September 6th
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September 6th
Welcome, Guest
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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
FIND IT FAST! Click the Ctrl button on the lower left hand corner of your keyboard and then f to open a search box which will appear in the upper right hand corner of your screen. Type a keyword related to your question.
However as always we pride ourselves in excellent customer service. ANY bump in the road you run into just call us at 877-99-ACTHA (22842).
ACTHA is the result of a life long addiction to horses of Carrie Scrima, our Founder. 
This unlikely passion developed while being born and raised in the Bronx of New York City. As a child she played with nothing but horse statues, she read nothing except horse books and when she learned of a place near by that trained police horses for the NYC Mounted Patrol she found a place to spend every spare moment of her young life. She was in good company since these trainers were among the best in the world. Many having Olympic credentials in all disciplines! After an appropriate break-in period of shining boots, cleaning tack and doing anything they could think of that a buck-toothed, red-headed 8-year old could do safely, they took pity and the lessons began. They've never really stopped.
Having ridden with some of the top names in all the disciplines she marvels at how a good trail horse brings them all together. From her titles in the world of Intercollegiate Horse Showing culminating in being awarded the very first Inter-Collegiate All-American honor to riding with several trail orgainizations while training and competing in world class hunter jumper events or just driving buggies for fun...it just didn't matter as long as a horse was involved.
ACTHA is the culmination of this life long affair with the horse. Everything she has learned, every obstacle, every rule (of which their are few) represents the safest way she knows to introduce you and your horse to the skills you will need to be as safe as possible and heighten your enjoyment of the "Sport" of trail riding.
What are your regular office hours? Natalie (and friends) are available to personally answer your calls from 10am-6pm (eastern), Monday throught Friday. Please listen closely as our menu options have changed. If, by chance, they're already on another call, please leave a message and you'll get a call back right away. Our number is 877-992-2842. If you'd prefer you can reach us 24/7 by emailing [email protected] .
If you are calling with an urgent need after hours or on a weekend for an event scheduled in the current weekend, please text 434-98-1437 and we'll respond asap.
I want to be a Volunteer, Judge, or Sponsor. What do I do? Start by clicking here: http://www.actha.us/get_involved
I want to become a member, what do I do? Start by clicking here
I want to be a Ride Host, what do I do? Log onto your account then click here: http://www.actha.us/hostaride or email [email protected] and we'll call you with all of the details!
What do I do? I can't create an account because it says “My email is aready in use”. Good news...you already have an account! Please go to the red tab, click to reset your username and password and follow the easy instructions, or email [email protected], or call us at 877-992-2842 and we'll reset your password for you.
What do I do? I know I have an account, but can't remember my username and/or password. No worries! You can now reset your own username and passord!! Just click the links on the red tab and follow the instructions. If you have any trouble, please email [email protected], or call us at 877-992-2842. Tell us your name, state, and email account and we'll retrieve your username and/or reset your password for you.
I've signed up as a member. What else do I have to do to my account before I can sign up for a ride? Log on to your account. Click on the Rider tab and list the name and birthday of each rider you are adding to your account. Then Click on the Horse tab and fill out your horse's information.
How do I convert my "non-member" account to a "membership"? Just log in to your account and click on the "membership" button and fill out the requested information regarding membership type and billing information.
How is a membership year calculated? A membership is good for 1 full year from the time you join. Your join date becomes your renewal date.
Do I have to log on and renew my membership each year? Nope! Our system will automatically renew your membership each year.
What if I do NOT want the system to automatically renew my membership each year, but want to do it myself? Simply log in to your account and turn off the auto-renew feature. Then we'll send you an email to help remind you about renewing each year.
Where is the Calender of Rides? www.actha.us/events. Or from the dark brown banner at the top of our main page, click on "Our Events", then click on "Events and Location". The full list of rides will come up. Click on each ride for more information.
