WESTERN AUSTRALIAN HORSE TREKKERS CLUB INC.

Website: www.watrekkers.info/ Email: wahtc@iinet.net.au ABN 77 820 635 660

Trekkers Tribune August 2016 OUR CLUB Hi Trekkers,

Well, July has been a real winter’s month with plenty of rain and cold temperatures

over the south of the state. Hopefully August will a bit warmer, making it easier to

get out and enjoy some trail riding.

Unfortunately, the Smiths Farm ride near Collie was cancelled due to weather

and various commitments by members. Our next ride at Myalup was moved forward

a week to avoid a party at the Myalup Pines Cottages. Ride entries need to be in by

the 5th of August and please advise Margaret Rose if you want to ride on the Friday as

well.

Happenings

It’s a busy time of the year for travelling. From our committee Gina has done a

big tour of Europe and is off to the Himalayas shortly, Julie is visiting family and

touring her home country England,

Debbie is back in her home country

America visiting family and touring

around. Margaret Thomas, Trevor

Hayes, Julie Baker and Margaret

McLean are doing the Chapman

Valley Loop Trek.

We all wish our President and

Regional Manager Anna Sheehan a speedy recovery after her operation

and successful treatment for her health challenges at the moment.

Dowerin Equestrian Exhibit

Come along to our stand, meet and chat to our club representatives. We

hope to meet new, old and prospective members, plus people in the

community who can help with hosting rides. We will have on display

trekking gear, ATHRA merchandise and Trekkers merchandise. Come in

and have a rest and watch the videos and photos from ATHRA and WA

Trekkers. A face to face friendly way to get information on Trekking.

COMING EVENTS

Many Peaks

Accreditation Weekend

6-7th August

Midwest Trekkers

Chapman Valley Loop

13-21st August

Dowerin Equestrian

Exhibit 24-24th August

Myalup

12-14th August

Bullaring

24-26th September

More Trail Riding Tips

1. If your horse isn’t used to riding alone, build up their confidence by going out for short rides frequently, working up to longer rides as their confidence grows.

2. If your group is well matched in skill level, take turns riding in the lead and at the back of the group.

3. Horses feel safest in a herd, and some may panic if they feel deserted. It’s best to keep all riders in your

group together, although experienced horses and riders may be fine venturing off alone.

4. Be seen: a high-viz vest is an easy cheap way to be seen on the trail and roads. We often ride on shared

trails and roads sides

5. Trekking can be a long time in the saddle, standard practice is to dismount and lead your horse every two

hours. It stretches your legs and gets the weight off their back.

6. A breastplate is recommended gear. An extra way of securing your saddle especially in hilly country.

Trailing Riding apps

Phone apps are a great way of recording your ride. The distance and speed and easily done by GPS signal so no need for phone signal. Everytrail is one that is used by trekkers. Trails are recorded and saved for other uses. Go to the website http://www.everytrail.com/browse.php?country=Australia&activity_id=25 and check out the saved horseback riding trails in Western Australia. Many were tracked by Anna Sheehan and her helpers.

OUR CLUB TRAILER

As many in the club haven’t done a long trek yet, many have never seen or only just heard about the club

trailer. The club purchased a custom trailer in 2009. This is a large flat top trailer with sides that fold down, the

top is covered with a fitted canvas cover.

One of our long time trekkers Fran Stephens provided some information about the trailer. The trailer

carries all of the food, cooking utensils and wash up gear goes in there for a 2 week trek. Two folded tables

slide in at the front. You can see one on the left of one of the photos. Last year it was modified it by putting an

extra metal storage unit on so we could have another bank of plastic boxes which we can slide out individually.

We also modified it so we could get the sides down to use as lunch tables without taking the canvas and metal

hoops off. We have tried to get most of the weight over the wheels and not on the tow hitch at the front which

was very heavy beforehand. This is done partly by being careful what you load where and also moving the 2

spare wheels underneath the trailer at the back instead of it being on the front. There is now provision at the

front for a spare wheel for the towing vehicle and 3 jerry cans of either petrol or water at the front.

Trailer at the Tangadee Trek 2015

The club also has a 600 litre fiberglass water tank shown above. Thank you to Margaret Rose and Fran

Stephens for the photos, I am sure these bought back some wonderful memories for you both.

MEMBERSHIP

Memberships. Adults – $110.00, juniors – $50.00, Social – $30.00, Over 80′s – $60.00

Membership includes insurance of $100 to ride with all ATHRA Clubs in Western Australia.

Please Note: When doing your membership make sure you send a new waiver (witnessed properly) with your

membership form and payment. Both of these forms must be done. http://watrekkers.info/forms/membership-ride-

waiver-form-2016/ http://watrekkers.info/forms/ims-f-006-risk-warning-and-waiver-v20130510/ For each and every

ride you wish to attend a Membership-Ride Waiver Form must be done.

Ride Notes Could people thoroughly read ride notes all the way through, there is important information that is getting

missed. Send forms to the ride organizer listed in the Ride notes. Membership forms only get sent to the treasurer

ATHRA

ATHRA has recently signed a partnership agreement

with the “Original Rescue Swag” (for further

information see www.rescueswag.com.au)This item

comes complete, waterproof and ready to strap into

the back of any saddle, it is fully endorsed and

recommended by ATHRA as the preferred First Aid

Kit to use at and on, all ATHRA Trail Rides & Events.

