope to seeyou at some of the rides. As always, keep abreast of horse activities in yourarea and promote equine sports. Keep fighting to maintain trail access for bothcompetitive and pleasure riding. Our fellow riders are our “community,” and it’sthe responsibility of all of us to support it.

Happy Trails to all,Linda Thomason

Region 1 Chairperson

Get NATRC E-NewsNATRC E-News is the official electronic communication channel of our organiza-

tion. E-News is a subscriber-based electronic marketing software from ConstantContact.

With E-News, you can receive electronic announcements on upcoming NATRCrides and clinics, new sponsors and special offers, NATRC promotions and contests,and general NATRC information including details on rules changes and proposals aswell as regional and national Board minutes in a timely manner by subscribing now.

To begin receiving NATRC E-News, simply go to the NATRC website(http://www.natrc.org), click on “Join/Renew” along the top, then select “Join NATRCE-News.” After you are directed to the E-News sign-up page, you can choose to receivea variety of different types of announcements.

If you would like to send NATRC information to all subscribers or just specificregions, contact Bev Roberts ([email protected]) or the National office([email protected]) for help to put your announcement on the official NATRC electroniccommunication channel.


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THE LEADLINE is the official publication of Region One of the North American Trail Ride Conference (NATRC). The Leadline is published three timesper year and mailed or emailed to all NATRC Region One members. It is available by subscription to non-Region One members at $8 per year. Issuescontain updated information from Region One committees, ride results, point standings, minutes of board meetings, and the current Region One rideschedule. Send subscription requests and payments (made out to NATRC Region One) to Phil Young, 674 La Porte Rd, Quincy, CA 95971.Contributions are welcome and may be sent to Laurie Knuutila, 455 Ream Lane, Fairbanks, AK or email to [email protected]. NATRC RegionOne and The Leadline do not necessarily endorse or support the opinions expressed in printed articles or advertisements. The Editor reserves the rightto edit material as necessary. No letters to the Editor will be printed if not signed. NATRC and the staff of The Leadline are not responsible for errors

Deadlines:Spring issue -Submission: April 15; Publication: May 1Summer issue –Submission: August 1; Publication: Aug. 15Fall/Winter issue –Submission: Dec 15; Publication: Jan. 1

Advertising rates per issue:Full page—$40

Half page—$20 Quarter page—$10

Classified ads are free to Region One members in good standing, one per issue, up to 30 words. Ads may be emailed, or hard copies mailed to theEditor can be scanned as submitted. Send ads to the Editor and make checks payable to NATRC Region One.

The ride year endsNovember 11, 2012.

For eligibility for year endawards, IT IS THE RIDER’S RE-SPONSIBILITY to have the fol-

lowing requirements completedas indicated by

November 11, 2012.

(1) NATRC Membership duesmust be received and

(2) Horse’s accurate breed infor-mation must be on file with theNATRC Office. www.natrc.org

(3) In addition, National breed as-sociations sponsoring year-end

awards require that all theequines must be registered with

the "association" and"participant(s)" must maintain their

"association" membership.

Any doubt?Send an email to

Laurie ([email protected])for NATRC membership

verification andCheri ([email protected])

or Colleen([email protected])for breed verification.

Contact your own breedassociation if you have

questions for them.

Important InformationRegarding Year-End

Awards!

one cannot open and get through on horseback. The cattle gates were locked,so there was a lot of getting off and on to get through them. Tuscany is 16.2!And, he insists on having an elastic girth. Hmmmm….

By the lunch break, the horses and riders taking the trailer rides homewere abundant. Temps were reported to be 106. Accuweather confirmed. Abreeze over the ridge tops saved us. The dead cow on the side of the trail (olddead cow with little hide left) was sobering. The few single track shaded trailswere welcome. Water was available just when we really needed it. Whew!Trail marking was excellent. Thank you.

I kept trying to find a hole so Tuscany and I could do our own ride butsome hopping back and forth with the gaited trio and a few others kept us intoo much company (read that as tug on the horse to go faster than I wanted),but it turns out that he could do it, and all that greater speed than I had thoughtprudent for the conditions and trail actually helped us.

At the bottom of the steep, rugged, rocky, sometimes slick Miwok hill, wewelcomed the valley, but it was HOT! We trotted, solo, rarely a horse in sight,except peeks of the gaited trio, along that HOT, windless, monotonousis-this-ever-going-to-end three miles. Tuscany still felt great, and he had somuch “fuel in the tank” at the end of the ride...a zealot who wanted to trot onbut for his person who said, “We walk the shade and trot the sun.” (Thank you,Laney Humphrey, friend and AERC Decade Team member!).

I almost took a wrong turn when weary nearing home, but Tuscany wasinsistent on a single-track section I had forgotten in the morning rush. Thehorse was right! Ribbons were there, my focus was not.

We finished! We finished exactly half way in our half-hour window. 8hours, 50 minutes start-to-finish on my GPS.

I melted at the sun-drenched campground, but bathed the horse, guzzledlemonade, bathed the horse, guzzled, sat, creaked and moaned, as stragglerscame in after me; 13 finished before me.

Awards: Both Tuscany and I got First place in Novice Heavyweight! YeeHaaa!

I electrolyted more than I ever have! He slurped his lunch beet pulp/triplecrown soupy mash - electrolyted, too! Tip: I put a full dose of Lyte Now in the30 oz. of water I pack in my lunch to add to his mash mix. I’ve never done thisbefore, but Tuscany licked the bowl clean and begged for more, which he got.He rarely finishes all his mash at lunch, but maybe the electrolyted water isthe key to consumption.

I offer my deep gratitude to our enduring timers, Kitty and Neil, our terrific,short-handed, kind P & R team, our patient, careful judges and surviving ridesecretaries.

I am thankful Gene Boicelli is willing to offer a hard ride to challenge us.He wanted the trail to sort out the horses. I suspect that many of our rideshave nearly all the horses at 99 to 100 points, with a few plusses or minusesto sort out the winners. We didn’t have contrived challenges at this ride; thealready tough trail did that for us. This year, the weather added the trump card.

…continued from Page 1


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We return to the Bothwell Art Cen-ter in Livermore to celebrate the Region1 mini-convention on Saturday March 9,2013.

We are in the process of lining upspeakers and vendors. If you have aninteresting topic to suggest, have hearda great speaker in the past or are awareof potential vendors, please notify meASAP!! We hope to line up a variety ofvendors as we have in the past for yourshopping plea-sure and enjoy-ment.

I need afew volunteers.This is too diffi-cult for one per-son, my friends,and I REALLYneed a “fewgood men orwomen!” Be-sides it’s fun, it’sa wonderful do-nation of yourtime for a goodcause, and youget to work withgreat people!

Open Po-sitions:

1) I havethe names of numerous vendors andwould love someone to be in charge oforganizing who goes where on the audi-torium floor plan, be there Saturdayearly to help the vendors get set up,answer questions and, of course, makesure they get lunches and receive thankyou cards from NATRC.

