Equine Niagara News

Another Successful Trail Clinic for UCEA

Russ Vamplew assists as Dick Hotte moves a pole around a pivot on a barrel.

This weekend was the annual Trail Clinic and Judged Trail Ride offered by the Upper Canada Equestrian Association with the 3 Amigos. Participants took part in a discussion started by Mark Dobrindt on safety on the trails. Part of this discussion included making sure the rider always carries water with them to keep from getting dehydrated while out in the warm sun. To back this up each participant was given a water bottle that they could clip to their saddle. - Mind you Mark himself didn't receive his, it was given to his horse. Joker thought it necessary to autograph it!

After the discussion the 12 participants were asked to walk on the rail and then proceeded through a few obstacles - the two hardest being the tarp on the ground and the hanging noodles that each had to walk their horse through. All made it through the obstacles some easily, others after a little work. One participant spent most of his time trying to get his young Canadian on the tarp. We were all amazed at how small of an area that big horse could keep his feet in -- anything to not step on the tarp.

Participants of the Saturday clinic were all invited out to the judged trail ride in the Short Hills Provincial Park today. Not all could attend, but congratulations to Michelle Vandermeer the winner of the judged ride. She received a Joan Lawson print donated by ENN as her prize for completing all the obstacles on the trail.

The Upper Canada Equestrian Association will be holding another clinic on July 22nd given by Tom Shields of Iron Horse Equestrian Centre on De-spooking Your Horse. That information a little further down in this issue. To become a member of the UCEA visit www.uppercanadaequestrian.com for more information.

More photos of event here: