A beautiful sunny day, and a trip to the Kentucky Horse Park was clearly called for. We all enjoyed the Parade of Breeds show, which included some carriage enthusiasts who were in town. We got to see the retired champions, including Cigar and Funny Cide.
GC at the Man O'War memorial
But the highlight of the trip, for me at least, was the special exhibit on the history of the Arabian horse. This is a fascinating collection of art and artifiacts from the Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. There were horse items from Ur, as well as beautiful statues, stelae, metalwork, and other items from as far back as Old Testament times. Art work ranged from prehistoric petroglyphs through nineteeth century portraits, and all the way to the present. There was a three thousand four hundred year-old manual on horse training. There were even a pair of sandals that were worn by Lawrence of Arabia. Alas, no photography was allowed, but the exhibition catalog is only $25.
If you have any interest – at all – in art history, you should see this exhibit. If you have any interest – at all – in Arabian horses, you should see this exhibit. If you have any reason – at all – to be in the Lexington area between now and mid-October, this exhibition is an absolute must-see.
Warning: Call ahead to see if they have any food available at the park; you may want to bring your own cooler.
