Underdown Horse Club
Underdown Horse Club

Through the Years

During the past 30+ years of volunteer trail maintenance we have had loads of fun, a few scares, and many memorable moments. For example, there is one particular section of trail that runs on an old corduroy road that has many of the original logs poking up in a helter-skelter manner. One of our members asked the county forester if we could just pull those logs out. In reply, he patiently explained that if we removed the logs, there would no longer be a trail at all. Corduroy roads are simply “floating roads” that were built over bodies of water. As the Underdown is primarily a large overgrown lake, if you remove the logs you will no longer have that floating road.                  

 

One of the scariest moments came when two of our riders, while scoping out a new shortcut route, happened to cross an active beaver dam and almost buried their horses. Fortunately neither horses or riders sustained injury.

 

We have had so many memorable moments over the years during our annual endurance rides. We always had a lot of laughs. There was the time when the weekend of our Endurance Ride was so hot that everyone including our veterinarians wore shorts. One vet in particular had taken off his T shirt before going to check out one of the competing horses. While checking out the rear legs, wouldn’t you know, the horse just had to dump on his bare back. Luckily for the vet, it was hard and dry and rolled right off. Then there were the camp dogs. Almost every competitor had a dog with them. As soon as they would pull in to camp, the dogs would visit the food stand where they knew from experience that our food man and biggest prankster, Jim Johnson, would always have a treat for them. Jim is gone now but the memories of his pranks will live on.

 

Lincoln County took over financial responsibility for the cost of materials (signs, posts, etc.) that the Underdown Horse Club volunteers will be using for trail maintenance. 



The Underdown Horse Club has contributed over $35,000 in cash and materials during its existence, paying for projects such as: well, toilets, campsites, parking lot expansions, tie-rails and a storage shed for trail maintenance materials (posts, signs, hardware and tools).  This building also houses a 300 gallon water tank for public use and contains potable water.  Just bring your bucket over.  In August 2016 we completed work on our new shelter which easily holds 6 picnic tables.  The shelter is now being actively used for our club functions as well as by members of the community.  In 2019 the club set up 3 different picnic areas along the trail that each include hitching rails and a picnic table.  2020 brought us more than just the Covid-19 virus, it brought a nice new mounting block for the main parking lot and a new trail that bypasses the very wet swampy area of the trail.  Thank you so much to the local supporter that donated the mounting block and to Lincoln County Foresty workers for the new trail! 

The cash contributions are incredible but pale in comparison to the thousands of man hours donated each year by the Underdown Horse Club's dedicated volunteers.  They average 300-400 hours of volunteer labor yearly so that the Underdown Horse Trails can be the best of the best.  It is their efforts and committment that make this trail system one of the finest in the state of Wisconsin. 

"Contact us"

Underdown Horse Club

P.O Box 164

Merrill, WI 54452
Phone: Becky 715-218-2604 

             Randy 715-873-4582

Email: underdownhorseclub@gmail.com

 

Forestry, Land and Parks Department
801 North Sales, Suite 106

Merrill, WI 54452
Phone: 715-539-1034
Fax: 715-539-8091

 

 

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