Horse racing IS fun. So awesome when you miss on one of the swampy bits but have hit everything else just right so that you cross the finish line and “win” just as your horse poofs out from under you.
Try this link for details on completing Harvest Festival Quests at the Party Tree. Follow the link there to a very good description of the Haunted Burrow that includes an invaluable map. Once you have the hang of how the doors in the Haunted Burrow work, you can run the quests in minutes flat.