FEBRUARY 2002

JANUARY MEETING MINUTES

The Board meeting was called to order at 6:40 PM by newly elected QSER president, Jan Jeffers. 2002 Board members Marilyn Orlando, Steve Lenheim, Pat McKendry, Kathy Miller, Trilby Pedersen, Maryben Stover and Judy Etheridge were present. Trilby prepared delicious chili and fixings. Thanks, Trilby.

Minutes of the November 2001 meeting were approved. There was no secretary’s or president’s report. Judy mentioned that the Muir Heritage Land Trust had sent a letter to 2001 president, Diane Enderle, acknowledging the $40.00 donation in October, 2001 by QER. Trilby presented the treasurer’s report summarizing 2001.

General Account Ride Account 2001 Account Totals

Income: Income: General $3,008.96

Dues: $3,037.50 Trails 846.14

AERC refund 45.00 Juniors 765.16

Total $3082.50 Total $4,643.00

Expenses: $4,430.35 Expenses: $4,874.98

Net (Loss) (1,347.85) Net (Loss) ( 231.98)

Committee Reports

Membership: Maryben gave Jan a list of paid members and remarked that there are more unpaid than paid up members. Two new members joined the club at the DVE; Karen Chaton, Nevada and A. D. Williams, Arizona.

Goodwill: This committee needs a chair! No goodwill requests were received.

Trails: Marilyn reported that she had heard that the Little Arthur staging area in Mt. Madonna County Park has been approved for limited equestrian day use but is not open yet. Jan remarked that the trail connecting the staging area to the rest of Mt. Madonna is unusable.

The gate donated by the QER has been removed and replaced with a lockable park gate by Calero Park personnel have. The plaque acknowledging the donation of the original gate needs to be located. Jan asked Steve to check with the park manager.

Ride: Committee member Trilby reported that the date, May 18, 2002, and location, Calero County Park, for the Spring endurance ride has approved by the Santa Clara County Parks Department and that the ride has been sanctioned by AERC. Insurance for the ride has been obtained and the San Jose Volunteer Fire Dept. will provide the dinner. Judy mentioned that Park Dept. fees had been increased unexpectedly for a NATRC ride held at Calero last summer. Jan will check with the NATRC ride management.

Steve agreed to manage the Fall ride at Coe State Park. He is thinking about some changes such as having a 25 miler instead of a 30 and moving the lunch stop to Coit Lake.

Awards: Trilby showed some of her awards for the Spring ride. Maryben reported that she is working on the 2001 QER awards for the banquet and that she has found an excellent logo designer.

Old Business: Trilby reported that Hallmark Insurance is now the carrier for the QSER. Judy requested that record of the insurance be given to the new treasurer, Kathy Miller.

New Business: Lori Oleson reported that Eric Thompson would like to have the Fall ride be designated a Region III IAHA ride. He will do all the work. The board agreed to ask the general membership for approval.

Steve would like to have a QER information table at this year’s AERC convention. The table does not need to staffed. During the general meeting, Jan will ask if anyone is interested in preparing material for exhibit.

The board meeting was adjourned at 7:32 PM.

Quicksilver Endurance Riders January 09, 2002 General Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 7:40 PM by President Jan Jeffers.

Jan presented Eric's request to designate the fall ride a Region III IAHA. Scott made a motion that the fall ride be the Region III IAHA 50 mile endurance ride. Ken Cook seconded the motion which was approved by the membership.

Jan then introduced Kathy Kauer who started off the saddle seminar by showing the endurance-useful additions to her Sharon Saare saddle. Jan showed an officers English saddle with what appeared to be an iron tree. Pat McKendry brought her Big Horn, Kathy Mayeda, her Reactor Panel and Judy Etheridge, her English saddle with infinitely adjustable stirrup leathers.

The meeting broke up about 8:45 PM.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEWBIE CLINIC AT LIGHTFOOT:

There will be a clinic for beginners presented by Becky Hart on 2/9/02 at  Lightfoot Stables, McKean Road, San Jose.  The charge will be $40.00.  You may  bring your horse or not, as you wish.  She will cover basics such as what to expect and do at a vet check, how to take care of your horse at a ride and if  time permits, information on feeding and conditioning.

