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Horse Lovers’ Fling
BCHA's Annual Horse Lovers' Fling is the major fund raising project for BCHA.
The event brings hundreds of horse people together to meet, greet and celebrate Boulder County's horse industry.  2010 Fling will be Sunday, June 27th at Lone Hawk Farms in Longmont.  Save the date!



Educational Seminar Series
BCHA presents several educational seminars a year. We partner with other organizations to present the most professional information available. Seminars are free to BCHA members and $15 for non-members, which may be applied to the cost of membership on that day. This link will give you a sampling of recent and upcoming seminars.

View some of our Previous Seminars


Annual Membership Meeting
The 2009 Annual Meeting was held Feb. 12th, at the Spice of Life Event Center in Boulder.  Featured speaker, Christopher Whitney, President of the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance and past president of the Colorado Horse Council, spoke on  "Problems with Unwanted Horses".  Details on this link.


Fun Show
At this event you may show off with your horse by participating in games, contests, and other fun activities for the whole family. 2008 Fun Show was Oct.19 at the Boulder County Fairgrounds.  Information on this link.  Save the date for 2009 Fun Show, Oct. 17!


Public Lands Appreciation Day (PLAD)
The public lands events have been positive and successful in building bridges of communication between horse people and land use officials in Boulder County. We want to continue to make this an event you look forward to each year. PLAD 2008 was at the Allenspark Livery Saturday, August 24th.


National Trails Day 2008
BCHA members joined Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff and Boulder Mountainbike Alliance on Saturday, June 7, for trail building on the Picture Rock Trail connecting Heil Valley Ranch with the town of Lyons. 


Special Events
BCHA sponsors and co-sponsors special events & clinics throughout the year. Future events and those in the recent past are listed on this link.


BCHA's Annual Fund Raiser, The Horse Lovers' Fling

Boulder County Horse Association's (BCHA) Annual Horse Lovers' Fling is the major fund raising project for BCHA. The event brings hundreds of horse people together to meet, greet and celebrate Boulder County's horse industry.

 

 

Funds raised from the Fling benefit Boulder County horse educational programs, trail maintenance and awareness, promotional materials for the horse community and much more.

 

SAVE THE DATE:
2010 HORSE LOVER'S FLING: Under the Solstice Moon

When: Sunday June 27th, 5 - 9 pm
Where: Lone Hawk Farm 10790 North 49th St., Longmont, CO
www.lonehawkfarms.com

Dinner provided by Bay Window Catering: baywindowcatering@comcast.net

Music & Dancing by Nancy Thorwardson & Sugar Moon
Awesome Raffle
Big Red Wagon Rides by the Belgians of Mountain View Belgians

For Tickets, Contact Rose Valentine: 303-530-1960
For Information, Contact Patricia Jarvis: 202-247-0667

Raffle Chair: Carole Keele - 360-451-9507 or carolejanichkeele@msn.com and Ginny Carr - 303-938-8432.
Please call Carole if you have donations.
Please see any board member for raffle tickets.

Download / View the Participation Form here.
Download / View the General Information Form here.
Download / VIew the Fling 2010 Flier here and here.

Get Acquainted with Tom and Kristin Lopez, our 2010 Fling Hosts at Lone Hawk Farm

By Pat Jarvis

The setting for this year’s Horse Lovers’ Fling is classically romantic. We arrive at Lone Hawk Farm via a country road with views of the Front Range, an expansive 360 degree view of Potato Hill, and the nearby foothills. The topography drops away southward below the barn, giving a feeling of having lots of room to roam. There is a wonderful drive-through barn, which adds to the charm and stately appearance of the farm.

“How long have you been at Lone Hawk Farm?” I ask the delightful owners, Tom and Kristin Lopez. “I’ve been here since 1975, and Kristin since 1980,” Tom replies. “In the beginning many people asked to have events here. They wanted a place where they could enjoy an indoor/outdoor setting in a country atmosphere. The owners of the West End Tavern were the first people to get married at the farm. We’ve been doing weddings here for more than 18 years now.”

We enter the main venue for the Fling festivities via a pair of large wooden doors, into a world that reminds me of the Italian countryside. The structure consists of unique “arch ribs” of curved laminated beams, with a stage inside at one end. Tom explains that when the indoor arena at Autumn Hill was being built, a strong wind knocked the partially-erected beams over and some of them splintered. The owners of Autumn Hill started over and put the salvageable beams up for sale. Tom bought them and used them to construct the event center at Lone Hawk Farm. He brought the stage and posts up from Santa Fe where Tom used to live. Local artist Roxanna des Jardins painted the interior walls to emphasize that Old World Country style.

“Please tell me about your gardens,” I ask. Tom replies that they have “his” and “hers” gardens; Kristin’s is a kitchen garden near the house and is about 450 square feet, while Tom’s garden out back is about 25,000 square feet, or half an acre. Both are organic, and are managed with the help of some summer interns and a young farmer who participates in a crop share program. He adds, “We have sold our produce at the Boulder, Longmont, and Lyons Farmers’ Markets, but this year we are going to focus on our roadside farm stand. We send our customers an email alerting them to the produce that is ready to be picked at any particular time. We also supply organic greens, produce and eggs to caterers of events right here at the farm.”

I ask Tom to elaborate on a recent Times-Call article featuring the solar farm equipment he invented. “Well, let’s see. I developed a solar powered walking tractor and mower, and I am working on a riding mower and a rototiller. We use all of these in our gardens. I am a proponent of using alternative energy for vehicles, and I use a solar powered truck and an electric bicycle that are great for getting around the property.”

“It even appears that you have horses on the farm!” I exclaim. “How many do you have and what do you do with them?” “Our daughter Jessica has a mare and her two year old offspring. The eight others are boarders. We believe that horses like to run and not be confined, so they live out in the pastures most of the time,” replies Kristin.

Does either Tom or Kristin have anything else they would like others to know about Lone Hawk Farm? “We have “pick your own” vegetables. Salads will be ready soon. Send us your email address to get on our list for fresh produce. Kristin is planning on doing a series of farm dinners this summer, including the annual Lone Hawk Harvest Party, featuring her World class home grown / home cooked specialties. The farm is always open to visitors – walkers, birders, artists, school groups – anyone who wants to experience a slice of rural Boulder County. And we are really looking forward to hosting the BCHA Horse Lovers’ Fling!”

For more information on Lone Hawk Farm see their website at http://www.lonehawkfarms.com.

 

 

 

ARCHIVES: FLING 2009


Live Auction - Painted Ponies

 

Thank you artists for donating your time in creating these beautiful ponies.

