Beautiful Morven Park! Photo by Sally Spickard.
Eventing is sadly siloed from the non-horse community. It feels as though the days where the average person would attend a horse show as easily as going to the movies are long gone. Now that horses aren’t a part of everyone’s daily lives as either transportation or working partners, few people outside of the horse world know much of anything about how special they are. It’s time we welcomed non-horsey spectators into the fold and re-introduced them to the animals that worked and played alongside all of our ancestors.
To that end, I’ve created an itinerary for a day at a horse show and put it to the test. With the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials right around the corner, I built my itinerary around the venue’s hometown: Leesburg, Virginia. What makes this road trip so amazing is that it can become part of a larger itinerary where you get to see two back-to-back events that are just two hours away from each other: the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials (October 10th through the 13th) and the Maryland Five Star (October 17th through the 20th).
Everyone is welcome to the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trial on October 10th through the 13th. Spectators get free admission, unless they’d like to tailgate on Saturday or enter the VIP tent on Friday and Sunday. If you’re new to the sport of eventing, I’d highly recommend spending Saturday morning at the horse park to watch cross country, which is arguably the most exciting phase of the sport. Wear good walking shoes and if you’re unsure where to go, stick with the crowds. Spectators will want to gather by Morven Park’s newly expanded water jump which has essentially doubled in size, and will now be used by all FEI levels, not just the CCI3* and CCI4*.
Caitlin Silliman and Ally KGO compete at Morven Park. Photo by Erin Gilmore Photography.
Dogs are welcome at Morven Park, however, they must be leashed (with the other end of the leash securely in your hand!) and you must clean up after them. I was accompanied by my long-suffering mutt, Maddi. She definitely enjoyed walking on the cross country course with me and also got lots of treats and made plenty of new friends as we walked around Leesburg. The town is famously dog friendly. Knowing that many eventers bring their dogs with them to horse shows, I decided to put that reputation to the test. I’m happy to report, we had a wonderful day and you can absolutely bring your dog with you to downtown Leesburg. If you have a pup with you, look for the dog-friendly decal on store windows; many stores welcome your dog inside.
After spending your morning watching some of the best riders in the business tackle the Olympic level cross country course, hop in the car for a short 10-minute drive to Goosecup, the cutest cafe in Leesburg, in my opinion. The atmosphere there is very modern indie. What do the youths say? It’s very “brat.” …I think. I got the Hugo Grey tea, and it was delicious, like an Earl Gray, but instead of Bergamot Oil, there was a hint of grapefruit. Check out the amazing pastries in the glass case and remember that you’re an adult and have to practice self control. Then remember that you’re an adult, you make your own rules, and buy one.
Leesburg and Loudoun County are very dog-friendly!
Goosecup is directly across the street from the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (or the W & OD as the locals call it). It’s the perfect spot to take a walk with your tea or coffee, but watch out for cyclists. They’re very respectful but they tend to come in hot. I’d suggest walking on the grass. After a brisk walk, drive a few minutes up the road to the downtown public parking garage to take advantage of the free parking from Friday evening through Monday morning during the summer.
You can’t go wrong with simply wandering around downtown without a plan. Stores are welcoming and each one has something different to enjoy. But because I’m a planner, I had a list of stores and shops that I wanted to hit while I was in Leesburg, starting with the Birch Tree Bookstore.
Located right next to the downtown parking garage, Birch Tree Bookstore is a little maze of a shop, filled with books crammed into every corner in the front and with a beautiful plant store in the back. If you follow the signs to the outdoor courtyard, you’ll find a hidden spot where you can sit under a sun shade, read the book you just bought, and enjoy the plants surrounding you in what feels like your own version of a secret garden. If you’re not sure what to read, ask the clerks. They’re lovely and have some great recommendations. I picked up “Yellowface” by R. F. Kuang and can’t wait to crack it open.
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After that, I headed to SideBar Lounge for brunch and to try their Verdict cocktail, which was so pretty. Similar to a paloma, it was very grapefruit forward and had a beautiful heart design on the top of the drink. I would absolutely recommend the french toast with seasonal fruit, it had the perfect amount of whip cream and chocolatey hazelnut drizzle, topped with blueberries and strawberries.
Next, I headed to the Brick & Mortar Mercantile where Maddi got a treat and a couple pats and I toured a fun collection of products, from funny coasters to nice t-shirts. If you’re looking for a present for a man in your life, whether that’s your father, brother, or significant other, I’d definitely recommend stopping in there.
Before getting back in the car, I stopped at the Loudoun Museum. Now, you can’t bring your dog inside, but there is a beautiful mural to admire on the outside wall, as well as a few placards and a small exhibit on women’s suffrage next to a historic cabin. Hiding behind the Museum, next to the parking garage, is a quiet little garden with chairs and tables where you can sit and read before hopping in your car and driving on to your next destination.
Now, technically, you can walk to the Dodona Manor Gardens at the George C. Marshall International Center, however, if you’ve just walked the cross country course at Morven Park in the morning and around downtown Leesburg as well, you may want to drive a couple minutes. The entrance and parking is in the Dodona Manor Shopping Plaza. There are two dog-friendly, self-guided exterior tours you can take: a tree tour and an architectural tour. Interior docent-led tours are not dog-friendly and cost $15 dollars for adults. If you’re not much of a history buff, I’d still recommend going and at least checking out the grounds. For being tucked away in the center of Leesburg, it’s a remarkably quiet spot.
Driving just 15 minutes west of Leesburg, you’ll find Another Turn Tack, which has great prices on a variety of supplies. If you forgot anything you need for a competition at Morven Park, you’ll be able to find a replacement there. I picked up some much-needed Hawthorne Sole Pack for my barefoot Off the Track Thoroughbred and spent some time admiring some really nice four-fold stock ties that came in a variety of cute colors and patterns.
Finally, I ended the day with a glass of wine at The Barns at Hamilton Station. The wine was delicious. I’d highly recommend the 2021 Cascina, if you’re a white wine person like me. It’s full bodied, complex, and not too sweet. They have live music on the outdoor patio every weekend from 2 to 5 p.m. I was treated to the musical stylings of Steve Boyd and Friends, who performed an excellent rendition of Rocky Top.
If you’re starting to make your fall plans, I’d highly recommend adding Morven Park and Leesburg to your list. Whether you’re a die-hard eventer or haven’t seen a horse since you took a pony ride at the county fair when you were 8 years old, you’ll enjoy an amazing day in small town Virginia. After you’re done in Northern Virginia, you can take a scenic two-hour drive to Northern Maryland and enjoy more eventing action at the Maryland Five Star at Fair Hill.
This article is sponsored by Morven Park International Equestrian Center, where you can find Olympic-level eventing at a welcoming venue tucked away in the rolling hills of Northern Virginia. Join us at the Morven Park International & Fall Horse Trials this October! Reserve your tailgate spot to get up close to all the cross country action. Or, buy a VIP pass to watch dressage and show jumping from the best seat in the park.
