Everything Kentucky, All At Once
Part One: "Best Horse Attractions"
Written by Dylan Marson
So you’re looking for the complete Kentucky experience, but only have a short time in the state? Don’t worry, this handy-dandy guide-series will give you the complete “Kentucky Experience” in one amazing package.
When you mention Kentucky, there’s one thing that universally floats to the top of everyone’s mind…Kentucky Fried Chicken!
Just kidding! Though I will circle back to our food; I’m assuming you aren’t traveling all this way just to see if the family-sized chicken buckets taste any better.
Moving away from our beloved Colonel, nothing TRULY captures the essence of Kentucky more than our deep-rooted horse culture.
In fact, over the last 230+ years horses have steadily evolved from a simple mode of transportation to becoming the sacred mascot of the Bluegrass.
From the iconic Kentucky Derby to the rolling horse pastures of Central Kentucky, horses encapsulate our elegance, our excitement and our most serene moments.
Luckily for you, Georgetown is situated in the beating heart of Horse Country, so you have the unique opportunity to explore every aspect of it.
Let’s start with the races!
I will always say that everyone should go to the Kentucky Derby at least once in their life, but to say it’s a major affair is an understatement.
Putting together a derby-trip can require a lot of time & planning, plus your wallet can very quickly have a major weight loss journey before it’s all said and done.
What I’m pitching to you is a derby-like experience that is not only more accessible, but is also much kinder to your bottom line.
We’re taking a little trip to the race tracks at Keeneland.
Here, the entire months of April & October are full of race-day fun with all the fancy hats, pomp & horsey culture that you’d expect at the Run for the Roses.
Keeneland is where most Central Kentuckians get their horse-racing fix every year, just be sure to pre-order those tickets to secure your spot: https://tickets.keeneland.com
To top it all off, if you make your stay in Georgetown, you’ll be less than 30 minutes from the raceway and even closer to a veritable goldmine of other unique equine activities.
Top of the list, of course, is our very own Kentucky Horse Park!
Straddling the lines of Lexington and Georgetown, this all-in-one attraction provides the most visitor-friendly option for Kentucky travelers to get closer to the horse.
It is home to the International Museum of the Horse, the American Saddlebred Museum, regular live horse shows, horseback riding, top-notch campgrounds and countless equestrian events throughout the year!
Important Note: The Kentucky Horse Park is open Wed-Sun 9am-5pm.
With kid-friendly experiences that will put you up-close with breeds of horses from across the globe, it truly is the “DisneyLand” of the equestrian world.
Local Tip: If you ever want to feel “extra-fancy”, try stopping in to enjoy a polo match! The Kentucky Horse Park hosts them all the time, and visitors can check out the Lexington Polo Club’s schedule of events to find ones they can attend; oftentimes their matches & practices are FREE to view & enjoy. https://lexingtonpolo.com/schedule
Just because we aren’t going to be attending the Derby in this guide, that doesn’t mean we can’t go and see some Derby Champions in the flesh!
Allow me to direct your attention to quite possibly the most wholesome horse experiences you can find in Kentucky!
Old Friends is a retirement farm for thoroughbred racehorses. Now with 280+ equine residents, every horse you meet has a story, a legacy and a unique personality that the lovely staff & guides never forget to highlight.
Regardless if they are multi-million dollar champions or never won a race in their life, a home is made for them here where they can simply live out their lives as a horse and nothing else.
Old Friends is also the only place in the world where you could end up feeding carrots to the Oldest Living Kentucky Derby Winner: Silver Charm, who still keeps a racing spirit at the ripe old age of 30.
All of the horses here are 100% retired, so you won’t be riding off into the sunset on a derby champion, but we’ve got the perfect place for those of you who want to saddle up for a hands-on approach to horse country!
Whispering Woods is a wonderful riding-stable here in Georgetown that takes both veteran riders and complete newbies on engaging guided trail rides through their rough & tumble network of backwoods trails.
Riders will be surrounded by nature, pushing off of trees, crossing through creek beds and getting a pretty good leg workout.
Every experience is tailored to each riding group and every horse is masterfully paired with each rider.
I do not say this lightly, it is the BEST experience for a first time rider who wants to start with something a little more adventurous.
Speaking of adventurous, I bet you’ve never been inside a horse-hospital before!
Hagyard Equine Medical Institute works very closely with the aforementioned Kentucky Horse Park, and remains the oldest and largest equine hospital in the world!
Guests will get a behind-the-scenes look at world-class equine care & medicine and get up-close interactions with a whole host of horse-sized medical technology.
You can answer those burning questions like: “Just how do you move a sedated horse for surgery?” and “What happens when a mother horse rejects her own young?” You’d be surprised!
And don't forget that there's a good chance you'll also get to see their postnatal care and that means baby horses!
All in all Georgetown, Kentucky is situated in a play-pen of equine experiences that run the gamut of Kentucky’s horse culture and it's up to you which side of our equine friends you want to see the most!
Local Tip: If you’re serious about squeezing the most out of your trip you’ll definitely want to see what other experiences are available to you on https://visithorsecountry.com!
Stay tuned for our next blog in the series, when we circle back to that Kentucky fried chicken and dive into all the must-try culinary delights you may or may not have heard of, as well as where you can find them!
Author: Dylan Marson
Dylan Marson is the Communications Manager for Georgetown/Scott County Tourism.
