The Kentucky Horse Park offers wonderful fun for families right here in the Bluegrass.
The Horse Park is a great day trip for any locals or a unique spot for out of town guests. From the beautiful rolling hills divided by fences and spotted with horses that call the Horse Park home to the buildings that house the rich history the Horse Park shares so well the Horse Park is a special place enjoyed by all ages.
My family have enjoyed the Southern Lights and Breyerfest events held annually. The Horse Park is a great place for a day of education, experiences, and more! It’s perfect for all ages because there is so much to see and do!
The Kentucky Horse Park offers so many things to do while you’re there for a visit. From walking the grounds to see horses, taking a carriage ride, or exploring barns to indoor learning opportunities in their museums the Horse Park will keep you busy all day!
GENERAL ADMISSION RATES:
GROUP ADMISSION
The Kentucky Horse Park offers special discounted rates for groups and tours of 15 or more paid park admissions. For more information,
please visit our group page.
2019 ANNUAL PASS
(NOT valid during the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, April 26 – April 29, 2018)
Family: $180 Dual: $ 120 Single: $80
SUMMER SEASON PRICING | APRIL 1, 2019 – NOVEMBER 3, 2019, 9 AM TO 5 PM
INCLUDES NEXT DAY FREE! (except April 24 – April 28, 2019 – a Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event ticket is required, and includes park admission)
See Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event
Adult $20.00
Senior $18.00
Children (6-12) $10.00
Children (5 & under) Free
SUMMER SHOW SCHEDULE
April 1, 2019 – November 3, 2019
9 am to 5 pm (Eastern Time Zone)
10:00 am – Horse Drawn Trolley
10:30 am – Hall of Champions Show
11:00 am – Parade of Breeds Show
11:45 am – Draft Horse Demonstration
1:15 pm – Hall of Champions Show
2:00 pm – Parade of Breeds Show
2:45 pm – Horse Drawn Trolley
3:15 pm – Groom and Shine
3:30 pm – Derby Winner Nightcap
The Horse Drawn Trolley Tour will not run during the Kentucky Three-Day Event, Breyerfest, and Hats Off Day, which may include set-up days, as necessary. Please check with the Visitor Center for more information.
WINTER SEASON PRICING | NOV 4, 2019 – MARCH 31, 2020, 9 AM TO 5 PM
(CLOSED on Mondays & Tuesdays, Thanksgiving Eve & Day, Christmas Eve & Day, New Year’s Eve & Day)
ADULT $ 12
CHILD $ 6 6-12 5 and under FREE
SENIOR $ 10 62 +
MILITARY $ 6 with ID
Over the winter some of the park’s resident horses will take a few months off for some much-deserved R&R in the fields, while others will continue to work and train in the Breeds Barn, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes view of this important park activity, weather permitting. Each horse’s breed information and biography will be posted outside of its stall, to allow visitors the opportunity to learn detailed information about the breeds in a self-guided tour. In addition, the champion horses in the Hall of Champions are available to meet and greet, as well as the “gentle giant” draft horses stabled in the historic Big Barn.
PARKING
Regular/Daily – $5
Weekly Rate – $15 (vehicle may leave and return during this period)
Annual – $75
SHOW/ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES
The Kentucky Horse Park lives up to its reputation as the place to get close to horses. Home to many different breeds, large and small, the park introduces you to the world of the horse. Experience the behind-the-scenes sights and sounds of a real working horse farm as you explore the grounds.
INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE HORSE | The IMH is the largest and most comprehensive museum in the world dedicated to exploring the important history of all horses and their impact on human civilization. Through its ever-growing library and archives, it also serves as a resource for scholars and researchers throughout the world. An Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum traces the 55-million-year history of the horse. See racing trophies, priceless artifacts, carriages and more. Open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with the park schedule.
AMERICAN SADDLEBRED MUSEUM and GIFT SHOP | Home to the largest collection of Saddlebred artifacts in the world including trophies, photographs, tack, artwork and a library of over 2,400 volumes used for bloodline and genealogical research. The Showplace for Saddlebreds is an exciting destination in the park. Visitors learn about the American Saddlebred throughout American history, see rare artifacts, and enjoy many wonderful interactive exhibits. Open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with the park schedule. The American Saddlebred Museum’s hours of operation extended to 6:00 pm during June, July and August (one hour later than the park).
THE REIN OF NOBILITY | Narrated by venerable horseman and film and TV star William Shatner, this majestic film explores the world of the horse and is shown in the Visitor Center throughout the day from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm, with the park schedule.
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES
HORSE-DRAWN TROLLEY TOUR | APRIL – OCTOBER
Horse Drawn Trolley Tour will not run during KY Three-Day Event, Breyerfest, and Hats Off Day. A 10- to 12-minute narrated trolley tour of the main activities area pulled by a team of Draft Horses. Included with paid admission. Weather permitting. Horse-drawn trolley tours typically depart at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm.
HORSEBACK RIDING | APRIL – OCTOBER
A GUIDED 35-MINUTE TRAIL RIDE, SUITABLE FOR FIRST-TIME RIDERS, TAKES YOU ALONG THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE PARK. AVAILABLE WEATHER PERMITTING.
- Tickets: $25.00 per ride.
- Tickets are first-come, first-serve on the day of visit.
- Advance tickets available for groups 15 or more. Contact Group Sales at (859) 259-4225.
- Restrictions: must be at least 7 years old, at least 4 feet tall, and not exceeding a weight limit of 240 lbs.
- Load Times Monday – Thursday: 11:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:00 pm. Times and availability subject to change. Tickets must be purchased by 2:45 pm.
