This is the sixth year for the event, which is free and open to the public.
ABOUT THE EVENT
“Horse Daze is the annual celebration of the relationship between MetroParks of Butler County and the Butler County Chapter of the Ohio Horsemen’s Council. The event provides up close and personal access to horses to MetroParks park customer/owners. The goal is for people to access horses and grow in their appreciation and love of equestrian activities, and for people to be able to experience a beautiful park they may not have visited before,” said Kelly Barkley, senior manager of community relations for the Butler County MetroParks.
The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Elk Creek MetroPark’s Sebald Park Area at 5580 Elk Creek Road in Middletown. All-day activities will include entertainment and tractor-drawn hayrides as well as plenty of horse-related activities, including horse rides, a horse photo opportunity, and Ferrier and grooming demonstrations. There will also be a Kid’s Corral with a jumps course, boot leg races, face painting and stick-horse making.
Children and adults alike will have an opportunity to ride a horse. All activities, except for the tractor-drawn hayride are horse-centered activities, including the games.
ABOUT THE HORSE TRAILS
The event was built around providing visibility to the horse trails at Elk Creek MetroPark, Sebald Park Area, in Madison Township, Barkley said. The park has approximately nine miles of horse trails available for free, with a motor vehicle permit, to Butler County residents, who want to trailer their horses into the park. These equestrian trails are the only free horse trails available in Butler County.
Since its inception, the event has been co-sponsored by the Butler County Chapter of the Ohio Horseman’s Council, who built the horse trails at Sebald Park and maintains them as a volunteer organization. The trails and the event would not be possible without the Horseman’s Council.
“This is a hugely popular event. One would think that it would appeal only to children, who have never had the opportunity to experience horseback riding or horses; however, the event delights both younger folks as well as adults. All ages who have never been exposed to the equestrian activities flock to the event to see, touch and ride horses,” Barkley said.
WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Horse Daze
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
WHERE: Elk Creek MetroPark, (Elk Creek MetroPark’s Sebald Park Area,) 5580 Elk Creek Road, Middletown
COST: Free, donations accepted.
MORE INFO: www.YourMetroParks.net or call (513) 867-5835. Donations from the event will benefit the Butler County Chapter of the Ohio Horsemen's Council. Park permits are free to Butler County residents. Non-Residents Motor Vehicle Permits are $5/day and $10/annually.
2017 Horse Daze activities will include:
• Horse rides
• Hayrides
• Horse photo opportunities
• Demonstrations regarding horses and their care
• Games and activities of all types
• Food and drinks will be available for purchase
Volunteers help to make the event possible. Those interested can sign up to help in three different ways:
1) Register a horse: https://form.jotform.us/70785611650154
2) Volunteer for horse-related activities: https://form.jotform.us/70785767781171
3) Volunteer for non-horse related activities: https://form.jotform.us/70876219545162
Forms are also available at the “Welcome Center” at VOA MetroPark at 7850 VOA Park Drive, West Chester and MetroParks administration building at 2051 Timberman Road, Hamilton. For more information call MetroParks at (513) 867-5835.
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