ARCHIVE EQUINE NEWS STORIES

Story: Jackie Bellamy-Zions

EquiMania! will be trotting into Toronto to celebrate a decade of entertaining Royal Agricultural Winter Fair visitors this November 4 - 13! Equimaniacs can expect their favorite interactive exhibits and several new activities to join the well-travelled, award-winning display.

“We're proud to have EquiMania! joining The Royal for the 10th year,“ says Charlie Johnstone, CEO of The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. “Educating the public on animals and agriculture is a core mandate of The Royal and we're thrilled to be working with EquiMania! to offer an interactive education centre at the Fair, which is often the first time parents and kids can engage with horses.“

Come see the impressive new 'Tree of Life' equine reproduction station, showcasing the stages of foal development complete with a video featuring the birth of a foal! Fantastic clay models and artwork illustrate the different stages of fetal development. Each stage of growth from first heartbeat to the forming of hooves and hair is captured in this amazing new display. Visitors will also leave with knowledge of nutritional requirements of the mare during pregnancy, lactation, growth of the foal and responsible breeding.

'Shorty Legs' will have a whole new look as he gets dressed up to go off to the races! Saddle up again and learn a thing or two about the different racing disciplines in Ontario. This fiberglass horse is a barn favorite the kids want to ride on every year. Have your camera ready.

Check out new the barn fire prevention resources and play the popular EquiMania! Explorer game. Kids and parents will learn more about horses and safety inside the stable and out, around equipment and when handling them. The EquiMania! Explorer Passport makes learning fun as the kids collect stamps while they accumulate horse sense.

Equine Guelph, in partnership with the Ontario Equestrian Federation, will be promoting Ticket to Ride for a third time at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. The Ticket to Ride program is proving hugely popular offering youth an opportunity for a FREE introductory riding lesson (or introduction to horses) at participating OEF member riding facilities. Visit EquiMania! for more details.

Girl Guide night is another feature returning on Wednesday evening November 9th. Club members will participate in an exciting itinerary of activities working towards earning their Horse Power Badge followed by a special presentation by OEF in the Animal Theatre. EquiMania! looks forward to welcoming the Girl Guides and showing them interesting equine facts like how their anatomy effects function.

“Equine Guelph is proud to be presenting EquiMania! for its tenth year at the Royal,“ says Gayle Ecker, Director of Equine Guelph. “We are passionate about getting kids and adults excited about horses and thanks to the generosity of our loyal partners and volunteers, we are able to celebrate this wonderful milestone!“

Equine Guelph would like to thank the Royal Winter Fair for bringing EquiMania to their Education Centre and our sponsors for their continued support: Greenhawk, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian Federation, Shur-Gain, Standardbred Canada, SSG Gloves, System Fencing, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services and Zoetis. Equine Guelph is looking forward to another busy year of touring with EquiMania in 2017!

To book EquiMania! for your event in 2017, contact eq4kids@uoguelph.ca

Equine Guelph is the horse owners' and care givers' Centre at the University of Guelph in Canada. It is a unique partnership dedicated to the health and well-being of horses, supported and overseen by equine industry groups. Equine Guelph is the epicentre for academia, industry and government – for the good of the equine industry as a whole.

For further information, visit EquineGuelph.ca.