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Plan your visit to Kentucky’s Horse Park, America’s only equine theme park

July 15, 2019 By Kara Kennedy

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
Kentucky Horse Park’s memorial to Secretariat

If you’re traveling to Lexington, Kentucky anytime soon, you’ll want to put the Kentucky Horse Park on your must-see list. The 1,200-acre park is located off of Hwy, 1973 and I-75 in the heart of Lexington, and is the only known horse theme park in America. The park is a working horse farm, educational park and equine competition facility. Incidentally, the drive to the park is breathtaking and filled with horse farms with rolling hills and grazing horses.  

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
Man o’ War is buried under this memorial at the Horse Park.

Memorial to Man o’ War A Most Famous Racehorse 

We visited the park last week and thoroughly enjoyed learning about the history of horses and horseracing. Once you enter the gates to make your way to the Visitor’s Center, you’ll see beautiful grounds and moments dedicated to Kentucky’s horse industry. To the left is the statue and grave of Man o’ War considered one of the most famous racehorses in America. Known as Big Red, he was sold to his owner, Samuel Riddle, for $5,000 and went on to win 20 out of 21 races. His owner didn’t race him in the Kentucky Derby, if he had, some believe he would have won the Triple Crown. Man o’ War did sire War Admiral who was a Triple Crown winner.

History of Horses  

 It’s at the Visitor’s Center is where you will buy your ticket for the day. You also will find the gift shop and the International Museum of the Horse. The International Museum of the Horse depicts the history and importance of horses and the impact they have made on human civilization. There are three additional museums at the Horse Park; the Saddlebred that gives the history of the American made horse and has a 2400 volume research library, the Al-Marah Arabian Horse Museum and the Wheeler Museum which displays equestrian memorabilia. 

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
Point Given won the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes and was Horse of the Year in 2001.

The Kentucky Horse Park

If you choose to forgo the museums then you must catch some of the horse events. There’s a horse-drawn trolley, The Hall of Champions, where you can meet Kentucky Derby winners, a Draft Horse demonstration, Parade of Breeds and Groom & Shine for kids in the Big Barn. The former Kentucky Derby winners are a must-see! 

Several Kentucky Derby winners are in the horse park’s Hall of Champions.

Hall of Champions 

During our visit, we saw Funny Cide, the 2003 Kentucky Derby winner,  Western Dreamer, who won the 1997 U.S. Pacing Triple Crown and Point Given who won four races in a row including the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes at the Hall of Champions.

After the show, visitors are allowed to pet the horses.

Parade of Breeds 

Another fun and educational event at the Horse Park is the Parade of Breeds. This event included the American Saddlebred, an Arabian, the Gypsy Vanner, the Tennessee Walking Horse, the American Faso Pino, the Friesian and the Hanovarian breeds.  After the performance, you will get to pet the horses. We found that the horses thoroughly enjoy meeting and greeting visitors. 

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
The Parade of Breeds educates visitors on the history of horses.

Big Barn Draft Horses

If you want to learn horse care, you’re in luck! The Draft Horse demonstration, you will learn about show prep, harnessing and breed history. You also will get to meet and greet the horses at this event. 

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
The Parade of Breeds is a must-see at the horse park.

Kid’s Barn

Here your children will learn which tools are used to groom and care for horses. They will then get to groom the horses themselves. 

Inspired Southerner Inspired Southerner
Western Dreamer won the 1997 U.S. Pacing Triple Crown

Horseback and Pony Rides

In addition to the horse events, there are horseback and pony rides at the park. Riders must be seven years old and four feet tall to ride the horses. Pony rides are for children two through 12 and who are under 90 pounds. The horseback rides are 30-minutes long and on a guided trail ride. 

Inspired Southerner Kentucky Horse Park
The Kentucky Horse Park is America’s only equine theme park.

If you’re looking for other things to do at the park, there also is a summer camp series for children and Horse Country Farm tours. The park also hosts several special events throughout the year.

However, to take in all that the Horse Park has to offer, you should plan to visit for two days. Currently, the park offers free next day entry with a paid receipt from the day before. To plan your visit and for pricing information visit www.kyhorsepark.com 

Filed Under: Life, Southern Cities, Travel Tagged With: Horses, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington

Nashville: Opryland’s A Country Christmas a tradition for 35 years

December 20, 2018 By Kara Kennedy

Opryland’s A Country Christmas has been wowing audiences for 35 years and this year’s event is bigger and better than ever with the addition of an indoor/outdoor water attraction.

[Read more…] about Nashville: Opryland’s A Country Christmas a tradition for 35 years

Filed Under: Holidays, Life, Southern Cities, Travel Tagged With: A Country Christmas, Christmas, Nashville, Opryland, Tourism, Travel

Stop by PieLab in Greensboro, Alabama for a slice of pie, sense of community and joyful conversation

November 11, 2018 By Kara Kennedy

InspiredSoutherner PieLab
Michigan students visit PieLab. Photo courtesy of PieLab

On a recent day trip to Selma, Alabama a friend and I decided to drive through Greensboro, Alabama to have lunch at PieLab. I have been wanting try the restaurant for a while because they are especially known for their homemade pies.  [Read more…] about Stop by PieLab in Greensboro, Alabama for a slice of pie, sense of community and joyful conversation

Filed Under: Food, Life, Southern Cities, Travel Tagged With: Alabama, Greensboro Alabama, pie, PieLab, Travel

Haunted History Tour lets you hunt for ghosts in Old Cahawba

October 29, 2018 By Kara Kennedy

Old Cahawba Inspired Southerner
Herbert’s story about Gatt was one of the creepiest stories of the night

I never thought I would find myself standing in the middle of a cemetery in the pitch dark as part of a haunted history tour the weekend before Halloween.  [Read more…] about Haunted History Tour lets you hunt for ghosts in Old Cahawba

Filed Under: Holidays, Life, Southern Cities, Travel Tagged With: Ghost, Ghost Town, Ghosts, Halloween, Haunted, Haunted History, history

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

March 18, 2018 By Kara Kennedy

Birmingham St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Every year cities all over the country celebrate Irish and Irish-American culture on St. Patrick’s Day.  Many historians believe that some of the first celebrations originated in the 13 colonies during the 1700s. St. Patricks Day celebrations also became popular in the south in the mid-1800s when Irish  immigrants began settling in Savannah, Georgia after fleeing Ireland during the great potato famine.  As a side note, my  family’s Irish roots can been traced to Savannah during the mid-1800s.  [Read more…] about Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

Filed Under: Entertainment, Life, Southern Cities Tagged With: Alabama, Birmingham Alabama, Celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Irish, Irish-American, St. Partrick's Day

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We tell real stories about the south. ~Kara Kennedy, Publisher

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