Trail building equestrians of New Mexico

[<GENTLETAMER1 AT peoplepc.com>]

Back Country Horsemen of New Mexico              January 2009

Lower Rio Grande Chapter                                                   Newsletter                                                                                                    

P.O. Box 445, Radium Springs, NM 88054

 

President:  Pat Buls, gentletamer1 AT peoplepc.com

V.P.:  Don Patterson,   donpat AT zianet.com

Secretary:  Joyce Getrost, jgetrost AT hotmail.com

Newsletter Editor:  Pat Buls, 525-9334

 

Website:  http://lowerriogrande.bchnm.org

BCHNM:  http://www.bchnm.org

BCHA:   www.backcountryhorse.com

 

 

                                                                                               

                                                                                     

 

 

 

Here we are in the New Year, and the wind’s already blowin’!!!  Luckily we have plenty of canyons nearby to ride in – I hope you’ll make plans to join us out there on the trails.  It’s really the best time of year to ride here in Southern New Mexico, and we’ve scheduled our rides later in the mornings, so you won’t freeze your pony’s tail off on the trip out there!

 

We’ve got some exciting events coming our way this year.  We’re hosting the 2009 BHCNM Rendezvous, along with some help from the Gila Chapter. It’s scheduled for the second weekend in September, 9/ll, 12, and 13, and will be held up at the Sapillo Group Campground in the Gila National Forest.  We need everyone to support this planning effort. This event is only open to current members, so pay your ’09 dues now so that you can participate in what promises to be the most exciting event of the year!  We’re going to do some mounted orienteering this year, just for fun.  Check out the website of the National Association of Mounted Orienteering:  http://www.nacmo.org/index.tpl  to see how it’s done.

 

The NM Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum’s annual Cowboy Days is coming up in March, so we will be making plans for that at our next meetings.  Make plans to come out and help out at the booth on March 14^th and 15^th.  Who knows, you might get the chance to ride a Longhorn steer again this year!  In any case, there’s always good entertainment and good vittles at this event, so mark your calendar.

 

Member Julie Basile is now in the business of creating and maintaining websites.  If you need some help in that department, she can sure do the job.  Contact her at NMGal AT q.com

 

Member Pat Buls is conducting Formation Riding classes on Mondays at 10:00 am at her place in Radium Springs.  This is a great way to improve your horse’s manners in a group and get precision control over him -- major advantages when you find yourself on the side of a mountain or down in a narrow canyon on a group ride and something unexpected rears its ugly head…  It’s allot of fun, and the more riders we have, the more interesting it gets, so come join us and try it out!

 

On December 13^th we followed member Nathan Small into the Uvas Mountains on a blustery day.  The grass is so thick and tall it always looks like lush and velvety soft hillsides all around.  In reality it’s pretty rocky country, but still well worth navigating just for the chance to see the wildlife that abounds up there, where silence and the whisper of the breeze in the grass are the prevailing sounds.  Well, okay, maybe the howl of the north wind and some whining….but it’s always good to get out there and give your horse a good workout!

 

On December 20 we had perfect weather for our annual pot-luck and ride.  The Zeissels were most gracious hosts, as always.  Our horses got some good water training in the Rio Grande (y Frio!).  Nathan found some quicksand but got out before Tim had to do any fancy rope tricks on him.  Joyce’s pony did some pretty fancy maneuvers when the cold water got too far up his short legs, but she hung with him and he carried her home like a gentleman.  The lunch layout was one of the best yet, and we hatched a plan to have a pot-luck ride at least quarterly.  So that means there’s one due in March – don’t miss it!

 

The Back Country Horsemen of New Mexico will have a board meeting in Albuquerque at the end of January, at which time I have to submit our ’09 memberships.  Please make an effort to

get your membership paid for the year either at the January 13 meeting at Pat Ethridge’s place, or by mail to PO Box 445, Radium Springs, NM 88054.

