Horsemen of Iowa, Inc. Newsletter

May/June Newsletter

~~ Spring Trail Ride ~~
Pilot Knob State Park
May 18, 2008 @ 1:00 p.m.

The meat dish will be prepared by
"The Jim Thomas Family"
Please bring a side dish,
your dishes, beverages and chairs
Use the Hwy 9 (210 Ave.)
The East Equine Entrance.

Ride will start at 1:00 p.m. sharp!

~~ Open Riding Dates ~~
Free to Members
$5.00 person/night ~~~~~ $8.00 family/night
Paul Gagnon will open/close arena.
We will be checking on memberships
or collecting fees each open riding night.
Paying before you ride would be appreciated!
Please pay Paul Gagnon

Indoor Arena will open at approx. 6:30
April 29
May 13 (outside arena only)
May 20, 27
June 3, 24
July 1, 8, 15, 29
August 12,19, 26

HII Memberships ~ $20.00

~~ Meleta Brown ~~
Saddle Fitting Clinic
Nationally Known

June 9, 2008 ~ 7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
15 years of Experience

Learn how to check your saddle for
a proper fit without pad or cinching.
Where your saddle should sit on your horse.
Brands that will work best
for horses of different body types.
How to recognize loss of movement
from a poorly fitted saddle.
How to recognize and treat soreness
from a poorly fitted saddle.
Demonstration will be with a horse.
General Membership Meeting
will be held after Clinic
Refreshments will be served!

Main Barn Clean Up ~ Thank You !
We want to say a HUGE "Thank You" to numerous HII members and 4-H that helped out with the Main Barn Clean Up. To those who were there multiple days "Thank You" "Thank You" "Thank You" for your time and efforts spent on this project!!! The barns were ready to go for the AQHA Show and shows there after.

STAPLES ~ Please we would like your help!
Although we put a huge dent in the staple issue, it is still a work in progress. With many different clubs using the barns, the staple issue is a on-going problem. We hope to have some new rules implemented when clubs are using the barns. We have set up a couple more work days, May 15 and 22 @ 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. More hands means less work for everyone and the faster this project gets done. We would eventually like to put up Stall Door Sign Holders (76), these would help alleviate some of the problem. If anyone has any ideas for something that would be sturdy, yet somewhat reasonably price, please email us at horsemenofiowa@yahoo.com. Please bring your own hammer, screwdriver, pliers or needle-nose pliers and plastic containers ~ also any magnets too! Thanks!

Barn Check Thank You!
Thank You to Linda Shahan, Nancy Stricker and Becky Carstens for the time spent going through all the barns/stalls for a safety check and setting up the barn/stall clean up dates.
Thank You to Rita Hansen for getting 4-H lined up to help out with the staple project and keeping this project going!

Tack Swap Thank You!

To everyone that showed up with or without tack. It was fun to see everyone and so much quality merchandise. For just a short, but fun event, we felt it was a success. Lets us know how you felt the event went, if you would like to see it next year and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you to Paul Gagnon who donated 5 Lotto tickets and taped them under chairs for 5 Lucky winners!
Thank You NISCA for putting HII's Tack Swap Ad on your website.
Thank You Melia Thomas for baking the Monster Cookies.
Thank you to all who helped before and after with clean up.

Door Prize Winners

HII Windbreaker ~ Alicia Shahan
Red Cap ~ LuAnn Hejlik
Green Cap ~ Shanna Wood
Buckle ~ Barrel Racer ~ Madlyn Cash
Buckle ~ Halter Class ~ Pam Lampman
Buckle ~ Pleasure Horse ~ Sara Truax

Lucky Lotto Tree Winner

Todd Kirkpatrick of Plymouth, Iowa.

AQHA Show Thank You!
Thank You to all who volunteered their help. These shows take a lot of extra hands and we are very appreciative to everyone who volunteers and puts forth their time and efforts. Thank you Don and Sharon Sapp for having gates available for rain issues. Thank you Emerald Roberts, JoAnn Brandau, Mike Shahan and John Julseth for giving your time as ring stewards. Thank you HII Queens, Sierra Thomas and Maxine Bach for your time. Thanks to the members, your help with trail set up and opening/closing gates.

HII AQHA Committee

Show/Horsemanship Clinic Thank You!

Sierra Thomas, Holly Hejlik and Stephanie Hansen, "Thank You" for participating in the clinic. Your participation was a wonderful contribution in helping to make it a fun and learning experience for everyone. Thank you Gary Hengesteg for furnishing the cookies for all.

Open Riding Etiquette
1. Remember that not all riders are experienced and not all horses are well broke, please keep this in mind when riding.
2. Keep doorway going in and out of the arena open at all times.
3. Let's try to keep everyone moving in the same direction, especially on the rail edges. If you are going to work your horse in the center, keep your horse in the center and leave plenty of room for the rail horses. We will try to change directions approximately every 15 - 20 mins.
4. Longe line horses are always welcome in the center of the arena.
5. There may be a couple of trail obstacles set up on the West end of the Arena, they are there for everyone to try, after your try and if your horse has moved an obstacle, reset that obstacle for the next person before leaving.
6. Keep your horses at a slow to medium pace in the arena during the open riding portion. We have young riders, inexperienced riders, and some green horses. It's scary for those to have to deal with horses that come in and run.
7. When passing horses in the arena, leave plenty of room behind, on the side and in front of that horse. Maybe yours is well broke, but maybe the next person's horse is not.
8. Do not Pony horses in the indoor arena.

Let's keep open riding night a learning, pleasant and fun experience!

Thank You!

Mini Mock Shows
There was a nice response to the Mini Mock Shows last year on Open Riding night. They were held approximately at 8:00 p.m. This year, let's try something a little different, we would like to put this more in the members hands. You would need to pick which night or nights you would like to set up your class or classes and you would need to over-see that night. This will give everyone a chance at having the classes they would prefer and no one person with all the responsibility of all the nights. Whether it be a judged event, a mini clinic or if it's a run of barrels and poles, decide what dates you are considering, then email us at horsemenofiowa@yahoo.com and we will put your event on that date and get it put on the website (www.horsemenofiowa.com) and place it in the newsletter. Thank you!

Meetings and Events
May 12: HII Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
May 18: HII General Membership Meeting
Trail Ride ~ Pilot Knob State Park @ 1:00 p.m.
June 9: HII General Membership Meeting
Meleta Brown ~ The Saddle Fitter
15 years of Experience
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
June 16: HII Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
July 19 HII Youth Show @ 9:00a.m.
Queens Contest during Break
North Iowa Fairgrounds ~ Indoor Recreation Arena
July 20 HII NISCA OPEN SHOW @ 8:00 a.m
North Iowa Fairgrounds ~ Indoor Recreation Arena
July 21 HII Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
July 28 HII General Membership Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
August 18 HII Board of Directors Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
August 25 HII General Membership Meeting
7:30 @ 4-H Learning Center
August 30 HII APHA SHOW
North Iowa Fairgrounds ~ Indoor Recreation Arena
August 31 HII EOF SHOW
North Iowa Fairgrounds ~ Indoor Recreation Arena

Trading Post

For Sale: Selection of Women's Show Clothing
Sizes range from Med - Lg - XL. JoAnn & Donna
Email: djranch@wctatel.net
Phone: 641~430~8252 or 641~529~2134.

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Posted on 09 May 2008 by admin