September Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

It has been a long hot summer, with lots of ups and downs. It will be good to see fall come and the bees leave. I'm hoping we can get the rides going better and camp some too! If you have not marked you calendars for the FUN SHOW please do. It's Sept. 29th Starting at 10am at Charlie and Barbara Kisslings. Barbara still needs helpers, so call and lend a hand. Also start inviting all your horse friends to come and join us. It will be a great day with lots of fun.

It is so good to hear that Susan Martin is back in the saddle. We missed her all summer and thankful to have her back!! We are having a speaker this next meeting, Sept 13th, she is from Andrews and is starting a horse rescue barn. She already has 5 horses and wants all the local clubs to know about her place, so please try to attend.

I want to thank everyone for their prayers for Emmett and I during his surgery, all came out great and there was no cancer seen. His voice is still not great but hey, he's still kicking and telling jokes.

We will talk about our Sat. Rides at the next meeting as we need to let Randall know if people are going to ride or not so he doesn't go out and no one shows up. Please come with some ideas about how to handle this.

Also it has been brought up that we should have another yard sale. Lets talk about this too, to see if we have enough stuff to sale.

We are hoping to have a Halloween ride in October on the square. I hope you all are working on a costume for your self and your horse. It might be nice to invite anyone to join in and have a judge to pick the best rider and costume What do you think???

Mary Walker has fresh barn eggs, and they are very good, please give her a call to buy some 389-4926

We have had many things to be sad about this year; it has been very tough on this club. Keep us in your prayers.

Happy Trails, Esther

Pictures From July 4th Family Ride

August 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Whew! It has been hot. Hope you all have been riding and enjoying the summer. I don't ride a lot in the summer months asI can't do the heat. But I did get to ride the last Family ride and it was great. We had about 20 riders, some of us remembered to dress up for the 4th of July in red, white, and blue. We had a good time riding up the rode to show our club spirit off. I hope to have some pictures on our web site very soon. I'm still working on an album for Darrell so get me some pictures.

Our next meeting is this coming Thurs Aug 9th at the bank. Please plan to attend. And bring some pictures for the album, I'm happy to say as of right now Darrell is doing better, he has had a rough time, but he's a good fighter. Susan Martin is out of her brace now and in PT now. She should be back with us soon riding!! Randall Parker needs us to keep him and his family in our prayers as his Dad is facing cancer again and surgery. We sure have been tested this year, but we have a great club build from good Lord loving people and we will endure these things because we have FAITH.

Our fun show is now on Sept. 29th at the Kisslings. We will let everyone know more very soon .I know our family rides and every Sat. Rides have been messed-up. I should be home now more and I hope to get us back ALL riding again. With Randall’s Dad being so ill he just can't keep-up with it right now.

Try to come to the meeting on Thurs. I have some ideas to putout there that might keep us all closer in touch! Well, I'm brain dead right now, and I hope I got everything in that I was supposed to say.

Happy Trails,

Esther

Humane Society CEO Responds To Esther

Novell WebAccess

Dear Esther,

Thank you for asking NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to suspend
Michael Vick for his alleged dogfighting.

Please tell your friends and family to take action, too:
https://community.hsus.org/campaign/US_2007_dogfighting_nfl2/forward/ineuxxwz0d5jbj3 ?

And if you haven't already, please help us care for the dogs
seized in the Michael Vick case by making a special donation
today:
https://secure.hsus.org/01/animalfighting_vick .

Thank you for all you do on behalf of animals.

Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States

***************************************
Taking Action for Animals
July 28-30, 2007 | Washington, DC
Join us in the nation's capital! Get motivated, inspired, and
learn practical advocacy skills to help you put your compassion
into action.
http://www.takingactionforanimals.org
***************************************

July 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

First I would like to thank all of you that came out and
supported me with the ATHA Ride. I had hoped that the people
that e-mailed me from all over the state could have made it, we
picked the weekend that was Trail Trotters Day so many riders
were involved with their own clubs. At any rate I made $375.00
to donate to our club, to be used as a youth fund. Amber, Rose
and Tiffany are the only youths we have at this time. Rose sold
enough girl scout cookies for camp, but Ambler joined too late,
so some of this money will go to send Amber to camp, and the
rest will be put aside to help these girls with shows, or anything
we feel they need. I would like to thank my helpers, Charlie and
Barbara Kissling, Randall Parker and Ora Mae Ledford ( they
provided all the hot dogs and buns) And Donna Gains. Thank
you all for putting up with me and all my craziness.

