I can hardly wait to get there. I went to the Equine Affaire last year in Columbus, Ohio and was not fully prepared for what I encountered. We went mainly because one of our friends was competing in the Craig Cameron's Extreme Cowboy Race™. I knew some of the things that I would see, but as I said, the sheer volume of terrific things going on there was amazing.When we arrived, I was overwhelmed by the number of vendors in all the buildings that were selling horse related items. I needed some things for my horses, such as a new bridle for one, a good saddle pad for another, a riding helmet for my daughter and other stuff. I found all that and more than I could imagine. The vendors were friendly and were very helpful and not high pressure at all.
Then we went over to the barn where the horses were all stabled waiting for their clinics and events to see our friends. Along the way, we got to look at all the different rows of horses. Most of the rows were arranged by breed and we got to see some really beautiful horses. There was one Arabian in particular that I fell in love with and couldn't stop looking at.
I spent all day wandering from one clinic to another watching different disciplines and breeds do their thing. I watched some of the big trainers show their techniques of training horses to do one thing or another. The horses that were trained to do tricks were very cool and I actually started teaching my own horse Poncho some of the tricks. Also very cool. He now shakes hands with both feet, and will lay down upon request and sit up like a dog.
That night after all the day's exciting events, we were able to get a taste of the Pfizer Fantasia show. I had signed up for a subscription to Horse Illustrated and the people gave me two tickets to the show. Well, I knew that show was going to be great because our friends had told us about it, but I was unable to buy tickets for all of us. The tickets are sold in advance of the Equine Affaire and I simply thought I could get tickets once we got there. It is so popular, it was SOLD OUT. The people at H.I. only had two tickets left. Then we didn't get to watch the whole show because we used the airport taxi and it didn't stay long enough. I was so BUMMED! That is probably one of the main reasons for my trip this year (and the clinics) because I am taking the whole family and watching the WHOLE show. You better believe I am buying tickets in advance this year!
The Fantasia show is the affaire's signature evening entertainment. It takes place Thursday through Saturday evenings in the Equine.com Arena in the coliseum. It showcases the beauty and diversity of horse breeds from minatures to drafts and the excitement of equestrian sports ranging from freestyle reining and dressage to drill teams, driving, all choreographed to a wide variety of musical styles.
There is something for everyone who loves horses at the Equine Affaire, and even people who didn't realize how beautiful horses are mentally and physically will have a whole new outlook. Check out the Equine Affaire website to learn more. You just cannot miss this if you love horses!
