# Things to do after ACTHA/trail ride. Need ideas.



## Griffith361 (May 3, 2012)

I'm helping with an ACTHA ride in a few weeks at the barn I board/work at and this will be everyone's first ACTHA event. What are some things y'all would like to do after ANY event (besides eat! Lol). Once all riders are back in and we have lunch and awards, I'm sure everyone will want to take a break and disperse for a little while. After that what usually happens? In your experience what is something you wish the venues had? 
Here's some additional info:

-There will be only primitive camping

-Water access is in the barn only which is about 150 yards from the furthest possible camping spot

- there are about 7 horses that will be in the barn in rented stalls for the weekend. If you had a stall what is something you would want?

- there will be a leisure trail ride over the same route Sunday morning for people to revisit obstacles. Should this also be available Saturday for people that want to do schooling then?

Thanks for any ideas!!!


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## Celeste (Jul 3, 2011)

I would think that they would have riding out of their system. Why not have a bonfire. Roast hotdogs and marshmallows on sticks. Invite somebody to bring acoustic instruments and play and sing. Maybe some nice campfire songs. A few interesting beverages that are age appropriate. (I might go for hot chocolate myself.)


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## Jim Andy (Jan 21, 2013)

If you think you will be in before dark how about horse shoe tournament?


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## Griffith361 (May 3, 2012)

Those are great ideas! I had thought about a bonfire but really wasn't sure if that would be successful. I don't know if most people want to socialize or would rather stay at their camp. 

What are y'all's feelings on "community" water troughs? Since the one water source may be a ways away for some, would you use a water trough if a venue had one close to camp for people to walk their horses to? I know that may be thought of as a sanitation issue due to disease but I've heard both sides of the argument.
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## bubbleslove (Mar 9, 2010)

It's safest to have everyone bring their own water buckets, you can have a central trough but I would ask people to bring buckets. 

Community type events are fun after a show, people like to meet and talk horses, especially to get any tips on obstacles they had issues with. Maybe a potluck?

You could also do a nighttime trail, some go for it (I hate them!), just make sure you have someone who really knows the area to lead.
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## roseann (Jan 29, 2013)

I have volunteered at many Actha rides. Mostly if it is only a one day ride there is a potluck for dinner and the award ceremony. On two day rides sometimes the potluck is the very first night(Friday), the next night might be catered in and riders prepay for that. Bonfires are a must. We always have them, sometimes all day if it's chilly. Breakfast is usually catered in to for those that prepay for it. Costume contests for riders and horses...riders compete in costume.
One of the Actha rides this year will be in June during a full moon and we are doing it at a dude ranch that offers full moon rides so we are timing it for that. Possibly with a midsummer night theme, everyone can dress up like fairies and elves.
Once we even had Margarita Ville at the end...yes real margaritas. Soda`s for the kids.
People are not just coming to ride, they do like to socialize as well. So have fun!


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## Left Hand Percherons (Feb 1, 2011)

Absolutely no to the community water tank. A nice touch would be to have a truck loaded with water that can drive up to the campsites and fill their water buckets to get them started. Leave the truck (with water) and a nice long hose with a shut off on the hose so they aren't wasting water in the campground. They will think you're being sweet and helping them out but you're really keeping them out of the barn.


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## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

we always just had a bonfire, s'mores, barbeque and music afterwards. everybody pretty much was just burnt out of riding haha



some of the different ones Ive been to have put up screens and had a movie going, others had slideshows of pictures taken afterwards

theyre all pretty different in my experience


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## CCH (Jan 23, 2011)

Just another note on water safety that many people overlook - do NOT let the hose lay in the bucket or under the water of a filling bucket. Doing so effectively contaminates the nozzle with whatever is in that bucket. EHV and Influenza (and more) are spread by nasal secretions and saliva. Buckets are often full of these.

I recommend not having a hose attached to the pump for this reason. Having a trough even if people dip buckets is equally as germ filled. For those parked far from water it would be nice if someone could help them haul it with an ATV or other vehicle.

As for entertainment, Norwegian golf (sometimes called ladder toss) can be fun.
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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

I don't really have any input on what to do for the trailride, but I just want to say that I am pretty sure what trailride you're talking about. If I'm correct in my guessing, I bought my paint colt Henny from the host!  I totally would have gone to hand walk Henny if it weren't four hours away LOL.


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## Griffith361 (May 3, 2012)

Thanks everyone!! I'm thinking we'll do a bonfire if its not too hot that day (this is south Texas), and the ladder golf tournament sounds fun!

Kayella, you bought Henny! Cool! I was there working when yall picked him up! How is he doing?! Sarah told me he had an accident? I hope all is well with him, he was such a sweetie! And yes 4 hours is a long ways to have to walk the trail with your baby, but I'm sure he'd handle it like a champ if y'all did come!


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## Kayella (Feb 11, 2012)

Oh yeah, I remember you! He did have an accident. He was kicked in the head the night before thanksgiving and suffered some neurological damage. He's almost made a 100% recovery though thanks to my vets!  he's still a little sweetheart, even if he does have his stubborn hissy fits sometimes haha.
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## cowgirlnay (Oct 14, 2011)

This is a little bit different, but same idea...We have a cutting clinic up in the mountains in Oregon every summer for a weekend (summer cow pasture)..Its pretty primitive camping, and we end up having a lot of down time in the evenings. We started doing a baseball (or wiffleball) game after dinner and tried to get every one involved. It ended up being a huge hit and was so much fun!!


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## Painted Horse (Dec 29, 2006)

This is why I never got very interested in ACTHA. Why trailer my horses 5 hours away to a ride and only ride for an hour. When I competed I found NATRC to be more interesting because you rode for 50 miles over two days. Seemed to make the effort of going to a competition worth it.

I sponsored a NATRC ride for several years. We had lots of things in the evening. Usually put on a dinner for those who didn't want to cook after all day in the saddle. Along with dinner we would usually find some entertainment. A Cowboy Poet, somebody who play a little music. We also usually went over what tomorrows ride would look like, Review the trail map, Maybe even a few comments from the judges as to what they saw on the Saturday ride. At the rides we had one smaller group of folks who actually set up a inflatable hot tub and would fill it with water and you see that group soaking in hot water drinking their favorite beer into the late hours.

Personally, Dinner and the Poet was usually enough for me. After ridding 25 miles that day, and knowing that I needed to be in that saddle again at 7am the next morning and probably having a 5 hour drive home that next night after riding all day, I wanted the sleep.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

PaintedHorse, I hear ya! I did a couple of these with DH, who is kind of a beginner, but it seemed like a lot of work, driving, etc., for a little riding, plus they did not usually accept my stallion.

The rides still seem to be doing well, though, so I suppose they are filling a niche. 

Nancy


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