2) I need a volunteer to takecharge of setting up the lunch buffet,manage the lines on Saturday andmake sure all goes smoothly. This in-cludes some Costco shopping to obtainthe goods. I have suggestions and amwilling to help you with this.

3) I need a volunteer(s) to makethe table centerpieces for the Saturdayawards dinner. We MUST have some

creative souls out there, so jump in! Ihave items from previous dinners, soperhaps you can utilize some of these,or use your imagination and create newones.

4) We can use help from all mem-bers to acquire donations! Remember,this is one of our major fundraisers forthe year. I do need someone to be theprimary person to keep track of dona-tions, help solicit them, set them up at

the convention,and write thethank you cardsto our support-ers afterwards.

So, lots ofwork to do, andif we can get 3-4volunteers,there won’t bethat much workfor any one per-son. Havingdone this multi-ple times in thepast, I will coor-dinate and helpeveryone andbe the “go to”person.

Step up tothe plate,

friends, and help make this a greatconvention for 2013!! Those of youwho’ve attended in the past know whatan educational, fun and social day thisis. So pitch in and help the 2013 con-vention be even more successful andfun for all.

Stay tuned. More info to follow infuture issues of Leadline and Region 1emails.

Linda Thomason2013 Convention [email protected]

(510) 651-9470

Region 1 Mini-Convention!Back to the Livermore

Wine Country!March 9, 2013

Election for the National Boardof Directors is coming upsoon. As a result of a ByLawschange passed by the mem-bership last year, this electionhas to be conducted by eachregion and the results commu-nicated to the National Boardby the November BOD meet-ing. I have been selected asthe person to conduct thatelection. If anyone is interest-ed in the position on the Na-tional Board, please contactme so I can get the necessaryforms for you to sign. Only oneperson has expressed interestat this time, and her resume iselsewhere in this newsletter.

Jim FerrisPO Box 300,

Penn Valley, CA [email protected]

(530) 432-6513

NationalBoard

Elections

Good Search - Pennys for NATRC

GoodSearch.com is a new searchengine that donates half its revenue,about a penny per search, to the char-ities its users designate. You use it justas you would any search engine, andit's powered by Yahoo!

Just go to GoodSearch.com andbe sure to enter NATRC as the charityyou want to support. Just 500 of ussearching four times a day will raiseabout $7,300 in a year without anyonespending a dime! And, be sure tospread the word!

Also, GoodSearch has a toolbarwhich you may download and install onyour browser. It is a clean, useful tool-bar which makes it easy to use Good-Search and with NATRC as yourcharity selection for Internet searches.


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Please see complete report in Hoof Print.

1. “A ride must be listed on the NATRC official web site (with thecorrect ride date) at least 60 days prior to the ride.”

Because the Hoof Print is only printed quarterly, and because the rideschedule and ride results are posted on the web site instead, this rulewould simply recognize the current process.

2. Riders must remain in the saddle when the horse is in forward motionover the course but may dismount and rest themselves and the horseanytime, provided they do not advance. At any location designated by thetrailmaster, ride manager, or judges as hazardous, riders may be in-structed to dismount and proceed on foot for a specified distance.

This rule would recognize the practicality of many situations.

3. The proposal would clarify how National Championships in Region 1A(Alaska) are calculated.

4. Stabling. Portable Corrals. This proposal would allow portable corralsas a stabling option at the discretion of ride management and/or theCTR facility. Panels would have to be securely attached to the trailer,and electric fencing would not be allowed. There is an excellent article inthe Summer Hoof Print that addresses some of the concerns.

5. CRI (Cardiac Recovery Index) would be listed among those parametersthat can be checked for the condition of the horse. It already can be done,but listing it would simply help alleviate the element of surprise some ridersmight feel.

Please let your National Board representatives (Jamie Dieterich, JimFerris, Phil Young), or your Region 1 Board of Directors (Linda Thomason,Angie Meroshnekoff, Steve Meroshnekoff, Stephanie Swain, Gene Boicel-li, Laura Harvey) know what you think about these issues.

Proposed Rule Changes for 2013ATTENTION:WE NEED TO

HEARFROM YOU

NATRC is your organization, andyour regional and nationalBoards of Directors representyou. So please take a moment tolet them know what you thinkabout the following items:

The proposed rule changes for2013:See separate report in this issueand in the Hoof Print. These willbe voted on at the NovemberNBOD meeting.

Honorary and AppreciationAward:We are to consider changing theJim Menefee Lifetime Member-ship Award to the Jim MenefeeLifetime Achievement Award. Nolifetime membership would beassociated with the award. Cur-rently we have about 400 lifetimemembers, which is wonderful,but it also means we are notreceiving new income for theirmembership dues. It is not goodfinancially for us to have or givelifetime memberships.

Joe Dillard andOM El ShakeebDream at theRound Valley

RidePhoto by

Carol Ormond, DVM

Davern Kronckeand Gracie atthe CowboyCamp Ride

photo byJamie Dieterich


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Aug 18-19 Jackson Forest Ft. Bragg “A” O/CP; “B” N Steve Meroshnekoff (707) 743-9973 [email protected] Sec: Maria Pilgrim (707) 795-8163 [email protected]

October 6 Lake Mendocino Ukiah, CA “B” O/N/CPSteve Meroshnekoff (707) 743-9973 [email protected]

Sec: Maria Pilgrim (707) 795-8163 [email protected]

October 27 If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It Arnold, CA “B” O/N/CP LIMIT 35 At Penny Pines

Michelle Pimentel (209) 735-1124 [email protected]: Joe Pimentel (209) 652-1091 [email protected]

Region 1 2012 Ride Schedule

New Ride!

New Ride!

From The Editor . .I’ve had a great summer this

year! I’ve been able to put lots ofmiles on my horse Bo (Indy’s Mid-night Sun), and a friend has beentagging along riding my mare. Soshe’s been getting a lot of milesalso. We’ve had some great timeson the trails! The weather hasbeen good, for the most part, andneither my horses nor I have suf-fered any injuries!

In July, for the first time in fouryears, I was able to actually com-pete my own horse in the BaldMountain Butt Buster Ride, heldnear Wasilla, Alaska. The photo isof the two of us crossing thefinish line on Sunday. Thefull ride story can be readelsewhere in this issue. But,I must say, I had a greattime, and I was very proud ofboth myself and my horsewhen we came away with1st in both Horse and Horse-manship for the Open Heav-yweight Class, we were HighPoint Horse/HorsemanshipCombined for the Open Divi-sion, and Bo was the HighPoint Half Arabian!

I conditioned and com-peted in Easy Boot Gloves,a first for me. I had a coupleissues with the boots on the

ride, and we succeeded in losingone of them somewhere in theriver bottoms because of a poorlymade gaiter. But when I reportedthe problem to Easy Care, theyimmediately shipped me a re-placement boot and gaiter! Nowthat’s a great company! Thanks,Easy Care!

