1. Like our Facebook Page: Go to https://www.facebook.com/CentralOregonTrailHorse and ‘Like’ the page.

2. Subscribe to our Newsletter: Click on the link to the right that says ‘Subscribe to Our Newsletter’ to subscribe.  You’ll get an daily email, when we add something new to the website.  Nothing new – No email.

3. Vote on a logo: Go to http://centraloregontrailcourse.com/vote-for-your-favorite-logo-concept/ and vote for your favorite logo concept. Deadline: March 31, 2012

4. Join our emailing list: send an email to sandy@CentralOregonTrailCourse.com with the words “subscribe” or “opt-in” in the subject line.

aka Central Oregon Trail Horse

Three years ago, the original objective of this project (CentralOregonTrailCourse.com) was to create a virtual, interactive, equestrian website that would connect central Oregon’s equine trail course event organizers with potential competitors. I had just purchased my first horse and wanted to compete in local trail course competitions; however I had trouble finding the events because local event organizers just don’t have the funds to advertise. So I set out to build a community-based website as a centralized resource for listing equine trail course events as well as information and products related to equine trail course competitions.

Listing events on the site, has been, and will always remain, free.

Over the years, the site has naturally evolved to serve all of central Oregon’s horseback riding community (aka Central Oregon Trail Horse) as more and more horse-related business and viewers have visited the site. This website is a place where business owners can publicize their businesses as well as a place for horse clubs and event organizers to advertise their clinics, club meetings, competitive trail rides, expo, festivals, fundraisers, horse shows, non-competitive trail rides, seminars/workshops, trail course practice/playdays and other horse related events happening in and around central Oregon.

We help market local events via our website
and thru social media networking and internet media outreach.

Our primary goal has been to connect horseback riders and horse-loving public with central Oregon’s horse-related businesses and expose them to some of the best horse-related activities central Oregon has to offer.

But that’s not our only goal. We know that along with a thriving calendar of horse-related activities comes a public eager to engage in those activities, and the combination of our local events and local businesses make central Oregon prime for that opportunity.

We love central Oregon.
We want to improve the economy.
We know that supporting local independent businesses keeps and creates local jobs here in central Oregon.

Who are we?

My name is Sandra Mayernik, and for the last three years, in addition to part-time and full-time jobs, I have been passionately volunteering my time and my wallet to support our local economy by re-directing dollars into the local economy thru promoting local horse-related businesses and events. I love what I do and I love helping small local businesses succeed. I am a dedicated and technically skilled business professional with a versatile skill set developed through life as a business owner, independent consultant, office manager, bookkeeper, webmaster, project manager, administrative assistant and office clerk.

Holly Perry is my graphics assistant and designed the new logo concepts – you can vote on your favorite logo concept here.  She is also my sister and a big supporter of everything I do.

The other member of ‘we’ is my husband, Jeff. Without his support, this journey would have been even tougher.

The Impact

Over 18,000 people have visited our website
and over 50,000 page views over the last three years

Some local businesses have stepped up to the plate and have supported Central Oregon Trail Horse thru advertising, Resource Directory upgrades and prize give-aways, etc., however for the most part, my wallet (and my heart) has funded this project and now I really need your help. Our personal income has taken a big hit recently and this project needs to start meeting its own expenses and expand the marketing efforts in order to succeed.

As you might suspect small business are in a Catch 22, they don’t always have the funds necessary to advertise their business but without advertising most potential clients don’t know that they are even exist.

We help small business market their business, services and events for free:

• It’s free for any event organizer to add their event to our Community Events Calendar
• It’s free for any local business to add their business to our Resource Directory
• We Tweet and Facebook information about these events and businesses whenever possible

As our local business supports other local businesses we’ll all benefit as we are able to –

• Provide more support to other local businesses
• Bring visitors to the area as we make our community more interesting, unique and worth traveling to see

It is a great time to support small businesses in the United States. We are trying to do our own little part to stimulate the economy. Even a small business like ours can make an impact. Every little bit helps.

Want to be clear about this…
we are not a non-profit nor 501(c)(3), we are a small family business,
so donating doesn’t entitle you to a tax deduction.

