Equine Affaire

I will use photos and videos to tell the story of my weekend (the non-watermarked ones and all videos came from my phone - I didn't want to carry my camera around with me much).

Lets see, Stacy Westfall is cute and really personable and I enjoyed watching her demonstrations.  I was able to learn a lot and piece what she had to offer together with other knowledge.  I'm eager to try bridleless riding in upcoming years.  To me, bridleless came across as a really phenomenal way to communicate with your horse on a whole other level.

Double Dan and the liberty work blew my mind.  It was really cool to learn ways that several horses are trained for on-screen work.  I'd really like to do some liberty work with Griffin now.  ...maybe he'll listen better and COME OUT OF THE FIELD when I arrive instead of being a snot head...

Peter Leone's clinic made a lot more sense to me thanks to a lot of you hunter/jumper bloggers.  I was surprised how easy it was for me to follow along with what he was teaching and why.  So thanks to all you horse bloggers for teaching me things!

Meeting Miranda and Emme was a fun surprise.  Nice to meet people you "know" in person; with time hopefully I will meet more of my blogging friends.

Craig Cameron is talented, but he really just didn't "do it" for me.  He's so tiny and cute though!  I did like watching the Extreme Cowboy Challenge - or whatever it was called.

Beautiful palomino gelding

Black dun paint, a very talented horse KC trained that she picked up from an auction

Wille the mule!  He got third place

KC rode both these horses, the paint placed 1st and the other 2nd

All competitors

Closer inspection of his unique coloring

This horse's movement was incredible; it is a Kiger mustang x Lusitano

Guy McLean is my new favorite person ever.  Well, not really, but he was by far my favorite person to watch this weekend.  He and his horses blew my mind.  I love them - especially Spin Abby!  He gives me even more motivation to want to learn liberty training methods.  Not as something I'll do soley, but as something I can do in conjunction with all the other training methods.  Another arrow in my quiver to pull out as I need it.

Guy's Australian stockhorses are phenomenal.  I think the most rewarding and unique thing about watching Guy and his horses was getting to really understand and see each of his horse's personalities.  You don't always get to see that.  He's such a character himself, too, which really made it all the more enjoyable.  And besides, who's ever seen a horse canter backwards - or in place?  Or how often do you jump in place on command (first video clip)?  Or side pass over another horse (third video)?

 

I also really enjoyed the breed displays.  The Andalusian, Lusitano, and Arabian ones really blew me away and made me lust after one (or all) of those breeds.  I definitely plan to have an Arab eventually (its my freaking 8-year-old me's dream), and after watching Friesians on display in a billion ways I'm convinced I want one of those eventually, too.  And an Icelandic horse.  And a Kiger mustang. Okay, I admit it, I have a problem.

Andalusian stallion, Festivo.  I feel like this guy is the George Clooney of the horse world.  He's so dreamy!

Another Andalusian.

And another (a mare,  though)

But honestly, I really do plan on having an Arab and mustang eventually.  They're the two breeds of horse that I've had interest in since I was wee.  One day....

OH!  And lastly, but certainly not leastly (tehe, leastly): D bought a trailer!!  And, logically, we christened it by drinking beer at 11a with the sales guys.  Its a two-horse Horizon Sundowner...and my hammock will totally fit in the horse quarters!  So if it rains I can hide in there when we go ride this summer.  Squee!

Salesmen

Overall, the Equine Affaire was awesome.  I had a ton of fun with my friends and definitely plan to attend again in the future!