Horse farm tours near Lexington
 

We are visiting Lexington this July and would like to tour one or two thoroughbred horse farms. My daughter and I are real fans of the breed (we go to the races and have read quite a bit about the industry) and would appreciate any advice on tours which would be best for us. Thank you!

Visiting farms in Lexington is very easy if you know the protocol. :-)
First, choose a farm that allows public tours (some do not). Claiborne, Gainesway and Three Chimneys are good ones. Then, call the farm's Stallion Office and book your tour appointment. It is best to do this at least a month in advance for the best availability. If you need directions to the farm, ask for them when you bok your tour. The MOST important thing to remember is to be ON TIME. Your tour will usually be given by one of the grooms, and they are taking time out of their busy day for you. Don't pet the stallions unless the groom tells you you can since some may bite, and you are usually welcome to take as many photos as possible. FInally, be sure and tip the groom that gives your tour. I usually tip about $5 for a group tour and $20 for an individual tour. If you want a souvenier with the farm logo on it, bring a ball cap from a racetrack near your home and see if the groom will trade hats with you. Sometimes, they will!

One thing to keep in mind is that thoroughbred farms are NOT child-friendly, and many will not allow anyone under 12 into their barns because of liability. If you have younger children in your group, I highly recommend doing the Kentucky Horse Park instead of a farm tour. It is a really neat place to visit, and there are a lot of opportunities for hands-on with the gentle horses there.

Another recommendation for the Kentucky Horse Park! It was wonderful!

When I last visited Lexington about five years ago, there was a farm where you could have breakfast on the property. Does anyone recall which one this was/is?

Thank you for the excellent suggestions!
My youngest is 16 and we own horses but have never really been around stallions.
Any preference for Claiborne or Calumet?
I called Gainesway and they no longer offer tours.
Any other suggestions of horsey things to do would be most welcome. We will be in central Kentucky for about a week.

I enjoyed Kentucky Horse Park. It is the self-guided type of tour where you can just come & go without reservations. It's right on the highway at Lexington. Not out of the way at all. www.imh.org/imh


Also, I imagine you will want to go to Churchill Downs (home of the Kentucky Derby, etc.). www.churchilldowns.com


How about Mammoth Caves National Park? It is a little further away in Kentucky - but it is huge, amazing, & well worth it! Your daughter would enjoy it.

www.nps.gov/maca/index.htm

If you've never been to a thoroughbred farm, I would recommend Calumet. The history there just oozes! Claiborne has some of the top stallions in the business, and their tour is really better for someone who is "in the know" about the industry.