Calendar

Trail Work Day on horseback or on foot. Patrick’s Day theme. Light trail lunch provided and a prize for the person or horse wearing the most green.

Trail Ride. If you haven’t ridden this quaint area, you are missing out. Parking is limited, so sign up early to reserve your spot. Piney Run Park encompasses 550 acres with a 300 acre lake. Prior to being a park, this land was a private farm.

Ride with the wild ponies! This ride has been on my bucket list, and I invite you to join me. Day use horseback riding is permitted in Maryland from October 9 through May 14. An entrance fee is required for all vehicles entering the park. Sign up now to ensure your space. I am contemplating camping there for those who might also be interested. It is highly suggested that you check with your vet before attending this ride as many of the Assateague horses are positive for Equine Infectious Anemia.

Trail Work Day. Show up and make your presence known. Together we can help this area become a safe haven for our trail riders, hikers, and bikers.

Trail Ride. Gillis Falls is also known as Woodbrook CWMA in Woodbine. Veteran Gillis Falls trail rider Tracy Loppatto with show us around this area which boasts miles of trails, arenas, and cross country jumps. Show some love to the Carroll County Equestrian Council and the Gillis Falls trails surrounding their awesome venue.

Trail Ride. Veteran Morgan Run trail rider, Debbie Mullinix, will lead us on this trail ride. Morgan Run is a 1,336 acre environmental nature area featuring miles of equestrian trails in both open fields and woodlands. Only a few sections are somewhat rocky, but the vast majority of the trails have footing that is easy on horses’ feet. There is plenty of parking at Morgan Run. As always, plan to stay for the potluck after the ride.

Thanks to the feedback received at the Carroll County end of the riding season luncheon, we have added a new adventure to the 2019 list, the Underground Rail Road trail! The trail is located in the northeastern portion of the county in the community of Sandy Spring. The Underground Railroad Experience Trail is part of the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. It is also one segment of the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail Corridor, a 25-mile trail corridor that will one day connect Patuxent River State Park to Prince George’s County. Be sure to stick around and hitch your horse to your trailer for lunch and a stroll through Woodlawn Manor. It is going to be a great time.

Woodstock Inn in Woodstock Maryland located in Patapsco State Park between Baltimore, Carroll and Howard Counties. This established watering hole is a favorite of Horseback riders in the area. Woodstock Inn appreciates the many riders that come to their restaurant.  There are dedicated hitching posts with signs “Horse and Mule Parking Only” in their main parking lot as well as two hitching posts in a lower secluded treelined spot away. Wait staff will sometimes add a few carrots to your wing order. The Inn is also a favorite spot for Motorcycle riders and there can be cars in the upper parking lot close to the hitching posts. Horses will have to walk past these to get to the lower hitching posts. There is a freight Train Line that runs alongside the parking lot. 4-5 Car lengths away from where the horses are but it can be loud and something horses might need a little extra support to encounter. There are outside picnic tables if you want to eat with your horse. In there are also outside tables in the lower picnic area also allowing a full view of the horses.

The ride will begin at the McKeldin Rest Area of Patapsco state parks. McKeldin Park is at the very SE edge of Carroll Co/North East Baltimore County and has dedicated Horse Trailer parking and rest rooms close by. This area has miles of multi-use trails, which are very popular with the equestrian community. You may encounter walkers, dogs on leashes, and bike riders. The area has unique trail that are well maintained by the Park Volunteers and other horse groups with the equine rider in mind. The trails provide a beautiful view as you climb in and out of river valleys. There are two water crossings as we go to the Hernwood Side of the Park traveling toward Old Court Road and Climb up to the Parking Lot of the Restaurant. There is also a Railroad Track Crossing. The ride is 1 ½ hour one way at a nice slow walk. A Walk-Trot group can leave the Lunch will take about 30-40 mins . In total the day should be 4-5 hours of Horse Fun.

Trail Work Day on horseback or on foot. You may have seen, or heard the destruction of trails that took place in 2018. Help restore the Union Mills equestrian trails back to its former glory.

Trail Ride. Welcome back to TROT Ivy Smink! Even though Ivy showed us around Union Mills last year as a non-member, let’s really welcome her back to TROT on this trail ride. Union Mills features miles of wooded equestrian trails. The trails are easy on horses’ feet, with only a few sections that are rocky. There are also a few spots were small streams cross the trails, and areas can be muddy in wet weather. The parking is limited, so sign up early to enjoy this ride.