by Leigh Ann Matthews
For those who like to hit the trails on their horses and mules, Oklahoma
offers a wide variety of opportunities. From organized group rides to state, federal, and privately owned trail camps, riders can experience the vast diversity of the Oklahoma outdoors with their equine partners. For the past half century, two very active clubs — although different in their activities and structure — have combined the love of horses with the love of trail riding and experiencing Oklahoma from the saddle.
Okie-Arkie Trail Ride
Since its beginning in 1973, the OkieArkie Trail Ride Inc. has grown from a few dedicated riders to more than 150, and it holds two rides a year. The original cross-country, or spring, ride evolved when the Indian Nations commercial trail ride was discontinued in 1972. The Okie-Arkie Trail Ride was formed at a meeting in March 1973 at Hanging Rock Camp near Tahlequah. In May 1973, the Okie-Arkie riders blazed their first trail from Tahlequah to Fort Smith, Arkansas, and into the annual Old Fort Days Rodeo.
The current cross-country ride requires extensive preparation because landowners along the 100-mile route must be contacted. Alvin Bond, Okie-Arkie president, explained, “Much of the trail from Tahlequah to Fort Smith is repeated each year; however, land ownership changes, new fences are built, downed trees can block trails, etc., which may result in new routes.”
The spring ride also requires preparation of campsites — mowing, clearing brush, and so forth to make the areas accessible for the group’s trucks and trailers. Camps are all on private land, and many of the landowners join in to get the sites ready. Bond said, “There are lots of nonriding people and families tied to this ride. Some of the landowners like to know exactly when we plan to cross their property so they can be there when we pass.”
Members spend two to four weekends prior to the ride date checking the trails, or “trail cutting.” Bond said, “We’ve been riding these trails so long, so they’re familiar, but we still have to check for changes.” During the spring ride, which begins the week before Memorial Day, heat and humidity can cause problems for horses and riders.
Because the spring ride is a cross-country trek, camps must be moved every day. Riders either move the camp forward in the morning and then ride to it or they ride forward and then go back to move camp in the evening. Many riders take advantage of the organization’s bus to and from the start camp and the new camp.
The Okie-Arkie Trail Ride also hosts a fall ride near Sallisaw. The cloverleaf ride campground remains in place, and riders head out on a different loop each of the four days to make the cloverleaf pattern. The camp and most of the trails are on private property and require preliminary trail cutting and preparation.
Membership in the Okie-Arkie group includes spring and fall rides, a banquet in Fort Smith after the spring ride, and a banquet and meeting in January. To learn more, visit okie-arkietrailride.org.
Oklahoma Equestrian
Trail Riders Association
The Oklahoma Equestrian Trail Riders Association, with a current membership of more than 200, recently celebrated its fi ftieth anniversary at Robbers Cave State Park. Th e club was formed in January 1974 by a few trail-riding enthusiasts and was “established for the purpose of promoting all phases of trail riding as a family activity, and to educate the public as to the care and conditioning of horses for trail activities.”
Th e group’s second meeting featured a presentation on equine infectious anemia (EIA) by a state veterinarian, beginning a long tradition of the club’s focus on education, horse health, safety, and conditioning. In December 1975, the club voted to require a recent negative Coggins test for EIA for all horses participating in club-sponsored rides.
Many early members were involved in competitive and endurance riding, but the attention now is focused on fellowship and recreational riding. OETRA members have spent countless hours developing and maintaining trails and horse camping facilities throughout Oklahoma at national, state, and city-owned properties.
Beginning in 2009 with Sportsman Lake, Robbers Cave State Park, and Cedar Lake, OETRA “ambassadors” volunteered time and eff ort to coordinate trail and camp maintenance, including organizing workdays and workweeks. Th e club now has more than 34 ambassador locations throughout the state. Although most locations are in eastern Oklahoma, the club has expanded work eff orts into western Oklahoma, including Duncan Lake, Foss Lake, and Roman Nose State Park.
Several organized rides and workweeks or weekends are held at diff erent locations each year, followed by an annual Christmas party in December. Small groups of members and friends often ride together at various locations throughout the year, providing a wide variety of trail-riding opportunities. OETRA was featured on RFC-TV’s Best of America by Horseback television series at Cedar Lake this year. To learn more, visit https://OETRA.com.
