Beautiful, Powerful Horses At the Kentucky Horse Park

[alfredo]

They are some type of Draft Horse, but the type I am not sure of. I was hoping to see some Gypsy Cob but they had moved on to another farm. There's one in the picture of the home page of the park. http://www.kyhorsepark.com/ The Gypsy is in the background to the right.

Everything about these horses say power. You can really see it in the second photo.

[freethought]

1. You're right about one thing.

These horses are powerful. Big, muscular, with a sturdy skeleton to support that body.
But after growing up around horses since my age was in single digits, I would rather be around one these big draft horses than some other breeds.

Despite their size and strength they have surprisingly mellow temperament. You do have to treat them with some respect though because of their size and power. Feed them a few carrots or apples and they'll be your best friend forever. One would probably have more to fear from a race horse. Thoroughbreds are bred to be wildly high-strung. So much that it can make them touchy and unpredictable.

If you don't believe me just look at the guys who are leading them. They don't look to be worried about much even with horses of that size.

[alfredo]

3. My sister in law works for a big equine hospital,

Rood and Riddle. http://www.apple.com/pro/profiles/watson/gallery.html She says many of thoroughbreds are completely nuts.

You don't see many work horses here because the thoroughbreds are the only game in town.

[riderinthestorm]

9. I've been to Rood and Riddle!

What does your SIL do there?

I brought an Anglo/Trakehner mare there for a lameness work-up (which they couldn't figure out what was wrong with her either... dammit).

What a great staff. Expensive as hell though.

Rood and Riddle are THE place to go for neuromuscular/lameness problems in the Midwest.

Barbaro is at THE center in the East - FYI. If he can't make it at New Bolton he won't make it anywhere in the world including Rood and Riddle.

[alfredo]

15. She's a shift supervisor. She used to be a foalman, but has

worked her way up. She's very happy there and will probably stay until retirement.


BTW, Linda McCarriston writes fine poetry. Her poems that feature horses might be to your liking. My favorite book of her poetry is "Talking Soft Dutch" "Eva Mary" was my into to her work but be forewarned, it is not for the faint of heart. Read a selection at the link posted below this poem:

With the Horse in the Winter Pasture From "Little River"

Zero degrees, no wind, and barely
the January sun has begun to ripen.
You, who all day yesterday
brooked with your body
a brutal storm from the north,
now graze as amiably over the snow
and hay as if it were August.
Or more so: free of the flies, free
of the rider -- bit, crop, and fetter.
What we endure need not turn us to stone,
insists the gray bird in the birch-on-blue,
who survives in her three least notes.
And so, today, I am victim
of nothing, nor am I mistress, just
hanging around the sun-catching corner
as if it were after school, a fool,
a woman carrying on like a girl.
I throw my arm over your withers
and bury my face in your neck:
white plush, pulse, smell
of woodsmoke. The child is alive
who prayed by her bed to die.



From Bill Moyer's site:

http://www.pbs.org/now/arts/mccarriston.html

[CottonBear]

19. What a wonderful poem!

I love draft horses! I've ridden a Belgian mare (Hunter-Jumper) and a TB - Percheron Cross (dressage horse). I assisted with a Belgian wagon team at a parade last winter. They were huge but so gentle! Lovely animals!

Horses are my favorite of all animals! I have an Oldenburg filly.

[alfredo]

23. We are constantly fighting to preserve our farmland and the

beautiful stone fences. Our problem is dealing with greedy developers and soulless yuppies that see them as ugly piles of rocks.

I just looked at some image of Oldenburgs. I've probably watched many of them at the horse shows in Louisville.

[CottonBear]

24. The stallion in my sig pic is my filly's sire, Coromino!

He is awesome! She looks very much like him except that he is 17 hands and she's about 15.3 and still growing at this point.

I can't wait to visit Lexington. Keep up the good fight for farmland. You have (or used to have) a great city engineer there who promotes tree planting and stream conservation.

[alfredo]

26. That is a beautiful animal. We have a good mayor, but the

city council is controlled by corporatist. We are changing that this fall.

[wildhorses]

33. WTF.....piles of rocks??? those frickin IDIOTS

those stone walls are our heritage and our history!!!

DO NOT tell me they are trying to do away with them!!!


holy fuckaroli:grr:

[CottonBear]

21. The men are using stud chains but that's all.

Thos ehorses are beautiful! I wonder if they are geldings or mares? I doubt two stallions would be allowed to walk together like that.

[AlienGirl]

2. I love draft horses!

The draft horses I've met have been very aware of their size, and consequently very gentle. I'd like to ride a draft horse, partly for the comedic effect of small person on HUGE animal's back.

Tucker

[u4ic]

4. The bigger they are

the calmer they tend to be (TBs excepted).

Ponies can be the nastiest little snots.

[alfredo]

5. One of my customers up north of here raised Asses. She said

they will work for you for a life time just waiting for a chance to kick your brains out.

I remember Snow Geese would frequent the road below her farm. It was the only place in the county they congregated.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

11. I'll trust a 130lb Rottweiler not to bite me before a fucking toy "dog"

It must be the same thing.

Of course, I make sure that I'm the alpha dog and I will physically act that way with a dog (never hitting a dog though). I tend to be loved and respected by dogs.

