Where to Find America’s Horse Museums

In 1788 a British thoroughbred stallion named Messenger arrived in

Philadelphia. This unheralded immigrant soon began a breeding career that

launched the sport of standardbred racing in America. When Messenger died in 1808 he was buried with full military honors.

Horses were our first sports heroes. Eager crowds approaching 100,000 would

gather to watch fabled horses race in the 1800′s. Today, our equine athletes are no

less revered. More American museums celebrate horse competitions than any other

sport.

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New

York (Union Avenue and Ludlow Streets, Saratoga Springs 12866, 518/584-0400) is

a thoroughbred racing shrine. Inside the brick building across from the Saratoga

Race Course the Museum winds in a racing oval around a central courtyard. Gracing

the courtyard is a statue of Triple Crown winner Secretariat. On the front lawn sits

an eighth pole that was on Belmont Racetrack when Secretariat won the Belmont

Stakes by a remarkable 31 lengths in 1973.

Inside the Museum, entered through an actual starting gate, the highlight is

the extensive Hall of Fame honoring horses, jockeys and trainers on black, brown

and green plaques in illuminated booths. Fans can summon information on their

favorite inductees or any of AmericaÕs 130 racetracks from computerized video

monitors in the booths. A wide screen movie theater, featuring Race America plays

inside the Hall of Fame.

The history of thoroughbred racing is traced through galleries of equine

paintings and photographs. A skeleton of a horse in extended action helps explain

how a 1500-pound thoroughbred with impossibly fragile ankles is a perfect motion

machine, acclerating to 42 mph in just over 2 seconds. The race track atmosphere is

recreated in a simulated paddock area and jockeyÕs changing room.

Across town, tucked into the back grounds of the Saratoga Raceway sits a

rustic dark green wooden building with a green and red striped roof. With its wide

porch and landscaped front yard it could easily be the local garden center. In fact it

is The Saratoga Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame (352 Jefferson Street,

Saratoga Springs 12866, 518/587-4210), a little gem of a sports museum devoted

to harness racing in Saratoga Springs which dates to 1847, 16 years before the

beginning of the more celebrated thoroughbred racing in Saratoga.

Harness racing equipment, photographs and exhibits abound as tributes to the

horses and horsemen that have raced in Saratoga. A large side room features a

collection of antique sulkies including two cutters from the 1800′s with blades

instead of wheels, which were used for winter racing on ice. Each visitor to the Hall

of Fame receives a free pass to the harness races at Saratoga Raceway. You are

encouraged to sit on the Horseshoe Bench before leaving the Museum to test your

luck at the races.

The Hall of Fame of the Trotter in Goshen, New York (240 Main Street, Goshen,

10924, 914/294-6330) is in the famous Tudor-style Good Time Stable in the center

of town. Inside the Museum the atmosphere of the stable, built in 1913, remains.

Stalls have been fashioned into exhibition rooms and hay chutes transformed into

miniature stages for statues and trophies. Behind the Museum is Historic Track, the

first sporting site in America to be designated a Registered National Landmark.

Exhibits in the Original Stall Area tell the stories of legendary horses including

Hambletonian who sired over 1300 foals and to whom all trotters can trace their

lineage. A fun exhibit portrays the extent that horse racing has permeated our

everyday language. Terms such as start from scratch, flog a dead horse, champing

at the bit, and hold your horses are just a few sayings originating in the equine

world. Also on display are weathervanes from the 1800s which borrowed heavily on

the trotting horse.

The Living Hall of Fame of the Trotter is among the most attractive of horse

museum exhibits. Each living member is honored with a colorful 12′ clay statuette in

life-like surroundings exhibited in a plexi-glass case. Upon their passing, Hall of

Famers automatically become enshrined in the adjacent Peter D. Haughton Room of

Immortals.

In a large side gallery hang many of the nearly 200 trotting prints by Currier &

Ives collected by The Trotting Horse Museum. In the back of the museum the

Historic Track clubhouse has been re-created, providing a glimpse of turn-of-the

century elegance. Upstairs, the Sulky Loft sports a collection of sulkies, wagons, and

sleighs dating back more than 100 years which demonstrate the evolution of the

sport. Also on hand is the first mobile starting gate, welded to the back of a Ford

Model-T, which solved the problem of how to fairly start a harness race.

The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington (I-75 and Iron Works Pike, Lexington,

606/233-4303) is actually several museums. The International Museum of the

Horse chronicles all breeds of horses as you travel on a circular ramp past exhibits

and artifacts. The exceptionally colorful American Saddle Horse Museum depicts the

world of the American Saddlebred. Dazzling dioramas explore the elegant saga of

the quintessential American show horse. An innovative exhibit puts you in the

saddle of such champions as Imperator, Skywatch and Wing Commander. The

Museum also houses the United Professional Horsemen’s Association Hall of Fame.

