| Preserving the legacy trails of the Carolina foothills hunting country |
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FETA Newsletter
Spring 2013
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Greetings!
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March came roaring in like a lion and I know we are all looking forward to seeing it go out like a lamb. This has been a winter of many closed-trail days due to rain and mud. Thank you for your patience. Conversely, I count our blessings that it hasn't been snow!
We have been fortunate that the rains have not caused more than normal trail maintenance and has given us time to make major repairs on creek crossings and trouble spots.
Although not an official FETA event, we will be working closely with FENCE to assist in bringing about a different kind of Hunter Pace to benefit FENCE and bring the community together in their support of FENCE. Look for more information on that in the future. It promises to be an exciting event scheduled for September.
Please remember to like us on Facebook. We 
share news, views, trail buddies, and more and welcome all members' participation.
Ride safe and friendly!
From my stall,
Judith
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Time to Renew Your Membership
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Watch for your 2013-14 membership application via email around April 1.
- Send email changes to me at information@fetatrails.org. This will insure delivery of the application to your inbox.
- Check your records now and call your vet to update your Coggins if necessary. Outdated or missing Coggins is a frequent problem.
- Carefully read and fill in all the blanks on your application.
- There are two forms to sign:
1. the Release/Waiver/Helmet Form
2. the FETA Rules Agreement.
By signing this agreement, you are accepting the rules and conditions required by FETA landowners.
Thank you ahead of time for being conscientious with your application. Turn around time is quick when all is in order.
GUESTS MUST SIGN A RELEASE FORM. Guest release forms are included in the membership packet which also contains your saddle tag. The Guest Release should be submitted to FETA before the ride. Releases may be submitted by any of the following:
- Fax it to me at 828-894-0182.
- Email scanned release to information@fetatrails.org.
- Mail to FETA, PO Box 1453, Columbus, NC 28722
- Place in one of the trail-head boxes at FENCE or Peniel Road trailer parking lots.
You may download additional releases at www.fetatrails.org.
Birdie Axelrod
information@fetatrails.org
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Welcome Picnic for New Members
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Thursday, May 23, 2013
6:30pm FENCE Main Hall
All FETA Members bring your appetite and a covered dish to give a friendly welcome to our newest members. This is a great opportunity to meet riders from your neighborhood, check out the latest edition of the FETA trail map, and locate new trails. If you want information on our trails, this is THE event. Our trail crew will be there to answer your questions. A representative from the Pisgah Trailblazers will be on hand to answer questions about their trail riding/service organization.
Our picnic is potluck. Please bring a dish to share.
Last names beginning A-K please bring an entrée (meat dish).
Last names beginning L-S please bring a salad or side dish.
Last names beginning T-Z please bring a dessert.
FETA will provide soft drinks and bottled water.
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Save The Date: September 1st Hunter Pace To Benefit FENCE
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On September 1, the Friends of FENCE will host the inaugural Hunter Pace of the 2013-2014 Western Carolina Hunter Pace Series. FETA will take a lead role in organizing this first ever "super pace." We would like all our members to get involved.
The venue will be a totally different course. The organizations that use the wonderful facility at FENCE will be on hand to make it a very special day with extra activities. The goal is to raise funds to pay for the ongoing operations at FENCE like helping them keep the lights on! (The light bill alone at FENCE exceeds $20,000 per year!)
Please help out by planning to ride. Put together a group of friends and get some sponsors. Let's make it a friendly competition to see if FETA riders can raise the most for FENCE. We also need volunteers to help that day and people to work on the committee to solicit sponsorships.
If you would like to help with this-first ever event, please email Dot Moyer at calerarex@gmail.com to volunteer or make a donation. Let's show FENCE how much we appreciate them! After all, they host beautiful trails, our fellowship functions, and our major parking area. FENCE is the heart of our wonderful equestrian community and deserves our support.
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Your 2012 FETA Dues At Work by Anne Swift, Treasurer
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The majority of your dues are spent in three areas: 1. Insuring the Landowners This accounts for over $22,000 a year or 41% of our annual budget.
2. Trail MaintenanceThis includes labor, equipment, outside contractors when needed, rock and stone, fuel, trail signs and professional tree services when the trees are too large for us to handle.
In 2012 major grading and other improvements were made to Long Lane Trail, Cartwright's Trace, Skips Trail, Rhondo Ridge, Little Mountain Trails, Stoneybrook, Upper Ridgeview and the FENCE creek crossing.
The total spent for the year was $17,280 or 32% of the budget.
3. Operations
The remaining 27% of the budget includes Membership expenses from the saddle tags, to postage and printing, the annual meeting, telephone and office supplies, easements for trails, and our donations to St. Lukes emergency and Polk EMT for picking us up when we need them.
We continue to spend as wisely as possible while keeping the trails in great shape. |
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Around the Region: Buncombe Horse Trail by Faith Jorgenson
|  I had my first ride on the Buncombe Horse Trail at the Brick House Campground in Sumter National Forest. Easy drive on I-26 to exit 60 then east on SC 66. The trail head is 3.5 miles on the right.
