By ANDREA McCANN
Indiana Correspondent

LINTON, Ind. — When Doug Schneck moved to Greene County from Texas a few years ago, he couldn’t find a farrier – or anything else equine-related, with the exception of a veterinarian.

That changed in 2003, when Schneck and friend, Jim Helms of Bloomfield, put their heads together and decided to create a county-level horse council. Schneck credits former Greene County Economic Development Director Charley Dibble for the idea. He said Dibble was trying to form groups of people with similar interests throughout the county.

“We (horse people) got together ourselves, and we’re the only ones still together,” Schneck said, adding that the reason for forming the Greene County Horse Council (GCHC) was to promote the equine industry. “We’re the first and only county horse council (in Indiana).”

He emphasized that GCHC is not a saddle club. According to the GCHC’s Horseman’s Directory: “The Greene County Horse Council is a group of horsemen and women in Greene County, Indiana, who have gathered together to promote the equine industry, educate the public on horses and horse care, and conserve rural land.”

Promoting Greene County’s horse-related assets just made sense to Schneck and Helms.

“We’re 22nd out of 92 counties as far as equine population,” Schneck said.

Still, the pair found themselves on the receiving end of a lot of skepticism when they began to develop plans for the county horse council, according to Helms. He said there were a lot of naysayers who thought it’d never happen. But, Helms said they stuck with it, and a lot of good people got involved.

“You can still make a difference if you stick to it,” he said. “It’s a good group of people who are willing to get out and volunteer and do a lot of work ... on a project that’s gonna benefit equine use.”

Schneck said anyone can join GCHC; there are no age or residency restrictions. According to Schneck, who was charter vice president of the council, members include breeders, trail riders, show people, cowboy mounted shooters, businesses, families and individuals.
Memberships are $15 for youth, $30 for families, $20 for individuals 18 and older, and $100 for businesses. Schneck said lifetime memberships are available ($200) once someone is involved enough to qualify. All but the youth memberships come with voting rights.

“Right now we’ve got around 32 members,” said Helms, who was charter president.

GCHC member and charter secretary, Lana Robertson of rural Carlisle, said occasionally nonmembers also attend meetings and are welcome to sit in and see what GCHC is all about. She said meetings are every fourth Tuesday at the Greene County Fair Grounds.

Generally, she explained, meetings are used to plan and organize fundraisers, events and activities.

The group has an annual trail ride, for example, that raises money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Members also have an annual horse show that Robertson said is getting bigger every year, and they help Greene-Sullivan State Forest property manager
Steve Siscoe clean up and revamp horse trails in the state forest annually. Other annual activities include a day of educational workshops and seminars on various equine topics and an annual horseman’s directory. In addition, GCHC members volunteer during the Hoosier Horse Fair in Indianapolis to assist clinicians and pass out sweatshirts, lunches and other items.

Helms pointed out that the work GCHC members do on Greene-Sullivan State Forest trails benefits more than just trail riders.

“It puts Greene-Sullivan in the spotlight so people in the statehouse don’t forget it’s here at funding time,” he explained.

Bringing people into Greene County from other areas is one of the GCHC’s goals, and many of their events serve to do just that. Helms and Schneck said when people come from someplace like Ohio or Illinois - or even just from other Indiana counties - to one of their shows or other activities, they purchase food, gas and other items in Greene County.

“We advertise our shows in several states to bring people to spend money in Greene County,” Helms said, adding that millions of dollars are spent in the equine industry, and a lot of that money was leaving Greene County. “We’re trying to bring (business) back to Greene County and bring money into Greene County.”

The horseman’s directory also helps to keep equine dollars inside the county by advertising goods and services that horse owners need. Listings include everything from stables and farriers to insurance and hay dealers.

The directory and activities also enhance networking within the equine industry. Helms explained that the group tries to bring together different factions within the industry for the benefit of them all. He said GCHC tries to do an assortment of projects and work with a variety of groups.

To that end, the horse council works with 4-Hers in Greene and surrounding counties, the Trail Dusters, the Quarter Horse Assoc., Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Equine Land Conservation Resources (ELCR), Indiana Horse Council, and others.

GCHC is an affiliate member of ELCR, which promotes equine use of rural and recreational lands, as well as protects existing trails for horseback riding. GCHC also belongs to the Linton Chamber of Commerce.

Along with Helms, Schneck and Robertson, Debbie Huber of Bloomfield was a charter officer, serving as treasurer. Besides officers, there are five directors on the GCHC board.

A new slate of officers was voted in this year. They are: President Yvette Rollins, Vice President Susan Isenogle, Secretary Sandy Hasler, and Treasurer Lacreta Vandeventer.

This farm news was published in the May 16, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.