Bucket List Adventure by Kathy Witt
Saddlebreds and Silver
In the rolling bluegrass of central Kentucky, there are more than 90 farms dedicated to a singular vocation: breeding and training Saddlebred horses, the “peacock of the horse world.” These high-stepping equine beauties, highly regarded for their grace and athleticism, are perfectly at home in Shelbyville, Ky., the “American Saddlebred Capital of the World.”
Deemed as such by state legislative proclamation, Shelbyville and Shelby County became the hub of saddlebred horse breeding activity, quite simply, because it’s where the best horses were, and still are. “If you want to get into the country music business you go to Nashville,” said saddlebred horse breeder Hoppy Bennett. “If you want to get into American Saddlebred, you come to Shelby County. HISTORIC HORSE The breed actually dates back to the late 18th century when explorer Daniel Boone, his brother Squire and many a pioneer traveled to Kentucky on “American Horses,” the forerunner of the modern Saddlebred horse. These days, the pioneers have been replaced by the breeders and trainers and the hobbyists who buy and show saddlebreds. All involved are looking for the next champion.
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“He was a historymaking stallion, born right here, and he made a great contribution to the breed through his off-spring,” said Bennett. “He added a lot of beauty and refinement.”
“What makes a Saddlebred a champion is inside, it’s his heart, his will to win,” said Bennet. “We breed for that. We know what pedigrees produce that. They move and go like they’re breathing fire, yet they have to be trained to be mannerly enough for anyone to ride them.” Groups of 15 or more and families overnighting in Shelby County can take an exclusive behindthe-scenes tour of the cosseted world of the saddlebred, including to Bennett’s Undulata Farm. A Shelbyville landmark that is also on the National Register of Historic Places, Undulata is where Civil War veteran Harry Weissinger and his sons once bred the great stallion, American Born.
Saddlebred stables are abuzz with activity all year long, but the most exciting time is during the spring when the babies arrive, the best time to tour. Each spring, as many as 300 foals are born in Shelby County. (Nationally about 1,500 saddlebred horses are born each year.) “You’ll see the babies with their mamas, playing in the field,” said Charlie Kramer, horse farm tour director. “You’ll see some twoyear-olds, working toward getting ready to show. They’ve been training for four, five, maybe six months, and they’ll be under saddle or pulling a cart.” The approximately 90-minute tour includes a discussion of the breed, the training aids the horses may be The River Region’s 50+ Lifestage Magazine