The Early Bird Deadline is just a month away on August 31, 2010 for Full Conference Registration.

Click https://www.cha-ahse.org/store/cart.php?target=category&action=view&category_id=267 to register online and click http://www.cha-ahse.org/downloads/conference-registration-form-cha.pdf to print out a registration form.

Daniel Stewart with USET, Dale Myler with Myler Bits, Karen Murdock trick trainer, Julie Goodnight of Horse Master TV, JoAnne Young with Houghton College, Teresa Kackert with Great Horses and many other wonderful speakers will be there! Topics such as reining, equitation patterns, equine nutrition, pack and trail, trick training, Centered Riding®, equine dentistry, chiropractic and lameness and much more.

All participants can ride in sessions with these top instructors. Click here to see all speakers and sessions that will be at this educational event that is open to all horse enthusiasts http://www.cha-ahse.org/downloads/conference-schedule-cha.pdf . There are Day Rate options available for each day of the conference.  Media, contact Christy Landwehr if you want to attend.

Please donate an item for the Silent Auction – This fundraiser raises money for the CHA Scholarship Fund that helps new riding instructors attend CHA clinics and get certified based on their financial need. Please click here to send in an item today! http://www.cha-ahse.org/downloads/conference-silent-auction-pledge-cha.pdf

The purpose of CHA is to promote excellence in safety and education for the benefit of the horse industry. CHA certifies instructors, recreational vaulting coaches, barn managers, college coaches, drivers and trail guides; accredits equestrian facilities; publishes educational manuals and hosts regional and international conferences.

For more information on the Certified Horsemanship Association, please visit www.CHA-ahse.org or call toll free 1-800-399-0138.  To find a certified riding instructor or accredited equine facility near you visit www.CHAinstructors.com

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An excellent value, each ticket will admit one person into the World Championship of Colt-Starting on February 25-27, 2011. Providing first come, first serve seating during the event, these tickets are limited.

“To our surprise and excitement, only 50 tickets are left for the 2011 Road to the Horse, and those tickets that are left are in the exclusive Road to the Horse Nation seating block. We just couldn’t let the doors close yet with so many fans still clamoring to get in, so we created more space by adding bleachers inside the coliseum. This will allow so many more people to attend, cheer for their favorite clinician and be immersed in natural horsemanship!” said Tootie Bland, owner and producer of Road to the Horse.

Road to the Horse fans have been given the opportunity to join the Road to the Horse Nation. Getting even closer to the action, Nation members have their own private website, www.roadtothehorsenation.com. Launched in mid July, the site offers articles, videos, pictures, fan forums and more! Nation members also have access to special seating sections within the coliseum.

For more information on the 2011 Road to the Horse or to buy your tickets, visit www.roadtothehorse.com.

Calling All Western Artists!

Do you use vibrant colors to depict the spirit of the horse? Have you always dreamed of getting your artwork into the hands of thousands of people?

If your answer is a resounding “Yes!”, Road to the Horse would like you to send us a sample of your work. If you’d like to create a special piece for Road to the Horse, showcasing all that embodies the World Championship of Colt-Starting and the 2011 Legends, even better!

Please send your sample artwork or Road to the Horse cover art submission along with a short bio and personal photo to shortie@roadtothehorse.com.

Road to the Horse

Road to the Horse, the World Championship of Colt-Starting is unlike any other event in the equine or entertainment industry. The three-day sold out event matches three of the country’s best horse trainers and clinicians of today against one another as they train unbroken colts to ride in just a few short hours in front of a packed live audience and television cameras.

By combining education, edge-of-your-seat suspense, entertainment and the love of the horse, Road to the Horse has been responsible for solidifying the position of today’s horsemanship heroes and launching the careers of tomorrow’s hottest new stars.

In the process, the event itself has become a catalyst for the advancement of natural horsemanship. Spectators are guaranteed not only to have a good time, but also to walk away with training knowledge that will improve their relationship with horses.