"Ancestors"   America the Beautiful   Love

          "Ancestors"                "America the Beautiful"                  "Love"

       by Ruth Dodge                 by Barbara Ekx                   by Mercedes Ross

 

   She Loves Horses   Storm

           "Garden"                   "She Had Some Horses"               "Storm"

      by Beth Marken                  by Nancy Dennison              by Sam Haefele

 

Pony   pony   pony

            "Noche"                          "United Again"                 "The Hot Spot"

     by Kevan Krasnoff              by Maria Valladarez                  by Sue Bell

 

Pony   Pony   Pony

"Dreams Into Our Souls"      "Hertzog von Springen"               Un-named       

   by Nancy Anderson               by John Suchsland                by Eric Otte

   

pony    Pony    Pony

   "Rainbow Sky Dancer"                "Caballo"                      "Petroglyph Pony"

        by Jean Gumas                   by Mike Giron                    by Sunny Apke  

    

Pony   Pony   Pony

       "Nibbles & Bits"                   "Ante The Moon"         "Amare, THe Winged Horse"

  by the Crackpots Team           by Emily Hannon                 by Scott Harrison



                       pony           pony  

                                    "Fire"                                "Pasha The Bronze"

                           by Robin Grabowski                     by Malcom Phillips

 

 

 

 

 



Educational Seminar Series

 

Pilates for Equestrians: workshop & clinic
Sunday, May 23, 2010 - 9 am - 5 pm
Cappaleigh Farm, 15345 N 95th St., Longmont, CO 80503

Download / View Flier here.

Riding instructor Patty LeBlanc and certified Pilates Instructor Pam Harrington are teaming up to offer a one-of-a-kind equine experience by combining a day of riding and Pilates. Transform your riding performance through Pilates by increasing your balance, strength and flexibility.

Riding is $35 BCHA members, $45 nonmembers
(audit BCHA free/$15 nonmembers)
Space is Limited. Please Pre-register by May 16th

For more information contact:
Pam Harrington: 303-748-0289 (weekdays) 303-459-3088 (evenings) or goodpilates@gmail.com
or Jackie Ashley 720-308-2728 or jackieashley9@gmail.com

Click here for information on Patty LeBlanc

Click here for information on Pam Harrington

 

Tueday, January 19, 2010at 7:00 pm
"Animal Emotions and Moral Intelligence: Wild Justice and Why It Matters" 

Presented By Marc Bekoff, author, former Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (www.ethologicalethics.org). He has won many awards for his scientific research including the Exemplar Award from the Animal Behavior Society and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Marc has written more than 200 articles, numerous books, and edited three encyclopedias. These include the Encyclopedia of Animal Rights and Animal Welfare (revised and expanded edition published in 2009), The The Ten Trusts (with Jane Goodall), the Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, the Encyclopedia of Human-Animal Relationships, Minding Animals, Animal Passions and Beastly Virtues: Reflections on Redecorating Nature, The Emotional Lives of Animals, Animals Matter, Animals at Play (an award-winning children's book), Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals (with Jessica Pierce), and The Animal Manifesto: Six Reasons For Expanding Our Compassion Footprint (2010). In 2005 Marc was presented with The Bank One Faculty Community Service Award for the work he has done with children, senior citizens, and prisoners. In 2009 he became a faculty member of the Humane Society University. Marc's homepage is http://www.literati.net/Bekoff/. Marc will have his books available for sale and signing at this event.

When: Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Where: Medicine Horse, 8778 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder, CO 80303
Cost: Free to BCHA and Medicine Horse members and volunteers. $15 for nonmembers.

Cosponsored by BCHA and Medicine Horse

BCHA 2010 Annual Meeting

My Life with the Wild Horses by Ginger Kathrens, an Emmy-Award-winning filmmaker and founder of the nonprofit corporation, The Cloud Foundation, dedicated to protecting historically significant and genetically unique wild horse herds. Ginger will talk about her life with the Pryors wild horse herd, her current situation with Cloud, the young palomino-colored colt she named, and her fight to keep them free. Ginger will be showing video clips of this magnificent and enchanting herd of wild horses that roam the mountains of Wyoming and Montana. Sponsored by BCHA.

When: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:00 pm
Where: Spice of Life Catering Center
Flatirons Golf Club, 5706 Arapahoe Rd. Boulder
Cost: Free to BCHA members. $15 for nonmembers
(membership registration available at the meeting)

View Flyer

For more information -- please contact Jackie Ashley at 720-308-2728.


Photo by Pat Jarvis

 

Thursday, April 22, 2010:
Equine Lameness: Tendon and ligament injuries


by Laurie Goodrich, DVM
When: Thursday, April 22, 2010
Where: Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center
11968 Mineral Road, Longmont, CO 80504
Cost: FREE to BCHA & CTRC members/volunteers.
$15 to nonmembers (membership registration available at the seminar)

Presented by Laurie Goodrich, DVM, Ph.D, ACVS Diplomate, Assistant Professor in Equine Surgery and
Lameness at CSU. Dr. Goodrich will discuss the most recent research on tendon and ligament injuries; how to diagnose, treat and prevent them. Dr. Goodrich received her DVM in 1991 from the University of Illinois and her Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2004 in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Dr. Goodrich’s research, publications, teaching, grants, and patents have focused predominately around equine lameness issues.
Cosponsored by BCHA and Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center.

 

Previous Seminars

September 24, 2009: Cushings/Equine Metabolic Syndrome
April 7, 2009:  "Pasture Management"
March 3, 2009:  "Epidemiology:  Diagnosis, Treatment & Control of Strangles"
February 12, 2009:  Problems with Unwanted Horses
January 20, 2009:  Prosecuting Cases of Abuse & Neglect
April 26, 2008:  Equine Vital Signs
February 22, 2008:  Common Ocular Abnormalities in Horses
November 8, 2008:  Horse Behavior
September 13, 2007: Equine Insurance
June 12, 2007: Equine Podiatry
March 20, 2007: The Geriatric Horse
January 2007: Equine Chiropractic and Acupuncture
September 2006: Preparing a Draft Horse for Show
July 2006: Clicker Train Your Horse
June 2006: Equine Touch and TTouch
May 2006: Balimo
April 2006: Equine Dentistry
Nov. 2005:  Colic
Oct. 2005: Reining
July 2005: Team Penning and Ranch Sorting
May 2005: Grazing Management of Small Acreage Property
May 2005: Save the Wild Horses Slide Show
February 2005: Draft Horse
O
ctober 2004: Emergency Evacuation
June 2004: Beeding & Foaling Part Two
February 2004: Breeding & Foaling Part One
January 2004: Carcass Disposal - What can you do when a beloved horse passes on?
April 2003: Impact of Drought on Your Pastures and Horses
May 2003: Assessing a Crisis
Oct 2002: Trailer Evacuation
Oct 2002: West Nile Virus

 

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009 at 7:00 pm
"Cushings/Equine Metabolic Syndrome"

Presented By Gabriele Landolt, DVM, Assistant Professor at CSU.