How do I sign up for one of the rides listed at www.actha.us/events? Click on the ride. The page displaying the ride information will come up. In the upper right corner of the page, click on the button that says “join this ride”. A pop-up will appear. If you are member, simply log-in. If you want to join the ride as a non-member, click the lower button and fill out the form.
Do you offer Ride-sharing from other members if I don't have a trailer? Yes! Use our "Find a Buddy" program can be found under our "Our Event's" tab and then "trail rider community". Sign up and you can connect with other ACTHA subscribers and members in your area.
Where can I view my past rides? All past rides and scores are listed under the "Horses" tab on your account. Click “view” to see a list of all rides your horse has completed.
What are ACTHA bucks? ACTHA buck are awards that we give out that provide a 25% discount on goods and services from our sponsors. ACTHA bucks are awarded for becoming a member, volunteering or judging at a ride, or placing in an AOC or CTC ride. When earned, these will automatically appear in your ACTHA account! Visit these sponsors at www.actha.us/acthabucks/shop In addition, some of our sponsors provide additional prize or discount certificates as added rewards. Some of these will automatically appear in your account, others are distributed at the ride's award ceremony.
Do ACTHA bucks and prize certificates expire? Yes...be sure to use them within 3 months! Need more? Just volunteer, judge, place at a ride, or have a friend sign up to become an ACTHA member (yes, you'll earn an ACTHA buck for each new member referral!)
Do gift certificates expire? If you purchase a gift certificate as a non-member, you will receive an email with the certificate number. That email expires in 1 year. However, once that certificate number is applied to an ACTHA account (or if it is purchased while you are logged on to your account), the gift amount will never expire until the full amount is redeemed for either a membership or a ride.
What is a Competitive Trail Challenge (CTC)? A Competitive Trail Challenge (CTC) is a casual trail ride competition that is a 6-8 mile trail ride with judged obstacles (mostly natural) along the way. Each obstacle has its own judge. It is not a timed event. You will have a ride out time (usually within 30-60 minutes) to head out on the trail. You are encouraged to ride with your group, family, or friends. When you come to the obstacle & judge, you perform the obstacle 1 at a time. The trail rides usually take from 2-3 hours. After you come in from your ride, you can eat some lunch and be ready for the awards ceremony. Ribbons and prizes are given to 1st -6th place for Open, Pleasure, and the Junior divisions. Jackpot cash may also be awarded. These rides provide a natural setting for your horse and are a lot of fun! At the very least you will enjoy seeing great countryside on horseback and get to know a network of horse lovin' trail riders such as yourself!
What is an ACTHA Obstacle Challenge (AOC)? Held in an arena (indoor, outdoor, covered) or in a field; 8 ACTHA obstacles, 2-4 judges depending on the format chosen by the ride host. The straight in line format or the Gambler's Choice format which allows up for each obstacle to be ridden twice. Riders enjoy an opportunity to further their horsemanship skills in an enclosed setting by completing a set of 8 obstacles along an obstacle course. Riders can bring multiple horses. Enjoy lunch and awards following the competition. Ribbons and ACTHA Bucks will be awarded for Open, Pleasure, and Junior Divisions 1st -3rd place. ACTHA Bucks will also be awarded for 1st-3rd place in the Scout Division. All obstacles at an AOC are ACTHA approved obstacles located on our OBSTACLES page, set at 60 seconds, giving 8-16 minutes total arena time.
Do you have to be a member to go to an event? No. There are 2 divisions that allow you to ride and check out the sport before becoming a member, the Scout and Buddy divisions. Visit our divisions and fees page to learn about the different divisions and the costs for each division.
Where will the events be held? EVERYWHERE! They are held at various private ranches and state parks throughout the USA and Canada.
When will the events take place? Events are held practically every weekend across the USA and in Canada. Check the EVENTS & LOCATIONS tab for a list of rides and dates. This list is in real time. When a Ride Host posts an event, you will see it listed once it is approved.
