Before Carson Kressley, the over-the-top "fashion savant" of the hit show, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," made his mark in the fashion world he was simply a boy on a farm who loved horses.

Kressley grew up in Pennsylvania where his family raised Shetland ponies and miniatures horses, riding and showing horses competitively long before he was old enough to pronounce Roberto Cavalli or Yves Saint Laurent. Fashion and fame now consumes the life of the style guru, but the former Polo Ralph Lauren designer with a weakness for belts and shoes has managed to hold onto his roots.

Kressley has grown to become a well-known, accomplished equestrian and avid supporter of horse groups and charities. On Sunday, the noted horseman will join other caliber riders in Gainesville for the fundraiser Symphony of Horses to help raise money for Marion Therapeutic Riding Association Inc. Since 1986, MTRA has helped provide horseback riding and driving as a physical and psychological tool for individuals challenged by physical, mental and emotional disabilities.

Kressley, who lives in New York, said he didn't think twice about saying yes when his trainer told him about the event, which features horses performing to the sounds of the Central Florida Philharmonic Orchestra. "A lot of people don't understand when they hear handicap riding and therapeutic riding. It really does wonders for people with a myriad of disabilities because you use a whole different set of muscles," said Kressley, whose trainer is friends with MTRA Executive Director Earleen Kenyon. "There's something about the interaction between a human and a horse that's really, really special and anything I can do to help other people experience that by raising money for organizations like MTRA is something I would absolutely love to do."

Kenyon said the organization was excited when Kressley agreed to give his time and support to the event. "Carson's a very generous person. He does this for a lot of causes," she said. "We knew darn well he'd draw a good crowd and this is all about making money for the program."

This will be Kressley's first time venturing to the Ocala/Gainesville area. "I'm going to come put the 'gay' in Gator," he said in his bubbly voice. Sitting in a hotel in Beverly Hills earlier this week, Kressley, who is known for adding a bit of spice to his riding attire, still hadn't decided what he was going to wear when he and his American Saddlebred take center stage at the O'Connell Center. "The regular horse show attire is really based on tradition and sometimes I'll try to update that a little bit with maybe a funkier color or a brightly-colored shirt, so I'll probably do something like that with a traditional riding suit," said Kressley, a member of the 1999 U.S. World Cup Equestrian Team. "This is something special so I might have to whip out my Bedazzler."

Kressley's charismatic and animated personality is much like the American Saddlebred, the breed he mainly uses in horse shows. "They're really the peacocks of the show ring," he said about the horse. "They really love the noise and the excitement and they love the cheers from the crowd. They really, really rise to the occasion. They're kind of like the supermodels of the horse show world, very high stepping and animated. They're brilliant performers."

For Kressley, 2006 has proven to be a successful year for him in both the celebrity and horse world. In February, he was honored with an award from the American Saddlebred Horse Association and also elected to one of the group's committees. Last month Kressley, a commentator for this year's Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, launched a new clothing line for men and women on QVC called Perfect by Carson Kressley. He blends his passion for fashion and horses by incorporating equestrian-inspired details into the separates and accessories.

"Anytime you design a line of clothes you really need to infuse it with your personality and I've always loved the really classic kind of dressing that comes from the equestrian world," he said. "I just updated it and combined those details with fun colors and great fabrics and a more modern fit."

Kressley is also a best-selling author with two books under his belt: the "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy" companion book and "Off the Cuff," a style guide for men and women. Last year he fulfilled his dream of penning a children's book when he released "You're Different and That's Super," the tale of a one-of-a-kind pony who struggles with trying to fit in. "It's a universal story," said Kressley. "A lot of times kids have a limited perspective and when there's something different about them, the way they look or the way they act, it can be very isolating and I just wanted to share with kids that sometimes those differences can be a great strength and diversity can be a wonderful thing."

And to top off his year, Kressley will appear in "A Year Without A Santa Claus " a TV movie starring John Goodman, Chris Kattan, Carole Kane, Delta Burke, Eddie Griffin and a host of other actors. The live-action remake of the classic animated story airs at 9 p.m., Monday on NBC.

Right now Kressley is about to start working on the new season of Bravo's "Queer Eye," which will start next spring. Even with his other projects and busy schedule, he said there are no plans to end the hit, Emmy-winning show. "We've only made over a 100," Kressley said. "We've still got about nine million straight guys to go."

There's no way you can talk to Carson Kressley without bringing up fashion. During his interview with the, staffers drummed up some fashion questions for the style expert.

You've been a stylist most of your career, working with retailers Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus, among others. Are you involved at all in the styling of "Queer Eye?"
Carson: Yes. I usually style myself in the craziest way because I like to take some fashion risks. Everybody I dress, whether it's a straight guy that we're making over for the show or my cast members for the show. I always try to really start with their personalities and work around that because that's really the essence of fashion: finding your personal style.

Do you get to keep the clothes from the show?
Most of them are on loan to us by designers for those particular episodes then they have to go back. Occasionally I can give them the old song and dance and they're gracious enough to let me keep my favorites.

Who are your favorite designers?
Roberto Cavalli and Ralph Lauren are my two favorites.

What is your favorite fashion piece?
For men, belts and shoes are the most important. You can wear a pair of Levi's and a white t-shirt then if you have an amazing belt and a good pair shoes you're ready to go.

Which celebrity do you think has great style?
George Clooney. He always looks amazing. And it's not that he's extra flashy. You don't even notice what he's wearing, but what you do notice is that he always looks great and it's a classic style that never really goes out of style.

Who would you love to makeover?
I probably would like to make over Keith Urban, but just so I can see him in the dressing room with his shirt off ... and hang out with Nicole Kidman.

What's the best fashion tip you've received?
I used to work for Ralph Lauren for a long time and I remember one time putting looks together for a fashion show, he had said 'The last thing on is the first thing noticed.'

What are some of your best fashion tips?
Have fun with it. So many people are afraid of fashion and I'm always amazed with straight guys, they'll go hunting wild animals, but they're afraid to go to the mall. Build a wardrobe of great basics and season it with accessories. They're really the exclamation point to dressing.

Any fashion secrets?
My little secret that I want to tell everybody is don't spend a lot of money on the clothes, but invest in accessories. Have a great bag or a great piece of jewelry and then mix and match your clothes with a little bit of a designer item here and there and then get the basics at places that are affordable. Looking good doesn't have to cost a fortune... I think what's great is there are some really great new designers even at places like Target ... There's never been a better time for fashion than now because you can get great things at QVC, or Marshalls, or TJ Maxx or Target. It's exciting.