Little Person galloping through the challenges of life on her horses: My Kentucky Home...

[Photos are at the end of this blog.]

Here in the heart of the Kentucky Bluegrass horse country the miracle and delight of foaling season takes place each year, as it has here since the 1790's. Foaling season begins in January and usually goes through May. Everything is all about the horse here. And everything abides by the rhythms of the seasons with the horses. Almost anywhere in this region mostly outside of Lexington, there are endless farms and pastures with mares and their foals, then weanlings, yearlings, and stallions in all their many pastures. Nothing is hurried for one cannot help but to be immersed in the equine rhythms. During the summer months mares and foals can be seen quietly sleeping beneath the shade of trees. The tranquility in itself is such a treasure, for this...is our separate peace here. And this...is our Kentucky horse country. How I hope you may enjoy this glimpse of my Kentucky home.

Many have heard of Mammoth Cave, the second largest cave system in the world. Kentucky is sitting on a massive amount of limestone vastly rich in nutrients found in our grass and water. And yes, we do have BLUEgrass. You see, the limestone nutrients contribute to this effect. Those nutrients are also why we are known as the Horse Capital Of The World too.🐎💥🐎

Kentucky became a state in 1792. Daniel Boone's grave is not far from where I live. But during the years before we became a state wherever people bet their horse could run faster than another's horse here and throughout New England, they soon discovered it was the horses from THIS region in Kentucky winning all the races. People didn't know why back then so decided this region in Kentucky had something very magical in its' grass and water.💥🐎

Actually, there IS magic in our grass and water because the "magic" was later confirmed to be the rich, high concentration of those nutrients in our grass, mostly calcium which helps create horses with magic. But horse racing lovers in the 1790's and after didn't care what it was. All they knew is there was something magical having an astounding effect on horses here.💥Rapidly horse showing and racing enthusiasts flocked to this region establishing farms. And the rest is our proud history in the Bluegrass. Some of these very farms are still in operation by the descendants of those who came to this region establishing their horse farms for the sake of raising Kentucky bred horses.

Colonel Matt Winn who owned what eventually became our iconic Churchill Downs in Louisville, began the Kentucky Derby. The first Derby was in 1875 and is the oldest sporting event in the United States. It has been running ever since on each first Saturday in May, except for two. One time it was delayed until June as WWII ended.

The second time was in 2020. Due to the virus, the Kentucky Derby had to be either cancelled altogether or moved, and a date was decided. The Derby was held

on 5 September 2020 without spectators. Our two beloved sister races making up the historical Triple Crown races, The Preakness in Baltimore, Maryland, and The Belmont in New York, had to scramble with changes too. The Belmont was held on 20 June, the Preakness on 5 October and both also held without spectators.

Here in the Bluegrass in Lexington, is another beautiful racetrack surrounded by horse farms...Keeneland, that is as historical as Churchill Downs. This year, 2020, Keeneland was host of the world renown Breeder's Cup Classic in November...without spectators.

Not far from where I live is the very famous Kentucky Horse Park which began in the late 1970's. I was actually a part of the team that helped to create some of its' logos back then which was a huge honor and fun too.

Each year in April the prestigious world renown Rolex Three Day Event is held at the Horse Park. Also the World Equestrian Events are too. Of course the Rolex Three Day Event understandably had to be cancelled in 2020 besides all other activities. So did the Spring and Fall Meets at Keeneland as well.😭

This is very touching: many from around the world come here throughout the year, especially during foaling season just to visit our farms and all their favorite famous horses. Obviously due to the virus

trips planned for a year or more suddenly had to be cancelled. Besides the farms had to close their gates to visitors anyway. However, our amazing farm owners came together, and with the help of a wonderful organization here called Horse Country Tours, began doing live virtual tour visits of the many beloved farms here not only including all aspects of each farm but its history. Our incredible Mill Ridge Farm here has been especially instrumental in doing this, touching deeply the many throughout the world who come here for the love of Kentucky horse country. Dear Mill Ridge Farm personifies everything we treasure most here. As with a number of our farms their history dates back into the 1800's and earlier. Farms like Mill Ridge make me very proud to be a Kentuckian. Anyone here interested in taking these virtual horse farm tours may access them via Horse Country Tours on Facebook.

Anyway, back to more tidbits about this place I proudly call home. Another benefit discovered after Kentucky began due to the abundant limestone in our water, is our Kentucky Bourbon. There are numerous historical distilleries throughout the region. One is not far from me and if the wind is just right I can smell the mash being boiled which is a sweet smell. About two years ago one of our distilleries lost a warehouse filled with bourbon whiskey as it was aging due to a huge fire. After the fire I learned just how important our bourbon whiskey really is around the world even more than I realized. I soon discovered I was getting more news and updates on what was happening regarding the loss of this warehouse on the BBC than our local news! One thing the BBC did was speculate on how the loss of this warehouse could affect the amount of bourbon we produce. The BBC then even focused on what our wildlife officials were doing about trying to save the fish in the river all the bourbon poured into! There wasn't anything in the local news about THAT here! Though fish were lost, our wildlife officials were actually able to avoid a huge loss of our catfish and carp industry, by neutralizing the effects of the bourbon in the river. A fact I learned from the BBC in the U.K. providing all these updates for its listeners about this fire having an impact on our bourbon whiskey output!!!🤣

Another product Kentucky is very famous for, and also one benefiting from the limestone here too, is tobacco. We are the leading state in tobacco. And hemp too.😃

Not surprisingly we lead the world in horse sales too.

Kentucky is of course also famous for Kentucky Fried Chicken. In my blog about the famous people I have met I wrote about my friendship with Colonel Harland Sanders himself and his wife Claudia, whose home was not far from the farm where I boarded some of my horses. I used to join them for tea on their veranda. They both were up in their eighties by then, and so dear and charming. I am very grateful to have had that time visiting them at the Colonel's insistence when he discovered me on my horse one day.🐎🤠🐎

There are many more wonderful things about Kentucky, like Bluegrass Music, our theatres, and uniquely beautiful natural wonders. Yet it is our equine culture I am most proud to be a part of. Since so many famous horses reside here our evening news broadcasts often have news pieces featuring their births, fame, retiring here, and when they pass away. When Secretariat was euthanized due to laminitis it was the only news here for days. The same with Seattle Slew. After the birth of American Pharoah's first two foals the world couldn't get enough of seeing these two as they each found their legs and stood for the first time, then nursed.

When Secretariat retired here arriving at Bluegrass Airport, local and national news teams were there with
live news updates, even following the procession to Claiborne Horse Farm, and there as he stepped off the van. Many years later it was the same thing for American Pharoah. So many of our local television programs and commercials here are related to the horses and farms too. And our state license plates are always with horses.

Back to foaling season. Those making sure all goes well during the wee cold hours of winter/early spring in barns throughout the region during foaling season often have been doing their job for decades. They all say the same thing too...that each foaling never loses its' wonder and magic, and they're right. The miracle never ever ceases to amaze us here.😍💫

Then what a delight it is to see all the many playful

foals trying out their legs in fields of bluegrass on a misty Kentucky morning! Or when they encounter

their first snowfall. These joys and wonders never

lose their magic.

I have been blessed to live in many and travel in forty-seven other states and Canada, each with their very unique beauty and wonders. Yet this, my dear ones,

IS my beloved Horse Country Kentucky Home.😍🐎