- Load Times Friday – Sunday: 11:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:00 pm (plus 9:45 am on Saturdays and for pre-booked groups of 15 or more). Times and availability subject to change. Tickets must be purchased by 3:45 pm.
PONY RIDES | APRIL – OCTOBER
- Rides are three times around the paddock. Available weather permitting.
- Tickets: $5.00 per ride.
- Tickets are first-come, first-serve on the day of visit.
- Rides are seasonal.
- Restrictions: for ages 2 through 12, not exceeding a weight limit of 90 lbs.
- Load Times Monday – Thursday: 11:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:00 pm. Times and availability subject to change. Tickets must be purchased by 2:45 pm.
- Load Times Friday – Sunday: 11:00 am, 12:15 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:00 pm (plus 9:45 am on Saturdays and for pre-booked groups of 15 or more). Times and availability subject to change. Tickets must be purchased by 3:45 pm.
Photography Credits: Photography throughout this website provided by Kentucky Horse Park, Kentucky Department of Travel and Tourism, and Steve Faust.
One perfect spot for kids is the Kids Barn!
My boys love the interactive kid-friendly fun in the Kids Barn!
The Kids Barn is an interactive facility with daily educational and fun activities that are guaranteed to capture even the youngest child’s attention. Kids will get the opportunity to help our friendly staff groom horses, go on scavenger hunts, meet miniature mares and foals, and jump their own course of fences in the “Champion’s Arena” located in the grassy area right beside the barn. Included with park admission, the Kids Barn activities are sure to keep the young (and young at heart!) engaged and entertained all day long.
KIDS BARN DAILY SCHEDULE (APRIL 1, 2018 – NOVEMBER 4, 2018)
SELF GUIDED TOUR OF KIDS BARN:
Along with the scheduled activities in the Kids Barn, it is also open daily for visitors to explore in their own self-guided tour. Two of the barn’s stalls house a different horse or a pony everyday, while all of the other stalls have been converted into learning stations with different displays to teach guests about the equine industry and basic horsemanship. Please find a list of the different learning stations below. Programs, classes, and clinics that are offered through the KHP Education Department can also be found on the park’s website!
http://www.kyhorsepark.com/visit/education/classes-clinics
ANATOMY OF THE HORSE
Use our life-size charts and models to look at the horse’s outer anatomy, skeleton, and muscular structure.
RACING TACK
See the streamline, light-weight tack that racehorses have to wear and on which jockeys have to balance.
AMERICAN SADDLEBRED FUNZONE
Check out information and posters on American Saddlebred history and competition. Kids can also enjoy some Saddlebred-themed puzzles and coloring pages.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN THE EQUINE INDUSTRY
Learn about all the fun jobs that are available to horse enthusiasts! This station includes information on everything from equine dentistry to horse show photography.
INCORRECT STALL
Can you find the 10 things that are wrong with the way this stall is set up? A stall is a horse’s home, and learning how to make it both a safe and comfortable place is one of the most important aspects of horsemanship.
BREEDS AROUND THE WORLD
This station teaches you about a variety of breeds from across the globe and the jobs for which they’re bred.
EXPLORATION STATION
Learn the basics of horse nutrition and digestion. Read all about the different types of feed and how they help keep horses healthy.
SAFETY SATION
This station displays the basic safety guidelines people need to follow both when handling and riding horses.
BREYER CENTRAL
Admire the Kentucky Horse Park’s own Breyer horses. We have an impressive collection, many of which are modeled after real horses who are famous in their respective disciplines.
DRIVING
Learn about the parts of the harness and sit in the driver’s seat of an actual vintage carriage.
COLORS AND MARKINGS
Look at examples of all the possible coat colors and the different markings that make each horse so unique.
GROOMING
If you didn’t get a chance to attend our daily Groom and Shine presentation, or you just want to learn more, visit this station to see examples of proper grooming kits and all the tools we need to make our horses shine.
TRAILERING
This station makes you feel as though you’re looking at an actual horse loaded in a trailer! Learn all about how to transport horses and keep trailers safe.
FOAL EMERGENCY STALL
Catch a glimpse inside a foaling stall, and learn how veterinarians care for foals and their mothers following the birthing process.
GROOM AND SHINE: 2:45 PM
The horses and ponies in the Kids Barn need help! After playing in their paddocks all day, these dusty coats need a lot of work to make them shine again. The Groom and Shine demonstration will teach you the different grooming tools, their uses, and the techniques to groom a horse. Once our staff has demonstrated how to groom, it’s your turn to give it a try! (A great hands-on activity for children of any age).
OTHER ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE DAY:
SCAVENGER HUNT
Copies of our scavenger hunt are available everyday on both sides of the barn to grab on your way out. The hunt is a list of 10 different items that children can find around the Kentucky Horse Park while they are touring and enjoying the rest of our attractions with their families!
JUMP A COURSE
Located right outside the Kids Barn, the “Champion’s Arena” is a designated area where children can expend some excess energy on foot over a miniature-scale show jumping course (Jumps donated by Jump4Joy). Courses will be posted and changed regularly, but children do not necessarily have to jump the posted course. Parents can set the fences at whatever height their child is comfortable with jumping.
MEET OUR HORSES
The horses in the Kids Barn are typically switched out every day. There is always information about that day’s horse or pony and their breed’s history on the stalls. We like to have a variety of horses so guests can see different breeds and clean another horse every time they attend our Groom and Shine demonstration.
The Kids Barn is located behind the International Museum of the Horse and beside the loading dock for the Horse Drawn Tours.
For a full listing of daily activities, horse shows and special events, and information on admission and parking prices, please visit www.KyHorsePark.com.