back from the Big City.

We returned this evening from the Northeast Equine Expo exhausted and excited at the same time. It was probably one of the best events we've been to as far as exposure and contacts made. The Hollywood horses Oscar/Hidalgo and one that played Secretariat in the upcoming movie were the featured draw but at the last minute the Secretariat star didn't come so that left Oscar and Tori in the spotlight!!! And of course with Oscar comes his Spanish Mustang friends Thunder and Augustine.

First off I have to say thank you to the crew from The Center that came to help out. Joanne (PJ), Jo, Deirdre and Jim O'Malley (fellow Spanish Mustang horse owners)from Long Island , Brian and Big Brian Benoit, and Eliza acting as animal wrangler, photographer, and go-fer. And without Elizabeth feeding the horses back at home, I would not have been able to go...so a BIG thank you. Thanks Kara for lending us the saddle too! My friend Kim let me borrow her big trailer, and without her generosity we would have had to ride the horses there!!!!

It was really an increbile group. We had some serious laughing sessions, moments of shedding of tears over how proud we were of our horses while Tori and I rode them in a 6 minute presentation ON the Belmont race track! That was SO cool. We were on the Jumbo Tron, too. I didn't know what a jumbo tron was... for those of you who don't get out much, like me, (it's that huge screen next to the race results on the track).

Riding on the track was such a thrill. (did I say that already?!) Just Tori on Oscar all in western attire, and me on Thunder in our english gear. We cantered/galloped past the grandstands right after a race. Thanks to videographer Jim O. we have this on video and do have pictures of it too. We will post them on Facebook after I get some sleep.

The next big thrill was all of the photo's that were taken under our tent. The expo provided us with a beatiful "winners circle" set for professional photos to be taken of Tori and Oscar and then of Thunder during the painted pony activity. We had people lined up for their pictures with the horses.

The Colonial spanish horses and I had three television interviews that went really well. I finally feel like I can talk, smile and show enthusiasm while a camera and mic is in my face. Thunder was a ham with the camera for sure. Augustine much to my suprise hid behind Thunder most of the weekend. We ended up keeping them in the same stall after Thunder made it clear he didn't want to be seperated from his buddy. They weren't really close friends at home but he got attached to Augustine on the ride there.

How rewarding it was to hear from the attendees of this first year event that they came specifically to see the Spanish horses. The only other Spanish Mustangs in New York City/Long Island area are Deirdre and Jim's mare and gelding. Although their horses didn't attend the event J and D had prepped their horse community about our appearance. People were really complimentary on how well behaved and how beautiful our horses were.

Tor and I had two presentations in the arena on our horses. Again, some great photos were taken (will post soon!). The sound system failed but people got the idea and our new script hit on everything people needed to know. Oscar and Tori also were part of the parade on the track. They went on their own as I opted out on riding Thunder in it due to schedule conflicts (mostly exhaustion actually).

Althought there were a few glitches here and there along the way, for the most part I found people so helpful and friendly in NY. We have been invited to NY over the summer to present at a polo match, a rodeo, and to be featured at a ground breaking event for one of the oldest stables in the area, followed by me teaching clinics there.

Was it worth the $ spent, the time, the 5 days of early mornings and late nights? Yes...it certainly was. When I'm in the middle of the stress of it all(getting turned around in the city, blowout on a trailer tire, dealing with the wind tearing down our display,) I did wonder why am I doing this to myself! All I have to do is see the gleam in a childs eye when they pet one of the horses, or watch an adult get all excited about meeting the horse that was in their favorite movie, and it does make it all worthwhile.

I'd do it again---but let me get some sleep and catch up on correspondence first. Between moving the horses to the new property , Everything Equine event, then 14 days in Switzerland, and 5 days in NY all in 8 weeks, I'm kind of ready to stay home for a bit and focus on things here like lessons, camps and new horses coming in.