2013, FoxTROT Moving Forward...

It's time, once again, to begin making plans for your participation in the FoxTROT Trail Rides for 2013

Summer & Fall National Trail Rides, 2012!!

A small but faithful group joined FoxTROT for the Southeastern MFTHBA National Trail Ride held at Many Cedars Campground near Hohenwald, Tennessee back in June 2012.  It was HOT but we rode early and enjoyed the rides anyway!  Friday, while out on the trail, I received a phone call telling me that my Dad had just passed away. The kindness everyone there demonstrated to Deb and I after receiving this news was overwhelming.  This is proof that FoxTROT is a great group of caring people we are honored to know and with whom we love to ride.  Because of my Dad's passing, we cut this ride short and everyone went home on Saturday morning.  Here are just a few of the many pictures that were taken at Many Cedars...



Felix at Many Cedars

The "Inner Circle" at Many Cedars

                                       

Rose, Lea, Deb, Sharon & Steve at Many Cedars

Terry at Many Cedars

 

We had a much larger turnout for the MFTHBA Region 8 National Trail Ride, 3-7 October 2012.  Twenty-three riders registered!  There were seven from Ohio, two from Indiana, two from Arkansas, and twelve from Tennessee!  Nineteen of the horses were registered Missouri Fox Trotters, two were Tennessee Walking Horses, one was a Kentucky Mountain Horse, and one was a gaited grade horse.  This ride was held at True West Campground (http://www.truewestcampground.com) in the Big South Fork.  True West has an outstanding facility with excellent customer service!  We would recommend them to anyone coming to ride the BSF.  The trails of the BSF are second to none!  Wednesday, the early arrivers took an easy ride to the Laurel Creek Overlook and back.  Thursday was an easy ride around Spruce Creek (an equine community with private trails across from True West) and then a wonderful meal and good times at Bacara's, a one of a kind German restaurant tucked away in the area.  The highlight of the event was Friday when we rode the O&W Trail over to the old railroad bridge!  This was a twenty plus mile out and back ride with opportunity for lots of "fox trotting" along the White Oak Creek to the bridge.  Twenty-two riders divided into three groups (fast, medium and slow) so that each one could enjoy the trip at a pace comfortable to them and their horse.  After a full day of riding, we cared for the horses, cleaned up, ate supper, and gathered around the campfire to discuss FoxTROT business and the trail ride schedule for 2013.  Saturday morning was a little drizzling rain, so we loaded into several trucks to hit the local saddle and leather shop in Muddy Pond.  Muddy Pond is a Mennonite community a few miles out of Jamestown.  Jay's Saddle and Leather shop is a favorite place to shop on a rainy day.  After we returned to camp we did an easy out and back ride.  Saturday evening we enjoyed a catered meal arranged by True West of bar-b-cue and 'nana puddin'.  We finished Saturday night with more good times of fun and teasing around the campfire.  With Sunday morning came Cowboy Church at the covered deck.  True West had graciously posted a sign by the road announcing Cowboy Church and allowed me to post my banner as well.  As a result we had a great crowd of over thirty people, many from the campground and several from the community!  The message was centered around "water".  We've all said, "You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make him drink".  As horse people we think about water!  When we consider a trail ride we ask the question, is there any water along the way?  After a ride we like to rinse our horses off with water.  (Some of us even bath our horses in water!)  Jesus is the Living Water!  Those who are believer's in Christ have experienced the "washing of regeneration (personal salvation)".  Growing Christians are sanctified and cleansed "with the washing of water by the word (the Bible)".  We concluded the message with the encouragement to think of spiritual water whenever we think about water for our horses.  "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.  However, you can sure salt his oats!"  My message was an attempt to "salt the oats".  After Cowboy Church we broke down our campsites, loaded horses, shared hugs, and headed for home.  What a great time!  Enjoy the pics below!!

Dates have been set for next year's National Trail Rides and the requests will be sent to the MFTHBA Trail Committee for approval soon.  These dates and locations for 2013 have been posted at the top of the blogspot page.  Be sure to check them out and make your plans to join us next year!!

Happy Trails,

Sam Gerhardt

President FoxTROT

The "early arrivers" at the Cumberland Valley Trail Head

Five of the "Ohio Posse" at Laurel Creek Overlook.
Diane, Earl, Kelly, Barb, and Becky

Allen & Tania Herke from Indiana

One of many creek crossings in te Big South Fork

 

Cindy & Lee Fonken from Arkansas

Megan & Lea, silly time!

Bacara's I

Bacara's II

Bacara's III

Rhonda, Ray and Donna

Terry and Lea

Crossing the White Oak I

Crossing the White Oak II

Crossing the White Oak III

Crossing the White Oak IV

Ron and Laura Munn

Approaching the O&W Bridge

On the bridge

View to the right





Some chose to walk



View to the left



Come ride with us!!!