Dr. Landolt will discuss the signs, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of horses suffering from Cushings and the sometimes more subtle signs of Equine Metabolic Syndrome. For example, is your horse's coat long and curly and doesn't shed out in the summer? Does your horse typically have episodes of laminitis in the Fall? Have you noticed your horse drinking more water and urinating more frequently? If you have noticed these plus other symptoms, then this seminar is for you!

Co-sponsored by BCHA and Colorado Horse Rescue

Where: Colorado Horse Rescue, 10386 N. 65th St., Longmont, CO 80503

Cost: FREE to BCHA and CHR members and volunteers. $15 for nonmembers
Membership registration available at the seminar.

 

Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 7:00 PM
"Pasture Management"

Presented by Mike Wilkinson & Paul McLellan of Foothills Vegetation Management in Conifer, CO and Sharon Bokan of the CSU Extension Office, Small Acreage Coordinator. 

These noted speakers will discuss various aspects of maintaining and managing pastureland just in time for Spring:  what and how best to reseed your pasture, amendments, fertilizers, composting, weed control, poisonous weeds, plants and trees....yes, some trees can be poisonous to horses!

Co-sponsored by BCHA, Medicine Horse Equestrian Center and Colorado Horse Rescue

Location:  Medicine Horse Equestrian Center, 8778 Arapahoe Rd., Boulder, CO  80303

Free to BCHA Members and Medicine Horse Staff & Volunteers
$15 Others


Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 7:00 PM
"Epidemiology:  Diagnosis, Treatment & Control of Strangles"

Speaker ImagePresented by Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, Professor of Equine Medicine at CSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Ann Davidson, DVM, Assistant Professor in Equine Field at CSU Vet Teaching Hospital. 

Colorado Horse Rescue, 10386 N. 65th St., Longmont, CO  80503

Dr. Traub-Dargatz and Dr. Davidson will discuss the diagnosis and control of strangles, an equine infectious disease, commonly known as equine distemper.  This contagious disease is commonly seen in young horses, but can occur in horses of any age.

Cosponsored by BCHA and Colorado Horse Rescue

 

Thursday, February 12, 2009 

"Problems with Unwanted Horses"

Presented by Christopher Whitney

Spice of Life Catering Center, Boulder

Chris is the president of the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance and a member of the Board of Directors of the Pikes Peak Range Riders Foundation. He is a past president of the Colorado Horse Council and a former Director of the American Youth Horse Council.  He discussed the growing problem of unwanted and unusable horses in Colorado and throughout the United States . He reviewed the current status of federal and state bans on the slaughter of horses and will discuss some potential implications, social and economic, of such a ban in the larger context of the explosion in unwanted horses. He will also describe solutions being explored by private and public individuals and organizations to address the problem for the long term.  The Alliance is working on certificaton of horse rescue operations to insure quality care, health, & safety of rescued horses.  More information on unwanted horses can be found the Unwanted Horse Coalition website, www.unwantedhorsecoalition.org.  Details of his talk will be in the May/June issue of "The Horse's Mouth."

 

Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2009,
"Prosecuting Cases of Equine Abuse and Neglect"

Presented by Alexis King, attorney in Gilpin County and Kate Anderson, DVM, Colorado State Veterinary Office, Bureau of Animal Protection, and Scot Dutcher of the Bureau of Animal Protection of the Colorado Department of Agriculture. 

The three outlined the basics of Colorado's animal protection statutes.  In particular, they went into detail about the technicalities of differentiating among "knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence" causing abuse, and talking about which might lead to being prosecuted for a misdemeanor or for a felony.  

The Bureau of Animal Protection includes 140 investigators from various animal-related and law enforcement entities, but they only operate in 25 Colorado counties.  In other counties enforcement depends on local law enforcement, which may be very inexperienced when it comes to understanding animal, especially equine, neglect or abuse.  Much of the difficulty of prosecuting people comes from the necessity to educate and sensitize potential investigators and judges, many of whom have no animal welfare education.  Others in authority may be strongly influenced by a traditional industrial agriculture or “animals-as-property” point of view, which legally, they are.  In fact, there is no law against destroying or damaging your own property.

Prosecutors of equine neglect are increasingly relying on the Henneke Body Condition Scoring Guide (http://www.rockymountainhorserescue.com/Henneke.htm), which gives someone speaking to a judge or jury quantifiable objective data to present, on a scale of 1-9, especially when backed up with photographs and the actual before-and-after weight of the horse.

The speakers emphasized that abuse and neglect problems have to be solved locally: people have to be willing to observe and to bear witness in court for enforcement to be effective.

 

Saturday, April 26, 2008,
"Equine Vital Signs and Basic Emergency Assessment"

Presented by Stacey Bluhm, DVM.

Colorado Horse Rescue

BCHA and Colorado Horse Rescue co-sponsored this exciting and informative seminar on the measurement and implications of horse vital signs. 

Dr. Bluhm spoke about colic, wounds, and laminitis. Approximately 38 attendees participated in a practicum, using CHR horses as the docile subjects.  They listened to heartbeats and bowel sounds with stethoscopes, took rectal temperatures, and roughly estimated the weight of the horses using weight tapes.

 

 

 

 


Tuesday, January 22, 2008, 7:00 PM, "Common Ocular Abnormalities in Horses"

Presented by Dr. Holly L. Hamilton, DVM

Longmont Public Library

Dr. Hamilton’s veterinary specialty is ophthalmology, a subject most of us are unfamiliar with until crisis strikes.  Dr. Hamilton presented information on the diseases of the equine eye and included cornea edema, cataracts, uveitis, moon blindness, ulcers, glaucoma, and related conditions.  Dr. Hamilton practices at the Animal Eye Center in Loveland with Steven M. Roberts, DVM, formally a professor of ophthalmology at Colorado State University Veterinary School.  Summary of the seminar can be found in the March/April issue of "The Horse's Mouth."

Thursday, November 8, 2007: "Horse Behavior "

Presented by Dr. Mark Fitch, DVM

Colorado Horse Rescue, Longmont

Dr. Mark Fitch will gave a talk on horse behavior, i.e. what they do. why they do it, and how to work around it. He illustrated his methods using the live problems presented by various CHR horses.  The seminar was well attended and particularly helpful in showing how to provide veterinary care to horses fearful of human handlers.  A complete write up of this seminar can be found in the Jan/Feb. 2008
BCHA newsletter, "The Horse's Mouth."

Thursday, September 13, 2007: "Equine Insurance"

Presented by Rob Carruth of Goetz Insurors

Altona Grange, Nelson Rd. & 39th St., Boulder

Rob Carruth is the National Program Administrator of the US Equine Federation and will spoke on all aspects of equine insurance. Hel addressed insurance information specific to horse owners, trainers, and facilities managers.


Tuesday, June 12, 2007: "Equine Podiatry"

Presented by Dr. Stacey Bluhm, DVM and Mr. Tom Rosen,
Rocky Mountain Equine Podiatry

Altona Grange, Nelson Rd. & 39th St., Boulder

The foot is responsible for the majority of equine lamenesses. Current techniques and technologies in equine podiatry were discussed for problems such as laminitis, navicular disease, cracks, wounds, club feet, white line disease, ringbone, etc.

