The 27th Annual Horse Parade

This year was my third Feria de las Flores, and my third horse parade. Aside from the Flower Parade, this event, more than any other, sums up the paisa spirit to me.

In 2010 I read there were 6,000 horses in the parade. This year, Viviana told me she heard there were 12,000 horses, while a veterinary student/volunteer we questioned said she’d heard over 20,000 horses!

Whatever the number, there was an endless stream of horses parading through Medellin from 12pm to 6pm three Sundays ago.

As I’ve done in the past, we began walking along the route from the Aguacatala metro station. Unlike prior years, it went as far north as the Poblado metro station, before looping across the river and continuing on the southbound side of the highway.

It was on this side that all the palcos (private boxes) were set up. This was the party side, and it was extremely crowded. We were soon squeezing through crowds in a manner similar to when I was pickpocketed in 2010.

I was testing out pick-pocket proof pants by Clothing Arts, but I didn’t want to push my luck, so we caught a taxi back toward the Poblado metro station, where we watched a little longer, before calling it a wrap.