[u4ic]

12. You mean

the "Napoleon complex"? :rofl:

I've ridden many horses over the years, and the one that gave me the most trouble (and a broken friggin nose) was a damn pony. It was only a few days before Christmas, and at the time I was taking lessons. We had a sort of gymkhana event, and I was one of the finalists in the musical stalls event. Asked him to canter, and pow! bucked me off and I landed on_my_nose. (the helmet I had at the time wasn't the best, and they've come a long way in 20 years).

I also had another pony incident (I was an adult for both, I should add, and a very good rider) - I asked him to turn to the left, he turned to the right, and I kept going left. :silly: Just was a bit sore, nothing broken at least that time.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

13. Of course, I'm quite the terror in sparring and I'm tiny.

The only girl that I couldn't beat in competition was also my size (5'1" and about 105lbs). She ended up getting sponsored by Pepsi and doing the European circuit. My sponsors were smaller and I only traveled around the US.

So I guess I shouldn't talk.

[yellowdogintexas]

6. They might be Percherons, Belgian Drafts or Clydesdales

I kind of think they are Percherons though

Gorgeous

And I LOVE the KY HORse Park.

[alfredo]

7. I think you are right.

here's a link to the horses there. http://www.kyhorsepark.com/khp/general/horses2.asp Breeds cycle in and out. Like I said, they had some Gypsy's there but they have moved on. They were there in conjunction with the release of a book about them. I think I saw several Morgans, but I am not that familiar with many breeds.

BTW, I think Barbaro is not going to make it.

I wanted to explore, but I didn't have the time. The only other times I went out there was to party at a care takers house or run in foot races.

[u4ic]

10. If you came back fully intact

you probably didn't see John Henry. :rofl:

They don't look like Clydesdales - they usually have a ton of chrome, and are very tall and much more longer legged than the above horses.

I doubt the Belgian Draft - by far, the most common colour is flaxen chestnut.

Percherons are most likely, though most I've seen have less feathering on the legs (I don't know what the preference is for show purposes). There are so many draft breeds; all of the Euro nations have at least one (France has many).

[China_cat]

14. They look like a cross between

a Belgian and a Frisian. Can't seem to find any decent pictures of a Frisian horse but think of the horse Rutger Hauer rode in "Ladyhawk". That was a Frisian.

[alfredo]

17. I believe the horse park would have horses that represent their

breed.

You know we will be hosting the Equestrian Games in 2010.

Friesian

[China_cat]

18. What city?

My husband's family lives in Gorredijk.

[alfredo]

25. Lexington Ky at the Kentucky Horse Park.

http://www.kyhorsepark.com/khp/wegpresswin.asp

[China_cat]

27. I misunderstood

I thought you were posting from Holland

[alfredo]

28. No, but I have been to Holland Michigan.

I was asleep at the time. Luckily i wasn't driving.

[CottonBear]

20. The display horses vary but TB geldings like John Henry are always there.

I want to go to the park. My husband's niece lives in Lexington. I simply must come up for Rolex or the Equestrian Games.

[alfredo]

29. The Games will be a circus. The Rolex is just big enough.

I can't wait for the fall meet at Keeneland. We rarely go out to the track, we hang out in the lounge overlooking the Paddock. I miss the pre PA system days. All you could hear was the horses and the crowd. The call is good, but not needed to enjoy the race.

Up in that lounge is a table of little old ladies from Bourbon County. You find out how they are betting and you do the same.
We have a nice trotter track (The Red Mile), but i never go. It's right down the road where the "Camp Town Races" was located.
http://www.theredmile.com/

It's worth it to see the Round Barn. there's some great stuff inside. You have to walk up the stairs to see the great stuff stored there.




John Henry

[CottonBear]

30. I am planning a trip to KY! I so want to see the horse park!

We plan to visit during the next Rolex Kentucky. :)

[alfredo]

31. Get here a couple days early and take in a day at

Keeneland. You don't need to even bet. It's just a nice way to spend the day. The surroundings are very nice, the crowd genteel, and the food and drink is good and relatively cheap.


The windows in the back is where my SIL and SO hang during the races. the view from those windows is quite lovely. It looks upon the paddock and older stone structures.

[CottonBear]

32. Lovely picture! I wil have to go to Keenland! Thanks for the info! n/t

[alfredo]

35. It's easy to find too. It is right across from the airport and

next to the famous Calumet farm.

[u4ic]

36. I'm familiar with Friesians

they have a nicer head, and the body isn't quite as stout as the horses in the OP.

I can't say for sure, but I doubt they'd be crossing Friesians and Percherons, there really would be no use for it. Often a cross is used to improve a breed, or for colour - neither would apply in this case. :-)

[alfredo]

16. they didn't seem tall enough. All the Clydesdales

I've seen have white socks, or as you say, "chrome."

I really wanted to find the Clydesdales. Maybe I will run out there again just to look around.

[u4ic]

38. And blazes, too

all the Clydes I've seen have nice thick blazes.

[A HERETIC I AM]

22. I agree. Percherons. Belgians are rarely black or dark brown....

if i am not mistaken.

[riderinthestorm]

8. Percherons. nt

[wildhorses]

34. I am thinking they are Percherons, also

has anybody ever been to Tattersolls?

[u4ic]

37. Are you referring

to the sales in England?