Catching Up - Spring 2012

My how time flies!!  I haven't updated the blogspot since January!  Please forgive!  Anyone want to take this over?  Oh well, here goes!

Our 2012 FoxTROT membership is strong!  To date we have 43 members; 26 of those are also members of the MFTHBA.  Most of our members are from Tennessee, but we also have members from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.  We may have to rename ourselves the "Dixieland Chapter MFTHBA"!  We genuinely appreciate those who have been with FoxTROT from the beginning and look forward to getting to know each new member!

The Spring Gathering and National Trail Ride in the Smokies was a great success!  (See the photos below.)  All of the horses participating were Missouri Fox Trotters!  The FoxTROT "hard core riders" were all present!  Riders came from Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina and Alabama!  The weather was perfect!  We rode the Tremont Loop, the Rich Mountain Loop, and the Turkey Pen Loop!  Of course, we had to support our favorite Townsend restaurants - The Carriage House for Grouper and The Barbecue Pit for Ribs!  The Webb family who own/run Orchard Cove are always excellent hosts!  After our evening meals, everyone enjoyed cutting up around the campfire and eating the home made deserts that were brought!  Before breaking camp and heading home on Sunday morning, those who attended Cowboy Church were challenged by a message, "Are you a REAL Cowboy?".  Trailers were hooked up to trucks, horses were loaded, stalls were cleaned and everyone headed home having had a wonderful time!

The Southeastern National Trail Ride is just a few weeks away!  This ride is being labeled "Southeastern" because, for the first time, all of the MFTHBA Affiliates from the Southeast are cosponsoring this NTR with FoxTROT - Arkansas Chapter MFTHBA, Florida Fox Trotter Association, Louisiana Chapter MFTHBA and NW Arkansas FTHBA.  This is also the first time for us to hold a ride out of Many Cedars Horse Camp.  Our Middle Tennesse members have been recommending Many Cedars to us for a couple of years.  The contact info for Many Cedars is posted above under the 2012 National Trail Rides heading.  An email letter has been sent out with more details.  If you did not get that email notice, but would like to have it, contact me at smfoxtrotters@hotmail.com.  We're expecting a good turn out and some wonderful riding!  Be sure to make your reservations right away, if you haven't already done so!

Before I close, please notice that the name and location of the Fall National Trail Ride has been changed!  It is now the "Region 8 MFTHBA National Trail Ride" and is being held at True West Campground and Stables, Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Jamestown, TN.  You'll find info for reservations under the 2012 National Trail Ride Schedule above.  More info will be coming after the Southeastern NTR at Many Cedars.

Happy Trails, Sam Gerhardt, President, FoxTROT

P.S.  If you do Facebook, be sure to search out our FoxTROT page and "Like" us!

Welcoming The New Year, 2012!

What will 2012 hold for FoxTROT? The continued growth of FoxTROT's membership? Greater participation in the FoxTROT National Trail Rides? More FoxTROT members getting together more often for local/regional trail rides? FoxTROT members joining the ACTHA and competing in the CTCs? Maybe even an entourage of FoxTROT members traveling to Ava, Missouri for the MFTHBA International Show and Celebration? Whatever 2012 holds, we're hoping that you'll be a part of it!

If you haven't already done so, it's time to renew your FoxTROT Membership for 2012! E-mail notes have now been sent out twice with the 2012 Membership Application attached. Renewals have begun to arrive in my mail box from Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Arkansas! Be sure to contact me if you have lost track of your notice, so I can get one to you. As always, we ask you to spread the word about FoxTROT. Word of mouth is the best way we've found to grow our membership. If you know of others in or around Tennessee who trail ride MFTs, invite them to join FoxTROT. Give them my contact info or send me a note with theirs. Let's do our best to be more involved ourselves and get others involved!

Make plans to attend all three National Trail Rides! As a member of FoxTROT and the MFTHBA, when you complete 10 National Trail Rides on a registered MFT you'll be awarded one of the beautiful Montana Silversmith buckles as pictured above from the MFTHBA! Additional prizes are available for 20, 30, 40 NTRs! So, in addition to the great fellowship of FoxTROT members around camp and on the trail, you can be marking off your NTRs until you are eligible to be recognized and receive your buckle!

With winter being dead upon us, many are not able to ride as often as they'd like. However, if there's a sunny day in the 40s and the winds are not too high, you can expect to see us "die hards" (You know who you/we are) headed for a trail head! Anytime you see a nice day in the forecast, be sure to contact one of us in your region as listed above, it's sure that someone will be ready to ride with you!

Missouri Fox Trotters performed extremely well in last year's ACTHA America's Favorite Trail Horse Challenge with 2 of the 10 finalists being MFTs! Let's do our part to introduce our MFTS to the ACTHA CTCs in Tennessee this year! To date there are 3 ACTHA CTCs scheduled in Tennessee. Notice that there they are located in/near places many of us already ride. We've talked about becoming active in the ACTHA in years past. Let's take a close look at this year's ACTHA CTC schedule and make it happen! Go go http://www.actha.us for all things ACTHA!