The organization has managed to negotiate a great

deal for ATHRA Clubs & its members. The cost of the

rescue swag is $120 inclusive of shipping, this

represents great value and significant savings.

Any club or member who wishes to purchase a Rescue Swag please use the following process;

1. Go to the ATHRA Website (www.athra.com.au) and download the Merchandise Order Form found under the Merchandise tab. (Form attached for your convenience) 2. Complete to form listing the purchase of a Rescue Swag at a price of $120.

3. Complete the payment transaction via direct deposit

(Bank Account details listed on the form) Please ensure

you place as a reference, MER & Your Club Name .

Alternatively, post a cheque for the required amount to

PO Box 181, Melton Victoria 3337. Please include a

completed copy of the merchandise order form with the cheque.

4. Email the completed form to Sue Baillie via merchandise@athra.com.au (Note; if you post in a cheque,

(as per 3 above), you are still required to send to Sue via email the completed order form.)

5. Upon receipt of the order form and verification of the financial transaction, Sue will post off the item to

the address listed on the form. ATHRA is thrilled to provide to its clubs this wonderful offer.

WA Horse Trekkers on ATHRA website

Have you had a look? Go to webpage www.athra.com.au click CLUBs and then Western Australia. This will show you a map of all ATHRA clubs in WA. Click on the icons and then the name of each club will appear. WA Horse Trekkers is shown on the maps as being in Serpentine but as you know we ride statewide. Then you will see the tabs for club details, newsletters, events etc. Rides are posted under events, there is some ride details and a map of the location that can be used to help with directions.

PROFILES

As a way of getting to know other trekkers we would like to do short profiles of members. It could make it less daunting

when starting out in the club, so we are not complete strangers. We will keep adding profiles in future newsletters.

For Sale

Most of Griselda’s Trekking gear has sold except for:

good clean 20litre water containers (v. Useful for long treks where water for horses is a problem)

Oldish Bates all-purpose saddle mounted: good for a starter saddle. Griselda would also like to advertise her trekking cart for sale:

Strong two Holden wheel cart with brakes. Suit horse 13.2 to 15hh. Made for trekking and hobby farm work. Good condition. Inspect Mandurah. Ring 0409743735.

Name: Karen Singleton

Hometown Present & Past: Born in the Waikato region

of NZ.

Living in Whitby WA

Occupation Present & Past: Previous occupation:

Hairdresser

Currently a Snr Social Worker

Interests: horses, keyboard, grandchildren, fur and

feather babies, gardening collecting old stuff :)

Horses: Horses x 6 shared between us. Zephyr, Rocky,

Honey, Sally, Redmond and Saffi

Time in club: Members of WAHTC since 2004

Positions held in Club: Secretary for a short time and

committee member 3yrs maybe

Best treks: Fave treks.... weekends: Lewana and Smiths

farm and two week treks: Westonia, Murchison ... oh

hell all of them :)

Name: Tracey Hawken

Hometown Present & Past: I grew up in Dardanup and I

now live in Capel

Occupation Present & Past: I work for a building

company doing builders cleans for new homes

Horses: I rode Shahzala for all my years in the Trekkers

club a grey Arab mare who I had for 18 years now I ride

her daughter Shahmieh (May for short)

Time in club: I joined the Trekkers in either 2003 or

2004 I can't remember which

Positions held in Club: I've been on the committee for

many years

Best treks: And my best trekking memories are at

Denmark 2007 where I got heat stroke but the ride was

great I'd do it again and Murchison 2009 was really nice

but I could prattle on about all of them easily

EVENTS

Ride Calender 2016

JANUARY Australia Day is not a long

weekend this year, so no event

MARCH Labour Day Weekend – Sat 5th

March to Monday 7th March

Trekking Training Day and short trail rides at

Serpentine. Additional Ideas for rides

appreciated!

APRIL ANZAC DAY – 23rd April – 25

April

Collie-Darkan

MAY NIL Long Weekends Jandakot Day Ride

JUNE WA Day Weekend – 4th June –

6th June

Lewanna near Balingup

JULY 15-17th July Smiths Farm, near Collie

AUGUST 12th-14st August Myalup

13-21st August Chapman Valley Loop Ride

SEPTEMBER Queens Birthday Weekend – 24th

Sept to 26 Sept

Bullaring

OCTOBER 21st-23rd Weekend ride Clackline, KEP track

NOVEMBER 12- 16th Nov High Country Ride,

17th-20th Equitana

Merrijig, Victoria

Melbourne

DECEMBER 3-4TH AGM and Weekend Ride Legends Lodge Pickering Brook

DAY RIDES:

MARCH Friday, 18th Jarrahdale

APRIL Saturday, 9th April Wungong Valley

MAY Friday, 6th May Jandakot Regional Park

Day rides to be organised on a regular basis, please watch this website and emails for details. Complete details

of treks will be posted on website and distributed to members by email. Trek dates and venues may change

due to unforeseen circumstances. Please check current details and newsletters for up and coming rides