This issue of the newsletterincludes a couple ride stories andsome pictures from several rides.Since the weather in the “Lower48” has been so hot, I’ve also in-cluded an article about electrolytesfor endurance horses. I hope youfind it helpful. As always, pleasekeep sending me stories and pic-

tures. I can never have too muchmaterial!

Be sure to carefully readabout the rule changes being pro-posed for 2013, and give yourfeedback to your Regional andNational Board members. Theyrepresent you and need your inputto be able to accurately representyou.

Additionally, there is an elec-tion for a National Board seat com-ing up. Consider giving back toyour favorite organization, andserve a term on the National BoardFill out the form in this issue andsend it in by the deadline.

There’s also a need for volun-teers to help out with theRegion One Mini-Conven-tion. See more informa-tion elsewhere in thisissue on how you canhelp with that event.

There’s still a fewweeks of summer left herein the far North, and I in-tend to cram as much rid-ing in as I can before thesnow flies. So if you can’tfind me, I’m probably outon the trail somewhere!Take care and stay safe!

Laurie KnuutilaFairbanks, AlaskaPhoto by Natalie Luther


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Status:During an informal session Friday eve-ning and during various aspects of theformal BOD meeting on Saturday, wediscussed where NATRC is now andwhere we are going.

Finances� Financially, revenue is up and ex-penses are down yielding a net gain forthe mid-year report. This is largely dueto income from special projects (spon-sorships, raffle, national convention)spearheaded by a few. (See completefinancial reports in Hoof Print).� The picture for the rest of the yearwill look different. The income that’ssupposed to sustain us is generated byrides, riders and members. We can an-ticipate continued income from riderfees (paid by ride management for ev-ery rider), but because most of thememberships have been received, therevenue growth will not be strong. TheBOD approved a $5 increase (thus a$10 fee) per member rider fee for 2013to help offset some of the pressure onspecial projects.� Bottom line. We expect to breakeven for 2012, but it would be wonderfulif we could show growth! We need morerides, more riders and more members.THANK YOU if you’re putting on a ride,riding in a ride, and or paying your dues.This is a tremendous sport, and yourcontinued support is not only greatlyappreciated, it is needed!!

Region 1 MeasurementsRegion 1’s goal for 2012 was to

have as many rides and average num-ber of riders per ride as in 2011. At thistime, we have more rides sanctioned (7)than we had in 2011 (5). We’ve alsohad more riders per ride (32) as com-pared to last (24).

THANK YOU if you’re putting on aride, riding in a ride, or volunteering at aride. We can’t do it without the volun-teers.

Proposed Rule ChangesSee separate report.

Judges CommitteeKate Jacob, DVM, R6, was approved asa new veterinary judge.

Media AdvisoryThe Summer Hoof Print has been post-ed on the website.http://www.natrc.org/hoofprint/HoofPrint.pdfElaine Swiss solicits and coordinatesthe sponsors; Bev Roberts does theartwork for the ads; Jamie Dieterichsolicits, edits (with help) and submitsthe contents; Kelly Carper Polden, edi-tor, does the layout. For 2012, the printversion is available on request. For2013, the print version will likely cost$15 for a subscription.

SafetyLarry Gould reminded us all to be awareand careful in the lineup for the prelimi-nary and final veterinary exams.

RaffleStay tuned for more details.

Drug Testing4 rides (outside of CA) tested so far; nopositive reports; more rides will be test-ed.

Management� Jean Green is working on updatingthe ride fees and statistics form used byride secretaries. She also reminds usto be sure to use the current liabilityforms and other ride forms found on theNATRC web site:http://www.natrc.org/documents_ride.htm.� The ride insurance fee now in-cludes ATV use, but they must be usedlegally according to local laws.� Reminder: we risk losing our in-surance coverage if we ride in the backof pickups.Marketing� E-News is an effective tool for an-nouncing events, especially rides. Ifyou are not getting ENews, sign upusing the Join/ Renew tab atwww.natrc.org.� NATRC shares links with 18 otherhorse magazines� The Jan/ Feb. issue of Trail Blazerhas numerous photos, including thecover, by Jim Edmondson, R4.� Recent articles referencing NA-TRC and competitive trail riding haveappeared in the June issue of Horseand Rider, Spotted Saddle HorseNews, Horse Channel.com, and inHorse Illustrated.

� NATRC has an exchange ad pro-gram with several breed organizations.� Bob and Margie Insko, R2 withtheir Region 2 board’s approval, will beplacing ads at the Ramona Café in Cal-ifornia. The NATRC ads will be underthe clear tabletop surface on 18 tablesin the café for a minimum of two years!One ad style will emphasize CTR notbeing a race and the other how muchfun CTR is.� Bev Roberts, the new webmaster,and been cleaning up code and updat-ing other aspects of the NATRC web-site. Take a look for breaking news,updates, and general information.www.natrc.org.

Bev Roberts National HorsemanshipChampion award for those achieving 5National Championships on differenthorses will be recognized similarly tothe Horse Hall of Fame and included inthe listing in the front of the Rule Book

Honorary and AppreciationWe are to consider changing the JimMenefee Lifetime Membership Awardto the Jim Menefee Lifetime Achieve-ment Award. No lifetime membershipwould be associated with the award.

National Convention 2013Denver, CO February 21-23, 2013.

FutureIf you have some ideas how to havemore rides, make it easier to put onrides, or get more riders to come torides, please share with your R1 Boardof Directors/ National Directors.

Respectfully submitted,

Jamie DieterichNBOD

Judges Committee;Education Committee;

Policies and Procedures;Media Advisory Committee

Highlights From the National Board of Directors MeetingJuly 14, 2012


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Region 1 Ride ResultsCMDTRA Mt. Diablo5/5/2012 Region 1-CAB-O/N/CP Total Riders: 38Chair: Ellen PofcherJudges: Greg Fellers DVM, Jim FerrisNovice Sweepstakes: Stillwater'sBastian/Arnold, Mary-Ellis-99Open Sweepstakes: Amiraborr /

Boicelli, Gene-99

Open Heavyweight1 /2 Amiraborr/Boicelli, Gene2/1 Stealth Knight/Boicelli, Victoria3/3 Porter BL/Schroeder, Eric

Open Lightweight1/1 Desert Reinbeau /

Meroshnekoff, Angie2/2 Sierra Sunshine/Stidolph, Donna

Open Junior1/1 Kaylee/Johnson, Karlie

Novice Heavyweight1 /2 Sun-Ray's Princess D/

Meinert, Brad2/1 Kodie/Pimentel, Joe3/5 Tres/Goodwin, Lydia4/4 MK Van Gough/York, Ron5/3 Diamond H Shalako /

Vovchuk, Virginia

Novice Lightweight1 /2 Stillwater's Bastian /

Arnold, Mary-Ellis2/1 Pokani/Owens, Jill3/ CC Honey Dew/Ballard, Tanya4/6 Jac/Christenson, Valerie5/ Tuscany Berlitz/Sammons, Sara6/ SC Tecka/York, Debbie /3 7th Heaven Star/Fuller, Lisa /4 Nura BL Da/Cunha, Heather /5 Draco/Miller, Veed

