1. Connecticut Horse Council Volunteer Horse Patrol
What Is It ?
What We Do ?
And Why ?
Property of Connecticut Horse Council 2010
Presentation Created By Judy Beliveau

2. What Is It ?
The Connecticut Horse Council (CHC) partnered with Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2003 to create the Volunteer Horse Patrol (VHP) to ride and serve in State Parks & Forests.
CHC has since added municipal parks, private lands and land trusts.

3. What We Do ?
Our primary responsibility is to serve as auxiliary “eyes and ears” ---- on the lookout for what is happening on the trails.
We assist DEP and other Land Management Administrations with non-enforcement tasks such as; promoting trail etiquette.

4. Connecticut’s VHP Program Facts:
CHC-VHP Program was patterned after the Maryland’s Department of Natural Resource Mounted Patrol Program, and the National
Park Service’s ‘Volunteers in Parks’ (VIP) Program.
The Patrol operates under the auspices of the Connecticut Horse Council in cooperation with DEP and other Land Management Administrations.

5. Provide a Community Service
And Why?
Ride horses, meet people and …
Provide a Community Service
Protect and expand the network of open lands available for trail riding
Educate the public to the equestrian community and to ‘Share the Trails’
Help maintain the integrity of trail systems throughout the State of Connecticut.

6. On The Trails...

7. On The Water...

8. And In The Winter…..

9. Volunteer Horse Patrol Facts:
VHP Members can easily be identified by
the color RED
have completed CPR and First Aid
ride their own horses and have passed the required ‘Horse & Rider Assessment’
serve as ‘Goodwill Ambassadors’ for the equestrian community at municipal programs and special events
keep logs each time they ride, which are compiled on a quarterly basis and shared with the DEP, and any other Land Management Administrations requesting this information
host ‘Work Parties’ to repair and maintain trails

10. CHC-VHP Uniforms
Red Shirts
Black Pants
Orange Vest
VHP Patch
Helmet

11. CPR & First Aid Class

12. Horse & Rider Assessment

13. PARK VISITOR SIGHTINGS
CHC VHP Quarterly Log
Check Quarter: 1st [ X ] Jan, Feb, Mar 2nd [ ] Apr, May, Jun 3rd [ ] Jul, Aug, Sep 4th [ ] Oct, Nov, Dec
Name: Meg Sautter Park/Forest: Larkin State Bridle Trail Area: Putnam / Nathan Hale
Time
Patrol
Maint.
PARK VISITOR SIGHTINGS
ASSISTANCE GIVEN
Date
of Day
Hours
Walkers
Cyclers
Equus
*People
Dogs OFF
Dogs ON
Hunters
Motor
cycle
ATV
Gen Info
Direct-ions
First Aid
CPR*
1/6
11:00 4
0.5 3  3 2 1  1
1/12
12:00
3.5
1/13
10:30 18 7
2/9
2/25
1:30 8  2
TOTAL
19.5
2.5 30 26 6
Comments
4HP rode w/ HP Ciano/Beliveau/Greenberg rode Riggs to Wooster & back. I took stats. *People= 3 people cross country skiing.
3HP w/ Greenberg and Chris Mard - Riggs to Wooster & back - cleared a fallen tree and did head clearing. I took stats.
5HP w/Ciano/Greenberg/Beliveau/KowboyKen & 2 other riders - Rte. 63 to Riggs & back. Removed some brush from trail. I took stats.
4HP w/Ciano/Greenberg/Wilder from Riggs to South St & back. I took stats. *People= 3 people ice fishing at Towantic pond with dog (loose)
2HP w/Wood from Christian St to Kettletown & back. Did some trimming along the way. I took stats. *People= 2 birdwatchers
Signature: Meg Sautter Date: 03/31/ Coordinator: Meg Sautter

14. Trail Safety Reports

15. More Trail Maintenance

16. Trail Repairs
Lower CT River Valley Horsemen’s Club and Bridal Path Conservancy Members

17. Camp Clean Up..

18. CHC Volunteer Horse Patrol Members and Their Mounts
CHC - VHP Supervisors:
Diane Ciano & Aladdin
Meg Sautter & Dancer

19. Judy Beliveau & Luke
Kowboy Ken & Red
Vevette Greenberg & Dusty

20. Denise Ciano & Aladdin Jim & Yankee Debbie & Joya
Judy, Meg, Vevette, Diane & Denise;
Luke & Aladdin in the background

