Clare Tone

Half Finished: 24 New Equestrian Jumps in Place, Course Open to Public

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Lory State Park is a great destination for trail riding, jumping or hiking. Plan a visit and have some fun! Plus…mark your calendars, the grand reopening and official dedication of the course is now scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2015! I hope you will make plans to attend and ride with your equine friends! LindaP By Mick Syzek, Volunteer Coordinator In January of 2014, the Friends of Lory State Park with Lory Park staff and volunteers began to rebuild the more than 50 wooden equestrian jumps in the South Valley Loop area of the Park that were destroyed by the Galena Fire of March 15, 2013. Equestrians are already taking advantage of the new jumps! The Foundation for Colorado State Parks bestowed grant funds of $8,000 towards the reconstruction efforts. This allowed the Park to hire James Atkinson out of San Diego, a course designer and equestrian jumps builder with international experience, to help us construct portable replacement jumps according to specifications from the United States Eventing Association (USEA). Lory State Park was able to purchase finished and raw log lumber material from insurance monies received as a result of the fire. James and NOCO local Dan Michaels led several workshops throughout the year, culminating in placing the last of 24 finished jumps onto the field course in late August 2014. Volunteers organized and scheduled by the Friends of Lory State Park devoted many afternoons and weekends to construct, assemble, stain the jumps, help place them in the field, and weed-whack the approaches to the jumps. Key Volunteer Glen Akins kept track of […]

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Hope Held by a Horse: Benefit Ride

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I had the opportunity, at the last minute, to attend a fundraiser ride for breast cancer this past Sunday organized by Diane Chafee and Janna Combs. Hope Held by a Horse is a non-profit organization, their mission is to provide a safe, positive environment, in the company of horses, to support women with breast cancer to learn, grow, and heal. This ride was in support of those with or recovering from breast cancer. What better way to support this cause then a fun ride in early April, riding as many miles as you wanted with up to 40 miles possible. I was looking forward to being outdoors. On Saturday I joined together in Boulder with others in memory of a dear friends passing. What better way to celebrate his life later that day, in the outdoors, where I could reflect on all the goodness he was. Sunday’s weather looked perfect and the driving distance, near Fort Morgan, led my friend Jane and I to leave late Saturday afternoon. This would be our first campout of the season at the Prewitt Reservoir (a new place for us). Prewitt’s 3,047 acres and allows hunting of Waterfowl, Pheasant, Bobwhite quail, and Deer. There is camping, a boat ramp and restrooms. Prewitt is a lovely place to camp, on the water with cottonwoods, riparian activity (pelican, heron, bald eagle), and very few people. As a state wildlife area, all that is needed is a fishing or hunting permit to camp. We arrived late afternoon and set up camp, then enjoyed cocktails and a potluck in Diane’s trailer with Janna, Brian

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Bobcat Ridge: A lovely place to ride

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Now that Spring has sprung I have made it my goal to explore more trails outside of Boulder County. I have to say Larimer County Open Space is doing a much better job then Boulder County with their trailheads and trails that are horse-friendly. Not only do they provide adequate parking for horse trailers, but some locations have water spigots (wow), along with very nice mounting areas and even a ramp for handicapped riders. This past Sunday we joined some Larimer County friends and rode Bobcat Ridge, about 45 minutes to 1 hour from the Boulder area. This trailhead is located just North of Highway 34, look for the sign that says Masonville and make a right. The trail head is about 5 miles further down a lovely rural, paved road. Note: they have a wildlife web cam on line too! There are lots of loops on this system, very nice footing, bathrooms (one even midway down the trail), a spring on one of the loops, and beautiful views with red rock cliffs. I hope you can make it part of your 2015 plan to visit more then Boulder has to offer this year. Visit our neighbors Larimer and Jefferson County Open Spaces and tell Boulder County what you think! Linda P

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North Trail Study Area (NTSA)

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Learn more about this beautiful area, provide your input and help shape the future of the NTSA as an equestrian, hiker, environmentalist or simply as a citizen of Boulder County on the North Trail Study Area. This content was reposted from an e-newsletter by: City of Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks Steve Armstead Environmental Planner , Open Space and Mountain Parks  Starting in April, the City of Boulder’s Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) Department will kick off its development of the North Trail Study Area (TSA) Plan with a series of public workshops and online opportunities to gather input from the community. This plan seeks to improve visitor experiences and increase the sustainability of recreational amenities on OSMP’s northern lands while also conserving the area’s diverse natural, cultural and agricultural resources. It will include recommendations to modify and enhance the miles of trails on OSMP lands north of Linden Avenue and the Diagonal Highway. The North Trail Study Area Plan may include proposals for trail reroutes, and special resource and activity management measures. It will also direct how OSMP will manage undesignated trails – which may lead to the restoration of visitor-created paths that are not sustainable or are not compatible with conservation goals for other resources. OSMP needs your input to identify priorities for this plan and to help us shape it. We encourage you to learn more about this plan by signing up for email updates or by visiting NorthTSA.org in the coming weeks and months. For more information watch the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3h1epUHssM Linda P