We are going to start another way of doing the Sat. Rides. It
gets too boring to stay in one place all month, so Randall
suggested that we all call or e-mail him or me Thurs. night and
he will have decided on a ride place. Sounds good to me! This
way we can all see more trails. Let us know what you think of this idea.

I hope all the committees have been working on their list, I will
start on a petition to leave around to spread the word about Fires Creek.

Rose and Amber went to the 4H camp in Arden a couple of
weeks ago and both had a great time. They learned a lot and
came back better horse people! At this camp they took their own
horses and were judged on the care of their horse and tack and
stall. They had to work hard. Great job girls!!

Our club seems to have been hit hard the last few months with
illness and injuries. Let this make us stronger and keep the faith
that all will get better. God Bless you all

******* HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY 4th OF JULY*******

Remember to save some red, white and blue to dress you and
your horse with.

Happy Trails, Esther

June 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Great news, we are starting a every Saturday ride. We will do
the Family Ride as usual, but we are going to try to ride every
Sat. also. The month of June the rides will be at Fires Creek.
Sat. The 2nd will be the ATHA ride up at Bristol Horse Camp,
and it is the trail trotters day to clean up the camp ground and as
we ride that day we will pick up along the trail. So please plan
to come out. The rides for June will meet at Hunters camp at
10am and then we will either ride there or go up to Bristol Horse camp, other then June 2nd.

We are still planning a fun show for Sept. So we need to start
to work with our horses to get them ready.

We have had our share of illness and loss, and I hope you keep
our members in your prayers, as they truly need and want out
help. Susan Martin broke her back and is out of riding for
awhile and she had to put down her sweet "Sunny" too. So make
sure you let her know you are thinking about her. Darrell and
Janet spend more time driving to Gainsville to doctors visits.
The list goes on, for those I did not mention, know we care. This
is a great club, with lots of loving, caring, friends.

Pat Mattox, Tracey Nicholson, Gwen Christian, and myself,
went to the NCHC Ride May 18- 20 in Fergenson, NC. We rode
some great trails and met some new friends. On Sun. The
NCHC had a Extreme Trail Challenge. All the girls rode in it
and Pat rode her horse and Prissy for me. I think they all did
great, it was a very hard lay out. Pat won 2nd on Folly and 4th on
Prissy. I was a judge so I could not ride. I was so proud of the
show we had from TCEA. The girls really showed true grit for
trying. Please remember the next meeting on June 14th. At the bank.

Pat Mattox has a pair of riding boots and a nice black cowboy
hat for sale. She will bring them to the next meeting for you to see, or call her for details. 837-8681

Happy Trails, Esther

ANDREAS HELGSTRAND - WEG2006 Freestyle Final

Amazing dancing horse!

May 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

What a great speaker we had at our last meeting. I hope we can

have some more speakers. Anyone have any ideas let me know!

I will have some letters ready soon to send out that everyone can

send to the people that we hope will help us save Fires Creek. You

can change it around or leave it the same, but please take a stand

in this matter as Fires Creek is special and we need to save it.


We lost another great horse, Wendy Spiva had to put down her

Lacy. It was a hard thing to do, but it was time. Our love goes out

to you Wendy!


May the 12th is our Family Ride. It will be up at Standing

Indian, some people are camping that weekend too. Please call

Randall Parker for more details.


May 10th is our club meeting, we are going to talk about our

Christmas Party, our summer Family cook out, and having a fun

show this fall so please try to come.I hope to have the new phone

lists at the next meeting!


If you want to ride in the ATHA Ride in June 2 & 3rd let me

know. The ride cost is $30.00. You get a tee shirt and Sat. Night

we will have a hot dog roast and pot luck dinner with

entertainment. You can come for the day or camp out for the

weekend. The money we earn goes to our club in hopes to send a

youth to horse camp this year. You do not have to be a member to

come to this ride. Let your friends know!


What a wonderful sitght it was to see our Donna on a horse again,

there was lots of crying, then the BIG smile came and off she

went. Once a cowgirl, always a cowgirl. You go girl!!!


