Equestrian Experiences

Equestrian experiences abound in the Bluegrass State — the bright green grass perfect for grazing grows abundantly in our pastures. Go horseback riding through Daniel Boone National Forest or Mammoth Cave National Park. Tour a horse farm (more than 400 in the Lexington area alone!) and spend time with a titleholder-in-training or Kentucky Derby horses retired to stud. And don’t miss the high-stepping hoofbeats heard ‘round Shelbyville, the American Saddlebred Capital of the World, each August during the Shelbyville Horse Show.

From the legendary Kentucky Derby to the one-of-a-kind Kentucky Horse Park, it’s undeniable that Kentucky’s horse culture has the inside track.
The first Saturday in May attracts more than 150,000 fans to Churchill Downs to witness the Kentucky Derby, “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” but every day is Derby Day at the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. Get hands-on with interactive exhibits, take in the 360-degree film and take a guided visit to the Churchill Downs track.

The renowned Louisville course isn’t the only place to hear and feel the thundering of hooves. Keeneland in Lexington is a National Historic Landmark; it’s hosted spring and fall thoroughbred races since the 1930s, and today spectators tailgate on “The Hill” with fare from food trucks while live bluegrass plays in the background.

Other horse racing courses are sprinkled around the state, and for something a little different check out harness racing at Red Mile Racetrack in Lexington. The second-oldest harness track in the world, the clay-course Red Mile attracts more than 18,000 fans to its season, July through the second week of October.

At the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, celebrate local horse heritage every day. See American Saddlebreds to Old Kentucky Saddlers being trained and groomed in the Breeds Barn. Admire retired racehorses in the Hall of Champions. Take a trail ride on horseback or saddle up the kids for pony rides. Attend equestrian events, including show jumping, dressage and polo.

Even if you don’t come to Kentucky a horse lover, you’ll almost certainly leave as one.

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Flatwater Paddling the Tradewater River

Western Waterlands

By Charlie Morgan

Updated December 20, 2024

As a tributary of the Ohio River, the Tradewater River flows from Hopkinsville to Sturgis, Kentucky, and access is available at several points throughout its 136-mile length. The more popular section are the areas closest to Hopkinsville and Sturgis, but there are many, many stretches of river to enjoy if you’re willing to search for ramps or find a bridge to put in at.

What Makes It Great

Western Kentucky is covered in meandering blueways, and while the Tradewater River may not be swift, it’s the perfect river to float on a lazy summer day.

Rising in Hopkinsville near the Tennessee border, the Tradewater flows north/northeast before meeting up with the Ohio River. The geology of the river is mostly Pennsylvanian limestone, so large, exposed cliffs between thickly wooded meadows and pastoral farmland are common sights.

Ecologically, the Tradewater is home to a variety of common game fish, including Kentucky spotted bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and catfish. If you pay attention during your float, you can also see spotted gar and alligator gar, which can grow up to five feet long and surface often.

The Tradewater is navigable with just about any boat. Whether you take a canoe, kayak, or stand-up paddleboard, any beginner will be able to negotiate the occasional choppy section with confidence while moving around the river banks to look for deer, turkey, or to catch fish.

Certain sections of the Tradewater can get crowded during summer weekends, but anyone can avoid the crowds by finding a public boat ramp away from the canoe rental companies that set up shop on different parts of the river.

Who is Going to Love It

For anyone who loves a long summer day on the river, the Tradewater is a solid destination to drink something cold and relax down a quiet and scenic river. This float is definitely family and beginner-friendly, as well. It’s easy to find fun rope swings in deep swimming holes, small waterfalls, feeder creeks, and other places to stop and explore.
For conventional and fly anglers, the Tradewater is a great river to target bass, the plethora of brightly colored sunfish species, or just drag live bait on the bottom to pick a fight with a true river monster: the channel catfish.

Directions, Parking & Regulations

A lot of great folks have worked very hard to preserve large sections of the Tradewater, but there are still a lot of private farms and homes, so be careful to responsibly put-in, take-out, and explore on public land only, avoiding the private property.

Kentucky Horse Country