First time at an event with my horse - PA Horse Expo Feb2014

[wingnut]

I'm really excited about this but am also interested to hear any and all suggestions on what to expect and what to prepare for from those of you with experience in this area.

My miniature club is going to have a booth/stall on Breed Row. I, along with a couple of other club members, am taking a couple of my horses to the Expo to stand as examples in our booth/stall. I'm taking my girls up for Thursday and Friday. I plan to stay in the area overnight at a local hotel Wednesday and Thursday night. Our club president will be onsite staying in their camper/motor home. I live over an hour away and contemplated taking them back and forth both days but ultimately decided that was too much for them and me!

Has anyone else done such an event? Or anything like, such as fairs? Where you take your horse and stay overnight. This is a good trial run for our first sanctioned show we plan to attend in May where we will also be staying overnight.

 

[Lori W]

We have a county fair where my sister-in-law and I as 4-H co-leaders take about 50 of our club members (kids between the ages of 5 to 19) and their miniature horses and donkeys for a week-long stay. They all do just fine! Most of us stay at the campground at the fair and while we have had people take turns staying in the barn overnight, we found it was completely uneventful. We do have at least one adult at the barn at all times while there could be visitors present. The minis take to it like champs - they mostly love the attention they get from the visitors, but have the option to turn away if they need a break. We feed and care for them just like they were home - twice daily feedings of their hay and pelleted feed, always keeping their water topped off, giving a little extra salt in their feed to encourage drinking, and of course, regular exercise periods. Most of the minis are not stabled when at home, so this was a little different for them, but they were very accepting.

Hope that helps! Good luck to you and thanks for representing our minis to the public!

 

[Marsha Cassada]

What an exciting event for you! I believe your horses will be fine stalled overnight. I always worry about mine, too.

Since you are going as hosts of an informational booth, it would be important to have someone there whenever visitors are allowed. Your horses will enjoy it.

You might contact Ozark or some other retailers and ask them to send you some catalogs to hand out. Those are very popular. I could mail you some back issues of the AMHA/AMHR magazines to offer as handouts. You might have a door prize drawing, which would give you some contact information for future activities.

Keep us posted on the event!

 

[targetsmom]

We did the MA Equine Affaire last year and took 4 of our minis, rotating them in and out because we live 15 minutes away. Actually we have taken other minis to this for Breed Demos or being in the booth where thousands of people walk by and pet them. Last year our two youngest minis and both of us adults got sick afterwards - the minis with ulcer symptoms and the adults also had stress-related symptoms. You might want to dose the minis with Ulcergard beforehand and while they are there. We also put up signs asking people not to touch our horses noses - if you think about it, everyone walks down the aisle and pets a nose, then pets the next nose and if ANY HORSE there has something, it will be spread everywhere. We had information on mins printed up to hand out, including helpful links such as LB, AMHA, AMHR, and local Clubs, plus basic info and books but your Club will likely have its own info. We used to be able to get free boxes of information from AMHA with enough lead time, so you might contact them. The Equine Affaire runs for 4 days and has a schedule to rotate horses in and out of the booths every 3 hours so that they can get a break. Find out if the building will be heated and dress in layers. Wear a Club shirt or jacket.

Have fun!! I love doing these things but they can be really tiring and stressful, especially 4 days in a row.

 

[wingnut]

Thanks for the input!

Our club has some people who have gone through events like this before, so we definitely have a rotating schedule, for horses and people! In addition to a stall on the Breed Row, we'll have a stall in the barn area where we can take out our horses if we feel they need the break. Besides my own two horses, we have another club member who have rented their own stall space, so we will have anywhere from 4-6 horses available at any given time. We do plan to ask folks to limit their actual touching of the horses and the horse owners will be in the booth with their own horses and given the opportunity to be focused on their horse (vs. manning a table). The horses' comfort and happiness takes precedence over all. My own horses will be there Thursday and Friday. The heaviest traffic days will be Saturday and Sunday. I do plan to ask the vet about pre-dosing them. I can't remember if Ulcer Guard is over the counter or if I have to get it from her. I also have read papaya is a good stomach soother as well?

We have been told we cannot advertise or sell anything beyond our club. Our club president feels this is a sticking point for the expo folks, so we're going to tow that line pretty closely. We're putting together our own flyer with links to AMHA and AMHR.

We will have time during the event in the main arena where we will present our horses while music and write up is read over the speaker system. One member's horse is going to perform at liberty and another is going to show her horse in their beginner dressage movements. I *cannot wait* to see that myself! If I end up on the schedule. I'll just be parading my girl around wearing her Supreme ribbons she won this past show season

 

[Carolyn R]

I don't think you'll have an issue with the petting, if you are using their stalls, they are pretty secure, lots of folks just looking in the front. If you can get the area past or in the aisle near the rescue (gentle giants....may be their name, can't remember) that is a nice area to set up. Just an FYI treat it like any other horse event, vaccinate well in advance, do what you can to keep them well hydrated and stress free, keep them seperate from questionable horses, remember, if your horses are outdoor 24/7 then the area in the main corridor as you walk in the doors is going to be warmer than they are use to. FYI be on alert for sick horses, there is one farm that I always raise an eyebrow over......

Have fun!

 

[bevann]

Delmarva mini club members do the MD Horse Expo in Jan.Stalls are outside where horses spend the night and are set up for warm weather shows.Most of our members take heated buckets and blanket horses in the stalls.Our booth is inside in heated building and horses are rotated in and out.Lots of fun for everyone and the spectators LOVE the Minis.We take old issues of Mini magazines to give away and photos of Minis to give to kids.We also hand out literature about Minis such as good sources of info(like lilbeginnings sites) registry names addresses phone numbers good Mini books,etc.Have fun

 

[targetsmom]

Ulcergard is OTC and Gastrogard is prescription. They are the same but packaged with different directions as Ulcergard is supposed to be for prevention. Stomach Soother (papaya) may be all you need as a tube of Ulcergard will run about $35 (or more). Take lots of photos and tell us all about it. Your presentation time sounds a lot like the Breed Demos at EA. Great opportunity to educate the public. I had a friend lead in a mini from her motorized scooter one year to show how great minis were for people with disabilities. I would love to see the dressage myself - will that be in hand?

 

[eagles ring farm]

Sounds like a ton of good suggestions from everyone. Can't think of anything to add except they do have small

1/2 size stall mats easier to transport at Tractor supply if your interested in having some for your stalls.

Have a great time and thank you for promoting the breed we all love.

 

[wingnut]

Mary: yes, the dressage will be in hand. I hope to be able to see one of her performances and will try to capture it on video with my phone.

Lori: The thin 4x6 stall mats are a great idea.

Bevann: Thanks for the idea of taking heated buckets with us! I already planned to take blankets as I have a open stock trailer and know the ride up there could be chilly for them.

 

[Danielleee]

I'd love to take my minis to the expo!! You've got lots of good advice I just wanted to say have fun and I hope to be able to visit your booth while I'm there!