Be prepared for a few things when you go to see Cavalia, the cirque-style equine show under the massive big top at Canada Olympic Park. When it comes to the show itself, prepared to be amazed. For everything else, prepare to be annoyed.

With one entrance into Canada Olympic Park, traffic quickly becomes a nightmare, so arrive early. Opening night was delayed starting by several minutes due to so many people still fighting to get in. One would have hopedafter the disaster that was Virgin-Fest 2 years ago, COP may have a better plan to accommodate thousands of people trying to access the park, which itself has limited transit. Plan to arrive early to get the parking closer to the tent, and avoid the congestion.

Be prepared to spend money. A visit to the concession will make a movie theatre seem cheap. Washing down the $7 bag of popcorn with a $5 bottle of pop, or an $8 tiny glass of wine leaves a bit of a sour taste in one's mouth. Then head over to the merch stand to purchase a DVD ($35), T-shirt ($35), or stuffed official Cavalia horse ($75!!!!!). While ticket prices range from a reasonable $39 for a child ticket to $199 for a full experience (including a stable tour), those that want a memory of the event will find themselves shelling out even more.

Sitting down I was admittedly a little grouchy. I was wet, frustrated from the traffic, and annoyed with being gouged. Then two 11 month old colts, rescued in Alberta, trotted onto the massive stage in front of us and all of my frustrations were quickly forgotten.

Cavalia blends the talents of riders and acrobats with the horses themselves. In the first act, the horses are not featured as much as the marketing implied, but that quickly changed in the second act which was much for more pony-filled (there you go Brad!)

A large screen projects multimedia images, a live band plays behind it. People dive on bungee chords over the audience and show incredible balance on each other and on horses. Paper leaves and foam snow cascade from the sky. If you are sitting in the front two rows you will likely get sand kicked onto you by horse or human. There is so much going on that it at times takes your breath away.

The highlight for me is Grande Liberte late in the second act, when the incredibly talented Sylvia Zerbini seemingly controls a small herd of horses using only the power of her mind. While it lacks the spectacle of some other parts of the show, the intimacy of one human and the horses is unmatched in it's beauty.

After an intense finale of horses racing across the stage while their riders balanced around them and flew through the air, Cavalia ended as it began, with the two colts standing casually on the stage. One of them promptly pooped, showing that there are some things you can't train a horse NOT to do, and being one of the few occassions where such an act results in a few thousand people going "awwwwhhh."

With over 35,000 tickets sold in Calgary, Cavalia has already extended it's run three times, currently going until June 26^th. Whether a horse lover, a lover of a "Cirque" style theatre, or a casual person looking for a enjoyable night out, Cavalia offers something astounding to take in and is well worth the ticket price.