In a corner of the Park is the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame with exhibits

and artwork on polo ponies. A display of polo clothes shows how the sport gave the

world the button-down shirt, introduced by Brooks Brothers in 1900. Also on the

grounds is The Man O’War Monument, burial site of the great racehorse.

Down I-64 under the familiar twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louisville is the

beautiful white Kentucky Derby Museum (700 Central Avenue, Louisville, 40201

502/637-1111) where every day is Derby Day. The order and winning silks of every

Kentucky Derby comprise the Time-Line around the first floor Great Hall. The boots,

not shoes, worn by first Derby winner Aristedes in 1875 are on display. Other

unique artifacts from Derby history include an 1896 silk purse awarded Kingman.

In the center of The Great Hall a life-size statue of the current Derby winner

and rider stand inside a replica of the Churchill Downs Winners Circle before a tote

board lit with final results. Embroidered blankets of Triple Crown winners hang from

the two-story ceiling. A 360-degree multi-image presentation shown with 96

projectors on a 225-foot screen around The Great Hall unveils the drama of

Kentucky Derby Day. The film is updated each year to honor the current Derby

champion.

Many computerized hands-on exhibits bring horse racing alive. In Time

Machine Theater videos of 65 Derbies are available at the touch of the screen. Place

Your Bets is a computerized race that demonstrates how placing bets change the

odds of a horse race. Derby Trivia is a

computer test of your Kentucky horse racing knowledge. Horse Talk teaches you the

language of the backstretch . Would-be jockeys can pick up a saddle and weigh-in

for a race. Hundreds of artifacts capture the magic of the Kentucky Derby. There are

trademark mint julep cups and winnerÕs blanket woven with 600 roses. Guided

walking tours of the Churchill Downs track are included in the Museum admission.

In Amarillo, Texas three galleries at the American Quarter Horse Horse

Heritage Center & Museum (2601 I-40 East, Amarillo, 806/376-5181) celebrate this

supreme equine athlete. An Orientation Theater acquaints newcomers to this

fabulous horse. The Museum contains photographs, artifacts and videotapes of

historic horses, colorful people, and landmark events associated with the quarter

horse. A special collaborative exhibit with the Smithsonian Institution traces the

impact of the horse on American life. Live quarter horse demonstrations are

periodically scheduled for the adjacent outdoor arena.

Is there one true American sport? Upon leaving the action-packed ProRodeo

Hall of Fame and Museum (Colorado Springs, Colorado 80919, 719/528-4763) you

would be hard pressed to name another sport as wholly American as rodeo. Rodeo,

which evolved from everyday Western work chores into sport, is a totally American

experience. Your precisely orchestrated semi-guided tour takes you through two

video presentations and past a stunning collection of cowboy gear.

In the Hall of Champions the stock is honored along with the cowboys. During

the summer months a champion bronco lives in the backyard stable area. After his

retirement the Hall of Fame bucking bronco Descent made his home in the stable

area. You were thus able to meet a living Hall-of-Famer at the site of his

enshrinement, something not possible at any other sports museum.

These museums are only the largest of America’s horse museums. There are

others honoring different breeds and local horse communities. Whatever your

equestrian passion there is an exciting museum for the horselover to enjoy.

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A Horse to Remember

You won’t forget “A Horse to Remember.”
How can a teenager survive when she’s uprooted from her friends and the shopping malls in Delaware and transplanted to rural Tennessee? Hilary Thompson, the heroine of A Horse to Remember, knows nothing about horses, but resolves this dilemma when she goes to work cleaning horse stalls at the stables next door to her new home. Here she meets Satan, a lonely, frightened Mustang stallion who needs a new friend as much as she does. This relationship transforms her life. She decides to tame him and train them both to compete in jumping events.
Hilary works with the mustang in secret, first earning his trust and then his affection, until finally she is able to ride him. When Satan’s owner threatens to sell him at auction, where he would no doubt be sold and slaughtered, her secret has to be revealed in order to save him. As Hilary and Satan learn new riding skills together, they also discover the values of determination, persistence, and unconditional love

Price: $6.00

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The Horse Whisperer

A forty-ton truck hurtles out of control on a snowy country road, a teenage girl on horseback in its path. In a few terrible seconds the life of a family is shattered. And a mother’s quest begins — to save her maimed daughter and a horse driven mad by pain. It is an odyssey that will bring her to…

The Horse Whisperer

He is the stuff of legend. His voice can calm wild horses and his touch heal broken spirits. For secrets uttered softly into pricked and troubled ears, such men were once called Whisperers. Now Tom Booker, the inheritor of this ancient gift, is to meet his greatest challenge.