Road to the Horse is proud to partner with many outstanding companies across the equine industry including Road to the Horse presenting sponsor, Western Horseman and strategic partner AQHA along with Nutrena, Quarter Horse News, Horses Magazine, Martin Saddlery, Gist Silversmiths, ABI Equine, Horsecity.com, WW Livestock, Callaway Farms Manufacturing, Extreme Mustang Makeover, Hoofbeats Magazine, Rockin J Horse Stalls and Flying D Enterprises. For sponsorship opportunities and more information on the 2011 Road to the Horse visit www.roadtothehorse.com or call 325-736-5000.

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Cristy Shank says the overflowing of support from the horse show community has been overwhelming.

“Everyone talked me into letting the kids go to the show just to watch,” Cristy says. “But then, the trainers offered to help the kids free of charge. They really wanted the kids to go because we don’t know how much we will be able to haul the rest of this year.”

Cristy says Ben and Elizabeth’s horse show friends have been a big part of helping them through the recovery process.

“Their horse show friends are their best friends, and the ones they lean on,” she says. “It will be good for them to be there one more time, because it is hard to predict if we will be able to show anymore. We just don’t know, that is the hardest thing of all is that everything is unknown.”

Ben currently shows Chips Cover Story in Youth Western Pleasure under the guidance of Jay and Kristy Starnes, while Elizabeth shows Kae Dence in working hunter events with David Warner. Soon after their trainers learned that the Shank’s planned to skip this year’s World Show, the Starnes generously offered to take Ben completely free of charge.

“Jay and Kristy are even selling one of our horses and not taking any commission,” she says. “I am just so grateful. I don’t even know where to begin, but I can’t thank everyone enough. They are going to help Ben for free at the show, and are letting us take the commission to put towards John’s rehab. They have just bent over backwards for us. They didn’t even bill us for the Big A.”

Kristy Starnes says the Shank kids have worked so hard all year and really deserve to have the chance to compete.

“We wanted to help them in general in any way we can,” Starnes says. “We wanted to help them regain some sense of normalcy in their lives, because at this point, everything has been turned upside down. If we can help them go to the World Show, so they get to have fun and be kids, then that is what we are going to do. This could be the last time they get to go for a long time.”

Another member of the Starnes show string, Kelley Mundrick, offered to help by hauling Ben’s horse out to the World Show a whole week before she had originally planned to go.

“Kelley wasn’t planning on going until next week, but once she heard that our trailer was full, she stepped up and said she would take them out there a week early,” Starnes says. “We have all just tried to do whatever we could for them. At the Big A, we got their motorhome all back together so David could drive it home. Then, we heard they were running low on hay at home, so we loaded up their four-horse with as much of our hay as we could, so Cristy wouldn’t have to worry about those types of things.”

“The first few days after this happened, it threw our barn into a panic. To see a man of his strength go through this, it has been tough on everybody, and I can’t imagine being in Cristy or the kid’s position. It is totally life changing for them. You hate to hear of something like this happening, but they are a great family and if anyone can get through this, it will be John.”

Elizabeth’s trainer, David Warner, says she has worked so hard over this past year to get to this point, and really deserves to compete.

“We are just trying to help out the family,” Warner says. “They have been such great clients to all of us, and we wanted to help the kids get to the show. We tried to organize as much as we can without having Cristy here. They’ve had to grow up very fast these last couple of weeks. Elizabeth has been jumping for a little over a year now, and has really shown great progression. To have that whole year-long goal taken away isn’t really fair.”

Cristy says David even offered to help out by hauling their horses back from the Big A while they were in the hospital with John.

“I had hauled our horses down to the Big A, and when John had his stroke, David cancelled his flight back and took our horses home for us,” Cristy says. “He told us just not to worry about anything for right now, because he really wanted Elizabeth to get to go to the World Show.”

Although it will be very hard for her to send her kids off to the World Show knowing she won’t be able to come and watch them compete, Cristy says both Ben and Elizabeth will be in the good hands of a few “step horse show moms,” for the week.

