Barbara Lawlor,  Nederland.  It isn’t difficult to obtain a horse.

It’s taking care of them that presents a challenge. They need to be fenced in. They aren’t allowed to wander through subdivisions or towns on their own.

Horses need to be fed, watered, groomed, shod, wormed, exercised and have their stalls, their corrals and their pastures mucked out on a regular basis. They need vet checks and vitamins and have to have their teeth floated. They need saddles and bridles and blankets and halters and brushes and hoof picks and fly spray and ointments for inevitable gashes and scratches. They need carrots and love.

Many horse owners in the mountains keep their horses on their property rather than having them boarded at a ranch or farm where there is a support group. Where horses can be bunched for the farrier, where feed is purchased in large quantities and where there are many opinions and answers having to do with horse care.

But up here, a horse owner is often isolated, looking for people to ride with, for resources to share, for someone to help out when it is needed.

That’s why a group of mountain residents decided to form Horsin’ Around in the Mountains, a group designed to bring equestrians together for fun and equestrian events.

To plan rides and discover the best deals on hay together.

Many of the people who gathered at Doc Joe Evan’s Ranch have known of each other but have never met. It’s about time, we did this was the consensus.

Jan Bishop who has her horses on her ranch on Magnolia Road and is one of the instigators of the group, says, “This is a great idea. I have my horses at home and I miss the socialization with other people and now here we are. We are thinking of trail rides, maybe even catered afterward. We are also trying to come up with ways for the horse community to be part of the community at large, supporting children’s and horses programs. Actually we are just a loose group that wants to have fun and pursue projects.”

Jan talked with Sheila Ranegar the owner of Rising Sun Ranch on Lazy Z Road and they met with a few other people and decided to have a pot luck gathering at Joe’s house. The goal was to connect and help each out, to share knowledge and resources.

Sheila remembers when she a child in the 70s, belonging to the Nederland Riding Club, with sashes that worn by the horses.

“We would ride in parades held at the Roundup Rodeo held at the rodeo grounds in what is now Chipeta Park.”

When Sheila was 15 and 16 she was the Nederland Rodeo Queen. She remembers that she drove a truck with trailer and horse to the rodeo even though she only had a learner’s permit.

Now Sheila runs riding camps and is a mentor to many teens in the community who are into horses.

Doc Joe Evans says he thinks he is one of the last local cowboys left. His uncle Joe Lasinsky started a  stable in Eldora and then there were stables at the Arapaho Ranch where he grew up. While he was attending veterinarian school, he was hired by the USGS to map the mines located above timberline and the only way to get there was by horseback. He was 20 years old at the time and was also competing in endurance rides with the National Association of Trail Riders.

“I am sad there aren’t more backyard horse people anymore. We are about one tenth of what we used to be in this area. There are so many horses who need good homes, and there are so many people who need horses. We all need each other.”

Joe remembers when a bunch of riders and their horses would trot down First Street and hitch up outside the Pioneer Inn. Maybe that’s not possible now, but it would be feasible to have a group of horses ride in local parades.

On Sunday, a list of phone numbers and email addresses were exchanged. If you are interested in learning more, go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/horsinaroundthemountains.