Hi! Who all is headed to EA this year? It starts tomorrow and through the weekend. I’m bringing saddles to sell at the consignment area so I’ll be there tomorrow for the day. The EA is …shrinking. I wonder how many more years it will be in existence honestly. Still - it’s only 20 minutes away from my barn. I can’t NOT go - right? Lol
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I will be there. I was on the fence but there are a couple of demos I want to see.
Well, Covid sure shrank it, and last year was echoing-empty. But a lot of people I know are going (and riding, and selling, and manning booths) who weren’t last year. So maybe it’s perking up.
I can’t go this year because I’m going to be on the Left Coast, but I would have – just to see all my friends in one place.
I might swing through on Friday, I want to sit in some Erreplus saddles and I think they’re there.
Nah. I went a couple of times and came away with the impression that it was just one huge infomercial. Didn’t find any real shopping bargains either. Not for me.
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What I go for is the demos, and breed and club booths. I have friends who are part of the Lippitt Morgan, Dales Pony, and Canadian Horse communities and get to see those and other less common breeds. I rarely buy much, I’m too picky a shopper. But I get an in-person overview of what’s out there. If I was going this year I would look at horse trailers, for one thing.
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I’m going tomorrow (Friday). I’ll keep y’all posted on the time, I think early morning. I will be with my sister and her three toddlers – if you see someone pushing a huge triple decker baby carriage, just know that’s me and come say hi. 
@Joyrider where is the consignment area? It’s been a few years since I’ve gone, I’ll come stop by!
-Lauren
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I’m going tomorrow (Friday) as well. Not to shop, but to meet a friend who published a book. I stopped going after I came home with a horse. A foster horse – not a purchase – but I don’t need any excuse to shop.
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Oh no! I am further away, but have quite a few times and loved it. With a house, horses and my job I can’t go.every year. I am sorry to hear all of this. Last time I went was 2019.
The first times I went, a lot of the free samples were full sized!
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I haven’t been in a few years. I’d like to go but am having a minor surgery on Friday and not sure I’ll be up for the drive… Plus I won’t be able to lift anything heavier than 5 pounds, so no shopping…
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A friend and I are going today!
I live in Columbus Ohio and find it well, shocking, how few of my horse friends go for the education. Every year for what 30 yrs or more I print out the full days offering and WOW never enough time and things overlapping and trying to fit it all in.
What a HUGE missed opportunity by so many.
At this years Massachusetts event…
You’ve got Olympians for God’s sake: Steffen Peters teaching at all levels, Phillip Dutton on cross country and jumping. Mike Major - Road to the Horse winner and all around horseman, Brandi Lyons - same. Etc etc. I’d bet nearly presenter has something you can come away with that is worthwhile.
Kelly Jones makes custom bridles and doing a seminar on fit. Jim Masterson and Jenna Encheff on bodywork and PT, Nick Attwood on footing. Mark Bolendar on mountain trail. The list goes on.
If I had a trust fund and could afford getaways I’d be there all four days running from one event to the next.
Oh, and Alicia Harlov with the Humble Hoof podcast has a booth. What a podcast. She’s a trailblazer. Ya’ll need to stop by her booth.
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I used to go annually starting in 2001 with a friend whose brother lives 15 minutes away. Fantasia that year was a few weeks after 9/11 and was one of the best patrioric shows you will ever see. Our last visit was in 2018. 2019 we stayed home for a clinic and what turneed out to be my last lesson with Susan Harris. She died in 2021. I treasure a video a friend made. I put my horse down in July 2022 and my friend’s brother moved.
Julie Goodnight has a session on riding into your 90s. She did one in 2017 that was terrific. I was one of the babies in the audience, a youthful 69. She had a lot of good advice including increasing core strength by standing in the stirrups – i made it to trotting. Also monitor your posture multiple times daily so you don’t develop a hump…I’ll add to that. Ditch the smart phone.
It was better in the earlier years, more BNTs and specilaists. There also were far more nationally recognizerd vendors in the Better Living Center. It has always been the only real horse expo in New England. Cost of having a booth went up quite a bit. I expect the market is shrinking in terms of number of owners, horses, and overall financial potential. Still, it was always a lot of fun. And no matter how hard you tried to avoid it, you always found somehting you didn’t know you needed hidden in one the booths.
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I was there yesterday. Saw two Steffen Peters sessions and one by Phillip Dutton. Amazing. Incredible. All very inspirational.
When I first started going I was much more new to horses and tended to spend more time shopping than watching. That has totally flipped and I get much more out of it now.
Also, when I bought a small farm and was renovating my barn, I dragged my husband there for a day of exclusively looking at stall fronts, flooring, footing, etc. where else can you find so much stuff all in one place? And you get to put your hands on it rather than just ordering online and hoping for the best.
I actually almost got out yesterday without buying too much, but the last hour was $$$. 
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A barn friend is there and has been posting on IG and now I have FOMO. I definitely will look in to going next year.
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Heh. It’s always the last hour when that happens.
My barnmate rode with Chelsea Canady. She was a GREAT clinician. I also watched Stephen Peters, Phillip Dutton, Brendan Wise (who I wasn’t familiar with but found to be an amazing teacher) Kelly Jones was super interesting and may have an order from me, I think I’m going to splurge! I also got some good deals at State Line and picked up some feed info I will explore in more depth later. The vendors were much batter this year than last I thought.
Wow. Yes, I listened to an EA podcast with Kelly Jones and LIKE WOW. She received the Queen Elizabeth scholarship for leatherworks and she worked on a bridle (or apprenticed) for Valegro!
AND, because of her podcast I REALLY examined the bridle on my young guy we’re just starting and a mustang to boot and he hasn’t been crazy about the bit etc. Have him now happy in a KK Ultra BUT thought my mystical hunk DESERVES a bridle that fits perfectly. The buckles are sitting too close to his TMJ bones. And yes, I thought of her making it.
Could you share back what you learn in the way of cost? Thank you for the post back!
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Here’s the podcast interview w Kelly
https://horsesinthemorning.com/equine-affaire-professional-bridle-fitter-equestrian-fitness-performance-coach-for-aug-17-2023/
I think she said they start at 420£ not including shipping etc…
