Visitors trot out to Danada festival to see horses in action

Horses were the stars Sunday at the annual Danada Fall Festival, a celebration of the Danada Equestrian Center's heritage and history.

The horses did a little of everything at the festival. They showed off skill and discipline during dressage demonstrations. They showed toughness during a "cowboy mounted shooting" event. And they showed how they can be a therapeutic presence in the lives of people with special needs.

The festival also offered food and live music, as well as a plethora of children's activities.

Kelli McConnell of Wheaton brought her sons, Edward, 7, and Flynn, 9, to the festival.

"Some friends of theirs had been before, and told them there would be pony rides," McConnell said. "Now they want to stay to see some of the trick riding later on. We'll see if they can last that long.

"I'm really glad we came, though. It's a great reason to be out on a beautiful morning."

Friends for Therapeutic Equine Activities, a Winfield organization that provides horseback-riding programs to children and adults with special needs, was once again a part of the fest.

Nancy Winkelman, FETA's program director, said interacting with horses can have positive effects on people with physical or mental/emotional challenges.

"We've had cases where riding has improved someone's balance or helped build up their core strength," she said. "And we've served a number of people on the autism spectrum who say that the time they spend with the horse makes them calmer, makes it easier for them to organize their thoughts."

The Danada Fall Festival is the largest special event hosted by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. It has attracted more than 10,000 visitors in the past, and on a day that started out with picture-perfect weather, organizers said they expected to match that total.