Dr. Bluhm's power point presentation showed the importance of radiographs in diagnosing and treating lameness. Mr. Rosen showed varying types of shoes made of different materials in treating the different types of abnormalities. Attendees were able to handle bones of the foot and see the different types of problems that can arise which cause lameness. More information on the seminar will be available in the Sept/Oct issue of the Horse's Mouth, BCHA's bimonthly newsletter.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007: "The Geriatric Horse"

Presented by Dr. Nancy Loving, DVM

Medicine Horse: 8778 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder

Dr. Nancy Loving spoke about health concerns for the aging and geriatric horse. In addition to pertinent sections in her recently published book, ALL HORSE SYSTEMS GO (Trafalgar Square Publishing, 2006), she also authored a chapter in Equine Geriatric Medicine and Surgery (Saunders-Elsevier Publishing, 2006) regarding health care of the older horse.

An excerpt from her writing introduces her lecture and slide show: ”Not all that long ago, a horse in its teens was considered old. Even currently in many undeveloped countries, this is still considered to be the case. But in today’s sophisticated and modernized horse world, what is considered ”geriatric?“ In general, a horse is considered aged when it has reached 20 years of age, but there is more than one way to view the concept of age. The obvious is to consider the horse in terms of chronological age based on year of birth. Or, his ”age“ can be measured in physiologic terms, as in the difference between a young and an old horse’s health responses. Yet another view focuses on functional age related to use, as for example a racehorse may not have the stamina or speed to excel on the track, but may make a dandy hunter/jumper in a career change, or a mare may have surpassed her athletic life yet may still produce great foals.


The number of horses living well into older years is increasing. The National Animal Health Monitoring study (1998) noted that 1/3rd of all horses were more than 11 years of age, while those over age 20 comprise about 1/10th of the horse population. It was reported that 2.5 percent of horses of all ages die each year, but for horses past age 20, the annual death rate is 5 times greater, at 11 percent. To bring these figures to an earthier vantage, this says that 11 horses out of 100 over age 20 die each year. More telling, though, is that of those 11, about 4 horses die as a direct consequence of old age, and of these 3 are euthanized due to issues of chronic weight loss or musculoskeletal problems that cause them difficulty in getting around."

”Technology and advances in medicine have given us tools to keep our horses alive longer and in many cases, to remain athletically active into old age. If we are able to address the predominant causes (weight loss and musculoskeletal concerns) of old age euthanasia, we have the potential to improve a horse’s quality of life in his golden years. Let’s look at some old horse tendencies and some problems, and ways to successfully manage these concerns to give your older horse the greener pastures he deserves."

For a summary of Dr. Loving's seminar, see BCHA's newsletter, "The Horses Mouth", May/June 2007 issue.


Sunday, January 28, 2007: "Equine Chiropractic & Acupuncture"

Presented by Dr. Deb Schultz, DVM, Windward Veterinary Services

Rabbit Mountain Equestrian Center, LLC, Hygiene

Dr. Deb Schultz, DVM, talked about the value of chiropractic care and acupuncture for our equine partners. “Chiropractics is all about joints and making sure they are moving properly,” she began. “When the horse's joints are stressed or over extended, they can lock up; and when a joint in the horse's body is not moving correctly, there becomes restricted movement, stiffness and pain.” Through demonstration, Dr. Schultz explained the rationale, techniques she uses, and purpose of chiropractic and acupuncture for horses.

A complete summary of the seminar, can be found in the March/April 2007 BCHA newsletter, The Horse's Mouth.

Sunday, September 17, 2006: "Preparing a Draft Horse for Show"

Presented by Jean and Dennis Kuehl along with teachers from the Colorado Draft Horse Association.

Rabbit Mountain Equestrian Center, LLC, Hygiene

This seminar provided hands on demonstrations for the purpose of preparing a draft horse for halter and hitch performance classes at shows. Concurrant demonstations gave participants opportunities to prepare horses to drive and described what a judge looks for in judging a show. Some of the mini-classes were Clipping, Tying Tails, Braiding Manes, Showmanship, Hoof Preparation, Training Routines for Hitch Competition, and Judging Critera and Practice.

 

 

 

 


Photo journal will be comoing in BCHA's "The Horse's Mouth", Nov/Dec 2006 issue.

July 15, 2006: "Clicker Train Your Horse" Demonstration

Presented by Cheryl Eastep

Mountain Meadows Holistic Equestrian Center and Joder Arabian Ranch, Boulder

Cheryl Eastep of Freedom Ranch in Byers, Colorado, presented a demonstration on “Clicker Training for Your Horse”. Cheryl brought her beautiful adopted mustang, who is new to clicker training, to demonstrate the principles of discipline. In her demonstration she trained her horse to touch a target and lift her leg when touched with the target. The demo included an explanation of the principles of Clicker training, what tools to use, things to think about while doing the training and experiencing the beauty of how simple it can be.

Details can be found in BCHA's "The Horse's Mouth", Sept/Oct 2006 issue.

June 18, 2006: "Equine Touch and TTouch"

Presented by Raian Kaiser

Rabbit Mountain Equestrian Center, LLC, Hygiene

Most horse owners are aware of the benefits of regular body work, both for themselves and for their horses. Raian Kaiser demonstrated the Equine Touch and the Tellington-Touch explaining the differences and similarities to improve balance, flexibility, movement, and pain reduction. With a massage table for humans, she demonstrated the touch movements on volunteers.

Both methods can be learned and used by horse owners who would like simple yet powerful methods to monitor the state of their horses' bodies during training, competition, rehab from injuries, or to use just to say "thank you" and for closer bonding between horse and human.

Details can be found in BCHA's "The Horse's Mouth", July/Aug 2006 issue.

May 13, 2006: "Balimo" Demonstration

Presented by Dawn Fisher

Mountain Meadows Holistic Equestrian Center and Joder Arabian Ranch, 7497 N. Foothills, Boulder

BALIMO™ was created by a bio-medical research scientist in conjunction with a professor of sports physiology and kinesiology to help the user develop a better sense of balance and to regain and increase flexibility of the hips and spine.

The demonstration showed the audience simple methods to increase awareness, agility and coordination while riding your horse. The focus was to create “balance in motion” by identifying and removing blockages in the body using exercises on the ground, then doing similar motions while riding. The techniques
were easy to learn and easy to perform.

The demonstration included: An introductory lecture to the program and philosophy, demonstrations with riders, and handouts to take home.



April 24, 2006: "Equine Dentistry"

Presented by Dr. Michael Pavsek, DVM

Altona Grange, Nelson Rd. & 39th St., Boulder

Dr. Pavsek discussed the "whys" and recommended schedule for routine dental maintenance for horses at all ages. He reviewed problems that can occur within the equine mouth, the source of these issues, and methods for resolution. It was an informative evening for those attending, and thank you to Dr. Pavsek for donating his time to BCHA.