What We Need & What You Get

Step One: This is where we are now – we have raised roughly $500 toward this goal thanks to our supporters

Your Contribution will Fund

• $500 earmarked for increased marketing of our website and therefore local equestrian events and small businesses thru the addition of paid advertising spots.
• $500 earmarked toward production costs for Central Oregon Trail Horse mugs, T-Shirts, and other promotional items.
• Bring more tourism dollars into the area during this tough economy by helping to sponsor local horse-related events and awards

Step Two: Next Step

• On-going support of Step One
• Increased marketing of our website and therefore local equestrian events and small businesses thru the addition of paid advertising spots beyond the internet thru newspaper/sponsorships, etc
• Our Website – domain registration, hosting, software, technical support and provide additional services to readers and supporters
• To be determined

Step Three:

• On-going support of step two
• End of the Year Trail Activity Award – annual award(s) given to the most active trail rider in central Oregon-based events.
• To be determined

Perks for our supporters

In addition to having the satisfaction of helping to keep dollars in our economy, keep and create jobs, and help people have fun exploring our neighborhood businesses and events, we have very cool perks for you, depending on the level you are able to help out…

• $5 Thanks!
  Get A Thank you on our Supporters page
• $20 Thanks with a link
  The above perk with a link to a website or email address of of your choice
• $30 Pal
  The above perk and a special Tweet of thanks and/or a shout out on Facebook.
• $50 Supporter
  All of the above and your choice of “I love my Central Oregon Trail Horse.com” Coffee Mug or T-Shirt (once we finalize the new logo and get them ordered) (by the way you can still vote for your favorite logo concept on a our website at CentralOregonTrailCourse.com)
• $150 Good Friend
  All of the above and a second choice of a “I love my Central Oregon Trail Horse.com” Coffee Mug or T-Shirt (once we finalize the new logo and get them ordered) (by the way you can still vote for your favorite logo concept on a our website at CentralOregonTrailCourse.com)
• $250 Official Sponsor
  All of the above and your name/company name mentioned anywhere we mention Official Sponsors – print, website, etc.
• $500 Complete Angel
  All of the above and a homemade batch of Oatmeal, Cranberry, White Chocolate Chip Cookies, courtesy of yours truly (shipped to anywhere in the USA)
• Want a different perk – let me know!

Make a direct contribution, via Paypal, to sandy@centraloregontrailcourse.com or mail your check to Sandy Mayernik, 1912 SW 35th PL, Redmond OR 97756.  Please make your check payable to “Sandy Mayernik”.

We appreciate anything you can do!!!

A little goes a long way…

Other Ways You Can Help

Business Supporters: $$Varies
If you have a business and or service you want to advertise… Check out our http://centraloregontrailcourse.com/get-noticed/ or http://centraloregontrailcourse.com/get-noticed/full-site-advertising-option/

Become a guest contributor to the website; adding original content to the site regarding horses – helps bring more people to the site and increases exposures for event organizers and our advertisers.

Add to our perks.  Do you have something (product or service) to donate that would encourage more people to contribute? Contact us, we’d love to hear from you.

Share! If you enjoy central Oregon Trail riding opportunities as much as we do, please help us get the word out and make some noise about our project thru Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. mention it to your friends.  Casually walk up to a strangers and ask them if they have heard of our campaign… Don’t forget you can ‘SHARE’ our story in your social media networks!

Link Exchange
E-mail your text link to link@CentralOregonTrailCourse.com and let’s swap!

Spread the word
Tell all your friends about us and recommend the site to them!  Have friends from 4H, horse club, trail riding partners, or stable friends?  Let them know about our site – they might find it useful!  Whether you realize it or not, this is indirect financial support. Hopefully someone who is sent by your efforts will buy something advertised here or donate.

Write about us
If you own a website, or know a colleague, friend or family member that have a website or blog, please try to place a link on it to CentralOregonTrailCourse.com or write about us.   We’d be honored if you or your friends told your audience about CentralOregonTrailCourse.com, whether on your web site, newspaper, magazine, or newsletter.  If you do manage to get a link to us from somewhere, please let us know.

Go to the Events
On our Calendar of Events page, we post information about events in our area.  Go to these events and tell them you saw their event information on CentralOregonTrailCourse.com

Forum Signatures
If you are a member of another forum, please consider putting a link to http://CentralOregonTrailCourse.com in your forum signature. This helps build new links to us and at the same time attracts all the forum members who read your posts to click through and explore CentralOregonTrailCourse.com

Link to our site
We have a cool logo you could put on your site and link back to us, even just a text link would be helpful. http://CentralOregonTrailCourse.com

Join Our Mailing List
We will keep you informed of upcoming events, new updates to the site, contests we might run, and general news on our activities. It’s free to sign up, and we usually only send one or two mailings out a month.

Help Improve Our Site

Article Writers Wanted
If you are especially knowledgeable about a field or topic related to horses and would like to write an article to be published on CentralOregonTrailCourse.com, please email us. Related topics may be anything about horse health, horse nutrition, training, care and ownership, trail and travel tips, etc… We will link to your website or blog from any accepted articles you write.