Annie Graves has traveled across a continent with her daughter, Grace, and their wounded horse, Pilgrim, to the Booker ranch in Montana. Annie has risked everything — her career, her marriage, her comfortable life–in her desperate belief that the Whisperer can help them. The accident has turned Pilgrim savage. He is now so demented and dangerous that everyone says he should be destroyed. But Annie won’t give up on him, for she feels his fate is inextricably entwined with that of her daughter, who has retreated into a heartrending, hostile silence. Annie knows that if the horse dies, something in Grace will die too.

In the weeks to come, under the massive sky of the Rocky Mountain Front, all their lives–including Tom Booker’s–will be transformed forever in a way none could have foretold. At once an epic love story and a gripping adventure, The Horse Whisperer weaves an extraordinary tale of healing and redemption–a magnificent emotional journey that explores our ancient bonds with earth and sky and hearts untamed. It is a stirring elegy to the power of belief and self-discovery, to hopes lost and found again.

Price: $7.99

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Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook

Completely updated with the latest information on infectious diseases, parasites, breeding and foaling, and alternative therapies, the Horse Owner’s Veterinary Handbook, Third Edition is still as useful and easy to navigate as the original, classic text. With an index of signs and symptoms, a guide to the organs and body systems, a general index, cross-references, and a helpful glossary, this book will help you diagnose and treat your horse. You will appreciate the well-organized contents, which will help you find the information you need quickly, when your horse needs your help most.

Price: $39.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Horse Photography: The Dynamic Guide for Horse Lovers (Horses Ponies)

Why photograph horses? Because, in the words of author Carol Walker, they ”fill our hearts,” and capturing them on film or in digital images expresses that relationship. We want to catch and hold–and show–their spirit, their tremendous joy in living, their unique personalities, and of course, their incomparable beauty. And we want the quality of our images to honor our glorious subjects.

Photographing horses presents a double challenge, the first being the technical aspects–the lenses, the setting, the light and speed, and how all those relate to the subject. The second element is more elusive; it is horse knowledge–the educated ability to see how a horse moves, sense its moods, and understand its psychology as a prey animal.

Horse Photography: The Dynamic Guide for Horse Lovers presents the tools to master both technique and subject matter. More than that, the book will stir your creativity and inspire you to spend more time focusing on these animals you admire.

Price: $19.95

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Miniature Horses Are Just Smaller Versions Of A Horse

There is no one breed of horses that are called miniature-this is just a term that is used to describe a horse that meets certain height requirements. Most breeds are measured in hands-where one hand equals four inches. However, minis are measured in inches or centimeters. They are measured from the ground to the base of the hairs on their mane.

Miniature horses are less than half the size of a regular horse and breeders select the smallest stallions and mares for breeding. This way, they hope to ensure that they have even smaller foals the following spring. A new foal weights about 18-22 pounds and stands 16 to 21 inches at birth-making it about the same size as a medium-sized dog.

They are basically the same as their larger relatives in their shape, appearance and personality. They come in every color a horse can be-black, bay, sorrel, palomino, solid colors, mixed or pintos. They have very long manes and tails and some of them even have tails that can touch the ground.

Miniature horses have been around for over 400 years; however, their origin is unknown. In olden days, they were pets in the palaces and revered by nobility. Throughout the decades, their popularity grew among the rich mostly because they were not useful as a worker-they were too small to carry a rider or a heavy load.

Eventually, the miniature horse found a job. They were used to pull loads of coal from mines since they were small enough to move safely through the tunnels where they gained the nickname of pit ponies. All was not lost on them because when they too old to work, they were often taken home as pets by the miners.

Breeders became interested in the miniature horses in the mid-1900s and several different herds were cultivated and the breed increased in size, popularity and value. The first registry was called the American Miniature Horse Registry and was created in 1972. They helped develop and document pedigrees for the miniature horses, some of them going back to the early 1940′s.

Today, they are maintained as the result of careful breeding. Their gentle personalities make them good pets for children, elderly people and even for people with disabilities. In several communities, they are taken directly into schools rooms, nursing homes and hospital wards to help cheer up patients and to educate the children.

How often can children today spend a day on a farm and interact with the animals? There are miniature horse farms around the country that open their doors to visitors as one way to help finance their hobby of breeding these animals. Many of them even have special barns with a show rink where the miniature horses can demonstrate their skills to the public.