Michael Pavsek, VMD, Graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988. In Colorado since Jan '89, he has had primarily a dental practice for the last 10 years. He has trained in dentistry in various locations over the years and is a member of AAEP and the International Association of Equine Dentistry.

Details can be found in BCHA's "The Horse's Mouth, July/Aug 2006 issue.



November 3, 2005: "Colic"

Presented by Dr. Nancy Loving, DVM
Altona Grange, North Boulder

Colic is one of those medical emergencies every horseowner dreads. Dr. Nancy Loving discussed numerous aspects of equine colic from identification of the problem and what to do about it, to strategies in prevention. Dr. Loving gave scientific explanations of the digestive tract of the horse and how it is prone to various ailments we call colic. Using photographs to illustrate her talk, Nancy explained the major causes and treatments for colic, how to notice warning signs, and how to prevent common types of colic. One of the most important preventive measures is to have a mindful healthy feeding program.

Thank you Nancy for volunteering your time on this important subject and answering our many questions!
It was an informative evening!

 




October 16, 2005: "Reining"

Presented by Steve Schwartzenberger
Boulder County Fairgrounds, Indoor Arena

Steve presented an overview and demonstration of basic training principles and processes of reining from start to finish. Bringing three horses from a 2 year old to an older horse, Steve demonstrated how he starts a young horse and progresses to advanced levels with older horses up to freestyle level. He answered many questions from the spectators who came from as far away as Wellington to attend the seminar.

 

 

Steve has established himself as one of the country's top trainers, wining prestigious events such as the NRHA Limited Open Futurity, the Farnam AQHA Congress Open Reining Futurity, the Rocky Mountain Summer Slide Open Futurity, and the Reno Spectacular Open Futurity.

Many thanks to Steve for donating his time to BCHA!


July 25, 2005: Team Penning and Ranch Sorting

Presented by Mark and Megan Cardillo
This BCHA seminar was held at the North Fork Quarter Horse Ranch. Participants learned and practiced the fast growing sport of team penning and ranch sorting.

Team penning: The riders cross the line, the time starts and their number is called. The first-man-in locates a cow with the correct number on it and goes in the herd after it.
The turn-back goes with him and keeps the cows with
the wrong numbers (dirty cows) from coming out of
the herd. The second-man also locates a cow with the right number and as soon as the first-man has his cow
handled he goes in after his cow. The turn-back hustles over to help. Then the third cow is located and pulled from the herd. All three cows are herded down to the other end of the arena and into the pen. Time is called when a rider's horse is into the pen behind the cows and his hand is raised above his shoulder.



May 17, 19, & 24, 2005: Grazing Management of Small Acreage Property

BCHA co-sponsored this seminar with Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Boulder County and the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Agricultural Resource Division.

Sessions one and two covered the fundamentals of grass growth, plant response to grazing, and appropriate grazing practices. The third session included a tour of local pastures. Rob Alexander, Agriculture Resource Specialist with Boulder County Parks and Open Space, led the workshop.


May 31, 2005: Save the Wild Horses Slide Show

Presented by Carol Walker
Boulder Public Library, Main Branch, Boulder Creek Meeting Room



An in depth look at wild horses in Wyoming and Montana, with images set to music, and information about what you can do to help protect the wild horses and get the new legislation passed to keep them from being sold for slaughter. There was a presentation, slide show, and plenty of time for questions.

 

 

 


February 5, 2005: Draft Horse Seminar

Training and Using Draft Horses on a Small Acreage
Presentation and demonstration by Dennis and Jean Kuehl,
Mountain View Belgians, northwest Longmont.

Fundamentals participants experienced: Training the draft horse in the round pen, appropriate harness fitting, training the horse to understand harness and the concept of draft, hitching and driving the horse/horses to a vehicle, and demonstrating the effective use of draft horses on a small acreage.




October 17, 2004: Emergency Evacuation Seminar

Members of the Jefferson Couonty Mounted Search and Rescue Team, Boulder County Sheriff's Large Animal Control Officer, and local barn managers presented information on how Boulder County is responding to emergencies, particularly wildfires which may lead to an evacuation. An emergency evaucation kit was displayed and the informative handouts distributed are available as pdf files by following the links below.

(To open our pdf files, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer--free download available) www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Horse and Barn Owners Need to be Prepared
Evacuation Tips for Emergency Personnel
H.O.O.F form
Horse owners are encouraged to complete the H.O.O.F. form (Horse Owner's Operation Find). This form will be added to a sheriff department's data base and help in finding owners of lost horses.



February 26 & June 17, 2004: Breeding and Foaling Seminars

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Equine Reproduction

Presented by Stacy Bluhm DVM and Marty Butley DVM of Boulder Valley Veterinary Clinic

The speakers presented a comprehensive introduction to breeding mares and collecting stallions. Hormonal control of the mare's reproductive cycle, how to tell when a mare is in heat, the uses of ultrasound, cooled verses frozen semen, semen evaluation, and much more were covered. Participants had the opportunity to handle equipment and tissue samples.

January 2004: Carcass Disposal

What are your options when your beloved horse passes on? BCHA partnered with the Colorado State University Cooperative Extension in Boulder County to present a seminar on this important and difficult question. Speakers included Bob Hamblen from CSU Extension; John Scanga: The problem as a whole, and Lori Warren: Legal Aspects of Burial. Together they covered topics of:

  • What options are available
  • Legal and other considerations
  • Burial
  • Transportation
  • Cremation / Cemeteries


April 2003: Impact of Drought on Your Pastures and Horses

Drought can impact pastures in many ways. During drought, desirable forage species can be reduced and other less desirable species may become a larger part of the available forage your animal eats. This could result in the poisoning of some horses.

On Thursday, April 24th, The Boulder County Horse Association in Partnership with Colorado State University Cooperative Extension-Boulder County held an educational seminar to address this issue.

We were very fortunate to have Dr. Anthony P. Knight, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM as our keynote speaker. Dr. Knight is Professor and Chair, The Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado State University, Ft Collins, Colorado. Dr. Knight is the author of "A Guide to Plant Poisoning of Animals in North America".

This seminar focused on the plants that may be harmful to your horse during drought along with pasture management tips you can use during drought to protect your pasture. Dr. Knight also provides the latest updates on West Nile Virus and Pigeon Fever.




May 2003: Assessing a Crisis - Nancy S. Loving, DVM


This slide show seminar was presented by Dr. Nancy Loving to assist the horse owner in determining what to do when faced with a horse crisis. You arrive home from work and find your horse in the pasture with a gash in its leg. What goes through your mind when you notice your horse's eye is swollen half shut? What should you do when your horse turns up his nose at his dinner and walks away? How urgent is it when your normally sound horse trots in from the pasture with a limp? How do you decide when to call the vet and what to do for your horse? Dr. Loving reviewed many first aid measures that the horse owner can take to improve the outcome of a medical problem. We looked closely at what constitutes a true, life-threatening emergency and what situations will do fine for a short time with a horse-owner brand of first aid.