Attending the 2011 MFTHBA International Show and Celebration was a real treat for Deb and I! We had never been before and we thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. It was a very beneficial and educational time for us. The trail rides during the day were wonderful with 30 - 40 MFTs out on the trail! The daily Versatility events had real "cowboy" stuff showing all the talents of our breed! The nightly shows demonstrated the MFT's "flashy" side! Other FoxTROT members attending were Terry Messex and Jaime Whiteaker. We commented at the time that it would be great if we could get a group of FoxTROT members to attend the Show and Celebration in 2012. If you have never been, consider joining us as we hope to return!

There are those such as Nostradamus and the Mayan Calendar which predict all sorts of apocalyptic events for 2012! I think we'll simply continue to trail ride our favorite horses, the Missouri Fox Trotter! We're hoping that you'll come along for the ride!

Happy Trails,

Sam Gerhardt
President, FoxTROT
smfoxtrotters@hotmail.com

2011 Southeastern MFTHBA National Trail Ride and Foxtrotter Affair

If the definition of a successful trail ride is great horses, trails, weather, campground, food and fellowship then the 2011 Southeastern MFTHBA National Trail Ride and Foxtrotter Affair was a tremendous success! We had a total of about 30 riders from Indiana, Ohio, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Our youngest rider was 16 and our oldest rider was...well, let's just say he was our oldest rider! While most of the horses were Missouri Fox Trotters; we did have an Appaloosa, some Tennessee Walkers, a Rocky Mountain Horse, and even a gaited mule.

East Fork Stables is a terrific place to hold this ride. All the necessities are provided or available - stalls, shavings, bath houses, camp sites, cabins, etc. There is a large arena, an equine obstacle course, and a covered pavilion. The Rim Riders store has a nice selection of t-shirts, caps, clothing, boots, some tack items and horse/cowboy "flavored" what-nots, nic-nacs. and furniture. The trails are numerous, mostly wide, well maintained and well marked. Trail maps are detailed and Trail Guides are available upon request. We chose to follow the map without a guide, "ride the edge" and did not venture "over the edge" down into the river gorge. Everyone enjoyed the rides! We took our time, stopping along the way, and making sure that we didn't ride any thing too rough or leave anyone behind. The views through the woods, and along the rim are beautiful. We were able to ride different loops each day with out having to ride the same trails. East Fork Stables provides a place where all - young and old, brave and timid, green and dead broke - can ride in safety and have a tremendous time!

During the course of the week we had some pleasant diversions from the trail. The good folk from Crest Ridge Saddlery (http://www.crestridgesaddlery.com) joined us again all week to assist with saddle fit. Debra is always helpful and has a good saddle for our Fox Trotters. Thursday evening a group of 18 went out to Bacarra's, a local German restaurant, which is a special treat. Most fended for themselves through the week for meals at camp and other local restaurants. Ron Munn and Debby Gerhardt did a lot of cooking for many during the week. A big country breakfast around the camp fire is sure good on a chilly Tennessee Fall morning! Friday evening we gathered around the fire to conduct a little FoxTROT business, discussing events for the remainder of 2011 and next year's schedule. We also held our "Ballot Party", which was simply a discussion of the candidates running for positions in the MFTHBA. Sam Gerhardt and Terry Messex were able to provide their insights and suggestions for each position, leaving the final choice to each member. The importance of MFTHBA membership and the influence of the vote was emphasized. On Saturday evening, we pulled all together for a pot luck supper! There was homemade beef vegetable soup with "hoe cakes", Venison Sloppy Joe's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and German Brats. Of course, there was a bounty of sweets! Apple Cobbler, German Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Wafer Cake....you get the picture! Don Britton, a cowboy poet and western artist, joined us around the fire Saturday evening after our meal. "Bronco", as Don prefers to be called, entertained us with humorous and emotion stirring verse. In addition, Bronco donated several prints of his art which we gave away by a guess of the right numbers between 1 - 50. (Check out Bronco's poetry and art at http://www.donbrittonoriginals.com) Before we were finished, Jaime Whiteaker presented her Foxtrotter Affair Awards which consisted of local pottery, some nice leather and biothane tack, a couple of Fox Trotter bits, and some fun training videos. East Fork Stables arranged for a live band to perform at the pavilion on Saturday night. After our activities several ventured that way to get in on the goings on. Early Sunday morning we gathered for Cowboy Church. Sam Gerhardt led about 20 of us in song and presented a thought provoking challenge from the Scriptures. It is a real blessing that we have an organization that is open to having Cowboy Church. As always, there was something for everyone during this ride!

We're already making plans for the 2012 Southeastern MFTHBA National Trail Ride and Foxtrotter Affair! Our tentative dates and location are 4 - 6 October 2012, East Fork Stables. Mark your calendars now and begin making plans to join us next year!