Kentucky Horse Park, campgrounds reopen

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Kentucky Horse Park welcomed back visitors Thursday with a limited schedule and number of attractions. Park officials say even the horses have been bored not having any visitors over the last few months, so it's safe to say everyone is excited to reopen finally. While some of the attractions are still closed, the park made some changes to make sure people get their money's worth in the meantime.

For now, the park is only open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tickets are being sold at the winter rate.

While you may have to keep your distance, there will still be plenty of opportunities to see horses. You can visit them at the Big Barn and catch them during showings.

"We are offering Parade of Breeds shows. You can go up to the Hall of Champions and see our Derby winners. They'll be out on the paddocks," said Deputy Executive Director Jonathan Lang.

The movie theater is open with limited seating. While the park is closed Monday and Tuesday, there will be horseback riding every day with limited spaces.

For now, playgrounds, horse-drawn trolley tours, and the International Museum of the Horse are closed. However, there is still a chance to learn something during your visit.

"Even though the museum's not open, we are offering different presentations around some of our sculptures, so if you want to learn more about Sergeant Reckless, we're going to have a presentation at the statue," said Lang.

The park is hoping to reopen the museum and other attractions in July. While the gift shop is open, the café is not.

Also, horse shows are scheduled to return on June 17th.

The park's campground reopened at 50 percent capacity if you're itching for a getaway, just like all campgrounds across the state. Even with restrictions, interest in visiting is high.

"Our campsites are booked in terms of the availability that we have," said Lang. "We're hopeful as this goes forward that we see some positive and that we can increase that capacity."

There are other restrictions on the campground. The pool, playgrounds, bathhouses, and laundry room are closed for now, so guests will have to stay self-contained in their reserved spots. Officials encourage guests to come prepared with everything they may need for their visit.

For more information on the reopening, you can visit the Kentucky Horse Park's website. You can learn more about the campground reopening here.