Oct 2002: Horse Evacuation Seminar

Organized and emceed by BCHA Board member Kathie Hibbard, an enthusiastic and curious group of horse people took a turn at the "trailer rodeo", listened to members of the Boulder County Sheriff's Office talk about emergency plans, learned about the importance of trailer maintenance from Mac Mackin of Mac's Trailer Service, and as a special bonus, watched a Marty Marten trailer loading demonstration. Word has it that the afternoon was most informative and an excellent program!


Oct 2002: West Nile Virus

BCHA and CSU Cooperative Extension co-sponsored a seminar on West Nile Virus. Emceed by CSU Extension Agent Paul Aravis, wonderfully informative talks were given by Dr. Nancy Loving DVM, Colorado Dept. of Health Epidemiologist John Pape, Dr. Ron Ackerman DVM, Director of Animal Health and Disease Control, of the Division of Animal Industry of the Colorado Dept. of Agriculture, Mike Maginess of Colorado Mosquito Control, Inc., and Bonnie Greenwood of the Boulder County Health Dept.


 

Speaker2009 Annual Membership Meeting

February 12, 2009

Featured Speaker:  Christopher Whitney, "Problems with Unwanted Horses"

Chris is the president of the Colorado Unwanted Horse Alliance and a member of the Board of Directors of the Pikes Peak Range Riders Foundation. He is a past president of the Colorado Horse Council and a former Director of the American Youth Horse Council.  He discussed the growing problem of unwanted and unusable horses in Colorado and throughout the United States. He reviewed the current status of federal and state bans on the slaughter of horses and discussed some potential implications, social and economic, of such a ban in the larger context of the explosion in unwanted horses. He also described solutions being explored by private and public individuals and organizations to address the problem for the long term.  Details of his talk will be in the May/June issue of "The Horse's Mouth."

Caroline2009 BCHA Achievement Award Winner - Caroline Roy

Caroline has had a multi-faceted positive impact on the local horse community.  Her experience and qualifications are varied, and she has used all of these talents to help horse enthusiasts around Boulder County, with a particular impact on young people.

Caroline holds not only a Master’s degree in Social Work but a diploma in farrier science.  She holds a level 1 EGALA certification in equine therapy and is currently working on a Psycho-spiritual therapy certification program.

Caroline is the founding director of Rocky Mountain Equi-Rhythm: Horses Balancing Hearts Corporation, which uses the healing power of the horse-human relationship to help at-risk youth.  She has been the project and organizational leader of the Blazing Saddles 4-H Youth Group since 1989 and is a member of the Boulder County Search and Rescue Team as part of the Niwot Squad.  In addition, she is the director and manager of Mountain Meadow Holistic Equestrian Center, a boarding operation located at Joder Arabian Ranch.

Caroline has made many important contributions to BCHA over the years, and we thank her. 

 


 

 

2008 Annual Membership Meeting

Featured Speaker:  Cherry Hill, "Effective Horsekeeping"

Our featured speaker was Cherry Hill presenting “Effective Horsekeeping”.  The annual meeting included a review of 2007 accomplishments, voting on the 2008 Board of Directors, and announcements of coming events.  

Cherry Hill is an award winning author.  She has been a trainer, instructor and horse show judge for over 25 years.  She shares her knowledge and experience through her many books and videos.  Cherry enjoys dressage, western horsemanship, and mountain trail riding.  She and her husband, Rickard Klimesh, live in northern Colorado with their 7 horses and 2 cats.  Cherry is the author of over 30 books and videos on horse training and care.  She taught college equine courses from 1975 – 1985 in the U.S. and Canada, most recently at Colorado State University.  Courses she has instructed include:  Horse Psychology, Ground Training, Mounted Training, Western Horsemanship, English Equitation, Riding Instructor Training, Equine Evaluation, Horse Performances, Lameness, Stable Management, Conditioning, and Horse Production.  Cherry has written over 1,000 articles for magazines including Equus, Practical Horseman, Western Horseman, Horse & Rider, The Chronicle of the Horse, The Quarter Horse Journal, and many others. 

For additional information about Cherry and to order books, please visit her website, www.horsekeeping.com

Presentation of 2007 Achievement Award:
Congratulations to Terri Snyder, an Animal Control Officer with the Boulder County Sherriff's Dept.  the recipient of BCHA's 2007 Achievement Award. In presenting the award, Hildy Armour, BCHA board member and Executive Director of Colorado Horse Rescue, emphasized Terri's importance to the BCHA community and to the county's quality of equine life. Thank you from the horse community for your dedication to enforcing humane conditions for equine and other animals.


 

2007 Annual Membership Meeting

Tuesday, February 13, 6:30 PM, Spice of Life, 6333 Arapahoe Road, Boulder

Business Meeting:

Election of BCHA 2007 Board of Directors: New board members and bios can be found on this website's "About BCHA" page.

Review of 2006 Goals and Accomplishments: 2006 Accomplishments and 2007 Goals can be found on this website's "About BCHA" page.

Presentation of 2006 Achievement Award:

Congratulations to Jacquelene Lee, the recipient
of BCHA's 2006 Achievement Award. Thank you
for the time and energy you give to horses and
the horse community.

 

 

 

Speaker:

Michael Bagley, Agency Resources
State Farm Insurance

Mr. Bagley made several recommendations for horse owners:

Have personal liability umbrella coverage based on total assets.

Understand trailers are part of the vehicle's insurance and contents inside the trailer such as tack are covered by a homeowners policy. In many cases tack should be listed separately depending on value.

Having personal long term health care coverage is important in the event of serious injury.

Insurance on your horse such as health care and life insurance will need coverage from an insurance company specializing in equine services. Many insurance companies that cover auto and homeowners do not include horses specifically.

 

2006 Annual Membership Meeting

Monday, February 6, 6:30 PM, Spice of Life, 6333 Arapahoe Road, Boulder

Featured Speaker: TEMPLE GRANDIN, professor at Colorado State University

Business Meeting:
Election of BCHA Board of Directors
Presentation of 2005 Achievement Awards
CONGRATULATIONS to Laurie Prindle, Sidney Shinedling, & Barb Haaland-Michaels

Among Temple Grandin's books are: Thinking in Pictures : and Other Reports of MyLlife with Autism (1995), and her latest book written with Catherine Johnson, Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (2005).

