APHA trail rides are sponsored by
Gist Silversmiths and Hart Trailers

Weekend Ride: July 11-13
Black Hills Trail Ride - Custer, South Dakota · Broken Arrow Campground
This ride, hosted by the South Dakota Paint Horse Club, trails though peaceful country with fresh air, sparkling night stars, surrounded by the Black Hills National Forest. Click here to register for this ride.

Weekend Ride: August 31
Pole Mountain Trail Ride—Between Cheyenne and Laramie, Wyo.
This ride, hosted by the Wyoming Paint Horse Club, explores some of the Medicine Bow National Forest’s 55,000 acres, which includes rolling hills of short-grass prairie, large rock formations and streams. Also, many of the north-facing slopes are filled with forests of lodgepole and ponderosa pine, Douglas fir and aspen. Email or call (307) 637-3878 for trail ride details or to register. Pole Mountain Rules of the Ride.

Directions to the Ride:
From Cheyenne - go west on Happy Jack Road (I-25 exit 10B if coming from the South; exit 10D if coming from the North) to mile marker 30. Turn North (Right) onto Dirt Road, cross the cattle guard, take a Left at the Y, and go approximately one mile to a set of corrals.

From Laramie - Travel East on I-80 and take exit 323 (State Hwy 210/Happy Jack Road). Just before mile marker 30, turn North (Left) onto Dirt Road, cross the cattle guard, take a left at the Y, and go approximately one mile to a set of corrals.

Itinerary:
9:00 Registration
10:00 Begin Ride
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Resume Ride
3:00 Complete Ride

APHA Ride: September 1–6
Fort Robinson Trail Ride ride info
Located at Fort Robinson State Park,
three miles west of Crawford, Nebraska
The Fort Robinson ride offers breathtaking views and outstanding trails that pass through tall-grass prairies, breathtaking rock formations and Ponderosa forests. The area is rich in the history of the American West.

2009 Rides (Tentative Dates)

Weekend Ride: April 24–26, 2009
Rancho Oso Resort - Santa Barbara, California
See beautiful chaparral-covered hills, rivers, vistas and local wildlife up close and personal the way it was meant to be seen—from the back of a horse! Escape to a rustic mountain setting that makes you feel worlds away from civilization and enjoy the blend of scenic beauty, National Forest access, equestrian facilities and Western hospitality.

Weekend Ride: April 17-19
Horse Heaven Ranch - Talihina, Oklahoma
This riding ranch boasts striking scenery and quick access to miles upon miles of wilderness trails and logging roads. Here, pine trees scrape azure skies, balmy breezes stir crisp air, and clear streams cut across rolling hills alive with adventure. This spectacular area beckons you to explore its beauty. If your idea of paradise is riding peacefully amidst fragrant pines and clear steams on hundreds of miles of trails in the pristine forests of Southeastern
Oklahoma, then relaxing in a fully-equipped cabin or luxurious RV site while your horse rests safely in an adjacent barn master barn or piped pen, you’ll love Horse Heaven Ranch.

More rides are being finalized. Watch for upcoming details or e-mail trailrides@apha.com to find out more information about these rides.

Ride America ®
For those who prefer to ride at their own pace, the association administers the APHA Ride America program. Through this saddle-log program, members earn rewards and recognition for their achievements riding or driving an American Paint Horse.

When riders enroll in Ride America, they receive an official time log and a Ride America patch. They record each hour spent riding or driving their American Paint Horse and as they move through 14 achievement levels—from 100 to 10,000 hours—APHA records their accomplishments and rewards them with special patches and awards.

There is no time limit for riders to achieve their hours, as long as their APHA membership remains active. To date, more than 5,600 riders from 50 U.S. states and 19 other countries are actively involved in logging hours through Ride America.

Free guide for trail riders
To further serve the needs of trail riders, APHA offers a Guide to Recreational Riding. This booklet covers a variety of topics, including everything from training tips for trail horses to a comprehensive list of what to take along for the ride.

For groups interested in hosting rides, the booklet also contains valuable information about organizing, promoting and administering rides. The guide also contains a listing of recreational riding resource material and state park contacts.