 

We welcome our new slate of Officers.  You’ve no doubt heard from Joyce, who is already taking the horse by the ears and doing a great job of organizing.  Thanks for getting me out from under all that paperwork – It’s not good when the secretary needs a secretary!

 

Schedule of Events:  in case of questionable weather, call – 525-9334.

 

January 10:  Uvas Mountains ride.  We will meet at the Love’s gas station on I-10 West at 10:00 am and caravan from there to our ride destination.  Bring Snacks and water.  Rocky terrain, but some of us went barefoot the last time and made out okay. 

 

January 13:  LRGC BCH Meeting at Pat Ethridge’s place, NEW WINTER MEETING TIME: 6:00 pm.

Directions to Pat Ethridge's Place:

From the North take Hwy. 185 (Valley Drive) to Shalem Colony and go West (right) 2.5 mile to Skyline Drive. Pat's is the second house on the right, 4038 Skyline Dr.

From the South (Las Cruces) take Picacho (Hwy. 70) West to Shalem Colony and turn North. Go exactly four miles to Skyline Drive and go West (left) to 4038 Skyline Dr.

Pat's number is 647-4765.

January 17:  Dona Ana Mountains Ride, 10 am (ready to ride) from West Goat Mt. parking area. 

Directions:  Take Dona Ana exit from I-25 North of Las Cruces. Go east (right if you come from the south). Turn left at first left (Del Rey Blvd). Turn right at first right (Calle Las Lomas). Turn left at La Reina Rd (at end of Calle Las Lomas). Turn right on Desert Wind Way. Take this road 1 or 1.5 miles back to parking lot. You will cross a cattle guard and the parking lot will be just beyond where the power lines cross the road.

 

January 31:  BCHNM Board Meeting at JB’s Restaurant in Albuquerque, 1:00 pm.

 

February 7:  White Sands National Monument Ride and Pot Luck, 11 am, ready to ride.  Copy of use permit and directions attached.

 

February 10:  LRGC Meeting at Joyce Getrost’s place, 6:00 pm.  There will be an educational video after the meeting for those interested.

 

February 21:  Rio Grande Trail at Williamsburg, 11 am.  Bring brush-clearing tools if you have them.

Directions to Rio Grande Trailhead at Williamsburg:  take I-25 to Williamsburg (Exit 75, just south of Truth or Consequences), turn right onto Hwy. 187 (the first right you come to) and proceed about a half mile to the first left turn over a cattle guard and then turn right and proceed one mile to a parking area along the river. 

 

March 14 & 15:  Cowboy Days at the Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.  We will have a booth and all members are encouraged to come and help spread the word about BCHA, enjoy the fun and entertainment, and help promote our cause.

 

CLASSIFIEDS

Website creation and maintenance by Julie Basile – 639-1569 or NMGal AT q.com

 

Join in the fun of Formation Riding, Mondays at 10 am at Shining Heart Farm.  Call Pat Buls at 525-9334. 

 

Online Calendar for members:  http//www.familytimeplanner.com/LRGBCH1

 

Mounted Orienteering:  http://www.nacmo.org/index.tpl

 

Information on the Rio Grande Trail:

http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/emnrd/parksPRD/riograndeconcept.htm

 

For up-to-date info on National Forests and BLM areas, go to http://www.nmfireinfo.com or http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/information/firerestrictions/nm/restrictions_nm.htm.

 

Don’t forget to order your horse supplies online from COUNTRY SUPPLY at http://www.countrysupply.com and enter the Country Care Code:  BCHLRGC

Five percent of your purchase will be contributed to our club.

 

The web homepage of the New Mexico DOT BPE program has been updated,
now that our new BPE Coordinator Tom Trowbridge is in the saddle.
http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/main.asp?secid=11190

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Attachment: Pat Buls.vcf
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Attachment: Jan 09.doc
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Attachment: WS Horse Use Permit.pdf
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Attachment: WS Directions to Horse Area.pdf
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