“It is going to kill me not to be there with them,” she says. “But Elizabeth is going to be staying with Ginger and Gillian Chant, and they have even offered to cover her meals while she is there. Ben will be staying with Becky Schooler, who is hauling Elizabeth’s horse to the show for us as well. A friend of mine, Jenell Pogue, is going out to help the kids get ready for their classes. They won’t even be able to help each other because they will be showing at the same time in two different pens. She will also be bringing the horses back home, because most everyone else will be going on to the Reichert. It will be good, because the kids will get a chance to come see John before they have to go back home to start school.”

Like most kids their age, Ben and Elizabeth will be headed back to school after the Reichert. However, the kids will be starting school at home in Indiana, while Cristy will still be with John in Georgia. It is hard to say when the family will be reunited, but until that time, Grandmother Shank will be holding down the fort at home.

“My mother is staying home with the other kids,” Cristy says. “She lives two hours away, but I will try to go back the week before school. It just depends what kind of outpatient John is eligible for.”

“We haven’t really been given a prognosis yet, for when he will get to leave, because the brain is so hard to predict,” she says. “Even if he keeps going at this rate, it will be years of recovery, we just don’t know. With his speech, it could be 6 months to a year. He has done much better than expected, but the physical always comes back before speech, and that was the area that was hit the hardest.”

“He can’t speak right now, and some simple tasks are hard for him,” she says. “We have a long way to go with his speech, but he definitely recognizes everyone. When he saw Ben yesterday he started crying. Ben has realized how important it is for John to see his family. His therapy is so intense with physical therapy, twice daily speech therapy, and meals. In between catching up on naps, it is really hard to have visitors because he is exhausted.”

Anytime an unexpected illness occurs, it is common for both family and friends to be taken by surprise. However, in this particular situation, the horse community was so shocked because of John’s young age and health conscious nature.

“John is 43, and he will be 44 in August,” she says. “He rode his bike 20 miles the day before his stroke. It was sort of a freak of nature thing. The wall layers of his carotid artery started to shred. Then, the blood cells got stuck, and a clot traveled to his brain, which caused the stroke. Layers don’t typically shred unless you have had some sort of injury like whiplash or were hit in the neck. His is the kind of case you would present at a conference. It is very rare.”

“Physical therapy thinks he might be able to walk in 6 months to a year. It takes 6 to 8 weeks for swelling in the brain to go down, and we are only at 2 weeks, so it is hard to tell what we will be left with when the swelling goes down. Right now, I pretty much stay here with him. I am a nurse anyways, and I think helping to take care of him helps me to cope. It has been really hard not to see my youngest son. He is seven, and I have never left him for that long before.”

Cristy would like to express how extremely thankful she and her family are for the overwhelming support they have received from the horse show community.

“I never realized how much a call from a stranger really means,” Cristy says. “When someone is injured, you never really know if you are intruding or not, but it means a lot. Even if I don’t have time to send a message back, or return a call, just getting them means a lot. The overflowing of support from the horse show community has been overwhelming.”

Cristy would also like to recognize and thank,

• Richard and Betty Carr, who donated $500 to help offset World Show expenses.
• Maggie Bellville, who took Ben from the airport to the hospital.
• The Wheeler’s, who drove to the hospital with Cristy and slept in the waiting room that whole first night.
• Brian Cox, for hauling Blazing Hot Sally from the Southern Belle to Ohio, free of charge.
• Kristin Martin, who hauled Blazing Hot Sally home from Ohio.
• Mark Harrell Horse Shows, along with GQHA, who tore up our check at the Big A.
• John and Jill Briggs who helped out by keeping Dan, while John was still in critical condition.

“If I have left anyone out, I sincerely apologize. My short term memory is not very good these days. We are so grateful for our horse show friends. Words cannot express how much we appreciate the kindness shown to our whole family during this stressful time in our lives.”

