Come join old friends and meet new ones! Bring your friends! Bring a new member! Meet your county's representatives and fellow riders, share ideas, make plans to ride new trails and revisit old ones. And come with an appetite!!

Annual Meeting Agenda: The TROT Annual Meeting is a joint PotLuck and Business gathering of TROT members. The agenda is somewhat informal, but there will an election of board members and you will hear from Gale Monahan, President of TROT.

TROT Board members serve at least 2 years and their job is to meet once a month to discuss the business of TROT – which includes fund raisers (like the Judged Pleasure Ride), GPS mapping, legislation that concerns trails and trail riders, Fairs and expos to exhibit at, and most importantly, trails that are being encroached upon by development and public parks that need to include horseback riders!

Our current Board members include: Gale Monahan, President; Tim McGrath, Vice President; Pat Merson, Secretary; Anne Bennof, Treasurer; Kathy Dobson, Angela Klinger, Marilyn Miller, Jack Monahan, Deneen Martin and Michelle Beachley. Board Members are nominated and voted on by the TROT members present at this Annual Meeting. At the next scheduled Board Meeting, the Board Members elect officers from among themselves. The meetings are often held at Jack and Gale's house in Highland, or sometimes at another location to suit the Board members.

The final item of the Annual Meeting is a guest speaker...and this year we have Jim Lewis, DVM. Dr. Lewis will be addressing the topic of acupuncture and the West Nile virus. Further agendas will be posted at the door.

Marcella Petree, a founding member of TROT and mother of TROT member, Carol Petree Iglehart, passed away on January 8 after a long illness.

Marcella was a lovely person with a sharp mind and many diverse interests. She held a Ph.D. degree in physics and spent her most of her professional life as a solid state physicist at the Naval Ordinance Laboratory in Silver Spring. She did pioneering work in semiconductors, some of which is still classified. In 1968, she was nominated for the Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award.

She loved nature as well as science, and passed on her love of animals and the outdoors to Carol. For many years, she was also active in various civic associations in Montgomery County. At the time TROT was being formed in 1980, Marcella was no longer a rider but nonetheless volunteered to serve as our first Vice President. In that capacity, she went before the civic groups and obtained resolutions and/or letters of support for the existence of bridle trails. These expressions of community support were very important when we later went before the Planning Board and the County Council seeking recognition of trails in master plans – a pioneering concept at the time.

Marcella was an extraordinary lady, and we all gained from her wisdom.

Anne Bennof

Doreen Mendola

10. BLOWING PAPER. "At any moment it could whip up into our faces, covering our noses. We could suffocate. And don't try to tell us you'd do CPR."

9. BARKING DOGS. "What? You've never read Steven King's CUJO?"

8. PUDDLES OF WATER. "Quicksand."

7. TRASH CANS. "They've been know to swallow horses and transport them into another dimension."

6. BABIES AND LIL KIDS. "Long lost tribe of horse-eating pygmies."

5. PLAID HORSE BLANKETS. "Hey, when was the last time you wore plaid? It adds 100 lbs."

4. ROPES AND HOSES ON THE GROUND. "Dreaded North American trail snakes."

3. PONIES. "Cute, clever, hardy. They want to take over the World."

2. WINDY DAYS. "Two words: impending tornado."

AND THE NUMBER ONE SCARY THING IN THE MINDS OF HORSES?

1. CARTS AND WAGONS. "Look. You put a human on our backs, we can always buck them off. But hitching a horse to a wheeled object? It's just not right. No matter how fast the horse trots, the dang cart is still running after him. OH, THE HORROR!!!!"

Carrot and Apple Horse Cookies

Mix molasses, brown sugar, carrots and applesauce in one bowl. In another, mix the dry ingredients. Slowly combine the molasses mixture with the dry ingredients. Add only enough to form a thick dough, add more bran if necessary. Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil or waxed paper.

Using a tablespoon, drop batter onto cookie sheet and flatten slightly to form portions about the size of a silver dollar. Bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour, flip and bake for an additional 45 minutes, until they are dried out. Check often to make sure they don't burn.

The TROT Pleasure Rides are open to all current TROT members. New members are ALWAYS welcome. Membership forms will be available at the ride. Membership is only $15 for 1 year! What a DEAL! For more information about TROT's Pleasure Rides, call Michelle Beachley (301/482-2526) A Negative Coggins Test is required on all TROT pleasure rides and events.

I am very excited to work with members of this much-needed organization! Though I have many new ideas, I welcome any thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. that would make these rides more appealing to you. Please feel free to contact me at home (301/482-2526) or via email (webebeachleys@msn.com).

I am anxious to explore more trails outside my local area of Damascus whilst meeting new people and seeing familiar faces! Let's ride!!!

These trails were the beginning inspiration for TROT. Come ride the Paint Branch, the Gum Spring, and the Good Hope tributaries. If time allows, we can also ride the connecting trail to the Rocky Gorge Watershed. Time about 2 to 3 hours, moderate pace (walk, trot, possibly some cantering depending on the group). These are stream valley trails with river crossings and the possibility of mud this time of year. A snack or lunch for after the ride would be a good idea, especially if we go over to Rocky Gorge. Contact Mary Prowell at 301-607-8061 or Boprow@aol.com

These trails are some of the most extensive areas of trails you can ride. The pace will be mostly walk/trot and ride time will be up to 4 hours. These are stream valley trails with river crossings. The ride will start at 10:00 AM. Bring a bag lunch, as we will stop on the trail and something to hold your findings in. Parking is located off Rt. 94. Contact Deneen Martin at 301-253-2955 or Michelle Beachley at 301-482-2526 or webebeachleys@msn.com

This lovely park has many varied trails-- woods, streams, some hills, and expansive views north to Pennsylvania farmland. Ride for 2 to 3 hours at a walk/trot pace. If people want to ride a bit faster will possibly have a group for that too. May have one road crossing. Contact Cathy McElroy at 410-857-3540.