Grandin thinks in a combination of pictures and vague generalized words, whereas non-autistic peoples' thinking is more verbal. Her autism has given her other means of sensory awareness that mimic the awareness of cows and other animals, like the acute sensitivity to surroundings and sensory phenomena such as sound, sight, and feeling. For example, Grandin's imagery system is such that it allows her to experience what cows experience at stock yards, and often, what they experience on the way to their death. Grandin designs stock yard facilities that lessen the stress that an animal such as a cow experiences, so as to make the process as humane as possible for the cow.


2005 Annual Membership Meeting

BCHA's annual membership meeting was held on February 10, 2005 at the Spice of Life Event Center. Julie Goodnight, featured clinician and speaker at many exciting horse events across North America, presented an informative talk on "Building Your Confidence and Other Life Lessons that Horses Teach Us". The meeting also included board elections, review of the past year's achievements, plans for the coming year, and presentation of the BCHA Achievement Award. Congratulations to Hildy Armour, this years award winner!

2004 Annual Membership Meeting
BCHA's annual membership meeting was held in February 17, 2004 at the Spice of Life Event Center. Dr. G. Marvin Beeman presented a talk on "Conformation Relationship: Form to Function". The meeting encompased board elections, review of the past year and plans for the coming year. The BCHA Achievement Award was presented to Amy Bowman and Jody Marken for their outstanding contributions and amazing service to BCHA and the horse community over the years.

Dr. Beeman's detailed presentation reminded us how strain, stress, and concussion that horses experience in the course of their work is directly related to their confirmation. By studying the anatomy of the horse, we can predict potential ailments and injuries that might occur under certain conditions.

Contact BCHA for a list of this year's accomplishments and future plans which were distributed at the meeting.


Fun Show 2009

Click here for a page of lovely images from this years fun show. All images courtesy of Pat Jarvis Images.


 

Fun Show 2008

 

BCHA FUN SHOW

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Boulder County Fairgrounds Indoor & Outdoor Arenas

A warm autumn day greeted participants of this year's Fun Show.  BCHA would like to thank the more than 100 participants on over 80 horses for their enthusiasm.  A special thank you goes to our volunteers listed below.  Please support our sponsors with your business.  They provided the funds needed for ribbons and prizes.  Photo Gallery below.

Thank you Sponsors:

Boulder Horse & Rider
Boulder Roofing
Boulder Valley Vet Clinic
Color Corral Ribbons & T-Shirts
Colorado Animal Health
Crane Hollow Cafe
Fox Creek Mobile Equine Outfitters
Ann & Russell Hayes
Hygiene Feed & Supply
Jane Kellogg & John Cowdrey; Tim & Woody
Jacque Lee

King Soopers
Make Believe Farm
Nightwinds Tack Shop
Rabbit Mountain Equestrian Center, LLC
Rocky Mountain Equine Podiatry Clinic
Sun Pony Ranch
Tack Collection Saddlery
Two Spruce Farm
Turner Realty
Walmart
Windward Veterinary Services

Thank you judges for donating your time:

Caryn Malone, Hank Kuiper, Sandi Rosewell, Jill Talbot

Thank you Volunteers:  Jacque Lee, Fun Show Manager
Dirk Arnold, Nina Berezina, Hannah & Haley Biddle, Colin Bovet,
Amy & Gary Bowman, Mackenzie & Barb Burkhardt, Colleen Carr,
Rachael Cohen, Anne Davidson, Jack Gathright, Barb Haaland-Michaels,
Ann Hayes, Jane Kellogg, Gail Matheson, Dan Michaels, Sharleen Michaels,
Kate Murray, Linda Parks, Al Pertner, Mary, Mark & Robert Powell,
Meg Parnell, Joanne Ray, Sandi Rosewell, Sidney Shinedling, Monica Signer,
Eleazar & Samuel Soto, Sweet & Sassy Red Hat Ladies:  (Paulette Benedict,
Linda Borkowski, Beth Reinker, Donna Clement), Tristin Schaefgen, Terri Snyder,
Cameron Turner, Rose Valentine, Stephanie Wendorf, Suzanne Webel

Demonstrations provided by:

Miniature Horse Driving by Roanoake Farm

The Society for Creative Anachronism

Photo Gallery

Photos curtesy of Donna Clement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the date:  Fun Show 2009, October 18th, Boulder County Fairgrounds


 

 

Fun Show 2007

 

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Boulder County Fairgrounds Indoor & Outdoor Arenas

 

   Soccer

 

 

 

 

   

 

 


Fun Show 2006

It was a beautiful warm day for our Fun Show! We had 59 entries, numerous volunteers and supportive parents, and a great time was had by all. Classes included adults and children together for a wonderful family event.

FUN SHOW 2006

Boulder County Fairgrounds

 


2002 Show: The second annual BCHA Fun Show proved to be a wonderful day, in large part due to our friend and sometime foe, Mother Nature. As many of you know, the weather can make or break any event, and this year the weather was quite simply perfect! A big thank you goes out to the many volunteers on hand, as well as to Mother Nature, for making the Fun Show a big success on August 17, 2002.

Classes were comprised of traditional and not-so-traditional gymkhana games and a few pleasure classes. Jack Gathright, our announcer, got the show started about 9:15am with the Trail Class. The Trail Class had realistic obstacles like last year, including opening a gate and a mail box, riding by a tent and a baby stroller with a huge metallic balloon tied to it, negotiating a maze of heavy tree branches, through two stacks of old tires, over a small jump with a tarp hanging off to one side, and dismounting into a horse trailer! The purpose of this class was to expose your horse to a strange environment without the pressure of real competition. The riders used common sense and patience to navigate the course. Because this trail course was not typical of regular horse shows, the audience got to witness true horsemanship and courage, as the announcer pointed out.


 


Special Events

 

September 6 & 7, 2008

volunteersThe Dressage Classic
Benefitting Renee's Friends Fund
Meadow Creek Farms, Lafayette

Renee's Friends Fund, whose mission is to help breast cancer survivors cope through the financial assistance and support of Colorado's horse community exemplifies the generosity of spirit inspired by our equine partners. BCHA was a proud co-sponsor of this event. Thank you BCHA members and non-members who volunteered many hours, entered the classes and assisted with the silent auction in support of Renee's Friends Fund.

Auction

 

    Thank you Grace for organizing the     silent auction benefit!

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

August 3, 2008

Medieval Equestrian Championship
Sun Pony Ranch, Berthoud

Events included:
Tilting at the Rings with lances
Spear throwing & spear sticking
"Heads" - hitting obstacles with wooden swords
Quintain (practice jousting)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

July 26th & 27th, 2008

Rocky Mountain Horse Trails, Two-Day Event ,
Somerset and Silo Farms, Longmont

BCHA members volunteered by working on the cross country course, serving as jump judges and hospitality.  Some members participated in the USEA sanctioned event. 

