In honor of National Plan for Vacation Day, we’ve compiled some of our top reasons to add Horse Country to your 2024 bucket list. While this isn’t a fully-inclusive list of why you should visit the Horse Capital of the World, we hope it gets the creative juices flowing as you look to plan trips in 2024. Spring is just around the corner, and it’s always great to start planning early to ensure you can check off all of the must-see locations on your itinerary.
Let’s take a look at some of the best reasons to book a Horse Country tour, though there are admittedly too many for us to list!
Meet equine champions
Central Kentucky is home to some of the biggest names in horse racing, from Kentucky Derby winners to Breeders’ Cup champions. These equine celebrities have found success on the biggest of stages, and are now living at top-level breeding farms. Some of the a-listers you could see while here in Horse Country are Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify (Coolmore at Ashford Stud), Kentucky Derby winners Nyquist + Street Sense (Jonabell Farm), Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Classic winners Authentic (Spendthrift Farm) and Flightline (Lane’s End Farm). Check out our Champion Connections for more details on how to visit the homes of equine superstars like these and more.
Enjoy authentic experiences you won’t find anywhere else…
When joining a Horse Country tour, you are getting an authentic experience in the Horse Capital of the World. Our members are working horse farms and facilities, with top-notch tour guides that know the ins and outs of not only the farm itself, but the equine industry as a whole. Each tour is a new experience, you may see a Kentucky Derby winner getting a bath, a foal on its first day of life, or witness an equine surgery with some of the best veterinarians in the world.
Get up close and personal in the Horse Capital of the World
While we’re biased, there’s truly nothing like getting up close with horses. Whether you’re feeding a horse a carrot for the first time or snuggling a horse for the tenth time that day, we firmly believe that horses are good for the soul. If petting horses sounds like your jam, you’ll love our nursery farm and aftercare tours. These experiences allow for guests to get up close and personal with mares and foals or adoptable horses, often in training for second careers after retiring from the racetrack.
Go behind the scenes into the world of equine care
Our membership spans not only horse farms, but equine care facilities that support the physical health of horses from the foaling barn to the finish line, and beyond. Tours of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute take guests through the many facets of a working equine hospital, including their surgery and medicine centers that services all kinds of equines – from lesson horses to Olympic competitors. Hallway Feeds is known as the feed mill of champions, and for good reason, as horses fueled by Hallway regularly perform at the top level of all types of equestrian sport. Visits to Keeneland Racecourse provide a unique look into the life of a racehorse, including their morning training routine and what it takes to make it to the starting gate.
Take in the beauty of the Bluegrass
Let’s face it, we could all use some time to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life and spend some time outdoors. Join us for a tour and enjoy the beauty of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region, the rolling hills and fence lines dotting the horizon make for some scenic views, and we’re always game to get some fresh air!
Not sure where to start? We get it, there is a lot to see and do here in Horse Country. We recommend starting out at the Book Your Tour page to check out the different categories and locations of tours that we offer. If you’re still having trouble deciding which tour to book, feel free to contact us, and one of our concierge team members will be in touch with you within 48 hours to chat about our offerings and find the perfect fit for you and your group.