Horse lovers of all ages visited the Horse Palace at Exhibition Place on Saturday for Toronto Horse Day, an annual event that brings the country to the city to celebrate all things equine.
Coordinated by the Ontario Equestrian Federation, the free one-day public event attracted over 1,000 visitors through the doors to learn about horses, watch breed and discipline demos, take part in interactive exhibits, equine games and activities and more!
The racing industry was well represented as Standardbred Canada was on site with the TROT 4 Kids exhibit and Ontario Horse Racing also took part with information and handouts on Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse Racing available for visitors.
The T4K booth was a smash hit, with kids and parents alike stopping by to visit. The exhibit featured horseshoes, educational posters of horses, harness, and more along with Trot 4 Kids magazines, activity books, and tattoos.
Driver Scott Young was popular with the younger set and was one of the VIPs in the Fan Zone, along with Hall of Famer jockey Sandy Hawley, and Pan Am Medalists Lorraine Stubbs and Martina von Buttlar, who greeted attendees, posed for photos and provided autographs.
In the main ring, horses and ponies wowed audiences throughout the day. Demonstrations included the athletic sport of Ride and Tie, exotic Arabian horses at liberty, a powerful Percheron team and the country’s equestrian symbol, the Canadian horse.
Medieval Times treated fans to a special performance with three stunning Spanish stallions, and the Toronto Police Services Mounted Unit showed off the training that goes into their brave steeds. As an IGNITE Ontario event, Horse Day also showcased the exciting disciplines of Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing.
Young horse lovers created their dream ponies at the Breyer Stablemates painting station and learned about the equine skeletal system at Equine Guelph’s educational EquiMania! booth.
Now in its seventh year, Ontario Horse Day is a province-wide initiative that was started by the Ontario Equestrian Federation (OEF) to introduce the public to horses in a safe, fun environment. Toronto Horse Day was made possible with assistance from the Riding Academy at the Horse Palace and Toronto Police Services Mounted Unit.
(with files from OEF)