More Horse Fun Ideas

A day at the races. It doesn't have to be the Kentucky Derby to make a day at the track first-rate fun. For good old horseracing and steeplechase events, the nearest horse track will always deliver. Call or search online for a schedule of events.

4-H. Nearer to urban areas than you might guess, there are 4-H kids working with horses and competing at fairs. Some 6.8 million kids across the country have pledged their Heads to clearer thinking, their Hearts to greater loyalty, their Hands to larger service, and their Health to better living. They have events all the time, many times showcasing talents they've cultivated with the animals they raise and care for. Even though one of the four Hs isn't for "horse," lots of 4-H kids are passionate horse devotees. To find out how to contact local 4-H groups to ask about horse-related programs in your area, search on the Four-H-Web, the site of the 4-H organization.

Four-H-Web

Horses as works of art. The world-famous all-white Lipizzaners, the renowned dancing stallions from Austria, can be seen on tour. You can learn all about them on the White Stallion Productions Web site and check to see when their eye-popping show is coming to your area. If that's not any time soon, consider the show Cheval, an exploration of the relationship between humans and horses created by the genius behind Cirque du Soleil, Giles Ste-Croix. The traveling show -- which is on a three-year, 19-city tour -- showcases 17 different breeds of horses and a cast of 27 in a true celebration of our fascination with these beautiful animals.

Lipizzaner Stallions

Or there may well be other horse shows coming to your area that will interest you. Log on to your favorite search engine and put in keywords like "horse show" or "horse exhibition"; narrow your search with the name of the nearest large city.

To get into the equine spirit, learn all about horses at the Web site of the International Museum of the Horse. You can visit the actual museum in Kentucky, or spend equally enthralling hours learning all things equestrian online.

International Museum of the Horse

There's a good reason why horses are used in therapies to reach children with mental and mobility challenges. The spirit of the horse communicates on a profound level with the human spirit. The movement of the beautiful beast engages our muscles, coordination, and minds in a unique way that is both healing and exhilarating. Get some of this kind of horseplay into your family time this season, and experience true equine magic.

Dana Joseph is a freelance travel writer based in Dallas, Texas.