John is currently undergoing an aggressive rehabilitation program at The Sheperd Center in Atlanta, GA. If you would like to send flowers, cards or balloons, please address to:

The Sheperd Center

Care of John Shank

2020 Peachtree Road NW

Atlanta, GA

30309-1465

Tel. 404-352-2020

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Veterinarian John Madigan, an expert in emergency veterinary medicine and director of the Veterinary Emergency Response Team said, “Loose cows or horses in crowded public places can threaten public safety. We must ensure that our animal handling procedures are designed to minimize the risk of animals escaping into public areas and that plans are in place for an effective and humane emergency response in the unlikely event that a large animal does escape.”

Madigan, who is also associate director of the teaching hospital’s large animal clinic, noted that a July 4 parade incident in Iowa, in which horses pulling a carriage stampeded and killed one person and injured more than 20 people, is an example of the risk and potential for injury that can result when livestock and horses are loose in public places.

The call for a procedural review is also in response to the tragic July 27 shooting death of a cow at the California State Fair.

Wilson has also requested that the Veterinary Emergency Response Team at UC Davis develop a plan and training module to help prepare public-safety officials at the fair and other large, public venues for incidents involving unrestrained large animals in public places or roadways.

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The Association currently is accepting applicants for a new staff position working with both Marketing & Communications and Sponsorship Departments.

OVERVIEW

This position will give the opportunity and challenge to write news releases, maintain NRHA’s social media presence, assist with targeted growth initiatives, interact with media professionals, assist with web site content, produce special events and fulfill Corporate Partner and event sponsor obligations. The position is based at NRHA Headquarters in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Candidates must be willing to assist with all functions of the department including early mornings and lengthy days during major events. They also must demonstrate an interest in the livestock or horse industry and have the ability to work collaboratively. Candidates must be creative, energetic, patient, organized and reliable.

It is recommended that candidates have a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications, animal science or related area and have excellent writing skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Write and distribute news releases, website copy, eNRHAnewsletters, NRHA e-mail announcements, etc.
• Maintain and expand NRHA’s social media presence via blogs, Facebook, etc.
• Develop, update and enhance various marketing materials for use in print, e-mail or on NRHA’s website
• Assist with targeted initiatives to grow NRHA’s membership base
• Assist with advertising campaigns for all NRHA programs and their placement in outside and in-house media
• Assist with planning and coordinating of special events that promote NRHA activities and events
• Manage NRHA press room and write scripts for the NRHA Derby Show or NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show
• Assist with all facets of planning and executing major NRHA events such as the NRHA Derby Show or NRHA Futurity & Adequan® North American Affiliate Championship Show
• Assist with Corporate Partner and event sponsor obligations and fulfillment
• Coordinate and maintain sponsor banner inventory
• Organize and manage NRHA Saddle and Buckle Sponsorships
• Travel to various events
• Other duties as assigned

APPLICATION PROCESS

Resumes, cover letters and writing samples for this position should be submitted to:

Christa Morris (Director of Marketing & Communications) or Dennis York (Chief of Operations)

3000 N.W. 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73107, (405) 946-7400

cmorris@nrha.com or dyork@nrha.com

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Here are the highlights:

Last year, Congress passed the Stimulus Bill that included bigger write-offs for horses and other property purchased and placed in service during 2009. But these provisions expired at the end of 2009. The new HIRE Act extended Section 179, which allows an owner to expense up to $250,000 of the cost for horses or other business property purchased and placed in service through 2010.

Once total purchases of horses and other eligible property reach $800,000, the expense allowance goes down $1 for each dollar spent over $800,000. To illustrate the expensing allowance, assume a horse business purchases $750,000 of depreciable property in 2010, including $650,000 for horses.That business can write off $250,000 on its 2009 tax return and depreciate the balance.

If instead, purchases were $900,000, the expense allowance would go down by $100,000. This provision would benefit any business involved in the horse industry that purchases and places depreciable property in service in 2010.

The legislation also included provisions to forgive payroll taxes for hiring unemployed workers and gives a business tax credit of $1,000 for every new employee retained for 52 weeks to be taken on the employee’s 2011 tax return.

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StepnSoak is the new one piece “slip on and tie” matte vinyl hoof treatment system with a design versatile enough to be effective for use in soaking, deep conditioning and wound treatment of horse, livestock and large zoo animal paws and hooves.