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Forest Service Directed to Maintain Trails with Volunteers

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FEBRUARY 11, 2015 AHC WASHINGTON UPDATE Copyright 2015 American Horse Council National Forest Trail Bill Introduced On February 10, 2015, Congresswomen Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) and Tim Walz (D-MN) re-introduced the National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act of 2015 (H.R.845).  The bill would direct the Forest Service to take several actions to help address the current trail maintenance backlog that is adversely impacting all trail users on many national forests, including equestrians.  The bill was first introduced during the last Congress.  The American Horse Council, Backcountry Horsemen of America, and the Wilderness Society were significantly involved in the creation of this bill. A June 2013, study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that the Forest Service has deferred trail maintenance needs that exceed half-billion dollars, and only one-quarter of the agency’s 158,000 miles of trails meets agency standards for maintenance. This maintenance backlog is causing access and safety issues for equestrians and all trail users on national forests. The National Forest Service Trail Stewardship Act would direct the Forest Service to develop a strategy to more effectively utilize volunteers and partners to assist in maintaining national forest trails.  It will also provide outfitters and guides the ability to perform trail maintenance activities in lieu of permit fees.  Additionally, the bill would address a liability issue that has discouraged some national forests from utilizing volunteers and partner organizations to help perform trail maintenance and would direct the Forest Service to identify and prioritize specific areas with the greatest need for trail maintenance in the national forest system.

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I also grow weary!

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I wanted to share the Joder Family Statement with you concerning the family ranch that was purchased by Open Space. I too grow weary, as Linda Andes-George stated in today’s Daily Camera Guest Opinion, and in my opinion feel that the management of the property, including agreements on what trails go where, to be done in the context of our Trails Study Area (TSA) process. If at all possible, I would like to see the TSA process done a bit quicker then previously stated, so we all may enjoy this beautiful new addition to our Open Space lands, this includes bears, bobcats, birds and then of course all us other users. Below is the Joder Family Statement: First, we need to say at the outset that we, the four Joder family members, are much like a microcosm of the Boulder community — we each have different outdoor activities we enjoy, we have somewhat different ideas about land use in general, and we also have slightly differing opinions on what should eventually be done with the city’s new acquisition. Therefore, the following points are somewhat general and may be slightly contradictory. When we sold the property, we knowingly put our trust into the Open Space process for determining land use and we believe that, once the process is completed and all voices are heard, the right balance will have been struck. Here are the main points upon which we have come together: 1) Whatever the use, we feel strongly that the impact on the biodiversity of the

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Joder Arabian Ranch: Update

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Last month more than 35 people spoke at the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) meeting, with 29 speakers in favor of trail access to horses at the Joder Arabian Ranch along with parking (this was a huge response). Even more incredible was that the OSBT and City Council received more than 350 e-mails on this topic. Thank you to all those who have taken the time to respond on this. Your response was completely unprecedented, and it shows the amazing level of support for equestrian access and the horse community’s personal involvement with the future development of the Joder Arabian Ranch. The future of the Joder Arabian Ranch is still in the planning stages and the discussion is still going on. The OSBT has scheduled another meeting this Wednesday, January 14th.   It is important to let OSBT and the Open Space Board of Trustees know how you feel about the Joder Arabian Ranch and trail access and parking for horse recreational use. Remember if you don’t say anything, they won’t know how you feel about the future of this special property. Please try to attend the next meeting of the Open Space Board of Trustees: Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 6 PM Boulder City Council Chambers (Municipal Building), Broadway & Canyon Speak under the: Public Participation Items Not on the Agenda If you can’t make it to the meeting, click here to send a personal e-mail to the Boulder City Council and Open Space Board of Trustees. Please write a short paragraph about your interest in the

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CSU research on horse injuries, stem-cell recovery, may help humans