Lawrence Beal will soon be ready to start the County Mounties,

so if your still interested give him a call.


We need to keep Darrell in our prayers, his back is not too good

right now, and we miss him so much out on the trail. I know in my

heart he will be back in the saddle with us again.

Keep the faith!!


Happy Trails,

Esther

April 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone, 

We are all upset with the Fires Creek situation going on with the private land
up on the Rim trail. Please be at the next meeting, April 12th. We have a lot
to talk about and we also have a speaker on Saddle Fitting coming from
Waynesville.If you have any friends that want to help save Fires Creek,
please invite them to come.

Congratulation go out to Hank And Juliegh on the birth of their son Zeke.
Juliegh already has a baby carrier for the baby so he can ride with her. I
'm sure Zeke will ride and hunt before he can walk. Joyce has 3 horses
for sale, a 20 yr palomino gaited gelding, a 6 yr bay with white stockings,
a real good looking horse.A 37inch pony stud, tri color, cute as a button.
Call her at (706)897-5965 Our St. Jude Ride is this Sat. April 7th at
Hunters Camp. We will be leaving at 10 am from camp and do the l
eatherwood jeep trail. We will have hot dogs and chips and drinks for
sale by the local 4- H, so please come out and help the kids at St. Jude!

The May Family Trail ride will be at Bristol Horse Camp and those that
want to camp that weekend can. The ride is May 12th. Trail trotters day
is June 2, and I need volunteers to work that one-day. Please contact
me to sign up. I need a leader for this as it is also the ATHA Ride that
weekend and I am involved with that too.  A Big Hello, to all our new
members, thank you for joining. April 14th is the HOW program at Mt.
Valley Country Store. Chip and Lorraine give a great day for Equine
owners to learn all the ways to keep our animals well. Please call and
sign up. Hope to see you there, the 4-H club are fixing hot dogs that
day too. Mt. Valley Store always gives away some real nice gifts,
so try to attend! 

Happy Trails,
Esther

tour de france criterium cheval cyclism

Turn your speakers down.

March 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

We have had to change the St. Jude Ride to April 7th. It will still be at
Hunters Camp in Fires Creek, leaving camp at 10 am. Purina is doing their
Horse Fair April 14th and so many of us don't want to miss that. So I hope
this does not mess you up. We need your support to make this ride
successful.

The 4H club will be selling hot dogs after the ride and they want to donate
the money they earn to St. Jude, also. So even if you don't ride, please
come out and get a hot dog, for St. Jude.

Mike Horseman will be at Chunky Gal Stables on March 19 and 20th to float
teeth and do any dental work your horse may need. This is by appointment,
so please call me and I will set up a time for you. Mike wanted me to make
sure everyone knows that he does sedate the horse. He has come highly
recommended and I hope this will become a yearly stop for him.

March 10 is the Georgia State Parks clean up day; if you still want to help,
please contact me and I will set you up with a park you want to go to.

I was thinking that this year it might be different to have our Christmas Party
at a restaurant. Let's be thinking about that.   Also, I hope everyone has
paid your dues; I am working on a new phone list and I want you on there, so
make your checks out and mail to me or Don Gains 486 Double Knobs Drive,
Hayesville, NC 28904. Thanks!!

We had 9 brave riders on our last Family Ride. It was rough getting stated,
but the ride was great and we all had fun.   I know we are all setting up
our summer camping trips, so please remember the club meetings and Family
rides!   

IS SPRING HERE YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Happy Trails, 

Esther

MARCH FAMILY RIDE will be Buck Creek/Deep Gap.

February 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

What a way for winter to arrive! This is even too cold for me
to go camping. Hope everyone is giving the horses lots of hay to
keep them warm.

We are going to have a speaker from Waynesville on April
12th to talk to us about saddle fitting. She will be bringing a few
different trees and a quarter horse saddle and a walking
horse/gaited horse saddle to explain the difference. Should be a
great meeting, so plan ahead to attend. Starts at 7 pm at the bank.
It has been brought to my attention that it may be nice to
meet with other clubs and share a ride with them. We will be
talking about this at the next meeting. We had a very good
Family ride last month with 20 riders. We worked on a new trail
and had some new riders with us. It was one of the best rides
I've been on in a while, thanks everyone!