CTC Details:
The events will take place on a 6-8 mile trail ride and will last about 2-3 hours. Riders will head out usually between 9-10 AM. This is not a timed event. Riders can head out on the trail with their group anytime during their allotted time slot. There will be 6-8 judged obstacles along the trail consisting mainly of natural origin. Obstacles on the course will include, but not limited to (check the OBSTACLES tab for more obstacle information):
What is the cost?
The CTC entry fee ranges from $25 to $58 depending on the division. There may be additional fees for amenities at the rides. AOCs range from $25-$50. Click here to see the DIVISIONS & FEES page for all costs.
What happens if my gaited horse cannot do the required gait in an obstacle?
ACTHA judges are trained to judge gaited horses the same as non-gaited horses. A gaited horse should do the gait of the equivalent speed for that breed of horse. Gaited horses will not be penalized, and are judged equally.
How are judges trained?
Each Ride Host is assigned a judge's code for each ride. The Host will give this code to each of their judges. Judges sign on to their account then go to www.actha.us/judges and enter the code to start their training. On the road? Don't have a computer? No problem! We also have a judges hotline 855-JUDGE-99 ( 855-583-4399 ) Judges can call this automated line to receive their training.
How are the obstacles judged?
Each obstacle will have its own judge that can give a total of 20 points for each horse/rider team at their obstacle (10 points for the horse, 10 points for the rider). Judges are educated as to what to deduct for and have discretion as to how many points they deduct, and must remain consistent for all riders. Ties are broken by a plus system. Pluses are given for an exemplary try or performance by either horse or rider in any score range and are given at the judge's discretion. Time limits for the obstacles are assigned by the ride host and will range from 30 to 60 seconds for a CTC. AOC obstacles are all set at 60 seconds, total arena time is 8 minutes. If the rider goes over the time limit, a score of 0 will be given to the team and the rider must move on. Scoring is as follows: 10=excellent, 9=very good, 8=good, 7=fairly good, 6=satisfactory, 5=sufficient, 4=insufficient, 3=fairly poor, 2= poor, 1=very poor, 0=not executed.
Click the OBSTACLES tab to view video and written instruction for the obstacles and what judges will be looking for.
How do I know what the judges are looking for?
Every event starts with a briefing (gathering). You will be informed about the obstacles and what judges will be looking for. In addition, judges will be looking for a calm, willing, well controlled horse, obedient and brave. Regarding the rider, the judges will be looking for balance and non-interference. Trail riding is judged on a balanced ride. English or western riding is welcomed as well as all equines whether gaited or not. Also, general rules for good equitation apply. Videos and written obstacle instructions along with their judging criteria are available for public viewing, simply click on the OBSTACLES tab.
How will I know my score after the event?
Placements will be awarded after the event, but you will see the scores posted on the website once internet access is available to the Ride Host and they are able to get the scores entered, usually within a day of the event.
How am I supposed to know what to improve on since there are no written comments given to each rider? What can I do to improve?
Since time does not always permit our judges to hand write comments on each rider, we use a numerical scoring system. If you score 8 or above, you did very well. A 5-7 is average and 1-4 is below average.
Year end awards will be awarded to the best qualified averages winner in each state for the Open, Pleasure, and Junior divisions. National best average awards will also be given to the horse & rider (s) teams in the Open & Pleasure divisions.
Click here for more information about year end awards.
How are Placement Points calculated for each horse for ACTHA ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS (members only)
Each completed CTC or AOC (no DQ) earns your horse a participation point. If you place in a CTC or AOC in a division that earns points, your horse earns the following additional points:
1st place - 6 points
2nd place - 5 points
3rd place - 4 points
4th place - 3 points
5th place - 2 points
6th place - 1 point
These points will stay with your horse for its lifetime, giving him/her additional value. Our Medals program is calculated by the following:
Do points stay with the rider or the Horse?
Points stay with the horse. If you sell your horse to another member they will receive the points already awarded, adding value you can measure!