Graphic Designer
If you would like to volunteer your time and skills designing graphics for CentralOregonTrailCourse.com, please email us.

Thank you for reading until the end!

The following individuals and business have made a contribution to our crowd funding project and are helping to support our efforts to help local small businesses and organizations.

A BIG THANK YOU goes out to them.

Official Sponsor

Contributors

Linda Butler

Ed Stabb of Crump Ranch

Anonymous

and a big Thank YOU to all the advertisers and supporters!

For more information about the Barn Parties/Open Barn Days, Horse Training Clinics, Horse Club Meetings, Competitive Horseback Trail Events, Horse Expos & Festivals, Fundraisers, Horse Shows, Non-competitive Horseback Trail Events, Seminars/Workshops, Trail Course Practice/Play Days and other horse-related events, please click on the event title and contact the event organizer directly. (You’ll find their contact info on the page listing the event’s details.)

Horse boarding now available at family-style ranch. Choose pasture or stall and paddock. Located on Hiway 126, three miles West of Redmond.

Many amenities including round pen, arena and trail course. Ride to the river! Great horse care at a reasonable price.

Trail course also available to drop-in or group use. Call for details.

Call Bill Goss at 541-480-5260

Solo Email Blast Disclaimer: This is a Solo Email Blast, one of many advertising options available thru CentralOregonTrailCourse.com.  If you have questions regarding the product or service advertise, please contact the advertiser directly. CentralOregonTrailCourse.com does not necessarily endorse or recommend the product or service advertised

If you would like more information about our Solo Email Blasts or other advertising option we welcome your emails at sandy@centraloregontrailcourse.com.

You will receive a verification message once you submit this form. FeedBurner activates your subscription to “Central Oregon Trail Horse » Newsletter” once you respond to this verification message.

Plan on selling your horse?  Plan your ad BEFORE posting.

• NO ALL CAPS – it’s rude
• Use punctuation and spell check.  If you don’t know how to spell check  – take some basic computer classes and figure it out! (Your local library probably has free or low-cost classes)
• Start a new paragraph.  Ads that run on like one looooooooooooog sentence are hard to read and makes you look like an idiot.

Here’s a checklist of information that each and ever horse ad should contain:

• Write a good title – keep it clear and to the point -
  Examples:
  Good: “Gelding – Arabian – 14 years – good trail horse”
  Bad: “Arabian” (Arabian WHAT?)
• Photos – Can’t stress this one enough.  If you want to sell/re-home your horse – you have to post clear, focused, recent photos. 90% of the people, who might be interested, will not come out to see him/her if they can see a clear, focused, recent photo first.  If you don’t know how to post photos in the ad  – take some basic computer classes and figure it out!
• Breed – if you don’t know what it is – it’s a grade horse.  Writing that it’s a “Quarter Horse-type grade horse” or something similar is acceptable.  If it’s a cross breed, list the breeds. Don’t make up a name.
• Age – don’t guess – if you’re unsure say approximately X number of years old.
• Height – measured properly – in hands (hint:  there is no such thing as a 15.4HH horse -  can’t happen)
• Papers:  If you have the actual registry papers – in your hands – state that in the ad, if not – say so.  Can it be registered? State it in the ad.
• Professional Training – in order to be considered ‘professional trained’  the horse must have been trained by someone who actually gets paid to train horses!  Please state how many months or years and what in what discipline. Even better tell us who the trainer was! Don’t want us to call the professional trainer to ask about the horse? Then, in my mind, he wasn’t professionally trained.  If you are not proud of the training and the results – then you might as well not even boast about it.
• Discipline  – let us know what discipline the horse has done – not what you think he/she’ll be good at.
• Shots / Vet – When and where was the horse last seen by a actual, board-certified veterinarian?  When were his/her last shots and who gave them to him?
• Farrier – Does it wear shoes or go barefoot, when last trimmed, how it stands for the Farrier
• Health Issues – be truthful here
• Personality – ‘Easy to catch’ doesn’t mean you have to bribe it with a bucket of grain.  is the horse ‘in your pocket type’ or what?)
• Other Info – Loads easily (this doesn’t mean the one time you tried to get him in the trailer it only took you thirty minutes).  Has the horse ever been out in public – in front of a large noisy crowd? – How did he behave.  Is your horse accident prone?
• Photos – Again, I can’t stress this one enough.  If you want to sell/re-home your horse – you have to post clear, focused, recent photos.
• Videos are good, but only if you can actually see the horse move.  A video of a bunch of still photos is NOT a video – it’s a slide show.

