When Normand Latourelle said horses trigger an emotional response in people, he wasn’t kidding.

As one of the side curtains raised on the massive, sand-and-dirt stage at the beginning of the show “Cavalia,” two spotted colts trotted out of the wings. The young, slender animals had no assignment, no trick they were required to do.

Instead, the audience watched in awe as these two hoofed 9-month-olds were left to their own devices, occasionally sniffing or nuzzling one another, or prancing about on the stage as their flowing tales and manes danced.

As Latourelle pointed out, it’s often these majestic animals that capture the imaginations of audience members more than the human performers, even when the humans are flying through the air on trapezes.

In part, audiences were responding to the bond humans and horses have shared for thousands of years. While a dog is a man’s best friend, “A horse is God’s gift to man,” according to an Arab proverb projected on a screen during the show.

Cirque du Soleil founder, Latourelle, is now the artistic director of “Cavalia,” a show that uses live animals, equestrian stunts in addition to circus arts. Cavalia’s massive circus tent, the width of am NFL football field, took up temporary home in Redmond’s Marymoor Park earlier this month for its January/February run in Greater Seattle. And, due to demand for the acclaimed show, Cavalia just extended its stay for an additional week, ending Feb. 19.

Of course, the show also included death-defying stunts, such as the “roman riding” where performers rode horses standing up, one foot per animal. These moments, as well as synchronized group riding, and horse-jumping elicited squeals, cheers and applause from the audience.

But the show’s 46 horses (including geldings, neutered males; stallions, and one adorable, very proportionate mini-horse that galloped across the stage) were not merely special because of their years of learning how to tolerate humans doing flips over their backs.

The moments where these slender, four-legged creatures were simply allowed to roam free was magic in its own right.

‘Cavalia’ plays now until Feb. 19 at Marymoor Park, 6046 W Lake Sammamish Pkwy, NE Redmond. For tickets, go to http://www.cavalia.net/en.

Gabrielle Nomura can be reached at 425-453-4270.