Novice Junior1/5 Smoke/Waota, Mia

2/3 Maynard/Undlin, Caroline3/6 Ravens Eagle/Goodfriend, Arielle4/1 Garnet/Diaz, Sonya5/4 Romance/Heinzmann, Catie6/2 Beauhemian/Barash, Emma

Competitive Pleasure1 /2 Kamiko/Thurman, Ariel2/ OM El Shakeeb Dream /

Dillard, Joe3/3 La Paloma Dream /

Dillard, Ashley4/ Fames Baydal BL/Fitts, Gary5/ BVA Slate/Pillsbury, Trish6/1 Cissy/Flagg, Susan/4 Tango Sierra/Harvey, Laura /5 Lady Tigers Hi Syn /

Schlerf, Haley/6 Thee Vandal/

Ostrowski, Stephanie Pistol Pete DF/Armer, Jean Lakota/Lieberknecht, Kay

Halimaar Tu/Koenig, Jae

Lydia Goodwin and Tres enjoying theview at the Mount Diablo ride

Photo by Jamie Dieterich

Debbie York (SC Tecka) andRon York (MK Van Gough) at the

Mt. Diablo Ride - Photo by Jamie Dietrich

How DOES she get on that horse?Jill Owens and Pokani at Mt. Diablo


Region 1 has a Facebook Page! JUNIOR RIDERREBATE

Junior riders who are NATRCmembers by the secondSunday in November of aride year and complete 2 ormore rides in that same rideyear are eligible to receivea rebate of $30 per com-pleted ride for up to 3 rides.Please contact Phil Young,R1 Treasurer for more de-tails.


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More Region 1 Ride ResultsRound Valley A6/16-17/2012 Region One-CAA-O/CP Total Riders: 16Chair: Gene BoicelliJudges: Carol Ormond DVM, JamieDieterichOpen Sweepstakes: Cobay /

Wolf, Jeanine-93

Open Heavyweight1/1 Stealth Knight/Boicelli, VictoriaP Calico Mt. Sheila/Cannon, Linda

Open Lightweight1/1 Cobay/Wolf, Jeanine2/2 Sierra Sunshine/Stidolph, DonnaP Marilyn/Pimental, MichelleP Porter BL/Meroshnekoff, AngieP Kamiko/Thurman, Ariel

Open Junior1/1 Amiraborr/Saudan, Tina

Competitive Pleasure1 /2 OM El Shakeeb Dream /

Dillard, Joe2/1 Lady Tigers Hi Syn/Schlerf, Haley3 /4 Pistol Pete DF/Armer, Jean4/3 Denebaborr/Lieberknecht, KayCO Tango Sierra/Harvey, LauraP La Paloma Dream/Dillard, AshleyP Laarkin/Brown, TammyP National Treasure/Brown, Doug

Round Valley B6/16/2012 Region One-CAB-N Total Riders: 16Chair: Gene BoicelliJudges: Carol Ormond DVM, JamieDieterichNovice Sweepstakes: Stillwater'sBastian/Arnold, Mary-Ellis-96.5

Novice Heavyweight1/1 Tuscany Berlitz/Berlitz, Barbara2/2 Kodie/Pimentel, Joe3/3 Cameo Star Sensation /

Patterson, Melissa4/4 MK Van Gough/York, Ron5/5 Gracie/Kroncke, DavernP Song/Ostrowski, Stephanie

Novice Lightweight1 /2 Stillwater's Bastian /

Arnold, Mary-Ellis2/1 Pokani/Owens, Jill3/3 CC Honey Dew/Ballard,Tanya4/5 Downtown Sassy Brown /

Tripp,Beth5/4 OM El Bilbao/York, Debbie6/DO Palistar/Swain,StephanieP Helvetias Prince/Haas, ClivedenP 7th Heaven Star/Fuller, Lisa

Novice Junior1/1 Shayla/Ikerd, MaleahP Garnet/Anderson, Molly

Tina Saudan and Amiraborr atthe Round Valley RidePhoto by Carol Ormond, DVM

Hydration was the name of the game atthe Round Valley Ride - Jean Armer and

Joe Dillard let their horses “tank” upPhoto by Carol Ormond, DVM

Resumefor the NATRC

NationalBoard of Directors

Angie MeroshnekoffStatement of interest for position on the NationalBoard of Directors of the North American Trail RideConference.

I have been a long time riderand member of NATRC and Ihave been a member of theRegion 1 board for 12 yearsand past Chairman of thatboard. I have over 8000 ridemiles and have spent count-less hours as a volunteer. Ihave ridden in all 3 divisionsand worked as a volunteer atrides, as P&R person, rafflechairman or judges secretaryand have pinch-hit as ride sec-retary several times. I havebeen trail master and helpedorganize 7 rides and have alsobeen either co-chairman orsecretary for four Region 1mini conventions and wasnewsletter editor for the Re-gional newsletter for severalyears.

Stephanie Ostrowski, DVM, checksCindy Baker-Miller’s horse at

the Bald Mountain RidePhoto by Terri Dodd Gonzalex


10

More Region 1 Ride ResultsCowboy Camp A6/2-3/2012 Region One-CAA-O/CP Total Riders: 14Chair: Jean ArmerJudges: Leroy Burnham DVM, NancyKasovichOpen Sweepstakes: DesertReinbeau/Meroshnekoff, Angie-99

Open Heavyweight1 /2 Amiraborr/Boicelli, Gene2/1 Stealth Knight/Boicelli, Victoria

Open Lightweight1/1 Desert Reinbeau /

Meroshnekoff, Angie2/2 Marilyn/Pimentel, Michelle3/3 Sierra Sunshine/Stidolph, Donna

Open Junior1/1 Kaylee/Johnson, Karlie

Competitive Pleasure1/1 La Paloma Dream /

Dillard, Ashley2/3 Lady Tigers Hi Syn /

Schlerf, Haley3 /4 OM El Shakeeb Dream /

Dillard, Joe4/2 Kamiko/Thurman, Ariel5/5 Tango Sierra/Harvey, Laura6/6 Laarkin/Brown, Tammy Denebaborr/Lieberknecht, KayP National Treasure/Brown, Doug

Cowboy Camp B6/2/2012 Region One-CAB-N Total Riders: 13Chair: Jean ArmerJudges: Leroy Burnham DVM, NancyKasovichNovice Sweepstakes: Stillwater'sBastian/Arnold, Mary-Ellis-100

Novice Heavyweight1 /4 MK Van Gough/York, Ron2/1 Sun-Ray's Princess D./

Meinert, Brad3/2 Tuscany Berlitz/Berlitz, Barbara4/3 Gracie/Kroncke, Davern

Novice Lightweight1/3 Stillwater's Bastian /

Arnold, Mary-Ellis2/1 Om El Bilbao/York, Debbie3/2 7th Heaven Star/Fuller, Lisa4/5 CC Honey Dew/Ballard, Tanya5/4 Helvetias Prince/Haas, Cliveden6/DO Palistar/Swain, Stephanie

Novice Junior1 /2 Lola/Johnson, Kirsten2/3 Garnet/Diaz, Sonya3/1 Shayla/Ikerd, Maleah

Cowboy Camp P & R Crew ExtraordinaireSteve Meroshnekoff,

Phil Young and Jim ShuraPhoto by Jamie Dieterich

P & R stop at the Cowboy Camp RidePhoto by Jim Ferris Karlie Johnson & Kaylee followed by

Angie Meroshnekoff & Desert Rein-beau at the Cowboy Camp Ride


NATRC StudentLoan Program

Student loans are available up to$5,000 per person /year, at the discre-tion of the NATRC National Board ofDirectors, after proper application hasbeen submitted. Preference will be givento a full-time student who has been amember of NATRC or whose family hasbeen an active member for at least threeyears. Consideration will also be givento a student or a student’s family whohas been an active member of NATRCfor less than three years but more thansix months.

