Outrageous Deal at The Natural Gait

You wont want to miss this outrageous deal and hurry before they are all gone. Call 877-776-2208 and get a free night at The Natural Gait

Confidence Building Horse Clinic

This horse clinic is designed for anyone who has trouble on the ground or in the saddle, with fear issues between you and your horse. You will leave with a sense of confidence in yourself and your horse.
Contact The Natural Gait at 800-291-2143 or ntrlgait@acegroup.cc and get signed up.
PS Accommodations are available for you and your horse be sure and ask about that if you are interested in getting a cabin or room. Visit TNG Horse Happenings for more info and other upcoming events.

Confidence Building Horse Clinic

Possibly Some Horse Trails to Close in Iowa

We received this email below and felt very strongly the need to get the word out to as many people as possible. We have removed some of the email addresses and last names, etc. in the interest of getting this information out quickly.

Denise Schieffer, president of Iowa Trail Riders Assoc urges everyone

to make sure Gov. Branstad, the DNR and the legislators are aware of

our protests.  Some riders have suggested they would be willing to pay

an annual bridle fee. Some have volunteered to help. We need to get

organized like the bicyclists did!  She suggests some text you can use: 

It has come to my attention that there is discussion of closing horse

trails in Yellow River, Shimek and Stephens State Forests to save

money.  There are already so few places where equestrians can ride

compared to other recreational activities in the state.  It would be

devastating to close these parks and basically eliminate riding

activities for many.  Given that our riding options are already so

limited, PLEASE when looking where to make cuts, consider other areas

where there are more options available and cuts would not be felt as

severely as would be the case here. 

We have so few places to ride in Iowa!  I hope people will keep calling

and writing!

Diana

(PS You don't need to read further, but if you are interested there is

related correspondence below.)   

From the DNR Communications Bureau Chief to me:

Thanks for sharing your very thoughtful and well-written letter.

As I¹ve explained to others, at this point we do not know what the

final appropriation will be so we are not sure whether the trails would

be closed or not. It is, at this point, an option that could be

considered depending on what kind of funding level we end up at.

In the meantime, I can't tell you how encouraged I am by the number of

equestrians today who have stepped forward, like your family, and

expressed a willingness to help be part of a solution in these

difficult times.

As a side note, I would mention that much of the public land in Johnson

County is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via the Coralville

Reservoir system. Have you ever had any discussions with them to see if

there are any opportunities? Likewise, didn¹t Johnson County dedicate a

portion of sales tax revenue to conservation/recreation projects? Maybe

there are opportunities there as well to explore trail possibilities.

Once again, thanks for sharing this letter with me and for your

interest in helping find alternative should the need arise.

Kevin Baskins

Communications Bureau Chief

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

515-281-8395

kevin.baskins@dnr.iowa.gov

From: Diana L

Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 4:33 PM

To: Baskins, Kevin [DNR]

Subject: FW: Preserve Funding for IA Horse Trails

Dear Kevin, while we understand that not every program of the DNR can

be sustained, we who live and ride in Iowa feel that there are special

reasons for keeping trails open to horseback riders in this state.  A

few of these are stated below in my letter to the governor. 

BTW, my husband and I are willing to donate to keep IA trails open to

horses, and also to volunteer time to horse trails in our area -- oh

wait, there aren't any horse trails in Johnson County AT ALL!  (A

situation we would love to see remedied, but that's a topic for another

time.)

Thank you for your efforts.

Diana

From:  Diana

Sent: Thursday, April 21, 2011 3:51 PM

To: governor.contact@iowa.gov

Subject: Preserve Funding for IA Horse Trails

Dear Gov. Branstad:

Please do not allow any cuts in funding for maintenance of horse trails

in Iowa!  Iowa has fewer public areas for people to enjoy on horseback

than do most other states, and it is important to preserve, even

expand, what we do have.  Horses are part of our national heritage;

millions of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iowans still own

and ride horses, in part to recapture the spirit and values of our

forbearers who settled and built this great country.  It is a wonderful

way for families to spend time together, and for individuals to

reconnect with nature.

I moved to this state several decades ago, and at first missed the

mountains and accessibility to the ocean where I used to live.  But

fortunately, I was able to discover that Iowa too has great natural

beauty, and I've done this from the back of my horse.  Horses were also

the medium through which my family and I got to know and appreciate

"real" Iowans, and escape the isolation newcomers to the state often

feel.  Trail riding in Iowa has truly enriched our lives.  While my

family and I can take our horses out of state to ride, we spend the

majority of our riding time on the trails in Iowa, where we live, and

where we pay taxes.  People may not realize how much money horse owners

spend on our horses and all the associated equipment--indeed, we could

use that money to take frequent vacations to exotic locales elsewhere

in this country and abroad, but that would take the money out of Iowa's

economy!  As long as we have access to horse trails in this state,

especially trails in Shimek Forest, Stephens Forest, Yellow River and

Brushy Creek--we will continue to not only love and be proud of natural

Iowa, but also to keep the money where we live.

But this should not be just about money.  There is Iowa's heritage to

consider, as well as the pride and enjoyment taken by today's hard

working Iowans in the natural beauty of their state.  For my daughters

who grew up here, camping and riding the trails in Iowa is among their

most cherished memories.  They would also like to raise families in

Iowa, unless they are denied the opportunity go riding on Iowa's trails

with their own children.  

Let me also add that more and more often, trail riders are volunteering

time and money to preserve trails in Iowa, and have been taking a more

active role in working with park officials to do what's necessary to

keep horse trails open. 

It would be a terrible shame to see Iowa close its trails to horse

owners and riders.

Sincerely, 

Diana

Iowa City, Iowa 

Please send your own emails to the Gov. Branstad and any other organizations that might be willing to help. Thanks

Midwest Horse Fair in Madison WI

Come join The Natural Gait at the Midwest Horse Fair this week-end, hear some great cowboy music and sign up win prizes.
Check it all out HERE

Mari Monda Zdunic and Dennis Auslam join forces for this one of a kind horse clinic that is being held in NE Iowa at The Natural Gait. Call 877-776-2208 and book your spot now. Accommodations go fast so get your room or cabin reserved now.