Horse heavens: indulge your equestrian fantasies at farms, museums, and racetracks from coast to coast

Travel America, Jan-Feb, 2004 by Alice Ross

MICHIGAN

Grand Rapids. Not everyone would jump at the chance to have a horse in their garden, but Grand Rapids has welcomed the 15-ton, 24-foot-tall American Horse to the Frederik Meijer Gardens, a botanical gardens and sculpture park, The bronze sculpture Is one of only two castings of the monumental Leonardo da Vinci's Horse, which pays homage to the Italian Renaissance master who created drawings for a colossal sculpture. (616) 957-1580; www.meijergardens.org.

NEW YORK

Saratoga. Put a stethoscope to Saratoga's heart and you're bound to hear a hoofbeat. Horses are in its blood. The Saratoga Race Course features 36 summer days of Thoroughbred racing, buffet breakfasts, and morning tours of the barn area and historic grounds. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame tells the story of Thoroughbred racing with films, art, and memorabilia. The Saratoga Equine Sports Center offers harness racing, world-class polo, and the Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame. (518) 584-2110; www.saratogaraceway.com.

Belmont. Belmont Park is the site of the third jewel in the Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes. It also offers Sunset Racing with live entertainment on Fridays; Breakfast at Belmont, which includes behind-the-scenes looks at Thoroughbreds in action; and a two-week festival that kicks off the Belmont Stakes. (516) 488-6000; www.1.nyra.com/belmont.> NEW MEXICO

Ruidoso. Ruidoso Downs, which features Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred racing, hosts the richest Quarter Horse race in the world, the All American Futurity. A mile east of the track, the Hubbard Museum of the American West houses the Anne C. Stradling Collection of horse-related items and Ruidoso Downs Race Horse Hall of Fame. Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce, (877) 784-3676; www.ruidoso.net..

SOUTH CAROLINA

Aiken. Once called the "Sports Center of the South" Aiken still ranks as a winner when it comes to horses. The Racing Hall of Fame pays tribute to the many champions trained there, including Conquistador and Kelso. Visitors are welcome at many of the farms and stables and can take riding lessons, amble along the woodland trails, watch Thoroughbreds train, see equestrians prepare for competitions, and fake in harness racing or a polo match in the town that holds its own Triple Crown. (888) 8341654; www.tbredcountry.org/contact.htm.> TENNESSEE

Shelbyvllle. The Tennessee Walking Horse provides such a smooth ride fighter George Foreman dubbed it "user friendly." The result of cress-breeding several varieties into one animal, the horse has a gentle disposition and temperament to match its easy gait. The horse can be seen in all its glory at numerous farms and stables, including Bridlewood Farm, a breeding farm that has produced nine world champs. Calsonic Arena has a museum with Tennessee Walking Horse memorabilia and hosts a 10-day equine festival, the National Celebration. (888) 662-2525; www.shelbyvilletn.com.

VIRGINIA

Lexington. Draft horse pulls, horse shows, rodeos, auctions, educational clinics, and virtually every type of horse-related event takes place at the Virginia Horse Center. It's also home to the American Work Horse Museum. (540) 464-2950; www.horsecenter.org.