Are ACTHA's CTCs approved by other Breed Associations?
Yes. CTCs have been approved by many other breed associations. This will allow members to receive credits for our events from their breed associations. The breed associations are posted on the PARTNERS page. Contact your breed association to find out how to gain CTC credits.
Will a CTC ever be canceled?
A ride will be canceled if extreme weather warrants it making hauling and trail riding unsafe. If a Ride Host determines that the weather is unsafe for the ride to be conducted, the Ride Host will contact all riders. If you are unsure whether or not the ride may be canceled, we strongly suggest you CALL BEFORE YOU HAUL! All Ride Hosts' phone numbers are listed on every Ride Description page.
Do I have to own a company or have a horse product to be an ACTHA Sponsor?
Sending product samples and prizes to be given out at rides is just one way our Sponsors help support our mission. Editors of print or online publications and Breed organizations can post articles, advertisements, and even our upcoming ride lists in their venues, websites, periodicals and mailings to help promote the cause. They can also sponsor state and national awards, lifetime medals, or make a cash donation for our upcoming scholarship fund. Riding clubs, Online forums and blog moderators, and Individuals can do the same!
I don't have a horse, but I believe in your mission to end horse unemployment. What else can I do to help?
Volunteer at our rides. Do you have a special skill like cooking or photography? Do you have a knack for rounding up corporate sponsors for local events? Our ride hosts need you! You can also stay aware and get involved. Many horse rescues exist due to the lack of legislation protecting our equine friends. Become active and help bring about positive change.
What is ACTHA's refund policy?
Membership Fees: ACTHA membership fees have a money back guarantee within the first week after your first event. Otherwise, membership fees are non-refundable.
Event Registration Fees:
(1) If you withdraw from an event eight (8) or more days prior to the ride date, a full online credit will be issued to your ACTHA account. You must contact the Ride Host regarding your withdrawal.
(2) If you withdraw from an event seven (7) days or less prior to the event date and prior to the closing date for registration, there is no issuance of a credit or refund, unless authorized by the Ride Host. You must contact the Ride Host to discuss the circumstances of your withdrawal. If the Ride Host accepts the explanation for your withdrawal a full online credit will be issued to your ACTHA account.
(3) If you withdraw from an event after the closing date for registration there is no issuance of credit or refunds.
(4) If a ride is canceled by the Ride Host or by ACTHA for any reason whatsoever, a full online credit will be issued to all riders.
Refund Requests:
(1) A $5.00 processing fee will be charged should you request a credit card refund in lieu of a ride credit to your ACTHA account.
(2) In the event the Ride Host or ACTHA has canceled the ride and you request a credit card refund, a full credit card refund of registration fees will be issued when requested through Customer Support.
Let's have fun!!! Additional contests at a CTC may include:
Best groomed mount
Best dressed male rider
Best dressed female rider
Best dog contest
About annual renewals...
Every so often a member will call and say they don't understand why they are being billed annually. It's easy to forget, we've all done it. You checked the box below when joining. Everyone who has their small fee deducted did this. As you can see the option always exists to stop the automatic billing by going to your acounts tab and turning it off with one click at accounting. We hope you'll stay continue this method to insure contiunous updates and avoid gaps. It sure helps us a lot. If financial conditions are such that you simply can't, call 877-99-ACTHA. We'll help you out.
I agree to the terms below:
I agree to have my credit card listed above charged for the ACTHA membership I have selected. I also understand that my ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP will be automatically billed to this credit card unless I notify ACTHA BEFORE the next renewal date or turn that option off on the site. ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP fees have a money back guarantee if requested within 1 week after the first ride date. LIFETIME MEMBERSHIPS are non-refundable.
Don't see your question answered here? Email [email protected], or call us at 877-992-2842. We're always happy to help! (Please allow 24 hours if you have to leave a message.)
We do our best to make sure that the information above is kept up to date and correct, but encourage you to refer to our rules for current information.