In case any of you are real newbies and don't know, Becky is the 3 time world  champion and AERC champion.  Come to the clinic and visit with both of her Hall of Fame horses, Khazen and Rio.   

For further information call Becky Hart at 408-997-0814.

maryben

Best wishes for a speedy recovery to Rich Vargas.  Maryben heard he was bucked off his horse last week.  A card on behalf of QSER has been sent to him in the hospital.

APPALOOSA OWNERS!!!!

From Ridecamp

Rosalee Bradley rosalee@onemain.com

An added money purse of 500$ is being offered at the Land of the Neversweats Ride for registered appaloosas on the 55 mile ride. I am offering this on behalf of the Sunflower Appaloosa Ranch in memory of my wonderful endurance partner and companion SF Sassy Breeze. The added money purse will be divided as follows: 40; 30; 20; and, 10 percentages.

If there are not 4 good appaloosas finishing the race, then the money remaining after the purses are awarded will be saved until next year when I will add an additional 500$ to the purse. So if you're not ready with that good appaloosa distance horse this year, think ahead to 2003.

Rosalee Bradley 530-253-2265

P.O. Box 88 Janesville, Ca.
96114

Mike Maul, AERC Tallyman, offers the following year end AERC placings for Quicksilver Riders:

Bill Stuckey

1.       Trilby Pederson, 2950 miles

Pioneer

Featherweight

4.     Trilby Pederson, Beau – Arab G

10. Kathy Majors Thompson – LS Zane Grey+/ Arab S

Lightweight

7. Jan Jeffers, Cloud – Grade G

Husband & Wife

8.     Steve and Michele Shaw, 1720/2951

10.  Robert & Melissa Ribley, 2390/2746

Jim Jones Stallion Award

2         LS Zane Grey+/ /Arab Eric Thompson W 1475

National 100 Mile

2           Heather Bergantz W Crystals Charm Arab G 400 1515\

National BC

1 LS Zane Grey+/ / S Arab Eric Thompson W 11 550

5 Crystals Charm G Arab Skip Lightfoot W 3 300

7 Robin Hood G Mustang Philip Ottinger W 5 255

National Mileage Champion

4 Trilby Pederson W Beau Arab G 1580

5 Kathy Majors Thompson W LS Zane Grey+/ /Arab S 1475

6 Jeff Luternauer W PC Phoenix Arab G 1385

8 Trilby Pederson W Exclaimation A Arab G 1370

Regional BC

1 LS Zane Grey+/ / Arab Eric Thompson, 11 - 550

2 Crystals Charm Arab Skip Lightfoot, 3 - 300

3           Robin Hood Mustang Philip Ottinger, 5 - 255

Regional Rider Mileage Championship

1 Trilby Pederson Beau Arab G 2950 Exclaimation A Arab G

Regional Point Standings - Overall is last number in line with #

Featherweight

1 Kathy Majors ThompsonLS Zane Grey+ Arab S #1

4 Jeff Luternauer PC Phoenix Arab G                   #5

5 Trilby Pederson Beau Arab G                            #3

6 Trilby Pederson Exclaimation A Arab G             #7

8 Becky Grand Hart High Noon Grade G

9 Michele Shaw Robin Hood Mustang G

Lightweight

1 Heather BergantzCrystals CharmArabG            #4

2 Patricia Verheul Razznan Arab G

3 Patricia Verheul Prince Shabar Grade G

10 Dominique Freeman Proud Legacy Arab G

Middleweight

6 Robert Ribley Murr The Blur Mule G

7 Jennifer Kurtzhall Nantucket Wa Arab G

9 Kirsten Berntsen Padrons Cruising Arab M

At this years Death Valley Encounter Ride - I saw what the phase "snow capped mountains majesty" really means. Riding through Death Valley on Day 4 of the ride - we come over the crest of a hill and see this majestic range of brilliant white snow covered peaks rising out of the floor of the desert. The bases of the peaks are wrapped in a light grey cloud cover over the desert as we ride parallel to them on our way into to lunch vet check. The peaks continually draw your eyes with the sunlit pure white of the snow in contrast to the browns and grays of the desert. This view is unforgettable.