The unique patented slip on design of StepnSoak offers a base which can expand to accommodate up to a 9.5 Draft size hoof yet when folded in half is small enough for use effectively on a sheep, goat, cow, donkey, pony or mini.

StepnSoak was designed to merge the best of existing procedures into one safe, quick, easy “one piece, one step” hoof soaking solution. It’s made of durable soft matte vinyl similar to IV bag material and is 14″ wide, 21″ tall and has two 18″ flexible soft vinyl ties attached to either side.

The 14″ width opens wide enough to accommodate any size hoof and is designed to slip on your horses leg, crisscross the attached ties and safely secure to the leg prior to a soaking or icing session.

StepnSoak was designed with heat sealed construction so it will not split, rip, tear or break. StepnSoak is safe, convenient, horse and horse owner friendly and—although very durable—is also disposable, coming four to a box for only $23.95 per set.

Jeffers Pet Supply is one of the largest privately owned catalog and e-commerce animal health supply retailers.   Jeffers Pet Supply began in 1975 in the home of Dr Keith Jeffers and has grown to consist of 3 catalogs – Jeffers Pet, Jeffers Equine and Jeffers Livestock which is shipped to over 300,000 customers every change of season.

The Jeffers philosophy is to offer their clients the highest quality, most up to date products at the absolutely best price.  With this philosophy Jeffers welcomes the new double strength Ultra StepnSoak Hoof Soaking System as a worthy addition to their Hoof Care product line.

For more information on StepnSoak and the new StepnSoak Ultra contact Lydia delRossi, StepnSoak LLC P.O. Box 7276 Aiken SC @ 1-888-STPNSOK (787-6765) or e-mail stepnsoak@aol.com

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Our highly opaque fabric blend fills in cellulite lines and hides skin blemishes.  Wunderbreech also features a seamless, gusseted crotch for maximum comfort. The capri length eliminates unsightly panty lines and is cooler than full length designs which add bulk under boots.

You’ll like them so much that you’ll want to wear them every time you ride. You will love the way breathable Wunderbreeches feel next to your skin under any breech, white or not.

“We developed the Wunderbreech in response to consumer input that unlined white breeches of any brand are simply unflattering. Wunderbreech provides a comfortable base layer to be worn under any breech to insure a highly opaque (not see through) look. It also does a superb job of camouflaging cellulite and skin imperfections.” states Sheryl Rudolph, Founder and President of FITS.

For a limited time introductory offer FITS is offering a free Wunderbreech with every new order of FITS Energy Rib White Full Seat breech.  Suggested retail price is $32.00. Available at fine tack stores and online through FITS valued dealer network at www.FITSRiding.com beginning August 2010.

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We’ve all heard stories, and maybe a few of us remember, when gas was only $1.50 a gallon, and you could buy a cup of coffee for .60 cents, but what about when shavings were only $2 a bag, and the entry fee for the Junior Western Pleasure at the Congress was $6?

We talked to a few “seasoned veterans,” who told us what it was like to attend an AQHA World Show in 1980, or the Congress in 1972.

Ted Turner- “The first time I went to the Congress was in 1983,” he says. “I’m going to say cost-wise, to compare it to what it used to be to go to the Congress, it is at least two to three times what it used to be, and that’s not only entries, but also stalls. Stalls at the Congress now are like $350.”

“Diesel fuel here in Oklahoma is about $2.79, and in the 70s and 80s, it was no more than a dollar and a half. So, everything is double or triple. No matter where you go, to get there and show, everything costs more. It is expensive.”

“They didn’t have anything like drug testing or office fees before. That is all added on. It takes more people to run the shows now because it is bigger, so everything costs more, no question.”

Ronny Stallings- “Well, when we used to go to the APHA Congress, stalls were about $50, and shavings were two dollars a sack,” he says. “That was back in about 72′ or 73′ when the Congress was in Hutchinson, Kansas. When it moved to Wichita, stalls were $75 for the first year and shavings were $2.50.”