This ride leaves Anna's historic working farm and travels over the fields, past the Polo field, through the woods, and down to the C&O canal towpath, and the Potomac river. There are usually three groups: walk, trot, and canter with a possible snack break at the White's Ferry Store. Anna treats every one to a cookout at her farm after the ride. Covered dishes are welcome. It is important she get an accurate head count for this ride. Call Anna Slayman at 301-972-8187.

This interesting and versatile park has woods, fields, a Boy Scout Campground, and a one-room schoolhouse with a swinging bridge. This park is a very popular riding destination. The ride will be approx. 3-3 ½ hours with a walk/trot pace. Bring a bag-lunch for trailer talk after the ride! Parking is located behind the Little Bennett Golf Course. Call Mimi Ernst for more information at 301-416-2388.

We are coordinating a schooling day for horses and riders that do not have much trail riding experience or the seasoned rider looking for something different. All ages' welcome (what a perfect way to introduce young riders!). The pace will be slow to allow both horse and rider to gain confidence over, around and even under obstacles (natural and man-made). We will also talk about basic trail guidelines along the way. Seasoned riders and horses will lead the ride. The location and time of this event will be determined upon the amount of interest. Please contact Michelle Beachley at 301-482-2526 or webebeachleys@msn.com (Ps. I will be there with my green mare!)

Are you and your horse not quite ready for a TROT ride? Do you need a buddy to "practice" with or "tune-up" with out on the trail? This column is a way for you to find a riding buddy. Let us know where you ride, where you'd like to ride, when you ride and what you're looking for. Your information will be included in this column! This column has generated lots of interest from riders looking for riding buddies as well as those wonderful horse people offering their experience to help out riders new to trails.

FOR SALE: Black 17-1/2" County Dresprix saddle (with 3 position panel adjustments). Excellent condition. Comfortable for trail riding and jumping. Asking $800. Call Jan at 301/347-4786 (day) or 301/371-0888 (pm) or email at solovey@optometry.org.

House to Share - Looking for female roommate to share small, rustic carriage house on 10 acres in quaint, rural Northern Virginia town. Located 30 minutes from Frederick and Leesburg, and 10 minutes from MARC train station. $400/month rent includes utilities and Direct TV. Self-care field boarding available for $125/month on adjoining 200 acre, private farm with large outdoor ring and access to miles of trails. 540-822-9294.

Horses for Sale - Several nice horses for sale (QH and QH-crosses). Will make excellent trail horses or competition prospects. Priced from $2,500 to $4,000 OBO. 540-822-9294.

DE-JUNK YOUR TACK ROOM – and sell your stuff here! Spring Cleaning time is almost here! How many bits do you have that you haven't used in year? How many saddle pads do you really need? How many hoof picks? Lead ropes? What about training videos? De-clutter and earn some extra cash!

Please refer to TROT in the subject line or your email may not be opened.

PLEASE NOTE: The mailing of the newsletter is not done by the editor. Please refer your concerns to the TROT BOARD. Thank you!

Here are a few ideas for April's issue:

Manure Management – how do you manage manure on your farm? Write, telling us how many horses you have, what your facilities are like, and how you dispose of manure. Any unusual tips that might help our readers?

Keeping Weight on Your Geriatric Horse – how do you do it? Any sure things?

How do you administer oral medication to those "difficult" horse patients? The champion head bobbers? We want to know!

Add ¼ c to drinking water daily during warm weather and horses may be less bothered by biting insects!

Use for traveling horses! Horses are sometimes unwilling to drink water that smells and tastes different from what they are used to at home. Most horses love the taste of apple cider vinegar and will drink any water to which it's added!

For a vinegar liniment: combine 1 pint apple cider vinegar with 1 tsp cayenne pepper and 6-8 drops of the essential oil of pine or rosemary. Shake well and massage into tight, strained muscles or sore joints, or simply soak a cloth or bandage in the liniment and hold on the affected area as long as possible.

Digestive aid? In addition to acidifying the gastrointestinal tract, apple cider vinegar promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. Both of these factors are important to digestion. Add ¼ to ½ cup to daily feed.

Cider vinegar advocates claim it prevents bladder, kidney and intestinal stones. It won't dissolve stones that already exist, but adding it to a stone-prone's horse's diet often coincides with the problem's disappearance.

It's time to start watching and being aware of any new bills that may come up (AGAIN!) about Sunday Hunting!

This issue is sure to come up again this year, and we encourage EVERYONE to be pro-active towards its defeat! TROT Members made a difference last year...let's do it again! Here is information on ...

HOW TO CONTACT THE MARYLAND LEGISLATURE

Click on: Name of your Senator and your Delegate in the MD General Assembly. You will get a full page of information on each and how to contact them. You'll get address, phone, fax, e-mail – use what is most comfortable for you. Just remember, personal contact means the most.

HOW TO CONTACT MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS COMMITTEE THE SENATE EDUCATION, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

HOW TO READ AND FOLLOW PROGRESS OF BILL