For more details and an applica-tion, please go to www.natrc.org.

To encourage participation by 4H members, NATRC has offered a 4H JuniorRider Year End High Point Award for many years. For 2012 some significantchanges were made as follows:· The award goes to the high point rider and high point horse regardless of

the rider’s division.· The award is a self-nominating award. The nomination must occur before

the end of the ride year, which is the second Sunday in November. Thisyear, it will be November 11, 2012. The rider must (1) be a member ofNATRC (2) send Laurie DiNatale an email ([email protected]) stating thatthey are a 4H member and (3 have their 4H leader verify that they are amember with an email to Laurie DiNatale ([email protected]).

In a number of states (Colorado is one example), 4H now recognizes compet-itive trail as an activity that qualifies as a 4H member’s project.Questions? Contact Susan Peters, [email protected].

Attention All 4-H Horse Members!


11

More Region 1 Ride Results

Bald Mountain Butt Buster A7/21,22/2012 Region 1A-AlaskaA-O/CP Total Riders: 45Chair: Stefanie BergmanJudges: Stephanie Ostrowski DVM,Lory WallsOpen Sweepstakes: Dynamic’sSpirit/Mielke, Terri-97

Open Heavyweight1/1 Indy’s Midnight Sun

Knuutila, Laurie2/6 Lola/Hrncir, Dorothy3/2 Jasmine’s Magic/Fisk, Colleen4/3 Wild Lady’s Nite/Dent, Susan5/ Maximus the Black /

Inglet, Christine6/4 Windy/Brassard, Emily /5 Star of Excellence /

Halley, CatherineP Alita-McCoy/Inglet, LindseyP Always Lucky/Romine, Rebecca

Open Lightweight1/3 Dynamic’s Spirit/Mielke, Terri2/2 Monet Image/Moore, Deb3/1 Willow Bey Star/Grogan, Brenda4/ She’s A Dandy/Bentz, Autumn5/5 ShaMara/Forrester, Donna6/6 Hunar/Talbot, Vickie /4 The Jewel Thief/Lythgoe, MarciaP Titan/Nail, JamieP Brisco/Stevenson, Kelly

Open Junior1 /2 Siddasnickerechoes /

Lorence, Kelti2/1 TWS Echstravaganza /

Quinn, Chase

Competitive Pleasure1/ Royal Prince Caspian2/1 Sunny/Sullivan, Bill3/2 Jake/Bue, Cortney4/ Cinch/Sands, William5/ Army’s Cache of Class /

Wilson, Kristin6/ Dynfari From Arctic Arrow /

Miller, Charles /3 Lady’s Midnight Scout /

Dorman, Sierra /4 Dapper Dan Da Lady’s Man /

Kolehmainen, Karol /5 Merrylegs/Luther, Cindy /6 Spiffy/Gotschall, Sarah Manadis/Baker-Miller, Cindy Poncho/Bennet, Rebekah Raudhetta/Culhane, Alyse JD’s Baja/Daugherty, Joanne Future’s Razzel Dazzel /

Luther, Natalie Siggi/Praetorius, Pete Pushin’ CD’s Pride /

Terwilliger, EileenCO Duke/Barkman, ElyssaP Maggie/Ash, HeatherP Thor/Poorbaugh, Keith

P Cisco/Spangler, GinaP Biscuit/Spangler, TomP Push Flirt’s Button/Wilson, ShirleyDO PNickel/Quinton, MichelleDO P Sargeant/Quinton, Reed

Bald Mountain Butt Buster B7/21/2012 Region 1A-AlaskaB-N Total Riders: 11Chair: Stefanie BergmanJudges: Stephanie Ostrowski DVM,Lory WallsNovice Sweepstakes: Luke/

Onorati, Melissa-100

Novice Heavyweight1/1 Trinity/Cupples, Jayme2/3 Pepper/Ross, Gary3/2 Lucky/Ross, BeckyP Shady/Duncan, Patty

Novice Lightweight1 /2 Luke/Onorati, Melissa2/1 Bo/Schamber, Pam3/3 Tucker/Mailly, Sarah4/4 Kay/Tulip, IngaP Chassy/Jett, Pamela

Novice Junior1/1 Tinni/Wood, Emily2/2 Pistol/McCoy, Mariah

Chase Quinn and Emily Brassard at theBald Mountain RidePhoto by Deanna Quinn

Susan Dent at theBald Mountain Ride

Photo by Terri Dodd Gonzalez

Kristin Wilson at the Bald Mountain RidePhoto by Terri Dodd Gonzalez


12

The meeting was held at Round Val-ley Regional Park, Brentwood, CA, on17 June 2012.

Call to Order:The meeting was called to order at3:12 p.m. by Chairman, Linda Thoma-son.Present: Linda Thomason, PhilYoung, Jamie Dieterich, Jim Ferris,Gene Boicelli, Stephanie Swain, Lau-ra Harvey, Angie Meroshnekoff, andSteve Meroshnekoff.Guests: Betty Young

Secretary’s Report:Jim Ferris moved to approve the Min-utes of 22 January 2012 meeting and11 March 2012 which were submittedfor review via email; seconded byGene Boicelli. Unanimously ap-proved.

Treasurer’s Report:The Cowboy Camp 2012 Region 1Benefit Ride earned approximately$2000.00. There is approximately$23,000.00 in the checking account.Jamie moved to approve the Treasur-er’s Report; Linda Thomason second-ed. Unanimously approved.