“The Congress entry fees were never expensive because it was just like a regular horse show. It was like six dollars to show under each judge in the Open Junior Pleasure. Back then see, we didn’t have but just one judge. I believe they did charge a dollar office fee, but that was it, we didn’t have all those drug fees they put on us now.”

“If you entered the 2 Year-Old Futurity up there, it was $35, and there’d be 50 or 60 head in it. The Congress always added $200, so it would pay $700 to $900 to win.”

“Back then, the World Show entries weren’t that much more, and stalls were $65-75. Now, by the time you enter one halter horse, and pay for a stall and bedding, it was darn near $1,000. All of that has gone up over the last 25 to 30 years.”

Back Then: AQHA World Show

Stall Fee- $12 a day

Shavings- $2 a bag

Bag of Feed- $4

Bale of Hay- $1.50

Hotel- $30-50

Gas Prices- $1.50 per gallon

Cup of Coffee- 0.60 cents

Pack of Cigarettes- 0.30- 0.50 cents

In 2010: AQHA World Show

Entry Fee- $350-$500

Drug/Tail Testing Fee- $15 per horse

Trail Obstacle Fee- $25

Stall fee- $85-350 (depending on which World Show)

Shavings- $8 per bag

Bag of Feed- $12-$15

Bale of Hay- $10-$12

Hotel- $62-$130 a night

Gas Prices- $2.80 per gallon

Cup of Coffee- $1.38

Pack of Cigarettes- $6.00

Harvey Spicer- “I’ve been to every AQHA World Show that has ever been held, since it was in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1975. They had it there because one of their only major sponsors was Copenhagen Skoal and that was where the headquarters was located.”

“Back at that time, the youth was having their show in the summer in Amarillo, before they moved it to Tulsa. The Open was always in November. I think it was like $150 for a class at the open show, and stalls were like $12 a day. Nowadays of course, the entry fee for a weanling halter class is $500, and for a qualifying horse, the entry fee is $350.”

“The AQHA Youth World first began in Amarillo back in the late 60s to early 70s. It was at the old Cody arena, then they moved it to Tulsa. When they built that big coliseum in Ft. Worth, they moved it there, and until last year it was there until they moved it to Oklahoma City.”

“I remember at the very beginning at the Congress, in the mid 70s, the entry fee was eight to 10 dollars an entry.”

Floyd Danley-  ”Back then, for a training horse, people were getting $150 to $225 for training, and you would charge 20 to 25 cents a mile for hauling. Just off the top of my head, a real good show saddle would’ve cost you $700. There weren’t any people like Blue Ribbon or Harris back then, and they were mostly regular saddles that didn’t have a whole lot of silver on them.”

“In the late 70s to early 80s, a really good halter horse would bring $50,000 to $60,000, but that was when the oil was pumping good, and everyone had money. When the oil crunch hit in the first part of the 80s, the bottom fell out of everything. To compete in the halter at the Quarter World today a really great one will cost $150,000 and up.”

“Back then nobody had diesel vehicles, they were all gas. Now you compare all of this to what we are paying for diesel now, and everything has skyrocketed. A pack of cigarettes back then probably cost 50 cents. Some of those numbers I think I’ve actually tried to forget.”

Pat Trebesch- “My very first World Show would’ve been back in the mid 70s,” he says. “The cost for a bag of feed was maybe in the four to five dollar range, and hay was probably one to two dollars a bale, but that was up north.”

“Everything is higher now, including mileage, feed and entries. I’m sure it all compares. If the feed went up, board and training went up. If fuel went up, mileage went up. I think it is only the people who can afford it now who go to the breed shows.”

“If you talk to a lot of people they are going to more open shows because they can go there for one day, show in a bunch of classes, and pay no stall or motel fee. Back then, I guess a motel would cost $30-$50 a night.”

Back Then: All-American Quarter Horse Congress

The first official Quarter Horse Congress was held November 3-5, 1967. The registration cost for all three days was only $20, the cost for two days was $15, and the cost for one day was $5.

More than 5,000 horse enthusiasts attended the inaugural show. The OQHA turned a profit of $15,000 for that one show.

