The Kentucky Horse Park Education Department offers a variety of classes and programs for both adults and youngsters. While these classes would be a good refresher for experienced equestrians, they are designed to give the novice a firm foundation in equine care.

The Kentucky Horse Park Education Department operates out of the park's Big Barn, and offers a wide variety of workshops, classes, and seminars. Weekend day-classes, designed for both the novice and experienced horseperson, on such topics as "Introduction to Single and Pair Driving", "Training the Horse to Drive", "Driving Draft Horses", "Adult Beginning English Riding" and "Pony Pack Club" are held throughout the year.

The Kentucky Horse Park Education Department also has a program for children ages 10-18 interested in the basics of horseback riding. The Youth Riding Program teaches participants how to catch, lead, groom, and tack horses, as well as the basics of balanced seat riding.

The Kentucky Horse Park's mares and foals play an important role in the Education Department's curriculum. Breeding and foaling are supervised by the department's staff. Daily, from Memorial Day through July 31, the staff presents the mares and foals to park visitors in the "Mare and Foal Show" at the Big Barn. By the 31st of July our babies are ready to be weaned. The Education Department will be introducing children, ages 5 to 14, to the care and maintenance of the horse. This event is called Pony Tales and will occur 7 days a week, May 26th, 2008 until August 15th, 2008 in the center of the Historic Big Barn at 2:45 p.m. until 3:05 p.m. Children will see handlers demonstrating proper grooming of the horse, learn about various forms of riding and take advantage of any left over time for hands on with the horses.

The Education Department is also responsible for the training of the Kentucky Horse Park Mustang Troop and their previously wild Mustangs. This pilot program is the model for future wild horse projects throughout the United States. The Mustang Troop teams inner-city youngsters chosen by the Lexington Police Activities League (PAL) with wild horses from the Bureau of Land Management's "Adopt a Horse" program.

2009 Education Registration Form

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