The early morning start was made under a full moon lighting up the desert with about 65 riders making a controlled start up the canyon toward Darwin. As we ride along the canyon  the strata lines in the uplifted rock of the walls exactly matches the shadow line of the sun rising over the hills.You can look at the limestone and shale lines in the hills and see the remnants of an ancient sea long before there was a desert here.

This is pretty lonely country now. As you ride along – you see signs of previous times - abandoned mines, an "open house" sign pointing off into nowhere, old rusting VWs and other cars, Joshua trees - each with their own separate territory as if they can't stand to be near each other.

The colors of the desert we see change a great deal with the time of the day. As we ride out in the early morning – the range of mountains behind us is blue in the rising suns light. As we ride back toward them in the afternoon -they're brown in the setting sun. The same mountains but looking very different.

We reach Darwin - a tiny odd town out in the middle of the desert - that now has a web page now describing it as "Somewhere in the middle of nowhere". It has something like 60+ structures with about 30 described as "habitable" in an old survey of the town. In the ride through town to the water stop - the only people we see are a mother and her daughter who ask if she can get a picture of her feeding a carrot to our horses. On the way out - we are greeted by interesting sculptures created by objects discarded in the desert. On the way back - it's even quieter with the only people visible being the water crew handing out candy bars.

There is one living town creature visible - a dog watching us go by then dashing out to spook our horses. It's indeed an odd little town trapped in time like one of the pieces of amber with a fossil inside it.

In the whole ride - other than plants - there were few creatures to be seen. Some crows - burro tracks in the sand - lots of stallion piles - but no wild horses visible. And if there were - you wonder what they would eat. We found the wild horse spring so it's certainly possible to live out there - at least in the winter. But I'm still impressed with how lonely it is. I'm glad I'm out there with 64 other endurance riders and horses.

One hero in the ride for my horse - the farrier hadn't come before we left for the ride and at the lunch vet check - three shoes are loose. Robert Ribley turns out to have tools in his crew bag and puts in 2 nails in every shoe to get us through. This day is rocky in the Darwin Canyon area and my one EasyBoot would not have gotten us through. Thanks again Robert.

The completion rate is very high on this last day - 64 of 65 finish in the 50 and 19 of 19 in the LD with Dave Nicholson as head vet. Thirty plus riders and horses complete all 4 days and according to Jackie - a record number. QSER members attending the ride include Maryben, Julie and Bob Suhr, Kathy Mayeda, Ken Cook, Barbara and Doug White, Bing Voight, Heather Bergantz, Judith Ogus, Jan Jeffers, Pat McKendry, Mike Maul, Hillorie Bachmann, Scott Sansom, Lori Oleson, Trilby, Robert and Melissa Ribley, Becky Glaser, Dawn Perrine, Steve and Michele Shaw, Hugh and Gloria Vanderford, and Eric Thompson. A number of these are in the 30 that completed all 4 days - Lori, Judith, Robert, Heather, Trilby, Dawn, and probably more. Kathy Mayeda gets her first top tens on two of the days.

Jackie mentions the fact that Barbara White has finished more Tevis events that anyone else in the world but is still doing her first multiday here and in the LD portion of the ride. Nick Wharhol rides Zayante for all four days to just 145 miles short of Zayantes 10,000 mile goal. What an incredible horse....Jim and Joanne Dietzs 26 year old Hawk did 3 days of the limited distance ride - another incredible horse.

The dinner is excellent - prime rib, salad, baked potato, and rolls. Only Trilby finds a way to get a dessert with the meal...There's a band and party later for those who can stay up until the New Year comes. Most of the endurance riders look after their horses and know it's already the New Year on the east coast and go to bed early.

