If so, which state / which affiliate?

We have created a second chapter in Michigan...

Utah 

Wasatch Front

I don't think it matters a whole lot which chapter you join.

Join the one that has their mettings close to your home, so you can make the time to attend occassionally.

Any of the chapters will host monthly trail rides. And I guess you might find the folks in one chapter more to your liking than another group.

But for the most part I've found they are all Horse People and I can get along with any of them.

Utah has 5-6 chapters, and I watch all their calenders.  If I see one chapter doing a trail ride or project in an area that I want to explore, I hop in my truck and go with them. The monthly meeting where they talk about dues, budgets, membership, what service projects they want to do etc don't have much interest for me. I'll pay my dues and then support the activities that they hold sitting on a horse back. When I show up at a chapter trailride where I don't belong, I've never found them to be anything but the most welcoming and friendly group of people.

I think they speak well for Horse People. So I am happy to pay dues to them and be a number on their membership. When they go talk to the various agencies and say we have 100 members ( or what ever the number is) I'm glad to be one of those numbers that support them.  When I go out and do any trail maintenance ( clearing blow down trees each spring) I turn my hours in so they can present them to the responsible agency and say we (horsepeople) contributed "X" amount of hours to your trail maintenance program. ( it's hard for the govt agency to close a trail to horses if they have documentation showing the majority of any being done was volunteered by a horse group)

Pay your $30-$35 dues and join. Even if you never attend a meeting, Just being on the membership rolls, carries weight when they lobby for preservation of back country access. It's a worth while cause.

Painted Horse -

Thanks. That is my philosophy for the most part. I just learned that we are up to 3 units now, in Michigan. Woo Hoo...   One in the U.P. (Upper Penisula); one in Central Michigan; and the all-over group (for right now) called Pigeon River & Beyond.

The Pigeon River group (just formed 3 weeks ago) took legislators for a trail ride last summer after the state DNR shut down trails. When the reps and senators returned to work after the weekend and told others what they had done, the others want to be invited!!

I joined. I am sure it will be successful. I was afraid that perhaps the national might be too strict on how the state units are run and I didn't know much about BCH of America.

At this time, there's info at www.BCHMI.org if anyone is interested. We have some Canadians interested in joining us and I think some out-of-staters too that don't have a state chapter yet.

 They are both about 60 miles away so making meetings would be almost impossible depending on the time/place.  But if you can join one chapter and ride with others that would help.

Now if I could just get my husbands mare over her fear of strange horses.  She has only been on one trail ride with horses outside her "herd" and almost lost her mind.

Teri, I can understand that feeling. When I first showed up for a CTR or Endurance ride my horse was a nervous wreck.

He came from my small farm where he only saw 3 other horse. We show up at a ride with 90 competitors and he has never seen so many horses. They nicker and call all night, by morning he's so jazzed, I wonder if I really want to get on him. After 25 miles ( most of it jiggin) he's tired and the second night he goes to sleep. After a couple of weekends of this he learns the drill and calms down.

When horses show up at a trailhead with strange animals, they all start worrying about who will be the alpha, what their herd position will be, they hear all the horse noise, but can't always see the other horses. Then you head out on a ride, maybe you are in the middle or back of the pack. If they are used to leading they worry about following the butt in front of them. They just don't realize you are not going to turn them loose. That you ( their rider) will remain the alpha for the ride, Once they learn that and respect their place in line they get over the crowd.

Great!  So my next question is, how much "lobbying" or contact with your state legislators do any of you do? Do you leave that up to your board of directors?

Or maybe you don't require much interface with government agencies?

Here in Michigan, we are trying to reopen closed areas and maintain areas that have been traditionally open to horses. 

Yay! Did you go to the meeting in Clare? or mail your form in?  If you went to Clare last Saturday - you would have seen the bumper stickers.  I have 2 - the one at the very bottom: "Got Trails" for my trailer and the "We Ride We Buy" ... that I put on a magnet for my truck.

There's one other one that stirred a little controversy, that I clipped out. (we tried to help but the DNR wouldn't let us)

Hope to meet up with you folks one of these days!! I'll be working at Lansing Expo - March 13,14, 15 at West 20 Tack. 

We'll be at the expo.

Is Clare the third chapter starting in Michigan?

Hi Gone -

That's great to hear that you joined!

Clare is where the meetings have been held for the Pigeon River & Beyond affiliate.

Central Michigan affiliate held their first meeting Saturday, March 7th in Gladwin.

Pigeon River will be holding meetings every quarter from now on. The summer meeting will be at one of the trail camps. Goose Creek I think.

www.bchmi.org for details.

We expect, within a year, there will be additional affiliates to cover more areas of Michigan. For instance, a SouthEast chapter and if there is enough interest, a SouthWest chapter.

Florida Forever BCH

I received a link to images of work recently done in the PNW by combining several groups together - looks like a mountain bike organization, mule users, and BCHW and other volunteers.

This is in the Capital Forest in Washington State.

http://www.pbase.com/bchw/3_09_gravel_haul

Way to go!

And for others, joining any local trails group is helpful to let local agencies know the "numbers" of trail users. We all need to be sure our legislators know we are out there - there are stimulus packages available for trail development and repair. And to volunteer whatever time we can - even if it's serving coffee while others work.

I went to a seminar given by Tom Seay(sp) the man who has the show Best of America by Horseback.  He recommended trail riders join BCH in their state.  He said the group promotes trails and maintains trails.  He also said go to your local planning office and get on their mailing list so that when developers want to come in an develop an area you are now riding you will know who that developer is.  Once you find out who the developer is ask if them if they woudl be willing to keep open a trail that has been used by trail riders.  He also said to name the trail.....doesn't matter what you name it but come up with a name such as the Abe Lincoln trail...giving that trail a name puts a personal feeling to it.  Also take someone that has some clout for a trail ride or someone that is close to someone with some pull.  Like he said you get more flies with honey than vinegar.  He had some great practical advise on how we can work together no matter what type of horse or what type of riding we do.  BCH is a large group working to keep our trails open....he suggested joining that group and your state horse council as well.  Debbie

Oh I just seen post.I worked/helped Friday at ShowME BCH booth.Saturday helped little than was at Board Meeting.Horse Fest seemed smaller less vendors and alot less vistors.Hope pick back up next year.