Friday and Saturday – catch up time!
Friday we rode our bikes thru the GENTLY rolling park roads to the lake and then walked thru the park that was near the picnic area and up the trail to the other campground that is also in the resort. I remembered that there was a short trail to an arch at the end of that campground and shamed Harry into going on a “short hike”. It was fairly short -.3 of a mile up but it was a Billy goat path along the side of the ridge and led to a good-sized hole in the ground that actually had an arch across it. Of course, all the way up and all the way down the trail I heard ALL about the treacherous conditions that I forced him to go thru. The hillside was covered with trillium, violets and even small blue flags (tiny purple Siberian iris – only 5 to 6 inches tall). We even saw a Stinking Benjamin, which is a small maroon and green trillium, near the pathway! Friday afternoon was spent recovering from his strenuous exercise. Friday evening brought rain.’
Saturday morning was gray and as we pulled out, the view thru the Parkway was still beautiful in spite of the on and off drizzle. The fog, sitting tenderly in the valleys, was mystical as the winds picked it up and whooshed it around softly. By the time we reached Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park the rain had quit but the winds had picked up.
Our camp spot is in the outside row near a hedge of honeysuckle. The spaces are very ample and the road out of the back of the campground leads right to the indoor arena and horse barns at the Horse Park! And that’s where we headed!
In the arena was a competition, which featured classes for kids from ages 7/8 and up to 10 yr olds. The classes focused on the ability of the rider to control their mount. Some of them had their hands full of more than just reins! From there we found the Gypsy horses! Wow – what beautiful creatures – manes and tails flowing and feathers on their legs that rival any Clydesdale champion! We met and talked to a young college aged lady who came all the way from Kansas to show her 4 yr old stallion and 1 yr old colt. The colt won his halter completion for his age and they both were in the costume segment of the show. We saw all so many gorgeous animals – each design in their black and white or brown and white OR sparkling white and gray dapple pattern, unique unto themselves alone. The retired stallions at Old Friends back in Versailles and the long legged young beauties in the Derby are magnificent but these horses are . . . . . fairy tale inspired!! And there will be more on Sunday!
Friday we rode our bikes thru the GENTLY rolling park roads to the lake and then walked thru the park that was near the picnic area and up the trail to the other campground that is also in the resort. I remembered that there was a short trail to an arch at the end of that campground and shamed Harry into going on a “short hike”. It was fairly short -.3 of a mile up but it was a Billy goat path along the side of the ridge and led to a good-sized hole in the ground that actually had an arch across it. Of course, all the way up and all the way down the trail I heard ALL about the treacherous conditions that I forced him to go thru. The hillside was covered with trillium, violets and even small blue flags (tiny purple Siberian iris – only 5 to 6 inches tall). We even saw a Stinking Benjamin, which is a small maroon and green trillium, near the pathway! Friday afternoon was spent recovering from his strenuous exercise. Friday evening brought rain.’
Saturday morning was gray and as we pulled out, the view thru the Parkway was still beautiful in spite of the on and off drizzle. The fog, sitting tenderly in the valleys, was mystical as the winds picked it up and whooshed it around softly. By the time we reached Lexington and the Kentucky Horse Park the rain had quit but the winds had picked up.
Our camp spot is in the outside row near a hedge of honeysuckle. The spaces are very ample and the road out of the back of the campground leads right to the indoor arena and horse barns at the Horse Park! And that’s where we headed!
In the arena was a competition, which featured classes for kids from ages 7/8 and up to 10 yr olds. The classes focused on the ability of the rider to control their mount. Some of them had their hands full of more than just reins! From there we found the Gypsy horses! Wow – what beautiful creatures – manes and tails flowing and feathers on their legs that rival any Clydesdale champion! We met and talked to a young college aged lady who came all the way from Kansas to show her 4 yr old stallion and 1 yr old colt. The colt won his halter completion for his age and they both were in the costume segment of the show. We saw all so many gorgeous animals – each design in their black and white or brown and white OR sparkling white and gray dapple pattern, unique unto themselves alone. The retired stallions at Old Friends back in Versailles and the long legged young beauties in the Derby are magnificent but these horses are . . . . . fairy tale inspired!! And there will be more on Sunday!
