Herschel at the KY Horse Park
Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 5:52 pmWell before I walked around the Horse Park......Saturday morning I drove into Lexington to cruise past my Alma Mater. There are new buildings on campus but since it is right in the middle of the city much of the shape and feel of the campus remains the same. I attended that other school in Lexington that wasn't BLUE.
So I walked around singing "Hail, Transylvania, thy sons are we, our hearts in loyal love we pledge to thee...." to the tune of the 1812 Overture....quite regal really.....
And yes those big trees may be 40 years older but they are still there.
This hall dates back to before the Civil War. As a freshman I got to walk across the original wooden floors that had been soaked on the blood of wounded service men as it served as a hospital during the Civil War. Unfortunately the next fall there was a great fire and the structure was completely gutted and when rebuilt it was all modern and shiny inside. It made nicer offices and a pretty chapel for campus weddings, but I remember the creaking floor and sense of history still....
What I always appreciated were the older homes in the neighborhoods in Lexington. Back before dorm rooms had televisions and entertainment centers, when I got stir crazy I would just take off walking around the neighborhood blocks and imagine the family histories and stories if the houses could talk.
Back at the horse park.....there were memories brought to life from the statues. Okay, Man a War was before my time but this one was from my prime,
There were the educational signs that Liz is so good at sharing.
ANd the examples of the walls.
Walnut Farms was one of the few horse farms that you could just drive through 40 years ago. We used to escape the campus and since few of us on scholarships had cars (I had an old clunker passed on to me from my brother) we would all pile in buy an ice cream cone and hangout under some of the lush trees and green grasses. Walnut Farm is the area that was developed into the Horse Park.
TOday I got to watch some folks that looked as if they were taking lessons or some sort of western horsemanship workshop.
And for other riders outside.
And those working on their dressage over in another part of the park.
I have always wondered if more people fall off riding English or just that the western riders are too cool to wear helmets. Head injuries don't pick and choose whose head hits the fence.
And as you might expect there are many many horse trailers here in the campground. Folks drop there horses over at the barn and camp here in their trailers. The "hanging around the barn" scene looks familiar.
Horses heading ever which way, each to their events.
Many a young woman had their mother in waiting there to support their hobby. Aren't mother's wonderful.
Some short critters....
Walking around part of the cross country course, Herschel noticed that this jump didn't have any boards to knock off if the horse and rider misjudged the leap.
This table top looks interesting. Probably left over from the World Equestrian Events last year....
And by the afternoon the polo trailers started to pull in next to the polo field for the afternoon's/evening's fun. I would take pictures later but that means I would have to walk back over.
Tomorrow we head east and hope to find someplace to stop in WV.
So I walked around singing "Hail, Transylvania, thy sons are we, our hearts in loyal love we pledge to thee...." to the tune of the 1812 Overture....quite regal really.....
And yes those big trees may be 40 years older but they are still there.
This hall dates back to before the Civil War. As a freshman I got to walk across the original wooden floors that had been soaked on the blood of wounded service men as it served as a hospital during the Civil War. Unfortunately the next fall there was a great fire and the structure was completely gutted and when rebuilt it was all modern and shiny inside. It made nicer offices and a pretty chapel for campus weddings, but I remember the creaking floor and sense of history still....
What I always appreciated were the older homes in the neighborhoods in Lexington. Back before dorm rooms had televisions and entertainment centers, when I got stir crazy I would just take off walking around the neighborhood blocks and imagine the family histories and stories if the houses could talk.
Back at the horse park.....there were memories brought to life from the statues. Okay, Man a War was before my time but this one was from my prime,
There were the educational signs that Liz is so good at sharing.
ANd the examples of the walls.
Walnut Farms was one of the few horse farms that you could just drive through 40 years ago. We used to escape the campus and since few of us on scholarships had cars (I had an old clunker passed on to me from my brother) we would all pile in buy an ice cream cone and hangout under some of the lush trees and green grasses. Walnut Farm is the area that was developed into the Horse Park.
TOday I got to watch some folks that looked as if they were taking lessons or some sort of western horsemanship workshop.
And for other riders outside.
And those working on their dressage over in another part of the park.
I have always wondered if more people fall off riding English or just that the western riders are too cool to wear helmets. Head injuries don't pick and choose whose head hits the fence.
And as you might expect there are many many horse trailers here in the campground. Folks drop there horses over at the barn and camp here in their trailers. The "hanging around the barn" scene looks familiar.
Horses heading ever which way, each to their events.
Many a young woman had their mother in waiting there to support their hobby. Aren't mother's wonderful.
Some short critters....
Walking around part of the cross country course, Herschel noticed that this jump didn't have any boards to knock off if the horse and rider misjudged the leap.
This table top looks interesting. Probably left over from the World Equestrian Events last year....
And by the afternoon the polo trailers started to pull in next to the polo field for the afternoon's/evening's fun. I would take pictures later but that means I would have to walk back over.
Tomorrow we head east and hope to find someplace to stop in WV.