On New Years eve, as we welcome the coming year and remember the highs - and deep lows of the last - the full moon has a huge halo around it shining over our ridecamp. While it's
usually due to high thin clouds with ice crystals - I'm going to take it as a good sign for the coming year for all endurance riders and their horses.

One last thing to remember as we are coming out Darwin Canyon at the finish of the ride is hearing a faint whinny echoing off in the distance - probably from the real owners of the desert - the wild horses.

A great ride again Jackie,

Mike

don’t forget the quicksilver awards banquet on saturday, 6:30 p.m.  on february 9^th at harry’s hofbrau, saratoga road, san jose.

We’ll look forward to good food, good company, great awards for a job well done in 2001 and receiving a great calendar!  Don’t miss out!!!!

poison plants

I found this article while web-browsing on the Bay Area Equestrian Network website.  This is reprinted with the kind permission of Bonnie Davis.

BY BONNIE DAVIS

Every horse owner is aware of the dangers of poisoning. But most think of poisoning in the terms of toxic chemicals -- not the natural ones found growing in pastures, fields, along fence lines, in front and back yards or lining driveways.

Several years back a friend called to tell me of the death of a new born foal. The mare alone had sent them back in dollars and she along with the foal produced were to become the 'corner stones' of their ranching business.

Never a day passed that they didn't check on the mare. Inoculations were kept current, wormings wre routinely given and when in foal, the slightest runny nose found the vet driving to their barn. The vet joked he should "bill 'em in mileage, not service". And when the foal was born, the whole event was video recorded and the "little stud was going to be world famous -- someday".

Upon arriving home one evening they found the mare standing by the gate into the barn. The foal stretched on the ground beside. Odd they thought, the foal usually stayed away from the gate. They rushed to the mare and found the foal -- dead.

No signs of trama on the body. Nothing like a dog attack and the mare was an excellent mother. Protecting the little guy and even chasing a wayward jackrabbit from the field on day when it hopped to close to her baby!

Since there were no signs of disease or injury, the vet asked if they would object to an autopsy. They agreed. A few days later when they heard the results -- they pulled up all the plants along the driveway, near the pond and those growing along the road. To be exact, oleander poisoning had killed the two month old foal.

It was not unusal to see the mare with foal lying in the grass around the bright pink and red bushes. Or see the mare grazing with baby nibbling at the grass and even once, playfully dragging a broken oleander branch around the pasture.

Today, not a single oleander brush grows anywhere on the property! And as my friend stated, "We were stupid. We bought the place with all these bushes but not once did we find out IF the plants were toxic to horses. When we talked to the real estate agent, he said the landscaper put them in and even he didn't know what was and what wasn't toxic when it comes to horses. If we'd have done some investigating, we would still have that baby."

Normally horses won't eat poisonous plants. But during summer months when pasture grasses turn dry and brown or when the pasture is over grazed, hungry horses will eat anything they can find. Often grasses found around irrigated landscape plants or irrigation systems contain dangerous weeds along with those blades of succulent grass. And a young, nosey horse will often try something 'different' to just see what it tastes like.

Did YOU know that the fragrant flowering shrub from which we get perfume -- jasmine -- is death to horses? So are larkspur, bluebonnet, creeping ivy and buttercup -- all popular landscape plants. Even the leaves of oak trees are toxic is eaten in large enough quantities.

The critical point with any toxic plant is 'if eaten in large enough quantities'. But what is a 'large enough quantity'?. A foal can nibble a few stems of lily of the valley and die. A full grown horse may eat a whole plant and not become ill. Or one animal may consume a gallon of oak leaves with grass while an older horse may suffer a toxic reaction and die after just a few mouthfulls.

The answer to avoiding plant poisoning in any quantity is to first learn what plants are toxic. A call to the county agent will provide that information. Plus there are numerous publications one can find such as "A Guide to Plant Poisoning of Animals in North America" [order from Amazon.com or Two Horse Enterprises]. This 350 page book provides pictures of plants plus breaks toxic plants down into ten chapters with clinical toxic signs for each. And don't expect every landscaper or gardener to know what is and what isn't toxic to horses. Most have never researched the topic even though they plant and cut along private horse property everyday.