June 2&3 is the ATHA Offical Ride. I hope those of you that
are interested let me know as I can only take 15 riders. You will
be able to join and do the 7 stamps on that weekend too. Barbara
Kissling and Donna Gains are helping me put this together so
you can call any of us.

We send our deepest sympathy to Lee and Gwen Christian.
Gwen lost her Mother, our thoughts and prayers go out to you
and your family.

Trail Trotters Day is also on June the 2nd. So we will have to
talk about this at the meeting too. I'm sure some members can
work on trails while others clean the road sides up. Start
thinking now for ideas for Trail Trotter Day.

Please get your dues in as I am making the new Phone list and
it will be of current members. Dues are due each January.
If anyone would like to see a chat page again or a "did you
know" page, let me know!

April 14th is our St. Jude Ride, try to help out again this year!
Happy Trails, Esther

ASPCA Horse Slaughter Alert

URGENT ALERT

Congress is back in session, and so are two crucial equine protection bills!

H.R. 503/S. 311 (The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act) will prohibit the slaughter of American horses for human consumption. Americans don't eat horses, but last year alone more than 100,000 U.S. horses were killed for their meat, which was exported to Europe and Asia.

H.R. 249 restores protections for wild horses and burros that were undone by the passage of the 2005 Burns Amendment to the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act.

If you recognize these bills, it's because both of them were introduced in the 109th Congress in 2006. Although both had strong support and advanced significantly through the committee process, Congress unfortunately recessed for the year before either bill could be passed.

Both have been formally reintroduced, but the approval process now must begin anew. If you believe that horses are American icons who deserve a better end than ending up on dinner plates abroad, please contact your senators and representatives today and ask that they support these important bills.

Ask your legislators to support the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act.
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=tdxgDiF4xu3qiG2rou_8yg..

Ask your decision makers to support H.R. 249, legislation that would protect wild horses and burros.
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=NJhhT7SO46vxUhbVu10xWQ..

Please visit ASPCA.org to take action on these initiatives today.
Thank you so much for your patience and your compassion.

Donate Now
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=yQe6KQ_GKMFqL4nmelId0g..

Renew Your Membership
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=V7AaoHirMaSgUivl4qDRUA..

Tell-a-Friend
http://www.aspca.org/site/R?i=KaN1GlTj7noY2bmrlgsYag..

Snowballing Horses

Clean-Up The Parks!

Join Us for our first, statewide

State Park
Equestrian Workday

Saturday - March 10th, 2007 - 9:30 a.m.

Help show GA DNR State Parks personnel how much we appreciate and need these safe places to ride and camp with our horses. Please mark your calendars now to help with this event!

Volunteer at any one of these five parks:

You must sign up in advance with the contact below so we have an accurate count for lunch and volunteer caps.

A.H. Stephens State Park Crawfordville, GA

Mike Medlock, 770-760-0537 or 770-231-3154, medlock30012@bellsouth.net
Linda Kundell, 706-769-6395 or 706-338-4723, kundell@bellsouth.net

F.D. Roosevelt State Park Pine Mountain, GA
Tina Maddox, 706-319-0239, francis@athens.net
Ron Cook, 478-986-4097, adrianeEaltman@aol.com

Fort Mountain State Park Chatsworth, GA
Jim Holland, 706-258-2830, lanconn@tds.net
Larry Wheat, 770-977-4783, l.wheat@mindspring

Hard Labor Creek State Park Rutledge, GA
Randy Brown, 478-607-0008 or 478-288-6684, rdbtrails57@windstream.net
Rick Jones, 770-786-5535, ervinpjones@hotmail.com
Gloria English, 770-922-7995, GEandTripleT@bigfoot.com

Watson Mill Bridge State Park Comer, GA
Diane Ayres, 706-864-7594 or 770-653-1139, dmayres@alltel.net
Joan Grant, 706-654-7081 or 404-888-5676, jgrant@fhlbatl.com

Lunch and volunteer caps will be provided for those who sign up.
Please bring tools such as a shovel, gloves, pruners, etc.

Spread the word and share this flyer with other equestrians and clubs!
Rain Date: March 17, 2007

For more information contact Gloria English:
770-922-7995 or GEandTripleT@bigfoot.com

January 2007 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Wow, what a great club this is. We have had
such a good year. Our club has grown so
much.Thank you all for a wonderful year. I have
to say it is great to see so many of you getting
involved with the club. With your help we can plan
a year of fun things to do.

