A deep plunge of cold air is coming just in time for Valentine’s Day this year, which may not make you enjoy heading out with the horses quite so much. But if your heart yearns only for horses, no matter the weather, you can still feed that hunger.
VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER
The Polar Bear Horse Show is a very aptly named event this year. The hunter schooling show will be held in the East Complex at the center. The event includes classes on the flat and over fences and begins at 8:30 both Saturday and Sunday. Casual attire is permitted except in the equitation classes. Find the schedule of classes here.
TAKE A ROAD TRIP
- Clinic: Lana Affemann Performance-Horses and Stark Performance Horses will be holding a clinic on grooming your horse and showing in halter and showmanship Feb. 14-15 in Smithfield, Va. (4-hour drive from Roanoke.) For more information or to RSVP, contact Hillary Stark at Hrstark184@yahoo.com or (757)705-3648.
- Gymnastics Clinic with Paul Ebersole at Morven Park’s indoor arena in Leesburg, Va. (3-hour drive). Lessons will last one hour for groups of three or four riders, for all levels from Green horses and going up through the Eventing levels (Baby BN, BN, N,T,P,I) Ebersole will also offer a cross country clinic Feb 28-Mar 1st at Morven. Cost is $90 per horse which includes Morven’s ring fee. Auditors are welcome to watch at no charge. To sign up, please email Pat Palmer at ppalmerwheatland@aol.com.
ONLINE
If you’d rather just stay wrapped up in a blanket inside during this bitter weekend, thankfully these days you can do so and still be at the horse show.
- The USEFnetwork is streaming several events live this weekend from Ocala, Florida. Thursday at 2 p.m. is the $34,000 FEI Thursday Prix. Friday at 1 p.m. watch the $200,000 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup. Forget the packed restaurants on Valentine’s Day and make your reservation with your computer for the $100,000 WCHR Peter Wetherill Palm Beach Hunter Spectacular at 7 p.m. instead. On Sunday, close out the weekend with the $150,000 FEI Ocala Grand Prix CSIO4* at 2 p.m.
- The 60th annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show will be streaming live on iEquine.com now through Feb. 22. The Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show is held at WestWorld in north Scottsdale, Arizona, and attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators.
- IEquine.com will also broadcast live the Tamworth Peel River Produce Indoor Show Jumping Championships from Australia on Feb. 13-15. Find the live feed for the event here.
A LOOK AHEAD
- Hollins Spring Welcome Horse Show, Feb. 26 – March 1, Virginia Horse Center
- Pennsylvania Horse World Expo, March 5-8, Harrisburg
- Spring Breakout AQHA Show, March 21-22, Virginia Horse Center
- Virginia Horse Festival, March 27-29, The Meadow Event Park, Doswell, Va.
- Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 25-26, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington, Ky.
Roanoke Equestrian 