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EPIC is pleased to announce that Laura Groat has joined our Board of Directors. Laura brings a wealth of horse experience to our board. She currently works as General Manager for Wyndham Oaks I and II, a premiere equestrian boarding facility, located in Montgomery County. Laura participates in all forms of riding and brings a passion for land conservation and horse use to the board. Join us in extending a warm welcome to Laura!
In the past few weeks, our contractors, under the supervision of EPIC directors Kayla Gatalica, Anne Davies and Allan Noble, have completed the major cleanup work necessary to open up the new Kay Family Trail.
On April 20, EPIC hosted a public ride on our Dry Seneca system. We had great weather, and 30 riders turned out to tackle the freshly groomed trails, blooming with sweet olive and other flowering trees.
EPIC is delighted to announce that we are hosting a spring trail ride and lunch on Saturday, April 20. The ride will be over the Dry Seneca trails that were established by EPIC and traverse beautiful woods, streams and open fields.
Despite a blustery day, approximately 20 riders joined us on October 15, for a trail ride and public dedication of our newest trail, Mike's Loop, followed by lunch.
Tom and Allan installed EPIC's thank you plaque to Mike Rubin on August 1 at the entrance to our Breezy Loop trail complex.
EPIC took advantage of a brief visit from out of town by Mike Rubin to dedicate Mike's Loop on July 4. We had a small private gathering and presented Mike with a plaque, showing our appreciation to him for all he has done for equestrians in Montgomery County.
The EPIC Board is pleased to announce that Kayla Gatalica has recently joined our Board.
Best Wishes for 2023 from Allan Noble.
Work on “Mike’s Loop”, an addition to the Breezy Loop Trail System progresses!
The new trail, “Mike’s Loop”, is almost here! On November 5th, an EPIC crew installed the trail marking posts and connected the trail to the “Gilliam Farm Loop”. Stay tuned for more updates!
Thank you for joining us for the October 9 trail ride. We had a fantastic day with over 30 riders n perfect weather!
EPIC is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, epicmontogmery.org. The site reinforces EPIC’s mission of trail creation and stewardship and we plan to add interactive trail maps to the site.
EPIC is excited to announce that it is in the process of planning and developing two new trails as part of its Breezy Loop complex.
A huge thank you to those who came out to EPIC's trail ride and Tribute to Naomi Manders on October 9!
If your forest conservation easement needs more trees, request free trees through Reforest Montgomery.
Barnesville Oaks Maryland trail riders in Montgomery County may get a new public riding trail around an approved subdivision straddling Peach Tree Road in Boyds.
Dec. 16, 2018 — On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Congress passed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (H.R.2), which is now pending President Trump’s signature to make the bill law. The bill is a revision of the Pet and Women’s Safety Act (PAWS Act), which protects pets, service animals, emotional support animals and horses of victims of stalking and domestic violence.
POOLESVILLE, Md., June 9, 2018 — Good weather, great volunteers and a wonderful venue all contributed to the success of EPIC Montgomery’s ride/hike/lunch on June 9, 2018, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Dry Seneca trail system, held at Harkaway Farm in Poolesville, Maryland.
July 11, 2017, Rockville, Md.—Today, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner introduced a resolution asking the Council to formally take a stand opposing a new Potomac River bridge crossing. The proposed project would include extending Route 28 in Virginia to the portion of the Intercounty County Connector (ICC) that is in Montgomery County.
Horses are natural grazers, but not every green plant they find in the field provides the nutrition they need. Broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, curly dock, milkweed, dogbane and Canada thistle, for example, tend to crowd out the grasses and legumes that horses need to thrive.
If you are hauling horses, you may be subject to licensing and vehicle registration regulations beyond those required for operating a passenger car. If your horse enterprise involves any exchange of money, or if your vehicle or combination is over a certain size, you may be required to obtain a United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) number, a Motor Carrier (MC) number, and/or a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL).
SEPTEMBER 14, 2015—EPIC testimony and your many emails and testimony were largely ignored by the Montgomery County Planning Board when, during its public hearing on September 3, 2015, the Board discarded its 2010 requirement that the developer of the Greentree Farm subdivision establish a trail easement and grant EPIC the right to maintain it.
On September 3 the Montgomery County Planning Board will determine the future of a 3+ mile equestrian trail in Boyds. Your help is needed NOW to secure future use of the trail. Please write to the Planning Board and/or consider attending the hearing and testifying in support of the EPIC easement to demonstrate that safe and sustainable public trails are important to trail riders in and around Montgomery County.
On September 3, 2015, the Montgomery County Planning Board unanimously approved the record plats for Greentree Farm. The plats included a covenant establishing a natural surface equestrian trail following the property line from an entrance on Whites Store Road to Route 109 (Beallsville Road).
The Potomac Hunt invites you to “Hopeful Hunters” Foxhunting Clinic on Friday, August 7, and Saturday, August 8. Friday will include a happy hour hound walk starting at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday will be a mounted foxhunt leaving at 8 a.m. from the Potomac Hunt Kennels at 21315 Peach Tree Rd. in Dickerson. Foot followers are also welcome. Brunch is included.
March 3, 2015—Sunday hunting is continuing to spread across the state, on a county-by-county basis. Even if you already have some Sundays in your county when hunting is allowed, you may see efforts to add more Sundays. The Maryland General Assembly is now considering several bills that would allow for hunting on private and, in some cases, designated public land in numerous counties.
March 19, 2015—Funding for Maryland’s parks, recreation and farmland preservation is in jeopardy.
Maryland preserves important land all across our state through Program Open Space, which is funded by the real estate transfer tax. In recent tough economic times these funds were diverted and replaced with bonds. In this year’s proposed budget, $115 million of funding is being diverted, there are no promises for future repayments and previous promises to repay are being stripped from the budget.
During their final workday of the year last Tuesday, the Senate adopted legislation (H.R. 5771) that restores for only the 2014 tax year the full package of expired tax provisions that includes the IRA charitable rollover and the enhanced deductions for donations of land conservation easements. Despite a number of last-minute attempts to reach a longer-term agreement, the provisions unfortunately will expire again on January 1, 2015.
On October 5, EPIC hosted a public ride to introduce our newest trail, The Kay Family Trail. We had approximately 35 riders sign up to check out this newest addition to our Breezy Loop trail complex. EPIC is especially grateful to the Kay Family Foundation, which has made this equestrian trail and others possible with its generous support. Big thanks to everyone who turned out and thanks also to Pat Michaels and Kathy Noble for the photos.
Photos →