The best method to toxic plant prevention is for the HORSE OWNER to KNOW what plants are toxic and what plants are not!!

Once a plant is determined to be toxic, the next step is to get rid of it! Simply cutting it off will NOT get rid of it. The plant will simply grown back. And with some plants, roots can go three or four deep and criss-cross the subsoil. So the best method is to dig it out. Get down on hands and knees and DIG. Follow the main stem and then its roots. Once the plant is out, fill the hole back in and then make a little mark on a pasture map of where it was found so one can keep an eye on that spot in the coming months. If it resprouts, dig it up again. Remember when digging those plants up that you're not only keeping your horse healthy but those walks around the pasture carrying a hoe to do a little 'pasture gardening' is a great way to start a 'fitness program for riding'!

There are a number of chemicals on the market that kill weeds but NEVER SPRAY A PASTURE unless you are POSITIVE the substance will not harm livestock. That's any livestock -- horses, foals, ponies, rabbits, squirrels and even cats and dogs for they occasionally 'graze grass'.

When landscaping or relandscaping near a pasture or barn make certain all plants to go into the ground are livestock safe. Select plants that are both easy to use and care for plus non-toxic. And when buying property, never assume the developer or builder knows what is non-toxic. A large, new housing development not far from where I board my horses was advertised as "ranchettes for horse owners". White board fences lined property lines and along the streets, young plants of jasmine and yew sprouted happily!

A horse will not eat oak leaves, ragweed, milkweed, pigweed, castor beans, laurel or other toxic plants in its normal grazing pattern unless there is nothing else to eat! A horse eats toxic plants when it's hungry. The horse with adequate pasture and supplemental feeding when the pasture is dry will simply walk over or around toxic weeds and continue looking for what he really likes -- good old fashioned grass!

Bonnie Davis, Owner of Two Horse Enterprises, P.O. Box 14130, Fremont, CA 94539 510-657-5239 (Fax 510-683-9162).

Bonnie Davis has been active in the acquisition, development, maintenance and preservation of trails, open space and horsecamps for over 30 years. She has worked with city, county, state and federal agencies plus provided private industry consulting services as far away as New Jersey on horsecamps, trail design, safety, and multi-use. Appointed to numerous committees, "blue ribbon commissions" and boards, Bonnie has always maintained a communication link and active participation with "grassroots" users.

Bonnie has received numerous awards, recognitions and presentations for her dedication to trails and open space, including the first Alameda County Women's Hall Of Fame Environmental Award, Backcountry Horsemen Of California Ohlone Riders Unit "Top Hand" Award, and the "Take Pride In California" presentation from the California State Parks Department and American Express Philanthropic Program.

Bonnie's presentations on Horsecamping and the Trail Rider's Economic Value have been given at symposiums, conferences, workshops, and lectures. She strives to make every presentation not only education and helpful but fun! Bonnie has spoken at the Backcountry Horsemen of California Rendezvous, California State Horsemen's Association Convention, HorsExpo in Sacramento, Wilderness Clinics in Oregon, horse shows in Nevada plus numerous clubs, groups and associations. Bonnie stresses the need for horsemen to "Get out on the trails. Use our horsecamps. If we want trails and places to camp with our horses in the next century, we have to start better informing agencies of our presence. No one else will make sure horsemen are included in trail plans and on maps but horsemen. The grassroots, back yard, pleasure horse owner and trail rider comprises 90% of the horse industry. We just have to keep TELLING everyone about us and our need for trails and camps!".

As a free lance writer Bonnie's articles have appeared in state, national and international publications including Western Horseman, Equus, Quarter Horse Journal, Horse & Horseman, Performance Horse, Europe's Western Side, Ride!, Paint Horse Journal, Cascade Horseman, Maverick Press, and others.

