Nebraska Horse Council

On September 11, 2010, The Nebraska Horse Trails Committee will be hosting a Trail Challenge & Scavenger Hunt at Branched Oak Lake.  

“What the heck is that?” you might ask. 

It’s not a race or an endurance ride.  It’s not a competitive trail ride.  Consider it just another trail ride with your buddies who have also entered the competition.  You will be periodically approached by a judge and asked to proceed through natural trail obstacles, most likely things that you would or could encounter on a leisurely trail ride.  Riders will be judged on each obstacle and on their success with the natural scavenger hunt.  Surprise prizes, too!  There is more than one way to win!  A beginner friendly event!

Riders will check in at Branched Oak Area 2.  The ride will cover most of the south trails at Branched Oak Lake; approximately 7 miles give or take.  What a great way to spend time with your friends, riding your horse and raising a few bucks to support horse trails in our state.  It doesn’t get any better than this! 

Register by Sept. 1st!  Ride will be limited to the first 50 entrants.  Pre-registration is required to ensure your spot!  Your entry will be accepted upon receipt of this registration form along with your non-refundable payment of $25.00, which includes your meal.  Additional meals can be purchased for non-riding, registered guests ($5).  Entrants must have a current Nebraska state park permit.  Camping is available first come, first served.  All campers will pay camp fees direct to Branched Oak.

Pre-registered riders will  check in by noon on the day of the ride.  The ride will begin promptly at 1:00 PM. 

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee’s working fund used to improve horse trails in Nebraska.

See Online Flier for more information.  Or complete & mail your entry today!  Click here for entry form.

Make checks payable to the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee. 

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Camping Information:  Camping is available in the horse area at Branched Oak Lake, Area 2.  It is primitive camping; bring your own water.  At this time, you must set up portable fencing or tie your horses to the trailer.  Camping fees are $7 per night, payable to Branched Oak/Nebraska Game & Parks.   Water will be available for contestant horses.

The Nebraska Horse Trails Committee is now on Facebook!  Join us on Facebook  for information on our trails and events.

Beginning January 1, 2010 we will have in place $1,000,000 equine liability insurance automatically covering anyone who joins the Nebraska Horse Council. The insurance is through Equisure, Inc. This insurance protects you from the actions of any horses that you own, anywhere your horse is, whether on your property or not.

The Nebraska Horse Council has been studying the advantages of this liability insurance for several years. Most of the horse councils in the surrounding states already have this type of policy in place and found it beneficial to their members.

Frequently Asked Questions about the new NHC Member Insurance:

When does my personal excess liability insurance with Equisure start and end? Coverage starts when your member-ship is approved and the premium is paid to Equisure. Coverage ends December 31st of each year.

What if I join in June? The premium and coverage are the same should you join in January or June. You would have coverage for 7 months if you joined in June and coverage for 12 months if you joined in January. In both cases the coverage will end January 1st of the following year.

How would this insurance apply if I have homeowners insurance? This policy is excess over any other valid and collectible insurance. If you have primary insurance coverage this policy would be excess over that insurance. If you have no insurance, this policy would become primary.

If my horse is boarded away from my residence do I have coverage? Yes, you are covered equine related incidences away from your residence.

If I lend my horse to someone to ride am I covered? Yes. You are covered for bodily injury and/or property damage for an equine related incident you are held legally liable for.

Is my horse covered if it dies? No, this policy does not provide animal mortality coverage for horses you own (though you can purchase this type of policy separately from Equisure).

I am a trainer or run a horse breeding operation, does this insurance cover me? No, coverage for businesses and business related activities are excluded.

My spouse doesn’t have anything to do with my horses. Is he/she covered? It depends on the membership you have purchased. The Individual membership includes the member and permanent residents of the household under the age of 18. The Family membership includes the member and spouse plus permanent members of the house-hold under the age of 18.

I fell off my horse and broke my arm, what kind of coverage do I have for this? None. This is not a medical insurance policy. You would have to have your own health/medical insurance.

The coverage limits provided by this policy are $1,000,000 aggregate limit and $1,000,000 per occurrence limit.

The limit provided under this policy is a per-household limit and is shared by all members of the same residence

Branched Oak Lake, with the assistance of the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee has been awarded a grant of $52,000 for a new horse camp in their state park! Nebraska Game and Parks and the Nebraska Horse Trails Committee worked diligently with assistance from the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program to design a new horse camping area at Area 2, south west end of the lake. Primitive camping will be allowed there now with access to trails on the south side of the Branched Oak Lake. Bathrooms, corrals and other amenities are part of the plan and we hope to see it come to fruition later in 2009!

Park Superintendent Tom Morrison said that Area 3 (see map) will remain a campsite for horses and they have made the hiker/biker trails northeast of Area 3 available to horses, adding more horse trails at Branched Oak Lake. Area 3 has water and bathrooms available. You may tie to your trailer or put up electric fence at either of these campsites.

The trails at Branched Oak are multi-use trails, so please be respectful of other trail users and practice shared trail etiquette. To preserve trails, trails may be closed when wet. Mr. Morrison has requested that we no longer use Area 14 by the dam as a parking area for horses.

This is great news for horse trail riders. Please remember to give the Game and Parks and Superintendent Tom Morrison a huge “Thank you!”.

http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/places/campmaps/maps/branchedoak.pdf