Touring Horse Farms In Kentucky
Kentucky is considered the Mecca for horse lovers in North America. This is not just because it is home to the Thoroughbred horse breeding industry, but because of the special soil that produces some of the most nutritious grass in the world. The gentle climate also is conducive for growth of grass and horses. There will always be horse farms for sale in Kentucky. Touring the horse farms of Kentucky is considered a big offshoot of the state's tourism industry.
Not Just Thoroughbreds
Although Thoroughbreds and retired superstar racehorses are the big reason people tour Kentucky horse farms, there are many more breeds in Kentucky that will allow tourists to come visit. Kentucky is also known as one of the founding areas for the development of the American Saddlebred (sometimes nicknamed ASB). There are also horse farms devoted to the breeding of Morgans and Hackneys.
Not only are there breeding horse farms in Kentucky, (technically called studs) but there are also other kinds of horse farms that are often open to the public. These include horse farms devoted to the care of retired and unwanted racehorses. Horses can live to be 30 years old, and yet their racing careers tend to end when they are only four. By then, they are often too injured to be transformed into regular riding horses and need special care.
And the biggest all breed horse farm in the world, the Kentucky Horse Park, brings horse lovers from all over the world to meet over 100 different breeds of horses and ponies. The most famous resident of the Kentucky Horse Park was the retired cranky racehorse John Henry, who won Thoroughbred racing's first million dollar purse. He is now buried there, after having died at the venerable age of 32.
Touring Etiquette
It is best to go on Kentucky stud tours in a group. This not only saves you driving around a state you are not familiar with, but also guarantees that you will be expected. You can visit on your own, but you have to make an appointment. The days of being able to just pull up to a horse farm and beg to see the current Secretariat are long over, due to safety reasons.
Since the horses are often on special diets, you are not to feed the horses. The horses will argue with you, but don't give in. You also are expected to tip the groom who shows you around or particular horse you traveled to see. A usual tip of five to ten dollars is polite.