Over the past 43 years, that very first three-day show evolved into the three-week long extravaganza that the Congress is today.

In 2010: All-American Quarter Horse Congress

Drawing in approximately 18,000 entries and 8,500 Quarter Horses, the All American Quarter Horse Congress generates more than $110 million for the central Ohio economy, attracting 650,000 people to the Columbus area.

There will be over $3 million given away in cash and prizes like trucks, trailers, trophy saddles, buckles, and the coveted C.R. Morrison bronze trophies.

Some Fun Facts About the All American Quarter Horse Congress

• The infamous Sweet Shop sells more than 20,000 cinnamon rolls each year. Throughout the years, they have sold nearly half a million cinnamon rolls. The Sweet Shop also sells approximately 2,250 gallons of coffee at the show.
• Cox Concessions goes through 526 bottles of Crown Royal Whiskey, and more than 2,500 pounds of ice during the duration of the show.
• Harris Leather and Silverworks builds 75 saddles especially for the Congress. Each custom saddles weighs approximately 45 lbs, seven of which is pure silver. It takes one craftsman 280 hours to build just one Harris saddle.
• More than 9,000 cubic yards of manure were hauled out in 2006. The Congress produces as much manure in 23 days as 200 horses produce in one year.

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The conference will be held in Louisville, Kentucky September 22-23, 2010 at the Crown Plaza Airport Hotel. It is open to members and non members of the WHIA.

What could be more exciting than exploring your next vacation destination on horseback?  Knowing that someone has personally tested and approved the trip to meet your standards.

That’s a guarantee from owner and creator of Active Riding Trips, Stacey Adams.  Stacey not only personally travels to and experiences every trip available with Active Riding Trips, but she and staff continue to visit and reevaluate each trip every two to three years!

So you can run with the zebras of Kenya, journey across the Andes Mountains or gallop the beaches of Costa Rica – all without worrying about what to expect when you arrive.

“We won’t sell a trip unless I’ve personally taken it” assures Stacey, “So every ride has been screened directly by me.” Stacey is herself an avid rider.

Prior to starting Active Riding Trips, she planned her own vacations around riding. When she returned, Stacey would recommend her trips to friends. Eventually she found herself planning at least a dozen vacations a year for friends and family.  They encouraged her to take ht next step and form her own business.

Active Riding Trips offers two different types of riding trips:  trail riding type vacations and training vacations.”Trail rides are broken down to stationary rides out from the central accommodations, and inn to inn or camping rides,” explains Stacey.

The trail rides are offered in a variety of countries including France, Italy, Ireland, Costa Rica, Portugal, Spain, Peru, Scotland, Kenya, Argentina, New Zealand, the U.S.A and Tunisia.Training vacations are centered on improving riding skills in a variety of disciplines and for all levels.

One vacation takes travelers to Portugal for individual training in classical dressage with the unique opportunity to ride full-blooded Lusitanos.  Another offers riders the chance to try their hand at spinning and sliding stops on top level Reining Horses.

These vacations cater to both the highest and beginner level rider.  Riders are able to perform advanced level moves with experienced horses with additional time allotted to explore the surrounding areas.Additional trips for hunter, jumper and cross country training are also available.

Active Riding Trips is also currently offering vacation packages to the 2010 World Equestrian Games.  These are a one of a kind opportunity to sit in A Level seats, closest to the action, in either Dressage, Jumping, Eventing or Reining!  The packages also include hotel accommodations.  You can find more about Active Riding Trips by visiting their website at Active Riding Trips or by calling 800-973-3221.

“This is a great company to know if you want to have an equestrian get-a-way or vacation all over the world,” states WHIA Executive Director, Catherine Masters.

The theme for the WHIA’s 2nd annual conference is “Marketing and Making The Most of Your Horse Industry Business”. In addition to exhibits, attendees will be able to listen to a wonderful array of top industry experts covering a variety of horse industry subjects. Save money by registering early!  For a complete list of speakers and exhibitors, please visit Women’s Horse Industry Association or call 615-730-7833.

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