UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Equine Experience at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days returns this year with crowd-favorite demonstrations for everyone from casual spectators to avid horse enthusiasts.
During the three-day event, Aug. 13-15, visitors can attend demonstrations and interact with Penn State equine science faculty and staff to learn about horse health and care.
Located at the top of Main Street at the Ag Progress Days site, the Equine Arena and Equine Exhibits Building will showcase the versatility of the horses.
“As always, we will have three busy days packed with demonstrations for visitors,” said Danielle Smarsh, equine extension specialist and associate professor of equine science in the College of Agricultural Sciences. “Whether you are interested in draft horses, minis or the everyday horse, we have something for everyone.”
Equine science faculty, staff and members of the Pennsylvania Equine Council will be available to answer questions and provide information on equine-related topics in the Equine Exhibits Building throughout the three-day show. Arena demonstrations cover topics for every interest and horsemanship level.
The full schedule of events is available online. Highlights include:
- Spring Mount Percherons, owned and shown by David and Linda Hershey, of Warriors Mark, will be on-site all three days to host the popular six-horse hitch demonstrations.
- Bear Hill Logging demonstrations each day are an interactive way to learn more about horse logging and restorative forestry. Bear Hill specializes in low-impact timber management, selective harvests and wetlands logging.
- The Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association (CATRA) Youth Ambassadors will be showing off their miniature horses. The Wednesday Evening Extravaganza will include a demonstration from Spring Mount Percherons followed by a miniature horse jumping derby featuring CATRA Youth Ambassadors.
- Penn State Extension’s 4-H Team Horse Power — comprising teens interested in the equine industry who have passed the first two levels of the Pennsylvania 4-H Horsemanship Skills Program — will host demonstrations on basic safety and horsemanship. Team Horse Power representatives teach horsemanship and safety skills at clinics, camps and workshops throughout Pennsylvania while promoting the 4-H program.
- Rick Shaffer of R&S Paso Fino, of Somerset, will return for two breed clinics and riding demonstrations.
- Visitors can learn the basics of handling and training young horses in demonstrations with American Quarter Horses from the Penn State Horse Barn.
- The Keystone Dressage and Combined Drill Team will return to Ag Progress Days to put their horses through their paces.
- Gail Eichelberger, current president of the Pennsylvania Equine Council, and her husband, Richard Eichelberger, will speak about ways to “Connect With Your Horse.”
Sponsored by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 13; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 14; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 15. Admission and parking are free.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. The official hashtag for social media is #agprogressdays, and the event also can be found on Facebook.