ARCHIVE EQUINE NEWS STORIES

Story by: Monica Laane-Fralick

From April 5 -7, EquiMania! will once again be at the Can-Am Equine Expo in Markham, ON. If you think this exhibit is just for the kids, you are in for a surprise! We have something for all ages – the visual and interactive learning environment delights children and adults alike. Read on for the Sunday, Kids day, special prizes.

As you enter the EquiMania! exhibit, you are transported into the wonderful world of the horse. Displays are plentiful and enthusiastic helpers cannot wait to show you around and answer your questions. The first thing to catch many an eye is “Quattro,” a life-sized horse skeleton, usually accompanied by his human handler skeleton, “Winston.” “You will have to visit to find out why these two are paired up!,” says Equine Guelph director, Gayle Ecker with a wink.

The children will be dashing off to play hopscotch with the new “Stop, Think and Act” game, teaching them how to make the right choices to remain safe around the farm. Other hands-on activities include braiding a tail, “mystery boxes,” seeing what is in horse guts and so much more! Kids can continue their learning journey at EquiMania.ca and earn a printable certificate. On Sunday there will be a super exciting offer for Can-Am Kids Day.

The first 20 youth (13 – 17) entering Can-Am on Sunday morning will receive a voucher for the November online Horse Portal short course offering of Horse Behaviour and Safety!

As a visitor, you will be awed by the “Tree of Life” reproductive display, which shows the development of the foal right up to birth. After stopping at “The Feed Room”, you can discover how long the small intestine of the horse is, and how their digestive system is set up for trickle feeding. EquiMania! offers so many learning opportunities about the care and handling of horses and the inner workings of these magnificent and fascinating animals.

The Equine Guelph educational booth will be conveniently located right beside the EquiMania! exhibit. Check out online learning opportunities and find out why Equine Guelph is so popular with students of all ages.

Equine Guelph has partnered with the Can-Am Expo and Ontario Equestrian to expand the learning environment for attendees. New for 2019, EquiMania! will be located in Building #1, where you will also find the new lecture room via the Ontario Equestrian display. This area provides an educational hub for everyone in the horse industry – whether you are a beginner or a seasoned horse-person.

Visit the Artists’ Walk between buildings #1 and #2, where equine artists will be presenting their work. Each artist is donating an original piece to be auctioned off (before the Saturday Evening Extravaganza on April 6), with the proceeds being donated to Equine Guelph. The artists being featured this year are Shawn Hamilton, Nola McConnan, Janice Ykema, and Vickie Lawrence; you can visit all the artists before the show and visit the Can-Am website to learn more about them.

“Equine Guelph would like to thank the Can-Am team, our amazing volunteers and all our loyal sponsors: Esso, Greenhawk, Kubota Canada, Ontario Equestrian, Shur-Gain, SSG Gloves, Standardbred Canada, System Fencing, and Workplace Safety and Prevention Services,” says Equine Guelph director Gayle Ecker. “Our continued success would not be possible without their support!”

Bring your family, bring your questions, and join us at EquiMania! for the 14th year at the Can-Am Equine Expo. Unbridle your inner child, we guarantee you will have fun!

To book EquiMania! for your event in 2019, contact eq4kids@uoguelph.ca.