Think about spending a day visiting one of these farms and give your children an opportunity to see and interact with these beautiful animals. You may start a love affair with your children wanting to breed these lovely creatures when they grow up.

For more information on horses, try visiting http://www.interestinghorses.com – a website that specializes in providing horse related tips, advice and resources including information on the miniature horse.

Miniature Horses as Guide Animals

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a guide animal for the blind? Usually we think of dogs. Have you given thought to the use of miniature horses? The number of miniature horses as guide animals has steadily risen since 1999.

The use of horses rather than dogs has several benefits. They are great for horse lovers, those who are allergic to dogs and for the person who wishes to have an animal with a longer life span.

Ideal candidates for miniature horses include horse enthusiasts who have an understanding of equine behavior and their care. Those who are severely allergic to traditional guide animals benefit from using horses. Mature individuals who have a difficult time dealing with the grief of the loss of a guide animal will be delighted with a horse’s longer life span. People with a phobia of dogs will benefit from a miniature horse. The physically disabled will love the docile nature, which makes the horse easier to handle. A horse is sturdy enough to provide support such as aiding its handler to rise from a chair. For those who prefer their animal live outdoors when off duty, the miniature horse is ideal.

Why consider a horse at all? They are natural guides. In a herd, if one horse becomes blind, one of the other horses will take on the responsibility for that horse, becoming its guide. Historically, Calvary horses are known to guide injured riders to safety.

Miniature horses have several characteristics that make them ideal guide animals. They are cost effective. Their long life span is a demonstration of this. It takes a several thousands of dollars to train a guide animal. A miniature horse has a lifespan of thirty to forty years as compared with the seven to eight year life span of a dog. Horses are better accepted in public places. People view horses as a service animal rather than a pet. Horses tend to be calm in nature. Calvary and police horses demonstrate this well. These horses must be steady in chaotic situations. Guide horses receive the same desensitization training that riot control horses receive. Horses have excellent memories. They instinctually recall dangerous situations decades later. Horses have phenomenal vision. Their range of vision is nearly 350 degrees. They are the only animal capable of independent eye movement and can see clearly in near total darkness. Trained horses are extremely focused and are not easily distracted. Horses are always on the lookout for danger and will find the safest, most efficient route possible and will avoid obstacles that obstruct their path. Horses are hardy and can travel many miles in a single outing. Miniature horses also have excellent manners! They are very clean and can be housebroken. They don’t tend to get fleas and only shed two times per year. And, they will stand quietly while on duty.

While dogs are excellent guide animals and shouldn’t be discredited, miniature horses are gaining on them in popularity. With so many positive traits to their credit, they are definitely an option to consider.

Nikola lives and writes in Oklahoma. She is active in her local Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni, Volunteers in Policing and Skywarn. She enjoys reading, scrapbooking and spending time with her two dogs. Nikola is an author on Writing.Com which is located at http://www.Writing.Com/ and is accessible by anyone.

Miniature Horse Tack

Miniature horses are one of the fastest-growing equine breeds in the world today. These elegant and cute horses, no taller than 38 inches (from the withers to the last hairs), are attracting a lot of attention. They can be bred like regular horses and even ridden.

Miniature horses require tack similar to a regular horse. It includes bits, carts and wagons, harnesses, saddles, bridles, reins, halters, girths or cinches, martingales and other accessories, but in smaller sizes than for normal horses. Most miniature horse tack equipment is made of fine leather for strength and durability. Some accessories such as curb straps and stirrup hobbles are also available in different colors, such as natural, light, dark, black, and burgundy.

Prices of miniature horse tack differ based on the material, size and model. A floral-embossed saddle with 8-inch suede seat may be priced at around $125, while a blanket and a girth may cost around $14 and $7, respectively. A miniature Western saddle with or without tooling and an 8-inch suede seat is priced at approximately $200. A bridle may cost around $25 and a miniature Eggbutt bit may be priced at around $20, while a 3.5-inch stainless steel Eggbutt snafflebit may cost around $30. A leather halter may cost $12, while a nylon halter may be priced at around $8. An entire English tack set comprising of saddle, bridle and pad is also available for just $200. Some manufacturers are also offering custom-made miniature horse tacks as per the exact size of the horse.

There are also some stores that offer miniature horse tack on discount. Prices would be slashed as much as 20-30%. Miniature horse tack accessories can also be bought over the Internet. There are several sites that have exclusive products featured for miniature horses. Products can be compared and even ordered online.

Horse Tack provides detailed information on Horse Tack, Discount Horse Tack, Horse Tack for Sale, Miniature Horse Tack and more. Horse Tack is affiliated with Cartoon Penguins.

Pony Vs Horse – What’s the Difference?