This trail winds through forested hill and valley terrain with points of interest that include old cemeteries, wagon roads, and plantation sites. As I rode along enjoying the openness brought by winter, I found myself thinking about The Swamp Fox wandering these very woods. There are opportunities for rides of various lengths by using the interconnecting loops. It is a multi-use trail open to hikers and bikers. |
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Around The Region: Florida Riding Vacation by Lori West
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 | | Jeanne riding Altrevido at the Withlacoochee River |
In mid-February, Jeanne Griggs and I vacationed with our horses in Florida. Destinations were recommended to us from friends John and Joanne Thurow, owners of Horse Trail Directory. The Directory is a wealth of information about horse trails, camps, and vacations nationwide and beyond. We started our trip camping at McCulley Farms in Jasper, Florida. This is a scenic spot in North Florida just over the Georgia/Florida state line. We enjoyed the park-like, well-marked trails which included a visit to a pioneer cabin and cemetery on the way to the beautiful Withlacoochee river. The plentiful stalls were former chicken houses, a very clever use of the old structures. There is easy access for all size rigs. Our idea of camping includes heat, air conditioning, and hot water, so we stayed in the cozy Shady Trails Cabin. We did suffer a bit of cellphone/internet withdrawal in this beautiful but remote place, but that was probably good for us.  | Vanessa on Luminosa de Legacy Q on the Land Bridge
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We rode in the Twin Rivers State Forest across the road from McCulley Farms. The forest is situated along the banks of the Withlacoochee and Suwannee Rivers. There are many natural communities within Twin Rivers State Forest. Among these are sandhill, floodplain, swamp and sinkhole communities. In the drier sandhill areas are longleaf pine, turkey oak, post oak and live oak. Clear running springs are located on the Anderson Springs and Pott Springs Tracts. In Ocala, we met our friend Vanessa Howard and stayed at the charming, well-appointed Rest N Ride cottage. It is an easy ride to the Land Bridge that crosses over I-75 on the Cross Florida Greenway. It is thrilling to ride on horseback over I-75 on a sandy trail lined with native plants. The Limestone Road or Wagon Trail is a central, multi-use trail. All are well-marked as they cross and loop each other.  | Lori on Vaquero de Eco
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We rode different trails from Rest-N-Ride each day without having to trailer off. The group favorite was Shangri-La which is part of the cross Florida barge canal. It is a beautiful undulating trail through pines, palmetto, and oaks dripping with Spanish moss. Water for horses is available at each trail head. We also enjoyed a ride to Spider Kingdom (no spiders in sight because it was February), and the Ocala Horse Park. Trails were mostly sand so horse shoes aren't needed. The sand footing was an invitation for us to gait our Paso Fino horses in several places, especially around Spider Kingdom trails. For more photos of our ride, visit my Facebook page.
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Around The Region: Willis Knob/Rocky Gap by Faith Jorgenson
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Beautiful day riding out from the Whetstone Horse Camp near Walhalla, SC. We rode the Rocky Gap horse trails on the South Caroina side. A good portion of Rocky Gap follows the ridge with mountain range views amid tall pines and mountain laurel. We crossed into Georgia at Earl's Ford. The crossing was deep enough that one of the horses got a few swim strokes in. Riders' boots were filled with water and pants soaked to our knees.
Willis Knob trails on the Georgia side are most scenic as the trail follows the Chattooga Wild and Scenic River with whitewater rapids. The Georgia Backcountry Horsemen do a flawless job at keeping these trails cleared of trees and trash. The Georgia trails are well-marked and include mileage. We met two of the volunteers who were working on the trail while we were stopped for lunch. We thanked them for giving of their time and effort to volunteer on a day that was perfect for riding. We crossed back into South Carolina at Adeline Ford. This crossing is shallower (just below the horses' belly) but swift and it seemed wider. Big Island Ford is the deepest crossing which we avoided.
Whetstone Horse Camp is an easy 2-hour drive from Tryon. The drive on Highway 11 is scenic. We left the trailer at 11:00am and got back at 5:00pm. The ride included our lunch break. You can see more photos from this ride on my Facebook page.
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Guest Release Clause From Your FETA Membership Rules Agreement |
- Members must obtain a properly executed Guest Release Agreement and return it to FETA by mail, fax, or place it in the parking lot mailboxes PRIOR to trail use.
- Members may only bring personal guests who have not directly or indirectly paid for their recreational use. No commercial use of any type is permitted.
- Members are legally responsible for their guest(s), including any liability or damages resulting from any accident, injury, loss or damage, including death.
- Local residents may only ride once per month as any member's guest.
- Employees and trainers who use the Property more than once per month in total must have their own FETA membership.
- Members must accompany their guests at all times, and are responsible for their compliance with the Rules.
- A guest must carry a guest tag and current Coggins test. Guests that haul in must have a guest parking tag easily visible on the dashboard of their tow vehicle.
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Questions or comments? Board members are happy to talk to you any time. They are:
Judith Kerns, President Faith Jorgenson, Communications
Dot Moyer, Vice President Roberta Axelrod, Membership
Gail Gardner, Secretary Rhonda King, Member Relations
Anne Swift, Trails Chair Ric Rondell, Trails Chair
At large members: Holly Dake, Mike Frye, Jim Troppmann, Tina Walker
Volunteers: Bill Kerns, Treasurer; Bob Lesowitz, Trail Maintenance
Trail Area Representatives are:
Nancy: Chinquapin Farm Dot: Pretty Bottom, Stonybrook
Rhonda: Pony Track, Hunting Woods Judith: River Rd, Carriage Row
Faith: Hunting Country Rd to River Rd Ric: North Peniel Trails
Anne: FENCE
Tina: Little Mountain Trails
FETA's Board meets the 4th Tuesday evening of the month at 6:30. All members are welcome to attend, raise questions or issues at the start of the meeting, or just observe. Contact Judith Kerns for location. No July or December meeting.
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Faith Jorgenson
Foothills Equestrian Trails Association
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