Bonnie Davis is a Bay Area resident, free lance writer and horsecamping/trail riding advocate with over 30 years experience. Her stories, articles, and columns have been published in national and international publications such as Western Horseman, Paint Horse Journal, Horse & Horseman, Quarter Horse Journal, Western Side (Italy), Cascade Horseman, California Horse Review, Performance Horse Review, and San Jose Mercury News. Bonnie was a featured speaker at Horsexpo in Sacramento in '99, '00 and '01.

2002 UPCOMING EVENTS & PRESENTATIONS

February 23 -- "Camping & Traveling with Your Horse" Presentation at the North American Trail Ride Conference, Region 1 Convention 2002, Heidrick Ag Center, 1962 Hays Lane, Woodland, California 95766. Will cover how to plan, where to go and tips for travel! Handouts provided. For information or registration forms, call Linda Thomason, (510) 651-9470, or Jean Armer, (530) 458-2732. Website www.natrc.org.

March 20 -- "Weed Free Feed: Why, How & Where". Sponsored by AVTREC. Meeting to be held in the Southern California town of Lancaster. For location, time and additional information contact Connie Leshin, P.O. Box 66, Llano, Ca. 93544, (661) 261-3321.

May 29 & 30 -- "Horsemen's Economic Value" Workshop at "Western States Horse Summit 2002" at Cal Expo, Sacramento, California. For registration and speakers information contact Rita Schlim, (510) 657-5827, 2331 Jackson St., Fremont, Cal. 94539 or e-mail rschlim@juno.com.

May 31 - June 2 -- "Horsecamping", Daily Presentations at the Western States Horse Expo. Times to be announced. Check website www.horsexpo.com.

The following members have paid their 2002 as of January 20, 2002:

Ginger Affolter

Connell & Kay Allison (Chistopher Brown, Jasmine Allison)

Katie Alton (Jr.)

Jess & Carla Ambriz

Mary and Mike Barger

Vivian Beebe (Stephanie)

Michael & Kirsten Berntsen

Jeanette L. Brown

Peggy Bullock

Dick & Angie Carter

Karen Chaton

Nina Cooke

Jackie Davidson

Karen & Dick Dockendorf

Jack & Diane Enderle

Judy Etheridge

Janice Frazier

Becky Glaser

Doug Spillman

Lena & Sam Spillman

Becky Grand Hart

Judith Ogus

Elisabet Hiatt

Jan Jeffers

Jennifer Layman

Jennifer Kurtzhall

Pete & Joann Le Mond

Steve Lenheim

Jeff Luternauer

Mike Maul

Kathy Mayeda

Pat & Jay McKendry

Mike & Jill Kilty Newburn

Lori Oleson

Marilyn Orlando

Bill & Sandie Parker

Trilby Pederson

Sandra Quinones

Robert & Melissa Ribley DVM

Keith Scott & Jeri Ayers Scott

Steve and Michele Shaw DVM

Marvin and Joyce Snowbarger

Jan Snyder

Maryben Stover

Tom Stutzman

Eric & Kathy Thompson (Katelynn)

Mike Tracy

Diane Trefethen

Hugh & Gloria Vanderford (Hailey Damler)

Robert & Pat Verheul

Bing Voight (Jerrod & Lindsey)

Georgina Wallbridge

Kathy Webster

Alan & Carlee White (Jordan Daniel White)

Doug & Barbara White

AD Williams.

febrUARY 2002

02/09/02         AWARDS BANQUET

Harry’s Hofbrau, 390 Saratoga Avenue, near 280, San

2/16/02           TWENTY MULE TEAM 35/65/100 - FEI

                        Ridgecrest, CA

                        Jackie Bumgardner (760) 375-8915

2/23/02           SHINE AND SHINE ONLY II

                        Becky Hart 408-997-0814

2/29/02           AERC CONVENTION

3/2/02   Silver Legacy, Reno, Nevada

Quicksilver Endurance Riders, Inc.

P.O. Box 71

New Almaden, CA 95042