Committee Reports:� Physical Resource Coordinator: Lin-da Thomason - No update� Historian: Kathy Nixon – No update�Wonder Workers: Steve Merosh-nekoff – No update� Points/Membership: Jim Ferris – Noupdate� Publicity: Linda Thomason – Noupdate� The Leadline: Phil Young – No up-date

National BOD: Jamie Dieterich -Proposed $5.00/rider increase inmember rider fees paid to National byride managers. R1 BOD – NOProposed rule changes for 2013;wording to be finalized at the JulyNBOD meeting:1. Proposed rule change would re-

word Section 2 A.5.f. of the RuleBook to account for the fact thatThe Hoof Print is no longer pub-

lished often enough for ride man-agers to abide by the presentwording. R1 BOD – YES

2. To correct wording in Section 5 I.4from “designated by the trail mas-ter as hazardous”, to “designatedby the trail master, ride manag-er, or judges as hazardous”, asthis is often presently done. R1BOD – YES

3. For clarification purposes, Section6 B.1.e would be changed from“P&R scoring will be” to “P&Rprocedures and scoring will be”.R1 BOD – YES

4. Section 10 B.2.a would bechanged from “within any three-year period” to “within any con-secutive three-year period” toclarify that the three-year periodmust be three consecutive years.This change applies only to Re-gion 1A (Alaska). R1 BOD – YES

5. Section 5 B.4 would be changed todefine types of portablepens/corrals that are acceptable/not acceptable stabling options,with the purpose of allowing theuse of certain types of portablecorrals/panels. R1 BOD – YESwith removal of brand specificnames.

6. Would change the wording of Sec-tion 6 B.1 to include the use ofCRI (Cardiac Recovery Index) inthe evaluation of condition, andto correct terminology (Myoglobi-nuria instead of azoturia). R1BOD – YES with change of “CRI”to “cardiac recovery index (CRI)”.

� National Board of Directors seat(s)being vacated: Jim Ferris might notrun again. Need nominees, and tohold election and report the results atthe November NBOD meeting.� Region 1 Board of Directors seat(s)up for election/re-election at the endof this year: Gene Boicelli and Steph-anie Swain.� Region 1 Website: Site fee paid for2012� Ride/Clinic Management: Jamie Di-eterich – No update�Outreach Coordinator: Linda Thom-ason – No update

� Trails Advocacy Coordinator: JudyEtheridge – No report.� Bylaws: Jim Ferris, Jamie Dieterich,Phil Young: - in progress� Judging Issues: Jamie Dieterich,Betty Young – no update

Old Business:� R1 Corporate/Non-profit status: PhilYoung – 501c3 application in progress� T-shirt/sweatshirt Sales: sold $97 atCowboy Camp� NATRC Computers: Jim Ferris –conversion of membership program inprogress� Need to amend Minutes of the NA-TRC Region 1 BOD Meeting held 25September 2011 at Cowboy Camp,Cache Creek Wilderness, CA:change the words “ribbons and certif-icates” to read “awards.”

New Business:� Possible partnership with CaliforniaState Horseman’s Association TrailProgram being investigated by LindaThomason� Lake Mendocino Ride managementrequested seed money to start thenew ride. Jim Ferris moved to grant$300.00 in seed money to the LakeMendocino Ride. Linda seconded.Approved.� Year End Awards – Betty Youngbrought up the fact that Year EndAwards are a considerable expenseto Region 1, and with fewer awardsponsors this past year we need toconsider more affordable awards for2012. Suggestions are requested.

Next Meeting:Time: 10:00 a.m.Date: 23 September 2012Location: Jim Ferris’ home, Big OakValley, CA

Close of Meeting:Jim Ferris moved to adjourn the meet-ing; Gene Boicelli seconded. All infavor.

Respectfully Submitted,

Stephanie Swain

Minutes of the NATRC Region 1 BOD Meeting


13

RESUMEFOR NOMINEES FOR NATRC NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS – Region 1

In order to select a slate of nominees for this year’s ballot, we need a resume of your qualifications. Please an-swer the following, sign the pledge and return this form to the Nominating Committee Chairman by September1, 2012.

NAME REGION

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP PHONE

HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN A NATRC MEMBER?

INTEREST IN NATRC (RIDER, MANAGER, JUDGE)Please make a statement regarding your interest, qualification, related interests and what you wouldlike to do for NATRC. Be brief and please do it in 200 words or less. The information will be used onour ballots to acquaint the voters with you. Use the back of this page for your statement or attach anadditional page and return to the Nomination Committee Chairman.Results of the election will be presented at the fall meeting of the National Board of Directors. Yourterm will begin in January.As a member of the NATRC Board of Directors, you will be expected to attend the National Boardmeetings held three times a year. As dual directors serving also on the Region 1 Board of Directors,you will be expected to attend four meetings a year. Expenses related to the National Board meetingsare largely borne by the Region, but you will have out-of-pocket expenses.Thank you for your interest in serving on the Board of NATRC.

PLEDGE:IF I AM ELECTED TO THE NORTH AMERICAN TRAIL RIDE CONFERENCE BOARD OF DIREC-TORS, I AGREE TO BE PRESENT AT ALL BOARD MEETINGS, IF POSSIBLE, AND TO ACCEPTTHE EQUITABLE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AS VOTED BY THE BOARD ON WHICH I SERVE.

SIGNATURE OF CANDIDATE

Please return no later than September 1, 2012, to:

Jim Ferris * PO Box 300 * Penn Valley, CA 95946530/ 432-6513 * [email protected]


14

Electrolytes are a criticalcomponent of an endurancehorse’s nutritional program sincethey play an important role inmaintaining osmotic pressure,fluid balance, and nerve andmuscle activity. During exercise,sodium (Na+), potassium (K+),and chloride (Cl) are lost in largequantities through sweating.Loss of these electrolytes caus-es fatigue and muscle weaknessand decreases the thirst re-sponse to dehydration. It is vital-ly important that performancehorses begin competition withoptimal levels of fluids and elec-trolytes in their bodies and thatthese important nutrients arereplaced throughout prolongedexercise.

Because most electrolytelosses in the horse occurthrough sweating, one methodof calculating electrolyte require-ments can be based on differentamounts of sweat loss. Theamount of sweat loss will de-pend on a number of factorssuch as duration and intensity ofexercise, temperature, and hu-midity.

Sweat LossesIt is important to have some

idea of the magnitude of electro-lyte loss a horse incurs duringexercise before a feeding pro-gram can be developed to re-place these losses.

The amount of sweat losswill depend on a number of fac-tors such as duration and inten-sity of exercise, temperature,and humidity. In general, horses

exercising at low intensity (12-18km/hr) will lose between 5 and10 liters (1.3 and 2.6 gallons) ofsweat per hour. During higherintensity exercise (30-35 km/hr),sweat loss levels reach as highas 15 liters per hour. At the 1996Olympic Games in Atlanta, hors-es lost an average of 18.4 kg(41 lb) of body weight during thespeed and endurance phase ofthe three-day event, whichtranslates to a sweat loss ofaround 15 liters (4 gallons).

Electrolyte Requirements Dur-ing Endurance Training

Daily electrolyte require-ments can be estimated by cal-culating the total amount ofmileage logged weekly by thehorse, taking into account theenvironmental conditions underwhich the training occurs. Forexample, if an endurance horsewere logging 50 km (31 miles) ofwork per week in a cool environ-ment (20-25° C, 68-77o F), itwould only require about 60-120grams (2-4 ounces) of a well-formulated electrolyte supple-ment to meet its daily electrolyterequirements. The lower rangeof supplementation would beadequate if the horse were alsoreceiving adequate forage and agrain mix that contained supple-mental salt, as well as access toa salt block. Horses at rest willnormally consume around 50grams (0.75 ounce) of salt perday from a salt lick.

