360 cubic metres of horse poo — and 8 other things you didn’t know about Olympia

It is the equestrian Christmas extravaganza of the year — whether it is watching exciting showjumping action, indulging in the shopping or marveling at the dressage — Olympia is the place to be this week for every horse enthusiast.

But do you know exactly what it takes to transform the venue into the spectacle we all enjoy? H&H reveals the facts and figures from the London International Horse Show (15-21 December 2015).

1. Watch 400 equines in actionThroughout the seven-day show more than 400 horses and ponies will take to the Olympia arena, competing in showjumping, dressage, showing and more. A total of 230 horseboxes will be used to transport the equine stars into London.

2. Top riders will be among the 300 competitorsAcross the disciplines, there will be an almighty 300 riders competing during the show — 66 of which are FEI competitors.

3. That’s a lot of horse poo!The horses will reside in more than 285 temporary stables put up inside the venue. Some 50 bales of hay and a further 85 bales haylage will be munched on — while the horses will sleep on a total of 32 tonnes of bedding. Finally, a rather smelly fact — 360 cubic metres of horse poo is produced each year…

Continued below…

Watch Olympia Horse Show on TV

If you can’t make Olympia this year, there are plenty of ways to keep up with all the action

4. The people working behind the scenes…

There will be eight vets on duty during Olympia, ensuring the well being of the equine visitors, while two farriers will tend to any shoeing needs.

5. 220 shops to indulge in

Whether you are buying a Christmas present for your horse, dog or maybe just treating yourself to something new, Olympia’s popular shopping village is the place to be. With an array of tweed, plenty of bling and all the riding gear you will ever need, 220 shops cater for every visitor — just don’t forget your wallet!

6. See the Shetland ponies go head-to-head

Watch out for any future star jockeys — a total of 11 ponies will go to post with their diminutive riders in this year’s Shetland Pony Grand National. A blur of colour will fly around the mini jumps each day.

7. Don’t forget the canine stars

102 dogs will compete in the agility classes over a course of 10 obstacles.

8. 8,000 pizzas will be sold

With so much going on, you will also need to find time to eat. With a variety of food outlets, you don’t want to be counting the calories at Olympia — the onsite Pizza Express will sell 8,000 pizzas and 3,565 glasses of coke.

9. A festive finale

26 litres of fake snow will fall during the show’s closing finale each night. A total of 24 dancers will keep everyone entertained, while two Father Christmas costumes will be used.

Don’t miss the full report from Olympia Horse Show in the 24 December issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now