Hundreds of Horses

Being back here in Paraguay is such an amazing feeling. I love both the old memories and the new experiences. So far, my favorite experience has definitely been the Horse Parade in Carapegua. We all met at the town plaza at 9 am, where we were told that we would be watching horses from all over the area come and perform. This definitely did not prepare me for the extravagant sight I’d be seeing.

Horses at the San Juan Festival

After a couple of hours of standing around and waiting, we heard many clicks approaching. Hundreds and hundreds (maybe even thousands) of horses filled the streets of the small town known as San Juan.

The riders brought in their best and strongest horses, which were all lined up perfectly, dressed in lavish costumes and some performing little dances.

Two Boys

After about an hour of watching the horses and their riders walk by, there was a rush to the stadium. Walking into that stadium, I had never seen so many horses in my entire life! People gathered in like mad men to see the event of the year. The horses stood in the middle of the field, performing acts and dances. Around the perimeter of the field were countless riders, riding their horses around the field. People were filled with excitement and energy as they watched the horses perform. It was so incredible being there and seeing so many people and so many horses.

It’s so great to see because it’s so different than anything I’ve ever seen in the United States. People that didn’t even know each other were so helpful and friendly to each other. They were constantly watching out for inexperienced riders, and helping those who had trouble controlling their horses. I even got to ride one of the horses, and trust me, it is so much harder than it looks. This definitely was something I’ll never forget, it was such an amazing experience.

Maddy, Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School