Day 25
Countdown to Kentucky Round-Up:

What's Kentucky Round-Up?

TODAY I SAW A HORSE.  OR TWO.

You'd think as a staff member of the Kentucky Horse Council that I'd be in the presence of horses pretty frequently.  But honestly, except for my own horses at home, my job is closer to that of a typical corporate job-- meetings, conference, emails and reading articles and reports.

But THANKS TO KENTUCKY ROUND-UP, this afternoon I was at a local riding stable.  Considering it is the middle of January, the day was gorgeous and sunny (but cold).  I met with Janet Patton, one of the Lexington Herald-Leader's journalists, who is interested in writing something about Kentucky Round-Up.  Janet has done a number of articles about the horse industry, and is intrigued by KY Round-Up.

We met at The Farm, located off Winchester Road, and had a photo shoot of some girls who ride there, age 6 to 13.  They rode everything from a 16.2H Thoroughbred (in his second career) to a 13.2H, 20-year old pony who, according to the trainer, "keeps going and going".  (Aren't all ponies like that?) Calm and quiet, been there-done that attitude.. and amazingly he is a Hackney-Mustang cross.  Not exactly the stereotypical calm and quiet breeds.

They groomed, they tacked, they mounted, they rode.  Smiles all around.  The photographer was snapping as fast as her digital camera would go, and at one point I saw her lying on her stomach on the ground getting a shot under the horses' belly. (Yes, she was safe, she was far enough away from the trotting horse...)

Emily, who owns the farm, donated a lesson package for a door prize at Kentucky Round-Up, and I left a poster for the barn.  (Note to readers, we are looking for more donated lesson packages for kids who come who want to learn to ride, just email me if you know of someone willing to give)

It was a good day which got me out of the office, away from the computer, and back to the animals that the Horse Council focuses on every day.

See you tomorrow.