 

BCHA sponsored jump

Photography by Patricia Jarvis Images

 

 

 


 

"Managing Your Fear", Julie Goodnight Clinic
Saturday, May 19 - Sunday, May 20, 2007

Location: Colorado Horse Rescue, Longmont

About Julie...
An equine educator for more than 25 years, Julie Goodnight travels the world to share her clear and gentle horsemanship techniques - the same techniques featured in her books, audios and videos, at horse expos, in magazine articles and on TV.

With a varied background ranging from dressage and jumping to racing, reining and wilderness riding, Julie is prepared to help you become the leader and rider your horse deserves. Join her for clinics to better your riding skills, improve your horse handling techniques, build confidence and develop the ultimate relationship with your horse.

http://www.juliegoodnight.com

Clinic photos & summary will be available in the July/Aug issue of BCHA's newsletter, "The Horse's Mouth"




Lyons' Good Ol' Days Barrel Racing - Sunday, June 25th, 2006

Lyons' Annual Good Ol' Days brought barrel racers together again in Bohn Park. Barrel racing is one of America's favorite rodeo events and originated from the need for fast horses to work cattle quickly and efficiently on the West's early ranches. To win the event and obtain the fastest time, riders race against the clock. Three barrels are set up in the arena and riders must round each obstacle using precision and speed, without knocking the barrels over. The horses graze the surfaces of the barrels to save precious seconds and win the event.

Details of this event can be found in BCHA's "The Horse's Mouth", Sept/Oct 2006 issue.



Polo is for Everyone
Tuesday, July 20, 2004, BCHA and the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center hosted an Evening of Polo at the Center, located at 11968 Mineral Road, Longmont. Polo players from Denver and Boulder presented an informative program including video highlights from classic high-goal polo matches, a chalk talk explaining polo basics and strategy, and a live demonstration.



Public Lands Appreciation Day 2009

Once again a variety of hardy souls braved the elements on September 12 to show our appreciation for the diversity of public lands and trails in Boulder County.

We’ve had PLAD during a Chinook windstorm, and directly under the smoke of a nearby forest fire, and in a couple of feet of snow, and in splendid sunshine. But until this year it had never rained on us. Well, now we’ve gotten that over with! Thanks in part to this year’s inclement weather, we even had the pleasure of hosting this mama moose and her two calves, who came out to browse in a small aspen meadow along the trail not far from our picnic site.

And for those who are interested in such matters, the moose didn’t care a whit about the presence of the horses, or about the approach on foot of our trusty photographer and VIP guest Kent Groninger. So much for wildlife being afraid of us!

Among the VIPs were Jaime Oliva of the Forest Service, Julie and Jim Chaney of the Colorado Horse Council and Backcountry Horsemen, and Steve Armstead of the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.

A huge thank you goes out to BCHA Board member Dirk Arnold for successfully organizing the event this year on a shoestring and a moment’s notice. Dirk sent out the invitation to our VIPs and members; worked out the horse logistics with the nearby Sundance Stables and trail permits with the Forest Service; found the Savory restaurant in Nederland which prepared our delicious barbecue lunch; rented the tent, tables and chairs; and even thought to haul in some hefty logs to make a crackling campfire to warm us up and dry us out. Thanks, Dirk!

Other BCHA volunteers included Rose Valentine, who picked up and returned the tent, tables and chairs; Jackie Ashley, who set up the registration table and got our “stuff” from the storage warehouse; Pat Jarvis, who made up some of her signature “name buttons” for the Board and VIPs; Katie Wilson, Linda Hall-Taylor, Sandi Rosewell, Anne Davidson, Ray Bovet and Colin Bovet, who helped set up the tent and provided general hospitality; and Carol Arnold, for the great decorations and other logistics.

True to our promise, we DID have “A Mountain of Fun” and we hope you all will join us at PLAD next year!


 


Public Lands Appreciation Day 2008

Sunday, August 24th, 11:00 - 4:00

Allenspark Livery, Allenspark, CO

BCHA members were hosts to national, state, and local land managers on a trail ride and picnic in the Roosevelt National Forest, our 10th annual PLAD event. 

 

Photographs by Dan Michaels

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

Public Lands Appreciation Day 2007

Sunday, August 26th, 11:00 - 4:00

BCHA Members Trail Ride or Hike and Barbecue!

Mud Lake & Caribou Ranch Open Space, Nederland

Thanks for joining your fellow BCHA members on a trail ride at the Mud Lake and Caribou Open Space! We have been the official Adopt-a-Trail sponsors of the Caribou Open space for the past three years.

PLAD, August 2007, was a grand event in every way. The weather was perfect and over 65 members & guests participated by riding, hiking, or sitting by the lake enjoying the day. A catered BBQ lunch shared with friends made the day one to remember! Many thanks to Michelle Hochhauser for organizing this year's event!

 

 

 

Public Lands Appreciation Day 2006

BCHA celebrated our 8th annual Public Lands Appreciation Day (PLAD) on Sunday, September 10th, at the Mud Lake Trailhead north of Nederland.

The purpose of the PLAD is to introduce and familiarize local and state policymakers about our horse community. This event provides a casual, friendly, social opportunity to demonstrate to our officials how conscientious and respectful horse people are about our beautiful open space and forest lands.

BCHA members and local and state open space officials, park rangers, government representatives, and their staff members were invited to attend the event.

PLAD Photo Gallery 2006

Photos curtesy of Laurissa Eifler  
   


Public Lands Appreciation Day 2005

The Boulder County Horse Association celebrated our 7th annual Public Lands Appreciation Day, bringing public land officials and Boulder County's horse community together for trail & wagon rides and lunch on one of Boulder County's newest open space sites, Heil Valley Ranch.

Horses were provided by Mountain Mamas and BCHA trail guides accompanied our guests for a scenic ride! A catered barbeque lunch and wagon rides were enjoyed by all as we visited with public lands officials and the Heil family. Thank you to our many BCHA volunteers for organizing and assisting with this event, and a big thank you to the many BCHA participants who joined us on the trail !


Photos courtesy of Pat Jarvis

 


Public Lands Appreciation Day 2004

A Perfect Day!
We couldn't have asked for better weather for our 2004 Public Lands Appreciation Day! Over seventy participants enjoyed trail riding, wagon rides, catered lunch, bluegrass music, and a tour of the Lohr-McIntosh house and barns. Thanks to the many volunteers who helped make this a wonderful day!


Photos by Laurie Prindle & Barb Haaland-Michaels


Public Lands Appreciation Day 2003
Public Lands Appreciation Day a Win/Win Once Again

On Sunday, August 31, 2003, over 65 BCHA members and BCHA's invited public lands officials, land managers and politicians met to experience a beautiful day in the mountains.

This year Peaceful Valley Ranch, outside of Lyons, was the host site. VIPs and their guests experienced trail rides, wagon rides, and journeyed up the mountain to the covered luncheon site. After a great deal of socializing and discussion everyone remounted and took off on a variety of trail rides. PVR staff offered 45 minute, 2 hour and 3 hour rides through and around their private property and the national forest.

 

 


 


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