You've experienced (or heard about) those jam-packed, exciting equine weekends. At equine expos around the country, you can shop for the newest tack, find out about new products, attend clinics and demonstrations, check out horses of most every breed, and find out about local and national equine associations.
To find out how you can get the most trail-riding know-how from a horse expo, we met up with several expo experts, including Equine Extravaganza founder Vicki O'Hara; Equestrian Promotions, Inc., president Denise Parsons; and trailering expert H. Kent Sundling (known as "Mr. Truck"; www.mrtruck.net), who exhibits at horse expos across the country.
We also sought advice from Margaret Herron, a Certified Horsemanship Association assistant clinic instructor and trail guide who attends the biggest horse expos every year, students in tow.
Following is these experts' advice on how best to plan, schedule, stay comfortable, and more, when attending your next equine expo. (For a schedule of upcoming equine expos with contact information, see page 105; for an online version with live links, visit www.myhorse.com/trailrider.)
1. Plan early. Target the expo you'd like to attend, then frequent its website, and sign up for any e-newsletters so you'll know when it's time to download and print out a final seminar schedule. Then you can start making your travel plans.
Parsons notes that if you want to avoid crowds and have time to talk personally with trainers, you might want to go on a Thursday and Friday (if the expo is open), rather than waiting for the weekend. It might be worth taking a day or two off work so you can get the most out of the slower days.
2. Book your room. If you'll be staying in a hotel, book your room early. Parsons says it's best to make hotel reservations 60 days in advance. "After 30 days in advance, you might not be able to take advantage of discounted rates, since hotels often have cut-off dates or just sell out early," she says.
Before you make your reservation, identify the event's host hotels. You might save big if the expo has arranged for special discounts and early-bird prices. "We have agreements with many hotels that will offer rates well below their normal rack rates, if you book through our site or let them know you're part of a group," says Parsons.
3. Select the right seminars. O'Hara says 70 percent of her attendees are trail riders, and she makes sure to include trail-enthusiast topics in the seminar schedule. That said, many clinicians' presentations may not scream "trail riders only," but will still include valuable information on training, riding, caring for, and traveling with your horse.
"With more than 100 clinics, demonstrations, and seminars it is critical that you plan in advance," says O'Hara. "Carefully review the choices, and choose the sessions most relevant or appealing to you. First, look for clinicians that you know and admire, then look at the topics to see if something catches your eye.
"Many of our clinics have a general appeal to all horsepeople," O'Hara continues. "For instance, despooking your horse is relevant to virtually all disciplines. The key is to read the titles carefully and choose the topics that most closely fit with your needs."
Adds Parsons: "The more you learn from a variety of horse trainers, the better prepared you'll be for any training or spooky-horse situation that might arise. Even if a training clinic isn't catered specifically to the trail rider, you can learn skills from every presenter, and use these skills to make your trail rides more enjoyable and safer. I honestly believe that everyone can learn something from every single clinician."
Take time to critique your current riding, training, and horse-care know-how, and make a list of topics you'd like to know more about.
4. Ride your own horse. Many horse expos allow you to "ride with the stars." If you live close enough to the expo site to trailer in, consider taking your horse for a hands-on clinic. Check the schedule for a clinician who you'd love to work with, or a seminar title that clearly describes an issue you have with your horse (such as managing fear, trailer-loading, or changing leads). Then contact the expo to see whether riders are needed for that demonstration.
Parsons says that you'll have a better chance of being selected if you or your horse has a specific problem; she also notes that each clinician looks for a different horse-and-rider pair. "Once the schedule is posted, review it to see what topics may appeal to you and which would be appropriate for the skill level of you and/or your horse."
