Equine Affaire 2014

So I've been putting off this post because I wanted to take nice pictures of everything I bought at EA, but that just isn't happening, so you're getting a post with janky-ass pictures.  Sorry.

Equine Affaire has been an event that I look forward to and attend ever since I was a little girl.  I refer to it as "Horsey-Con" to non horse people, and it truly is a sort of equine mecca.  There are years I have gone and bought absolutely nothing, because the deals can be hit or miss, but there is something about being in a place that is absolutely brimming with other horse people that draws me there time and time again.

For those of you that aren't familiar, Equine Affaire truly is a horse convention of sorts.  There are clinics, breed demonstrations, demo rides, and vendors representing every single facet of the horse world.  From high end tack shops to farming equipment, you'd be hard pressed to need something that WASN'T there.

I almost always go with a friend, C, and this was also the first year I brought my 14 year old sister, who also rides.  It's safe to say we were way more excited to show her everything than she was to even go :)

I definitely walked away with more than I have in previous years, but I didn't even spend $120!! I was pretty proud of myself and definitely scored some awesome deals.  The haul included...

A zebra print turnout sheet.  Mollie didn't even need one, but it's zebra print and was only $19.99.  Done deal.  Side note, Mollie had a perfectly good turn out sheet but chose to tear it to shreds the day after I purchased this one.  Clearly she knew there was another in the wings.

Safari Molls in her natural environment

Like some fellow bloggers I was very excited to stop by the Mango Bay booth!!  Pam could not have been nicer and was surprised (pleasantly, I hope!) at how many people recognized her belts from blog-land.  The belt that I wanted was no longer available in my size, but Pam heard me commenting to C, and immediately told me to grab any one off the hook and she would cut it down to size.  So nice!!

All the pretties

Photo stolen from the mango bay site, because lazies.

Other purchases included a pair of no-name breeches for a whopping $15.  Again, no photo because they're already in the wash but they fit well, have pink knee patches, and did I mention they were $15?  I also picked up two halters for some of the ponies at the lesson barn, then it was off to watch the David O'Connor clinic.

Panoramic of the Colosseum.

Most of the clinicians at EA post what they are looking to do in each clinic, and then local riders can apply and be selected to participate in the clinic, which is way cool in my opinion.  This year however, David O'Connor did things a little differently.  He brought 3 riders with him that train in his program year round, to really show "what he does" each day.  I was a little disappointed at first, but he was right in saying that some of the clinics there turn into dealing with a horse's nervousness because of the venue (it is overwhelming).  And I will admit, it was pretty cool to see some "up and coming" grand prix, four star riders.

The clinic didn't disappoint, and I did like most of what he had to stay but we didn't stay for the entirety of the clinic.

All in all it was another very successful EA in the books and I already can't wait for next year.