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Horsin’ Around

by Richie

Kentucky Horse Park
Lexington, KY

 Hey – there’s some world class museums here! We thought we’d run through a few today, but our first stop at the International Horse Museum was so fascinating we stayed there all afternoon.

 Kentucky Horse park

It’s a BIG museum. Very well done. A+ exhibits. Even as non-horsey people, we were captivated. The displays start with the zoological origins of the modern Equus, through early domestication, and into human uses for the horse – draft, farming, war, sport, transportation. Then the exhibits explored breeding, bloodlines, and types of horses. Lots of artifacts, superb dioramas, statuary, video presentations, and historical photos. Really fun to amble around two floors of displays.

 IMH 2 COLLAGE

Here’s a interesting story about the origins of Arabian horses:  

Centuries ago, a wealthy Bedouin sheik had of hundreds of horses. He wanted to breed the best to start a kingly bloodline. But how to choose the best? They were all fast, all strong, all had endurance. So the sheik decided to select the most loyal, the ones who liked people and were keen to learn and work. The sheik took the herd on a three-day ride through the desert, without stopping for water. On the final day, an oasis came into view and the horses started to gallop toward the waters. The sheik blew his horn, a call for the animals to return to him. Only five mares turned around – they returned to the king instead of toward the water they desperately needed. And those five became the origins of the famous Arabian horses we know today.

 Later in the afternoon the weather turned a bit nasty – snowy, windy, and temps in the teens. We are snuggled up nice and cozy in our mobile sleigh, supper cooking in the crockpot, and a stack of DVDs to watch tonight.

FROSTYCOZY COLLAGE