As training mileage and en-vironmental temperature in-crease, so does the requirement

for electrolyte supplementation.Horses that are training heavily(100 km or 62 miles/week) in ahotter environment (33-35° C,92-95o F) may need 140-200grams (5-7 ounces) of supple-mental electrolytes daily.

The recommendations givenabove are based on supple-menting electrolytes at the samerate daily even though theamount of exercise performedeach day will vary. This is proba-bly a reasonable approach tosupplementation except for dayswhen the training distance isespecially long. For those days,additional supplementation maybe warranted.

As a rule of thumb, 60grams (2 ounces) of electrolytesupplementation are required foreach hour of exercise in moder-ate climates. This rate of supple-mentation will double in hotenvironments when sweat lossis extensive. A long training rideof 60 km/38 miles (~4 hours) inmoderate temperatures wouldtherefore produce enough sweatloss to require 240 grams (8ounces) of electrolyte supple-mentation. This level of supple-mentation would need to bepartially provided during the ride(60 grams or 2 ounces at 20 and40 km) using an oral electrolytepaste with the remainder of theelectrolyte administered after theride. If the horse will not con-sume this quantity of electrolyte(120 grams or 4 ounces) in asingle meal, 60 grams (2 ounc-es) can be administered as apaste at the end of the ride.

Electrolyte Supplementation ofEndurance Horses

Reprinted with permission of Kentucky Equine Research; for more nutrition and health/management information visit www.equinews.com

Continued on next page …


15

… continued from previous page

When administering oralelectrolyte pastes, it is absolute-ly essential that the horse haveaccess to drinking water. If thehorse refuses to drink, do notadminister an electrolyte paste.

Supplementation During En-durance Competition

There is a great deal of con-troversy about how to administerelectrolytes during competition.Competitors have used anumber of different strategiessuccessfully, and the recom-mendations given here are notnecessarily the only way toachieve success.

During competition, sweatlosses can be very large. Usingthe sweating rates describedearlier, an endurance horse willlose between 45 and 60 liters(12 to 16 gallons) of sweat dur-ing a 160-km (96-mile) ride. Thisrepresents electrolyte losses of460-690 grams (16-24 ounces).Additionally, 9-14 grams (0.3-0.5 ounces) of calcium and 5-8grams (0.2-0.3 ounces) of mag-nesium will be lost throughsweating. It is debatable wheth-er all of these losses can orneed to be completely replacedduring the competition. Re-search has shown that endur-ance horses participating in80-160 km events often have afluid deficit of 20 to 40 liters (5 to11 gallons) despite having ac-cess to water and electrolytesduring the ride. Canadian re-searchers have shown, howev-er, that endurance horses withless pronounced fluid and elec-trolyte alterations during a com-petitive ride were moresuccessful than those withgreater changes. Therefore, it is

absolutely essential that a largeproportion of the electrolytesand water lost in sweat be re-placed during the ride.

Pre-ride electrolyte loading The endurance horse must

start the competition with ade-quate stores of both water andelectrolytes. This can be accom-plished in two ways. First, theendurance horse should be on ahigh level of forage (hay or pas-ture) intake before a ride. Whena horse is fed liberal quantitiesof forage, it can store extra wa-ter and electrolytes in its largeintestine. These stores can becalled on to replace sweat loss-es early in the ride. Second, ex-tra electrolytes can beadministered the night beforeand the morning of the ride. Thehorse’s system is finely tuned tobalance the amount of electro-lytes and water that it stores inits body at rest, so excessivepre-ride electrolyte supplemen-tation should be avoided. Mod-erate supplementation (60grams or 2 ounces the night be-fore and 60 grams or 2 ouncesthe morning of competition) willinsure that the horse has ade-quate electrolytes within its bodyand will provide additional elec-trolyte stores within the gastroin-testinal tract.

Electrolyte supplementationduring competition

Electrolytes should be sup-plemented throughout competi-tion. The type of electrolytesupplement used during compe-tition is slightly different than thatwhich is used during training.This electrolyte should provideadditional calcium and magnesi-um along with sodium, potassi-

um, and chloride. If calcium andmagnesium losses are not re-placed by mobilization of skele-tal stores or by supplementation,metabolic disturbances such asthumps may occur. Electrolytesshould be administered to hors-es at each vet check and at wa-ter stops along the trail. Thebest way to administer electro-lytes is in the form of a paste.Pastes are commercially availa-ble, or they can be made upfresh at the vet check by dilutingan electrolyte powder in apple-sauce, water, or liquid antacid. Areasonable dose of electrolytepowder (or equivalent) is 60grams or 2 ounces at each vetcheck. Thirty- to 60-gram (1- to2-ounce) doses of electrolytecan be administered on the trail.It is worth reemphasizing thatthe horse must have access todrinking water when receivingconcentrated electrolyte pastes.These pastes are hypertonic (agreater concentration of electro-lytes) compared to blood andwill effectively draw fluid out ofthe horse into the gut if they arenot diluted by drinking water.Administering large doses ofelectrolytes without adequatewater intake will result in seriousproblems including colic, dehy-dration, and possibly death.

Post-ride supplementationAdministering 120-240

grams (4-8 ounces) of electro-lyte over the 24-hour post-rideperiod can eliminate most of thepost-ride electrolyte deficit. Aportion of this can be given as apaste shortly after the conclu-sion of the ride followed by top-dressing supplementation ofelectrolyte on the next two orthree meals.


16

So proclaimed the t-shirts andsweatshirts that commemorated the2012 Bald Mountain Butt Buster Com-petitive Trail Ride. At the beginning ofthe weekend, all the riders were confi-dent that they could proudly wear thatshirt by Sunday night. Would that actu-ally be the case, everyone wondered?

The 2012 Bald Mountain Butt Bust-er Competitive Trail Ride was held onJuly 20-22, outside Wasilla, Alaska. I

attended as a competitor in the OpenDivision. A total of 56 riders (26 of themfirst timers!) had signed up for this ride,the most ever at an Alaskan ride! Firsttime Ride Manager Stefanie Bergmanand first time Ride Secretary JennyDaniels had their very capable handsfull!

When I arrived at ride camp onThursday (after an 8 hour, 320 mile tripthrough some of the most gorgeousscenery in the world!), the weather wasbeautiful, with sunshine and blue skies.The summer in the southcentral area ofAlaska had been characterized by grayskies and rain, but this day was gor-geous. My horse made the trip in goodshape and settled into camp nicely.

By the time vet-in started on Fridayafternoon, conducted by vet judgeStephanie Ostrowski, DVM, the sunnyskies were gone and there was a threat

of rain. After a potluck dinner, in which,in the words of Ride Manager StefanieBergman, “the tables gave birth tofood,” the ride briefing was conductedby Trail Master Katie Carney. Shewarned us that if the rain materialized,the trails would be slick.