21. CHC-VHP Patrol Hours Since 2003 Totaling 16,029 Hours Saving Connecticut Taxpayers $312,655.00 !!!
594 Hours Total
92 Hours Trail Maintenance
2004
975 Hours Total
80 Hours Trail Maintenance
2005
1,565 Hours Total
306 Hours Trail Maintenance
726 Patrols
2006
2,537 Hours Total
317 Hours Trail Maintenance
1,001 Patrols
2007
3,053 Hours Total
631 Hours Trail Maintenance
1,299 Patrols

22. CHC-VHP Patrol Hours Since 2003 Totaling 16,029 Hours Saving Connecticut Taxpayers $312,655.00 !!!
2008
3,459 Hours Total
824 Hours Trail Maintenance
1,404 Patrols
2009
3,905 Hours Total
692 Hours Trail Maintenance
1,654 Patrols
2010
2011
2012

23. 64 Patrol Areas State Wide 21 State Forests
Cockaponset S.F.:
Deep River
Guilford
Haddam
Madison
Chester
Clinton
Middletown
Westbrook
Goodwin S.F.
Hampton
Great Hill S.F.
Seymour
Massacoe S. F.
Simsbury
Mattatuck S.F.
Waterbury
Thomaston
Plymouth
Litchfield
Mohawk S.F.
Cornwall
Warren
Goshen
Nassahegon S. F.
Burlington
Natchaug S.F.
Eastford
Nathan Hale S.F.
Andover
Coventry
Naugatuck S.F.
Naugatuck
Oxford
Beacon Falls
Nehantic S.F.
Lyme
East Lyme
Salem
Nepaug S.F.
New Hartford
Nipmuck S.F.
Union
Pachaug S.F.
Voluntown

24. 64 Patrol Areas State Wide 21 State Forests
Paugussett S.F.
Newtown
Southbury
Peoples S.F.
Barkhamsted
Quaddick S.F.
Thompson
Quillian Reservoir
Ansonia
Salmon River S.F.
Colchester
Marlborough
Shenipsit S.F.
Somers
Tunxis S.F.
Granby
Hartland

25. 26 State Parks Currently Patrolled
Airline Greenway
East Hampton
Through To
Colchester
Bigelow Hollow S.P.
Union
Bissell Trail
Windsor
Black Rock S.P.
Thomaston
Bluff Point S.P.
Groton
Chatfield Hollow S.P.
Killingworth
Day Pond S. P.
Gay City S. P.
Bolton
Hebron
Glastonbury
George Waldo S.P.
Southbury
Great Pond S.P.
Simsbury
Hammonassett S.P.
Madison
Hop River Greenway
Andover
Coventry
Columbia
Huntington S.P.
Bethel
Redding
Newtown
Hurd S. P.

26. 26 State Parks Currently Patrolled
Kettletown S.P.
Southbury
Larkin Bridle Trail
Naugatuck
Middlebury
Oxford
Machimoodus S.P.
East Haddam
Mansfield Hollow S.P.
Mansfield
Mianus River S.P.
Greenwich
Stamford
Mooween S.P.
Lebanon
Old Furnace S.P.
Danielson
Sleeping Giant S.P.
Hamden
Southford Falls S.P.
Stratton Brook S.P.
Simsbury
Talcott Mountain S.P.
Bloomfield
Wadsworth S.P.
Middlefield

27. Also Wildlife Areas, Land Trusts, Town Parks, and Open Space
Simsbury WMA
Simsbury
Babcock WMA
Colchester
Nod Brook WMA
Roraback WMA
Harwinton
Aldo Leopold WMA
Southbury
Quinebaug WMA
Plainfield
Sugar Brook Field Trials
3 - Land Trust:
Clinton Land Conservation Trust
Clinton
Rockland Preserve
Madison
Wyndham Land Trust
Windham
5 - Town Parks:
Eisenhower Park
Milford
Matthis Park
Beacon Falls
Racebrook Tract Park
Orange
Salmon Brook Recreational Park
Granby
Tarrywile Park
Danbury

28. Also Wildlife Areas, Land Trusts, Town Parks, and Open Space
DiDominicus Property
Cheshire
Burr Farm Open Space
Brookfield
Fairfield Hills Open Space
Newtown

29. Diane Ciano @ (203) 757-1904, or visit
Contact Information:
If you are interested in becoming a part of the CHC Volunteer Horse Patrol, or if you would like more information, please contact:
Diane (203) , or visit
This has been a CHC-VHP 2010 Presentation: The Connecticut Horse Council, Inc. P.O. Box 57 Durham, CT