Horse Museums
With the advent and proliferation of the personal automobile, horses have taken a figurative “backseat” in our most recent history, and indeed in the average American mind. It seems difficult to believe that not so very long ago horses were truly the only method of everyday transportation. Instead of car theft, authorities sought horse thieves. Instead of millions of automobile garages, there was an assortment of farriers and blacksmiths in nearly every small town throughout the world. In fact, much as many men prefer to perform the basic maintenance on their vehicles themselves today, so too did men of the recent past shod and shoe their own horses. Parking garages were once stables, and the spaces closest to storefronts had tie-offs for horses instead of handicapped parking zones. Instead of gas stations, there were “watering holes”, where both man and beast could go for a much-needed drink. While times have clearly changed irreversibly, they haven’t been lost, as there are hundreds of museums dedicated to horses all over the globe. Horse museums feature a number of different specialties; some are dedicated to ancient equine history, some are dedicated to racing animals, and some are reserved for specific horse breeds. Whatever the specialty, there are so many horse museums that equestrians can spend countless hours; years, even, exploring only a small fraction of them. A selection of some of the best follows.
Consider the International Museum of the Horse in Lexington, Kentucky- a fitting place for a horse museum of any type. The museum states that their mission encompasses all there is to discover about our history with equines: "The International Museum of the Horse is committed to educating the general public, equestrian and academic communities about the relationship between man and the horse throughout history and the world." This mission is accomplished with dazzling exhibits of ancient horses and the men who domesticated them, horse art and sculpture, and tours that detail how horses have shaped mankind’s future. The museum boasts 38,000 square feet of space dedicated to our equine friends- more than enough for a day or a weekend adventure with the family.
The American Museum of Natural History in New York also has a dedicated horse museum, including the evolution of the horse itself, and the impact it has had on ancient and modern history. While the entire museum is not dedicated to the horse alone, the equestrian portion of the site goes one step further than many other horse museums, and provides a presentation on the possibilities of the uses and relationships of man and horse in the future.
Crossing the Atlantic, we find a country that has a history with horses that is far longer and more extensive than that of our own: Great Britain. Located in Newmarket, the National Horseracing Museum contains collections related to the sport of horse racing, which happens to be the number two spectator sport here in the United States; second only to baseball. The National Horseracing museum features thousands of pictures of famous jockeys and horses, videos of spectacular racing moments, and memorabilia from British horseracing dating from the days where only royalty was involved in the sport, to today’s modern racing heroes.
A reasonable train ride from England will cross paths with many horse museums, most notably in France and Italy, but if you are willing to travel as far as Hungary, you will find a very special museum dedicated to horses. The Equestrian Museum at Babolna has on display valuable relics from the ancient days of more regular horse use, including very old registry books, harnesses, certificates, photos, tools, and even the skeleton of the famous racehorse Imperial. This museum even has an entire room dedicated to its success in the world of horseracing, which has been remarkable to say the least.
Perhaps the most ancient details of horses and horse related memorabilia is The Carriage Museum at the Citadel in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptians were using horse-driven carriages and war machines for thousands of years while Europeans were still traipsing about in the mud on their own two feet, so you can imagine the wealth and antiquity of the items at this museum. However, no photos are allowed by law, so be sure to leave your cameras at home and keep your memory sharp!
Finally, we come back to the United States to the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. As you can imagine, this museum is dedicated to all things relative to the Kentucky Derby- its history, jockeys, horses, races, and some surprises as well. The museum suffered a devastating flood in 2009, so it is currently undergoing renovations and will not reopen until April of 2010, so mark your calendars if you intend to visit.
All across the world, there are horse museums dedicated specifically to certain breeds, to certain eras, and to certain mechanical-equine related devices, such as the horse-drawn water wheel and the horse drawn levers of antiquity. Whatever your equine tastes are, or whatever breed you love, there is a horse museum out there for you to enjoy. If you are not sure where or how to find one, simply type in your request to any major search engine, and chances are great that you will find what you are looking for.
 | This stunningly illustrated history of the horse in art documents the creative journey from prehistoric cave painting to the war horses of Uccello, the thoroughbred portraits of Stubbs, the enigmatic prints of Elisabeth Frink and beyond. It explores the role of the horse in Eastern imagery and as the subject of myth and legend; as a symbol of power and an ally in war; as the subject of anatomical scrutiny and the Romantic embodiment of human feeling; and as the emblem of sporting pleasures and prowess. The book sheds particular light on man’s relationship with the horse, and on the story of equine evolution from the stocky primitive to today’s thoroughbred. |
 | The horse is an icon of civilization. Man has long depended on the horse
in farming, transportation, war, religion, and exploration, and as a
consequence we have a wonderfully rich legacy of horses depicted in art.
Distinguished
author John Baskett begins with the horse in ancient civilizations,
including masterpieces from Asia, and then discusses the horse in the
Middle Ages, in which the animal was bred for warfare and agriculture
and is represented in such scenes as the Bayeaux Tapestry.
Renaissance artists, whose interest in horses was as great as that
for the human form, are then discussed, evidence of which is shown in
the skillful drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. |
