Last time around we discovered
Shelbyville, the American Saddlebred Capital of the World and I thought we could meander down the road a bit to Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park, which includes the International Museum of the Horse and The American Saddlebred Museum and Gift Shop.
Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park is just another reflection of how important American Saddlebred horses are to this area of the US and, conversely, how important Kentucky has been - and continues to be! - for American Saddlebred horses.
Much more than just a celebration of American Saddlebred horses, the Kentucky Horse Park showcases dozens of different horse breeds in myriad ways, from daily presentations to horse drawn carriage rides, horseback riding, a movie featuring William Shatner of Star Trek fame, and countless other, exciting horse shows and special events.
Kentucky’s largest state-owned attraction, the Kentucky Horse Park also includes the largest of the world’s horse museums, the International Museum of the Horse, an affiliate of the renowned Smithsonian Institution. The International Museum of the Horse traces the 55-million-year history of the horse with exhibits displaying archeological finds, priceless artifacts, racing trophies, and more.
Lexington's Kentucky Horse Park is so large it also contains another museum, this one dedicated to the horse Kentucky built: the American Saddlebred!
The American Saddlebred Museum and Gift Shop is home to the largest collection of Saddlebred artifacts in the world including tack, artwork, photographs, trophies, and an expansive library housing a wealth of American Saddlebred bloodline and genealogical records and research.
During the summer, the Kentucky Horse Park comes to life with a series of daily live shows, including the famous Horses of the World Show that presents unique breeds of horses with authentically costumed riders. The year-round schedule includes food and beverage concessions, and a gift shop so that you cane take home a keepsake for yourself or a fellow equine-enthusiast.
