Welcome to FoxTROT's blogspot!

If you trail ride in Tennessee on a Missouri Fox Trotting (MFT) horse, then this site is for you! Whether you live in Tennessee or travel here to ride, we invite you to participate. Our desire is to provide an association that will enhance the enjoyment of trail riding the MFT. FoxTROT is an affiliate of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association.

SCHEDULED TRAIL RIDES

The rides listed below are scheduled organizational rides. Additional day and week-end rides are scheduled by Regional Reps and among members as time and opportunity allows.

2017 FoxTROT MFTHBA
National Trail Ride Schedule

(Pending approval by the MFTHBA Trail Committee)

FoxTROT Spring NTR
Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area
3-7 May 2017
Zenith Stables & Campground
Allardt, TN
931-879-5252
http://www.zenithstables.com

FoxTROT Octoberfest @ East Fork
11-15 October 2017
East Fork Stables
Jamestown, TN
931-879-1176
http://www.eastforkstables.com
In addition to camping and stall fees, this ride requires purchase of the meal package which covers ALL MEALS starting with supper on Wednesday and ending with breakfast on Sunday - $165.00 per person. It's best to MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS VERY EARLY! Reservations require 25% deposit with balance pay out through the year. There's a 10% discount for pre-registration.

Someone of FoxTROT is riding nearly every week end and some week days. For info on regional day rides contact the following anytime for specific plans --

Big South Fork FoxTROT
Lea Valentine, 865-556-3485/931-879-0808, leavalfox@bellsouth.net
Rose Walter, 931-269-0580, rosewalter52@yahoo.com

Smoky Mountain/Eastern TN & Western NC FoxTROT
Lloyd Styles, 865-805-0620, lstyles1968@gmail.com
Debby Gerhardt, 423-237-8726, debbygerhardt@yahoo.com
Sam Gerhardt, 423-237-8724, smfoxtrotters@hotmail.com

2017 Clinics/Events of Interest

Southern Equine Expo
24-27 February 2017
Tennessee Miller Coliseum
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
http://www.southernequineexpo.com
FoxTROT will be representing the MFTHBA with a booth at this event! John Brandreth and The Kansas Kowboy D will provide the MFT breed demo!

MFTHBA Spring Show

3 Year Old Futurity
National Trail Ride
6-9 June 2017
Ava, Missouri
http://www.mfthba.com/springshow
417-683-2468

MFTHBA Show and Celebration
National Trail Ride
5-11 September 2017

Ava, Missouri
http://www.mfthba.com/
417-683-2468

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

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!!!

No comments:

Post a Comment