A horse is a horse, of course?, but understanding the difference between the types and variations of horses can get a bit confusing. Here’s a quick rundown on some horse basics:

Horse - a horse is a hooved animal from the Equidae family. They have evolved for millions of years and were first domesticated around 4000 BC and today, can be found all over the world.

In addition to a number of variations on breeds: Arabian, Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Appaloosa – there is plenty of terminology that’s associated with horse and all things equine. A female horse is called a mare while a male one is referred to as a stallion. Meanwhile, newborn horses are called foals, young males are colts, young females are fillies – and a neutered male is called a gelding.

(Whew!)

Pony - the distinction between a horse and a pony is the animal’s size at full maturity. Species of ponies measure less than 14.2 hands (approximately 127 cm) as adults. Size is not their only classification, as ponies generally have stockier legs and heavier bones – they are also considered to be smarter and gentler in temperament than their larger counterparts.
Miniature Horses – size is of course not the be all and end all of the horse/pony distinction. You will find plenty of miniature horses for sale that measure no more 86 cm tall but are classified as miniature horses and not miniature ponies. These miniatures have been specifically bred and registered for show purposes – although some miniatures have been put to work as service animals for the blind.

Buying a horse or pony

Along with drawing the line between pink and blue, dolls and action figures, when it comes to children it’s an accepted “fact” that little girls love ponies.

If you’re considering getting your princess a pony – stop and think! Owning either one is a great responsibility and is generally quite a costly endeavor. Don’t just buy a horse at auction or call up an owner with a horse for sale in the Trading Post – learn the facts about horses and proper horse care before you commit to owning an animal.

Find miniature horses for sale and information on horse care in Australia. Your horse needs plenty of love and attention, so finding the right stable is critical for a long lasting relationship between man and beast.

Mini Horse Barn Plans to Care For Miniature Horses

Miniature horses are one of the most exotic and unique breeds of horses which exist today. They not only make great pets, but can also be of great use. However, when they are off-duty, they prefer to stay outdoors, and constructing a good shelter for them with the help of mini horse barn plans is the perfect gift you can give them.

These horses perform a variety of versatile roles. They function as adorable backyard pets, show animals, a form of therapy for the handicapped and as a companion to the elderly. Due to these varied roles, they spend a lot of time indoors. However, being horses, they are healthier when allowed to live outdoors, with a proper shelter and room to run. This is so especially during their leisure hours. A good mini barn built with the help of plans is the best way to build a shelter for your mini horse at a low cost.

Unlike others, a horse barn or a mini horse barn require very different plans. It has to perform a number of roles. It has to function as a shelter. It is a place for exercise as well as a storage space for equipment and food. It is also a place where emergency hygiene and veterinary care can be done. Due to these reasons, a lot of planning has to be done during its construction and the help of good plans should be most certainly taken.

One of the most important ingredients in the construction is the stalls. Your plans would be able to guide you in building them. Their number would depend on the number of mini horses you have. There should be enough room in the stall for the mini horse as well as for you to move around. You have to ensure that the door is made of sturdy material. A stall should also contain feed and water troughs.

Space for storage of equipment should be provided in your mini barn. Hay and grains are stored here, with a separate space for tack. Your plans would again be able to guide you here. In case you really want to pamper your pet, you may also provide electricity in the barn for lights, and fans to cool the animals. Radios providing soothing noises, as well as a refrigerator for holding medication are options you may consider.

As a mini barn is relatively smaller in size compared to a regular barn, the stables would also be smaller in size. The stalls and the tack open to the exterior of the stable. There are plans which contain a number of choices for building stables of your choice. Each stall should be capable of being closed completely so that your pet is safe from the weather. A covered shelter also provides extra protection for the stalls as well as the tack room.

According to your requirements and budget, you may either construct a simple barn or a more elaborate one which contains all the features to ensure that your pet is well taken care of. There are good plans which would help you in these. Though free plans are also available, it is best to go in for the ones which come with a charge, as they are more elaborate and come with step by step instructions and illustrations.

These mini animals are produced by a process of selective breeding down in size. However, this is done by keeping as near perfect conformation to their full size cousins as possible. They are also an economical alternative to the normal sized ones. They are smaller, easier to maintain and take up fewer resources, but retain all the other characteristics of the larger variety including the beauty, elegance and nobility.

Mini horse owners, like their regular horse owner counterparts, are usually great horse lovers, and would like to have the best for their horses. A good set of mini horse barn plans are exactly what you would need to build a barn which is not only easy to build, but also ensure that your horses are comfortable.

If you have decided to make a mini horse barn yourself, you may visit http://allin1woodworkingplans.com/ which has got detailed plans prepared by experts.