Things to do in Kentucky Horse Country
When you think of Kentucky the things that come to mind are horses and Bourbon. Making Kentucky the first stop on my trip across the U.S. with my mother and my American Quarter Horse Irish was a must. There is so much to do in this agricultural state that I am only going to be able to scratch the surface.
Bourbon and Kentucky
Bourbon is a truly American spirit and 95% of all bourbon is made in Kentucky. No trip to the area is complete without touring and tasting at the many bourbon distilleries. Bourbon is a type of whiskey made from 50% or more of corn, and the remainder being rye and barley. After the grains are milled, mashed and combined with yeast and water the fermentation begins. The alcohol is distilled and placed in single use charred oak barrels for a minimum of two years to age. The water used in bourbon is from the Kentucky river. The native limestone remove the iron deposits making the water ideal for distilling bourbon. Every distillery has their own method of distilling bourbon but the water from the Kentucky river has made Kentucky the premier producer of bourbon.
Wild Turkey Distillery was the bourbon tour that I took while in Kentucky. This company has been in operation for 75 years and is located on a cliff overlooking the Kentucky river. The owner of Wild Turkey is Jimmy Russell. He is the longest active distiller of bourbon in the country. He combines the art and science of distilling into producing the Wild Turkey Brand of Bourbon.
The tours include an explanation of how bourbon is made, starting with the grains, to distilling process, the rack houses and a tasting of the various selection of bourbon produced. At Wild Turkey, the tasting room is perched on a cliff overlooking the Kentucky River with a beautiful view of a “S” curved bridge. You can learn more about Wild Turkey Distillery by clicking on the link http://wildturkeybourbon.com/
Chocolate and Kentucky
Rebecca Ruth Candy Factory is the creator of the bourbon ball chocolate candy. In 1919, two substitute school teachers in their mid-twenties, Ruth Hanly (Booe) and Rebecca Gooch, started the candy factory in a time when women didn’t even have the right to vote. The chocolates are still made with the original recipes that Rebecca and Ruth developed. Today the company is owned by Ruth’s grandson Charles Booe. When I was visiting the shop, it was hard to choose what to buy but the chocolate has the perfect consistency and flavor to satisfy this chocolate lover. To learn more about Rebecca Ruth Candy click on this link. http://rebeccaruth.stores.yahoo.net/ruthbooestory.html
Kentucky and Horses
Kentucky is known for its’ horses, making it a horse lovers dream destination. There are so many ways to experience the wonders of the horse in Kentucky I can only cover a few.
The famous Churchill Downs located in Louisville opened in 1875 and is the official home of the Kentucky Derby. You can click this link to learn more about Churchill Downs. https://www.churchilldowns.com/about/churchill-downs/history/
The Kentucky Horse Park is a must do when visiting Kentucky. The commonwealth of Kentucky acquired the land from Mary Sherman Jenney for $2.7 million in 1972 and proceeded to build the only horse park dedicated to the relationship between man and horse. In 1978 the Kentucky Horse Park opened to the public and continues to grow to this day. To learn more about the Kentucky Horse Park click on the link https://kyhorsepark.com/
Of course, for me the focus was to train my horse at Buffalo Ridge Arena with Bruce Barber. Irish and I spent six days training and enjoyed learning as Bruce says “new tools to improve our dance”. In an up coming blog I will be reviewing many of the training exercises Irish and I have learned while at Buffalo Ridge Arena. For more information about Bruce Barber click this link http://www.buffaloridgearena.com/
Toyota Motor Manufacturing and Kentucky
Toyota’s largest vehicle manufacturing plant in North America is located in Georgetown, KY. The first completely American made Camry came of the assembly line in 1988. That car can still be seen today at the Toyota visitor center as you wait for your guided tour of the massive plant. For more information about the Toyota plant click the link http://www.toyotageorgetown.com/tour.asp
Frankfort the Capital City of Kentucky
The Kentucky State Capital is located in the town of Frankfort along the Kentucky River. The small town feel of Frankfort makes visiting the area very relaxing. The capitol building that stands today is the fourth building to houses the state legislature. The first two building were used between 1792-1830 until a fire claimed them. The third building was used from 1830-1910. This building is called the ‘old’ capitol building and still stands today. The current building was designed by architect Frank Mills Andrews and was dedicated on June 2, 1910. The final cost of construction for this building was $1.82 million. Today it would cost between $500 million and $1 billion to construct. The facade is constructed of Indiana Bedford Limestone and Vermont Granite and interior is composed of white Georgia marble, gray Tennessee marble and dark green Vermont marble with grand corridors featuring 36 columns of Vermont granite and delicate art glass skylights and murals. The grounds of the state capital are beautiful and lend themselves to a leisurely stroll. To learn more about Kentucky’s capital click on this link. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_State_Capitol
As you can see Kentucky has a rich history just waiting to be explored!