Note about Stallion ads  – GELD HIM!  – I strongly believe that ALL male horses should be gelded. Period. Ok, maybe one exception – if the horse TRUE MARKET VALUE is more than $5k, excels in his discipline and and is a perfect specimen of the breed! What is ‘true market value’? Has anyone, recently, seriously offered you money for him? No? His ‘true market value’ is $0.00

What do you like to see in an “Horse for sale” ad – post your reply below.

If you are planning to use your existing web server/hosting plan  – extra steps are need to prevent your current website from breaking while your new website is being set up and is beyond what can be taught on one page.

I recommend using Cheapsignup.com for all domain names and hosting purchases because that’s the one I’m affiliated with and the one I use.

Step One: Register your Domain Name
Visit Cheapsignup.com – In the Domain Name Search field, enter the domain name you want to register, and then select the domain name extension from the list. Click GO.  Skip the promotion offers and at the bottom of the page click “No Thanks.  Proceed to Checkout.”  REMEMBER to write down you new account username and password and keep them someplace safe.  You’ll need this info for the next step.

Chances are the domain name you want to use is already taken but if you keep an open mind you might be able to come up with one you like.  Example: Silver Edge Equestrian Drill Team used EquestrainDrill.com as their domain name because SilverEdgeEquestrianDrillTeam.com would have been too long to remember and spell.

Step Two: Sign up for Hosting
Log in to your Account Manager using info from the preceding step. Sign up for the ‘Economy Plan’. You can ignore the promotional offers and click “No Thanks. Proceed to Checkout”.  Wait for CheapSignup.com to send you an email letting you know your hosting plan is ready before proceeding to Step Three.

(I don’t recommend using the “Free with Domain” hosting account because it’s Ad supported – meaning Ads (that you have no control over) over appear at the top of your website and it doesn’t look very professional) The following steps will not work if you choose to stay with the free hosting)

Step Three: Install WordPress on Your Hosting Account
1. Log in to your Account Manager.
2. From the My Products section, click Web Hosting.
3. Next to the hosting account you want to use, click Launch.
4. From the Content menu, select  Value Application.
5. Click WordPress.
6. Click Install Now!.
7. Select the domain name you want to use.
8. Enter a database description and password, and then click Next.  Choose an unused installation directory, and then click Next. For example, if you want your WordPress website to display when someone goes to yourdomainname.com/blog then blog is the installation directory.  If you want your WordPress website to display when someone goes to yourdomainname.com (without the “/blog”), remove any text from this field and leave it empty.
9. Enter the Admin Name, Admin Password, Email and Blog Title for your WordPress installation (you make these up – be sure to write them down!.)
10. Click Finish.
WordPress will be installed to your hosting account with the options you selected within 24 hours. When it is complete, you will receive a confirmation email.

Step Four: Customize and setup WordPress -
Visit yourdomainname.com/blog or yourdomainname.com (depending on your previous choice) to see what your website looks like.  To login and customize your website go to yourdomainname.com/blog/wp-admin or yourdomainname.com/wp-admin
There are so many options when customizing your WordPress setup that there is no way to go thru all the options here but this .pdf  and this website should help.

Again, if after reading thru this, you would like help, just give me a jingle, my rates are very affordable.

Affordable Options:

1. I set up domain name registration, hosting  and set up and install WordPress for you, then you customize WordPress and start creating your website.
2. I set up and install WordPress , customize it a little and get it ready for you to maintain. Example: cascadevacationrentals.net
3. I can set up and install WordPress , customize it a little, enter the original content then you edit, add pages/posts and maintain it. Example: MoonDanceReining.com
4. I can set up and install WordPress , customize it a little, enter the original content, you edit, add pages/posts while I take care of the techie stuff. Example: owlcreekarabians.com, MelanieBills.com, EliteRetreatDeMexico.com, WorldwideTimeshareAuctions.com
5. Let me be your webmaster – you tell me what you want and what your budget is and I try my darnedest to accomplish it.  Examples: Lynns-BarberShop.com, RollingMRanch.com, CentralOregonTrailCourse.com

Appointy allows your clients to book their appointments online – Integrate Appointy on your website and blog, add a widget to your facebook, wordpress, or ask your clients to schedule with you using their mobile phones or IPad. Appointy works everywhere!

You can accept appointment – online – 24/7

Offer multiple services? Appointy allows booking of multiple services at once. For example, your clients can select the services they want and Appointy will show them the time slots when both can be done in a row.

Appointy allows your customers to book an appointment with their Facebook or Gmail login.