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I found this article by Kieran Nicholson from The Denver Post quite interesting. I hope that you do too! Stem-cell research by Colorado State University staffers using bone marrow from horses to heal joint injuries on the same animal is making strides, and researchers have great hope that the project will lead to human medical applications. A team with CSU’s Equine Orthopaedic Research Center reports that adding stem-cell therapy to traditional arthroscopic surgery on horses has significantly increased success rates. Horses that had follow-up, stem-cell treatment were twice as likely to return to normal activity as those that did not, said David Frisbie, an associate professor of equine surgery with CSU and part of the research team. “We’ve doubled it, conservatively,” in treating cartilage damage in the knee, Frisbie said. The team had results of its work published last year in the journal Veterinary Surgery. Some lesions in the meniscus of horses that could not be treated by surgery have been successfully mended using stem cells alone. “Western performance horses, reining and cutting horses, and barrel horses are very prone to meniscal injuries,” Frisbie said. Beyond meniscus damage, researchers also have focused on tendon lesions in the lower leg, which typically strike race horses. Horses that suffered a tendon lesion had about a 66 percent chance of reinjury after surgery. Add stem-cell treatment and the reinjury rate drops to 21 percent, Frisbie said. “It beats the old standards of therapies,” which included cortisone and use of other steroids, Frisbie said. Part of the newer, promising process

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Joder Ranch Update 2015

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Photo Credit: Rocky Mountain Joe


Nope, It’s Still Not Over!

In December more than 35 people spoke at the Open Space Board of Trustees (OSBT) meeting, with 29 speakers in favor of keeping horses on the Joder Ranch, with trails and parking. That is absolutely HUGE!!! Even more incredibly, the OSBT and City Council received more than 350 emails on this topic… that is completely unprecedented, and it shows the amazing level of support for equestrian access and the horse community’s personal involvement with the Joder Ranch.

Congratulations and thanks! You guys have been doing great!

Alas, it’s still not over. The OSBT kicked the can into January… and just today we learned that staff has kicked the can again, into February. After that comes the North Trail Study Area process, which they have promised will be completed in 2015.

So that means you will have several more opportunities to provide input, even if you already have.   Keep up the pressure, horse people!

We urge you to come to the next meeting of the Open Space Board of Trustees and speak under “Public Participation Items Not on the Agenda” or on “Joder Ranch,” if they put it on the agenda, and/or under “North TSA:”

Weds. February 18, 2015
Boulder City Council Chambers (Municipal Building)
Broadway & Canyon
6pm

It doesn’t have to be perfect, or eloquent, or creative. If you just want to say you support horses and trails on Joder Ranch and the North Trail Study Area, that’s okay. Or you can just say that you support BCHA’s position, which is for a loop trail, horse trailer parking, and regional trail connections. Or you can elaborate on the history of the ranch and Bob & Eloise’s commitment to having it be open to horses and trails. But if you don’t say anything, they won’t know which side you’re on.

Be polite but firm. Do not — ever — put down any other user group.

If you can’t make it to the meeting, click here to send a personal email to the Boulder City Council and Open Space Board of Trustees. Please write a short paragraph about your interest in the ranch, the Joder family, horses in general and access to our public lands. Send your email ASAP to give the OSBT members time to read it thoughtfully before the meeting.

Every person who communicates is a “vote” for horses in Boulder.

For more information about this item, please review our earlier Constant Contacts or posts on this site, or contact us at info@boulderhorse.echoquestinc.com

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Local Winter Rides

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Winter is here in Boulder, Colorado and I find myself a bit off my usual schedule—riding after work (darn that daylight savings time) is down, and weekend trailering to local trailheads too. I just pulled my front shoes to give Nico’s feet a break. I think it is important for the hoof to make contact with the earth for a few months, so this is the time I do that too. As my body grows a bit stiffer, I stay on my Pilates schedule to keep my lower back moving, my inner thighs in shape and my body flexible. I also like to experience other fun winter activities like Nordic Skiing, Alpine and snowshoeing in these winter months. The woods are filled with so much magic all season long…I hope to see you out there soon! Here is a list of some of my favorite local winter rides: Heatherwood: The trailhead is accessible in from the Heatherwood neighborhood off 75th Street in Gunbarrel. Most users of this trail system access the trails from Valmont or Arapahoe, but I love the convenience of the wide street for parking and less bikes from this Northwest access point. The soft footing does not require hoof protection, and the grasslands and undulating terrain allows you to get in a few good gallops and also work your horses hind end climbing up and down the small canyons. There are no bathrooms here, you can find one at the Arapahoe trailhead, and no water sources. Also as a courtesy to the neighbors

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