Horse Trails of America (HorseTrailsOfAmerica.com) is the association for and by trail riders. Sign up for the HTA Trail & Travel membership now and get a six-month trial membership for free (available for the first 5,000 members to join). With membership, get The Trail Journal magazine delivered to your inbox, too: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/start-membership. Or, opt for the HTA Comprehensive membership and add on excess liability insurance and gain access to the online training libraries from horse trainers Julie Goodnight and Van Hargis.
HTA Director Heidi Melocco is excited to reveal the new membership levels—complete with discounts and travel resources. She says HTA will also maintain a free access membership so all trail riders can access the association’s interactive trail map and communication forums.
“My goal in working with the HTA team is to grow the association while keeping the riders and horse owners at the center of all we do,” Melocco says. “The association has a wonderful social media presence with over 100,000 active group members sharing trail reviews and helping to find layover info. Now, we’re adding rich content to the HTA website so that trail riders can add and find trails on the interactive map and message one another in the state forums.
“We’ve also worked hard to partner with industry companies to offer great discounts for our premium members. If you travel with your horse, you’ll need our HTA Trail & Travel membership to get discounts on the Certified Horsemanship Association’s Trail Manual, US Rider roadside assistance, Stateline Tack purchases, John Deere equipment, and even event tickets to have fun as you travel. You’ll also want to look at our HTA Comprehensive membership with options for excess liability insurance and many educational benefits.”
Melocco explains the HTA benefits and membership levels in depth.
The Map and Forums
“We have been working hard to find the best interactive map program for the website,” Melocco says. “It is now live! Our goal with the map is to ensure that the amazing trail reports shared in the Facebook group are also shared on the map— so they can be organized and found easily again and again. If you need to search for a place to ride, the map will be your guide. If you need a place to camp or layover with your horse, the map has categories to help you find the closest spots.”
Make sure that we have your favorite trails on the map. We invite you to add the locations you know best on our location form here: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/submitatrail.
“We want the map to be full of rider reviews and details that will help other riders have the best details and tips,” Melocco says. “Make sure to report where to park, what trails you like best in which season, and any tips about outfitting your horse or what to have with you. This map will be most successful when everyone adds what they know.”
Make sure to share the map with your friends and riding clubs. All local riding clubs, associations, and horse councils are welcome to post their trails and share riding info. It is free to access the map—just make a free login or use your membership login to access the site. Make your login: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/start-membership. Check out the map: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/themap.
“Once you’re on the site, be sure to check out the state forums,” Melocco says. “There’s a special folder in the forums for you to talk about trail riding in your state or to post questions and get help for the states where you’d like to ride. We have new state ambassadors who will help ensure great information is posted in each state and guide the conversations. HTA’s website is the place to find riding pals or to find out what it takes to find the best trails in the area.”
Find your state travel info here: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/travel-resources. Sign in, then chat for free in the online forums: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/community-trail-talk.
Membership Benefits
HTA membership works hard for you. See all the benefits here: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/membership-benefits. Become a member here: https://www.horsetrailsofamerica.com/start-membership.
HTA Free Access: Anyone can get to the map and the new state forums for free. Login with a Free Access membership to gain access to the map and travel information as well as to comment in the forums. At the free level, you’ll also get our monthly newsletter.
HTA Trail & Travel: The first 5,000 members who sign up get free membership for six months. You don’t need a coupon code—the offer applies automatically. Read The Trail Journal Magazine monthly. Purchase US Rider roadside assistance at a discount. The Certified Horsemanship Association offers 10 percent off their Trail Manual. Access “Tickets at Work” for discount entertainment tickets, hotel discounts, and more. Save on John Deere equipment, Big Ass Fans, Sherwin Williams Paint, and Farmer’s Insurance. Plus, get to the HTA map and forums.
HTA Comprehensive Membership: With the top level of membership, you can add excess liability insurance for you or your whole family. You can also access Julie Goodnight and Van Hargis’ online training libraries. This is the level where you’ll get discounts to our HTA Partner campgrounds and layover locations. Receive travel discounts, the magazine, product discounts, and offerings from the other levels. If you ride and travel often, this membership level has all you need and saves you money on the road.
“I’m excited for you to see and take advantage of all the new benefits and website features,” Melocco says. “Check it out and keep your HTA team posted about what’s working well and what you’d like to see.”
About HTA:
Visit http://horsetrailsofamerica.com for membership information, the interactive map, and travel discounts and information for travel to all USA states (and many Canadian sites, too). Contact the director for sponsorship, advertising, and industry-partner opportunities: heidi@hta.horse.
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