During the night, the rainstarted….and continued most of the dayon Saturday. I took the time on Satur-day morning to install studs in myhorse’s Easyboot Gloves, and by theend of the day, I was very thankful thatI had! The rain came down hard attimes, at times driven sideways by thewind, at other times a light mist. Rightout of camp, the horsemanship judge,Lory Walls, watched the riders pass by.My horse has been known to performsome interesting “airs above theground” at the start of a ride. But thisyear, his feet stayed on the ground, andalthough he did get excited when hors-

es would pass us, he maintained hiscomposure and continued to listen tome. The training I’d done all summerwhile riding with others of passing andbeing passed was paying off.

The trail took us through woods onrooty trails and around open hay fields.Lory was at the top of one of thosefields, watching us trot into our first P &R of the day. After a metabolics check,Stephanie asked us to perform a mountand then back our horses three steps ina straight line. After that, we wendedour way back to camp for lunch. With allthe rain, the trail was sloppy and slick inareas, not so bad in others. The trails inthe woods were “walk only” because of

all the roots. But the timing was good,and we were able to easily make ourtime. Just before arriving back in camp,Lory observed us go up a hill. The ridemanager and a photographer were atthe top of the hill and kept the ridersdistracted from the judge. Only one ortwo riders actually saw her.

As we were leaving lunch, we per-formed a mount for Lory. Then the trailtook us into the river bottom to a cross-ing of the Little Susitna River. The rainhad not caused a significant rise in thewater level, and we were able to crosswith no problems. The vet judge wasthere, watching as we crossed the riverat an angle. The water was swift, aboutmid-forearm deep on a 15 hand horse,and the river was wide. To keep fromdrifting with the current, the rider’s eyeshad to be fixed on the opposite bank.Salmon could be spotted swimming inthe crystal-clear water.

As we were starting up the moun-tain for which the ride is named we weretreated to fresh lemonade and cookieshanded out by a family who lived alongthe trail. It was very welcome and re-freshing, even on a cold, windy, rainy

day!The climb up Bald Mountain was,

of course, punctuated at the top by a P& R stop. The wonderful P & R crewbraved the lousy weather to be there tocheck horses. One of them even tookher knit cap off and gave it to a riderwho was suffering from the cold!

The trail getting off the mountainwas very muddy, chewed up by all thehorses’ hooves and very slick in areas.There were reports of butt-sliding and

“I Survived The BMBB!”By Laurie Knuutila

The lemonade hander-outersPhoto by Sierra Dorman

A rain-soaked P&R stop on theflanks of Bald Mountain

Photo by Deanna Quinn

Two amazing ladies -Ride Secretary Jenny Daniels

and Ride ManagerStefanie Bergman



17

mud-slinging! But everyone made itdown (the lemonade-hander-outerswere there on the return trip too!), andwe were observed again re-crossing theLittle Su at a different crossing. Then itwas back through the river bottom andinto camp. In the river bottom, Lory hadus ride into the river at a spot where afence line (with a gate) blocked the trail.The fence extended a little bit into theriver and we had to ride around the endof it and back onto the trail Back incamp, both riders and horses were

chilled and soaked, but there weresmiles and laughter, despite the weath-er. Some folks loaded their horses intotheir trailers, while others used truckheaters to warm up and dry out. Vet outrevealed a few sore horses, but for themost part, everyone seemed to havesurvived the tough trail and lousyweather unscathed.

The judges tallied their cards forthe Novice Division riders and after din-ner, the awards for them were handedout. Most of the riders in the NoviceDivision were first time competitors, anddespite the weather, they seemed tohave enjoyed the ride and several saidthey were looking forward to riding nextyear.

The rain continued off and onthrough the night, and the next morning,a meeting was called. An unscheduledmeeting at a competitive trail ride canmean only one thing – changes to thetrail. And indeed, Trail Master Katie Car-ney had been up since the wee hours,figuring out a re-route of a lot of the trailand re-figuring the ride times. The trailup Bald Mountain was unsafe due tomud and slickness, so Katie decided forthe morning trail to send us around thehay fields we had ridden on Saturday soshe and her crew would have time to

scurry up the mountain on their four-wheelers and re-flag the afternoon trail.She was very patient and thorough inexplaining the rerouting, and havingbeen a Trail Master many times, I knewthe stress level she must have beenfeeling!

The morning trail was ridden inreverse of the day before, with a P & Rin the same place, along the edge of ahay field. This time, Stephanie did hermetabolics check then had us do a shortsidepass to retrieve a ribbon from a treeand sidepass back to hand it to her.Then we were off through the woods,headed back to camp. The rain contin-ued off and on, more off than on, all

morning. Near camp, Lory watched usdescend a short, but very steep sectionof trail. Then we had lunch back in camp.

The clouds were starting to breakup as we headed back up Bald Moun-tain. We took a different route, whichtook us across the river again and thenwe followed driveways and roads as weclimbed the mountain. Along the way,Lory watched us cross the river andStephanie watched us ride over abridge over a small creek. A loop trail onthe mountain had a P & R stop at the topof it, and as we made our way up themountain, the clouds broke up com-pletely and the sun shone brightly. Thetemperature and the humidity rose dra-matically! The Matanuska Valleystretched out below us, and theChugach Mountains gleamed in the dis-tance, rising majestically above the val-ley.

After the P & R, it was all downhillback to the river. Lory watched us rideacross the bridge over the creek. Theriver had risen somewhat with all therain, and when we came to the crossing,

there were “river guards” directing usacross the river by the safest route.Thank you, Jenny and Keith. Your pres-ence was reassuring! Back through theriver bottom we went, and back intocamp by a circuitous route that took uspast a pen in which two doe-eyed youngcalves hung their heads over the fencewatching us ride by. They were so cute!

Back in camp, the vet-out proceed-ed while a delicious dinner was beingprepared. The barbequed ribs, chicken,baked beans, salads and several otherside dishes were most welcome after along day on the trail! The sun continuedto shine, right up until awards time.Then it clouded back up and spit a littlemore rain, as if to have the last word!

Despite the challenges presentedby a large number of riders, lousyweather, and trail problems, the man-

agement team of the Bald MountainRide did an excellent job of putting onthe ride. They were well organized andhad all the details covered. The timingof the trail was excellent, the trail mark-ings were excellent (I only took out mymap to check timing points), and al-though the weather caused the trail tobe a little challenging, it was still doable,and the country we rode through wasbeautiful. Most of the trail is on privateland with permission granted only forthe ride, a fact that makes the BaldMountain ride that much more special.Thanks to the entire crew of the ride formaking it all possible! And those of uswho did finish can proudly wear thoseshirts that state “I Survived the BMBB!”

Christine Inglet andMaximus the Black smile

as they arrive back in camp.Photo by Lori Benner

Brenda Grogan and Willow Bey Starcrossing the Little Susitna River


How does a P&R crew stay warm inhorizontal rain? By doing yoga, of

course! Photo by Deanna Quinn


18

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