Our Board

PRESIDENT

Marian lives in Darby with her husband and dogs, gypsy horses, quarter horses, miniature donkeys, miniature horses, and Shetland ponies, goats and kitties. She rides and drives and always has a training project in process. She works from home and is often seen with hay in her hair on zoom calls. Hobbies: cleaning paddocks and other horsey chores, moving carts and carriages around, weeding the garden, and dabs a little paint now and then. She has two grown kids, Virginia in Seattle and Christopher in Missoula.

VICE PRESIDENT

Wendy has two young driving mules, two older retired mules, a miniature donkey and a BLM burro.

SECRETARY

A little about me…

I’m finishing up a 34(ish) year career with the US Forest Service (7 of which I served in the 1990s in Seeley Lake, which is where I met my husband, Carl). I started on a wilderness trail crew in NE Oregon and where I received my earliest training in riding and packing. I have served all over the country and at all levels of the agency in the recreation and other programs. Coming back to Montana allowed me to get back into horses and I was lucky enough to acquire 2 mini mules. I met Claudia through word-of-mouth and within the last couple years with her help and help from club members was actually able to train one of the minis to drive. I consider this one of my greatest personal accomplishments! This club has an outstanding membership and I love the commitment they have to their animals, the respect they have for the environment and to each other. I’m grateful for all the support I’ve received and would appreciate the opportunity to contribute.

TREASURER

Smoke and the young’ens

MEMBER AT LARGE

Annie and her family have 4 equine in their little herd: a spunky Morgan horse/pony cross who rides/drives, an adorable little Shetland pony who rides and is learning to drive, an older rescue therapy horse, and a very sweet Fjord horse rescue who rides/drives. Annie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Master Naturalist and Master Gardener. Annie homeschools her children and is helping them grow their horsemanship skills and learn to be the next generation of driving horse club members.

MEMBER AT LARGE

My cart horse is a 300 pound mini named Splash who has the heart of a racehorse, who really doesn't know that he's little when he's driving along with all the giant Percheron cross horses and mules in our club! I was recently loaned a harness to fit Splash's 31 year old grandfather Joker, so now I can ground drive them as a team. Joker just loves to be included for long walks in the woods! I ride a Mangalarga Marchador named Milagre that I raised from a yearling and trained. He's my truest friend and we feel like we're one when we ride, or communication is so subtle and beautiful. Raven is a rescue horse, a Paso Fino who had a terribly rough start with 5 abusive owners before me, but he's learning to trust little by little. He loves to be ponied in the woods and is learning to ground drive and carry a pack! Caesar is such a gentleman, a 29 year old Quarterhorse who loves to go for short rides and picnics, who wants to always remind me that he's still my best horse. My husband and best friend is Paul who loves our 5 boys but prefers motorcycles to horses. As for me, I'm a jazz vocalist, ceramic sculptor and potter, and a recent student of painting. I love hard work, gardening, and improving our property, and learning how to be the best partner I can be to my horses.

MEMBER AT LARGE

The real working teams.