You set the hours you’re open and available and you can block out times/days – for when you have other plans

There are a lot of other features -  check it out here http://www.appointy.com/

(If you need assistance set up Appointy, I can help, just give me a jingle)

If you would like to find a central Oregon trail riding buddy, email sandy@CentralOregonTrailCourse.com with the subject line “Find a riding buddy”  and I’ll add you to the group.

Next time you want to go trail riding, and want a riding buddy,  email me and I will email a notice out to the group.  Be sure to include your name, best contact method, time, date location and any other info you feel would be appropriate.

You must join the group, in order to get the notices.

Located five miles northwest of Camp Sherman in the beautiful Metolius Basin. This campground has 11 sites that each have a 4-place box stall.

Horse campgrounds have been designed to accommodate people who need to corral their horses. We have a limited number of these kinds of campgrounds and ask, out of courtesy and safety for you and the horses, to please consider camping elsewhere if you do not have a horse. We have many campgrounds nearby.

Fees Per night, per site fee: $16/first vehicle; $8/each additional vehicle.

For reservations visit recreation.gov

Open Season: May – October

Usage: Heavy

Restrictions: Maximum site spur length is 40 feet.

Water: Potable Water

Restroom: Vault Toilet

Operated By: Hoodoo Recreation Services

Directions:  From Sisters, travel 12.4 miles northwest on Hwy 20, then 7.0 miles north on Forest Road 12, then 1.1 miles west on Forest Road 1260, and then 1 mile north on Forest Road 1260 200.

Please Note: The map locations are approximate, based on the longitude and latitude given and Google Map’s ability to display them correctly.

[mappress]

Have you used these facilities?  Post a comment below and let others know what it was like or if you have any helpful tips.

Located northwest of Sisters, this horse camp provides early season access to trails. One large common corral is available for boarding horses and four of the sites have 4 place box stallsdivided into 4 sections. Livestock water is available as well as access to the Windigo Trail.

Horse campgrounds have been designed to accommodate people who need to corral their horses. We have a limited number of these kinds of campgrounds and ask, out of courtesy and safety for you and the horses, to please consider camping elsewhere if you do not have a horse. We have many campgrounds nearby.

Fees: Per night, per site fee: $16/first vehicle; $8/each additional vehicle.

Open Season: Mid May – mid October

Restrictions:  Maximum site spur length is 30 feet.

Water: Piped water

Restroom: Vault Toilet

Operated By: Hoodoo Recreation Services

Directions: From Sisters, travel 4.2 miles west on Hwy 242, then 2.0 miles north on Forest Road 1012, and then 0.8 miles northwest on Forest Road 1012 300.

Please Note: The map locations are approximate, based on the longitude and latitude given and Google Map’s ability to display them correctly.

[mappress]

Have you used these facilities?  Post a comment below and let others know what it was like or if you have any helpful tips.

Horse campgrounds have been designed to accommodate people who need to corral their horses. We have a limited number of these kinds of campgrounds and ask, out of courtesy and safety for you and the horses, to please consider camping elsewhere if you do not have a horse. We have many campgrounds nearby.

Fees Per night, per site fee: $16/first vehicle; $8/each additional vehicle.

Open Season: May – October

Restrictions: Maximum site spur length is 40 feet.

Water: No

Restroom: Vault Toilet (1)

Operated By: Hoodoo Recreation Service

Directions: From Sisters, travel 11 miles west on Hwy 242.

Please Note: The map locations are approximate, based on the longitude and latitude given and Google Map’s ability to display them correctly.

[mappress]

Have you used these facilities?  Post a comment below and let others know what it was like or if you have any helpful tips.

9 “Horse Only” sites

Horse campgrounds have been designed to accommodate people who need to corral their horses. We have a limited number of these kinds of campgrounds and ask, out of courtesy and safety for you and the horses, to please consider camping elsewhere if you do not have a horse. We have many campgrounds nearby.

Fees Per night, per site fee: $14/first vehicle; $7/each additional vehicle.

Permit Info: A permit is required to access the Wilderness area in the summer and a sno-park permit is also required for winter access.

Open Season: June – mid October. Very snow dependent

Restrictions: Camping in the meadow is absolutely prohibited.

Water: No

Restroom: Vault Toilet

Operated By: Concessionaire

Operated by Hoodoo Recreation Services

Directions: From Sisters, travel 15.2 miles south on Forest Road 16.

Please Note: The map locations are approximate, based on the longitude and latitude given and Google Map’s ability to display them correctly.

[mappress]

Have you used these facilities?  Post a comment below and let others know what it was like or if you have any helpful tips.