Conference noted::equitation

1043.0. "KY Horse Park" by ASD::WIMBERG () Fri Sep 01 1989 11:37

    
    Kentucky Horse Park
    
    If you haven't been there you don't know what you are missing.
    
    If you have, well they just added a new star to their parade of
    champions.
    
    Now in retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park is Imperator, the
    1987 (and 88?) world champion 5-gaited saddlebred. He joins
    Forego (the multi-million dollar racing gelding) as part of the
    horses you can visit while there.
    
    In addition, there's the Calumet trophy collection, the Man O' War
    statue, driving ponies, mammoth mules (yes, mammoth mules and they
    are LARGE), a working training track, a musuem, a fanastic movie
    and the daily parade of champions. It is also the local for the
    Rolex International Horse Trails.
    
    It was put together by the local horsemen and the state as way to
    recognize the importance of the horse to the economy of Kentucky
    and relieve the local horse farms from entertaining visitors. The
    park itself is restored horse farm and contains one worlds largest
    wooden structures (a barn, of course).
    
    The best thing about the park is the horses. They are plentiful and
    accessable. Besides the parade, they have barn you can walk thru
    and horses been ridden that you can touch and ask questions of the
    riders. A wide variety of breeds are respresented. (I saw an American
    Curly Horse while I was there - that's the horse the grows long curls
    in the winter and shedds down to peach fuzz in the summer). They have
    a riding stable about on par with other riding stables but they
    tour the park giving you a close look at some of the jumps on the
    cross country course (major league three day jumps). The day I took
    the tour, the neighboring farms was collecting the mares and babies
    for medical check. They were adorable (like all babies).
    
    Located outside of Lexingtion KY it is well worth a day long visit.
    (I do find it hard to believe that my home state did such a good job
    putting this together!)
    
    Nancy
    

     See also note 545.*

    I was there in October with my non-horsey sister and we both loved it.
    Of course I could have spent a couple days there, they had a horse show
    going on in the brand new indoor arena.  Definitly worth the trip!