Have a Haunted Horseback Halloween!

By: Brittany Bevis

Is you’re horse a little spoooooky? While typically not a desirable trait in an equine companion, he will fit in perfectly this upcoming Halloween weekend! Since Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, there are plenty of haunted hayrides, moonlit trail rides, and horseback costume competitions taking place all over the US.

We’ve rounded up just a few in the list below.

2015 Halloween Horse Events:

Virginia- “Hallogreen” at the Virginia Horse Center- October 30-31, 2015- Featured musicians will include Dangermufin, The Folly, Space Case, DJ Jah Bear, and Laser Lex. Camping and RV hookups will be available on the Horse Center Grounds. Wear a costume!

Kentucky- “HalloWhinny” at the Kentucky Horse Park– October 31, 2015- Two presentations of HalloWhinny will take place on Saturday, one at 11 am and one at 2 pm, at the Breeds Barn at the Kentucky Horse Park. Horses and riders are known to dress up in elaborate, terrifying, or even adorable costumes and perform routines set to music. The word is some of the costumes this year will include Beauty and the Beast, the Minions, Harry Potter, Batman and Robin, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh, Jurassic Park, and The Lone Ranger and Tonto.

Haunted Trails of Whispering Woods in Georgetown, KY- October 30-31- Take a terrifying wagon ride throughout the woods. Tickets are $10 a victim. The first wagon ride leaves at 8:00 pm and runs every 20 minutes until the last wagon at 10:00 pm.

Georgia– Georgia International Horse Park- October 31, 2015- Put Your Breast Hoof Forward, ACTHA Trail Ride- The trails at the Georgia International Horse Park will be “pinked out” on Halloween weekend for three ACTHA events to support the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Research. There will be vendors and demonstrations on Friday and Saturday evening and a Survivor and Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday night. Luminary bags will be available for purchase for $10. On Saturday, there will also be an awards ceremony for the CTC and AOC rides. Then, after the Sunday CTC, there will be more awards presented to riders who participate in all three events.

Pennsylvania– Horseback Tour of Gettysburg Battlefield- Hickory Hollow Farm provides guided horseback tours of the historic Gettysburg battlefield for groups of 10-14.

Florida– Haunted Horse-A-Ween Spectacular- October 30 and 31st from 6-10 pm. Join the In The Breeze Ranch crew for Haunted Hayrides through the woods ($6), Pony Rides ($5), and Moonlite Trail Ride ($50). Come in your costume to enjoy candy, free prizes, storytelling, and a campfire.

If a relaxing trail ride sounds more your speed, there are several American Competitive Trail Horse Association events scheduled for this Halloween weekend.

ACTHA Trail Rides

• Oct. 31- Waynesville, Ohio- Groundhogs, Ghouls, and Turkeys, Oh My- AOC
• Oct. 31- Rock, West Virginia- Mountain Trail Stables Halloween Party
• Oct. 31- Ingram, TX- First of 2 AOC’s Halloween weekend Buckle Series
• Oct. 31- Lecanto, Florida- Withlacootchee Fall- AOC and Halloween Ride
• Oct. 31- Lincoln, Arkansas- Baron Fork Fall Brouhaha Ride #2

Whether you plan to dress up your horse for a local competition or head out for some trick or treating, we’d love to see your Halloween Horse photos! Share a snapshot of your equine companion dressed in his spooky best, your terrifying stall decorations, or an equine-themed pumpkin. Email to b.bevis@equinechronicle.com and you might see them on our website or Facebook page.

Horse Fears

Creepy clowns, spooky skeletons, and vicious vampires are among the many terrifying sights you might encounter on Halloween. But the things your horse finds frightening are a bit different. What’s your horse’s greatest fear? Plastic bags blowing in the breeze? A rickety bridge over a river? Loud noises?

Just for a bit of fun, we’ve compiled a list of possible horse-related fears.

If you’re a horse owner, you might have…

• Chrometophobia- Fear of money, losing money, or spending money
• Kakorrhaphiophobia- Fear of defeat ( in a competition)
• Athazagoraphobia- Fear of forgetting something (perhaps to pack in the trailer…)
• Trichopathophobia- Fear of growing hair (on your horse during show season)
• Ergophobia- Fear of going back to work (after a horse show)

If you’re a horse, you might have...

• Equinophobia- Fear of other horses
• Planocphobia- Fear of plastic bags
• Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes
• Hydrophobia- Fear of water
• Neophobia- Fear of anything new
• Papyrophobia- Fear of paper
• Trypanophobia- Fear of shots
• Octophobia- Fear of the figure 8
• Phonophobia- Fear of loud sounds