Our first meeting for 2007 is on Jan. 11th at the
bank in Hayesville, starting at 7 pm.

St.Jude has called me about another ride for this
year, I want you to be thinking about this as we will
vote as to whether we do this. Also ATHA has
asked me to do an offical  ATHA Ride.They are in
with RFD-TV and will have their rides listed on there.
This is a good way to meet other riders and learn more
about Trail Riding. I hope you all will think about coming
to this ride. Barbara & Charlie Kissling and Donna have
offered to help me with this adventure so it should be a
great weekend. I will be letting everyone know more as
we pick a date and place.

A BIG thank you to Barbara Crose for all her hard work
and time in decorating our Christmas Party Room and
the oranges.Phil was a great help, too.

I ask that we all keep Wendy Spiva and family in our
prayers.Gene, her husband, has been very ill and they
need our thoughts and prayers. Also, Wendy will have
to let her lovely, sweet horse Lacy, go soon because her
legs have given out on her and the pain is just too bad. We
feel for you Wendy,as we know how hard it is. I'm sure it
would help to send Wendy a card:

  Wendy Spiva
  PO Box 1038
 Hiawassee, Ga. 30546

Lawrence Beal is having a County Mounties meeting
Jan. 10, at 7:30 pm at Moss Library in Hayesville, if
you are interested, please come.

Hoping we all have a GREAT NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Happy Trails,
Esther                                     

December 2006 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

What a year it has been! I hope this next one will bring peace and happiness to you all. We have new officers now, I'm still pres., Randall Parker is vice pres., Tiffany Parker is our secretary, Donna Gains is treasurer, and Darrell Adams and Charles Kissling are our board members. Please remember to say thanks to our out going officers and welcome in out new ones. It's not just one person that keeps this club going, we are a whole club, and everyone has a say. Thank you all for your support.

With sadness I pass on to everyone that Larry Gilifillian, lost his brother, our deepest sympathies go out to you and your family. Also to Gary Bradley, in the loss of his father. Again we pray for God's Grace to carry you though this and know our prayers are with you.

A real BIG thanks to all that gave so freely to help Donna out. It just is great to see so many people coming together and helping another. Donna is very overwhelmed with your kindness and I'm sure she will speak with all of you, I just wanted to say thanks also for the awesome response. God Bless You All!

Christmas Party is Dec. 14th at 6:00. Please call with what you want to prepare so we don't get all the same food. I have planned another fun night so please plan to attend.

The Family Ride will be Dec.16th at Hunters Camp, we will do the Leatherwood Loop as the Trail is much safer. Randall Parker and Carl are our trail bosses. Be there and ready to ride be 10 am. Call if you need more information.

The club is planning lots of fun and interesting things for this next year, so please remember to pay your dues on time (in Jan) is when they are due. All you new members, try to come to this family ride, it is a nice easy one!

HAPPY TRAILS,
Esther

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR

November 2006 Newsletter

Hello Everyone,

Happy Autumn!

Aren't the leaves and the mountains beautiful? We had a great ride at Whetstone Horse Camp. Donna Gains had a fall and spent the night in the hospital. But by the Grace of God she had no broken bones. Gave me a few more gray hairs!!

Joyce stayed with her at the hospital and Amber was entertained by everyone back at the camp ground. We give Amber the TRUE GRIT award this month as she was able to hold on and
help her Grandmother though a terrifying ordeal. Glad all turned out ok. Special THANKS to Bn and Harriet for driving Donna and Amber and horses and rig home from SC.

The next meeting is Nov.9th at 7 pm at the bank. We will be voting
for our officers for the club. Please try to attend.

Also please mark your calenders for Dec. 14th. That is our Christmas Party, starting at 6 pm. Everyone bring a dish and a gift for a child unwrapped please. The club will make the turkey
and ham. Please plan to come has we have so much fun and it's a good way to get to know other members of the club.

All dues will be due in Jan 2007. If you joined in Oct-Dec of2 006, you will be carried over. We are making a new phone list that will be out in Jan. It will be of all the members for 2007.

Happy Trails, Esther

'HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING'