Members of the Southwestern Ohio Spotted Saddle Horse Association participated in Ohios Best of America by Horseback trail ride. Below: Kay Conley aboard Golden; Jackson Conley aboard Cheyenne.

Last October, the Southwestern Ohio Spotted Saddle Horse Association participated in the Best of America by Horseback trail ride at Smoke Rise Ranch in Glouster, Ohio.

The Smoke Rise Ranch staff and Tom Seay, Best of America host, showed us a great time in a beautiful autumn setting of rolling hills and woodlands. They offered the hospitality and organizational skills necessary to accommodate almost 200 participants. It was quite exciting, considering all of the riders, horses, wranglers, camera and production crew, demonstrations, and vendors!

This was an excellent opportunity to showcase the Spotted Saddle Horse and meet other trail enthusiasts from all over the country. Twelve SOSSHA members attended the event, including Trail Boss Tina Scalf, her husband, Mike; Joyce and David Hupp; Sandy, Ashley and Chris Stratton; Vicki and Tim Huber; and Ed, Kay, and Jackson Conley.

Most members sported bright-yellow hats, shirts, and vests embroidered with the Spotted Saddle Horse logo, "Spotted Fever – Catch It!" The SOSSHA is affiliated with the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association, a nonprofit, member-owned corporation formed in 1985 to preserve the pedigree of the Spotted Saddle Horse.

The Smoke Rise Ranch trail ride will be aired on RFD-TV in the spring of 2008. The Best of America by Horseback television series is a premier source of riding destinations and trails across the country.

The SOSSHA schedules monthly club trail rides from April to November at state parks in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Ohio. Our trail boss, Tina Scalf, always ensures us a great time.

For more information on the SOSSHA, including trail-ride schedules, call association president Ed Conley at (937) 409-2901, or visit www.sossha.talkspot.com. For more on the SSHBEA, call (931) 684-7496, or visit www.sshbea.org. For more on Best of America by Horseback, call (540) 829-9555, or visit www.bestofamericabyhorseback.com.