Kentucky Horse Park

Oct 18  Cooler about 63 and sunny - good day to take in the Kentucky Horse Park right next door to the campground.
Everyday there are shows to see and museums dedicated to horses and other live events.  This is definitely the place to come if you love horses.   Man O' War is buried here under his statue - he was such a big guy and there is a spot where you walk from post to post showing his gait length, something like 24 feet!!!  It's really his son War Admiral that had more accolades since he was a Triple Crown winner.

After we went over to see the International Horses show which is many of the different breeds of the world on display for you to watch and pet after.

Then inn the Big Barn,,,,, which yes of course is for the Budweiser Clydesdale's team you can get up close and personal to these beautiful giants.

Belgian

Many of the famous horses are brought here after their useful racing and stud life are over.   They are kept in a special barn for the "Champions" and are brought out for display.  They are certainly icons in their time.   Some of the stories of their lives are real "rags to riches" tales.  When we were at the track one of the fellows there told us about John Henry; he was purchased for $1100 and he went on to be the winning-est horse of over $6,500,000 dollars.   He has passed on but was kept in these stables for 22 years.

Funny Cide - first New York bred horse to win Kentucky Derby

Bluegrass Country Scenic Drive

Oct 17 Sunny and Warm about 73 Perfect Day for a Ride

 

Today we rode the bike on a  scenic tour through the surrounding countryside with magnificent horse ranches, it also had a stop at Keeneland Race Track where in April and October they have their Thoroughbred races.

As we followed the miles of fences through the countryside we realized that most of the barns that the horses live in are more ornate and stately than most of the houses back home.

Horse Barn

 
Well when you are putting a horse up that wins millions of dollars I guess they deserve a nice pad too!

Kentucky Horse Country

Oct 16, 17, 18  Lexington, Kentucky

We have heard so many good things about this RV park that we had to come and see for ourselves.  Kentucky Horse Park is a horse lovers dream.  The campground is a State Park and thus very reasonably priced.  Sites are a good size, all paved, all back-in.  Just enough room to swing our trailer sideways right in front of our motor home so we could let the door down to get the motorcycle out.
We would have booked in for the week but they are having a Halloween camping event this weekend and it is full to the brim.  In the States Halloween camping is a huge deal. 

Entrance to the Park

When you walk out the back of this park you can walk right into the Kentucky Horse Park complex.  Here you find the International Museum of the Horse, American Saddle bred Museum, Man O War Memorial, Hall of Champions and many polo fields, paddock barns, arenas and so forth.  Extremely well manicured. 

Dressage Arena