Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, Old Ox Brewery Beer Garden, Orvis Fly-Fishing and Inova Concussion Awareness Demos at MARSGMI.

Great Meadow International | August 3, 2019
Photos courtesy of Great Meadow International

The MARS Great Meadow International (MARSGMI), featuring Olympic-level three day eventing competitors, will be held in The Plains, Virginia, August 22nd-25th.

Also joining the event will be the NVTRP, whose programs include therapeutic riding lessons and horsemanship activities, equine-assisted learning, equine-assisted psychotherapy, and hippotherapy. NVTRP will conduct a hippotherapy demonstration on Friday in the main arena during the lunch hour followed by a question and answer session with a licensed therapist.

NVTRP will also have ongoing programming of “Children’s Hands-On Horsemanship Activities with Teddy the Miniature Horse” in the Meadow Market for several hours following the hippotherapy demonstration on Friday and again on Saturday.

“We are thrilled with the opportunity to partner with the MARS Great Meadow Invitational to help spread the word about the power of equine-assisted therapies. Collaborating with such a respected organization allows us a powerful platform to share the amazing benefits of riding and working with horses for people working to overcome all sorts of challenges. Sincere thanks to the MARSGMI team for their generosity and creativity in making this collaboration possible,” said Kelsey Gallagher, NVTRP Executive Director.

Stay for additional demonstrations by Orvis, Hunt Country Canine, and the Inova Concussion Clinic. Enjoy beer, wine, and cider from Old Ox Brewery in the Meadow Market with dozens of fantastic vendors and wonderful offerings from unique food trucks.

For a complete schedule of events over the weekend, click here. All events and times are tentative. General weekend passes are $20, daily tickets are $5 on Friday, $10 on Sunday. Children under 12 get in free. Bring a donation to the shelter and get in free.

FRIDAY NOON
Hippotherapy Demonstration
Learn about hippotherapy in the main ring. A rapidly growing body of clinical research supports what NVTRP witnesses regularly–the power of hippotherapy to help clients realize results that surpass the outcomes they experience in a traditional clinical setting. TNVTRP’s Teddy—a miniature horse mascot—will be delighting MARSGMI’s young and young-at-heart guests in the adjacent Meadow Market on both Friday and Saturday.

FRIDAY 4PM/SATURDAY 11AM & 4PM/SUNDAY 9:30AM
Concussion Awareness
Learn about the signs and symptoms of concussion, what to do if you think you might have a concussion, and how to support recovery.

SATURDAY 4:30PM/SUNDAY 1PM
Fly-Fishing Lessons

Discover the joy of being on the water by learning about fly-fishing, including techniques and equipment. Hear about amazing trips organized for your enjoyment here in Virginia or abroad.

FRIDAY 5PM/SATURDAY 5PM/SUNDAY 12PM
Obedience/Directional/Detection Demos with Hunt Country Canine and TDK9
Watch retrieval, directional, and detection demonstrations with techniques from world renowned dog trainer Pat Nolan and local dog trainer Barry Magner. Discover how trained dogs are contributing to conservation through anti poaching efforts.

FRIDAY/SATURDAY/SUNDAY
10AM – 4PM
Adoptable Pets On Site
Come visit the sweet adoptable pets from the Middleburg Humane Foundation at the MARS VIPet tent. Bring a donation to MHF (canned cat food, dry cat food, kitty litter, bleach, paper towels, trash bags, laundry detergent, and liquid dish soap) and get into MARSGMI free! Read more about MARSGMI’s partnership with these important non-profit partners here.