LEXINGTON, Ky. – Mention Kentucky and fast race horses cross the minds of most people. The Kentucky Derby certainly has put a spotlight on the thoroughbred over the years. It is the largest breed in the state at 54,000, according to the Kentucky Equine Survey from the University of Kentucky.

The number one use for horses in the state, however, isn’t racing at all. It’s trail riding. According to the survey, the majority of owners of quarter horses (42,000), walking horses (36,000), saddlebreds (14,000), mountain horse breeds (12,500) and standardbreds (9,500) in the state say they take to the riding trails of Kentucky with their mounts.

Many riders take to national parks in the state to trail ride with their “pleasure horses.” Mammoth Cave National Park is home to eight horseback riding trails. The longest horseback riding trail in the state is found at North-South Trail, a 27.6-mile-long trail near Grand Rivers, Ky. Riders in the state rank this as the most difficult riding trail to tackle.

Looking for the trail with the most elevation gain? That would be the MJM Powerhouse OHV Trail in Paintsville Lake State Park, with an ascent of 4,412 feet. (Next in elevation is the Redbird Crest Trail near Manchester. The elevation gain there is 2,919 feet).

Some state park trails offer trail guides to accompany riders. Carter Caves State Resort Park’s riding stables offer 45-minute, 1.5-mile guided trail rides through a shaded, wooded area with a few hills.

“You will see some wildlife,” said Rossi Wellman, who manages the stables with her husband, Woody Maddix. “It’s a nice trail ride.”

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin is the only other state park with guided horseback riding.

“It’s just nature,” is how Gene Taylor, the owner of Cumberland Falls Horse Riding Stables, describes the guided 45-50 minute trail rides through forested terrain.

The family-owned business has been in operation for nearly 40 years. The guided rides are for those 6 and up, leaving on the hour starting at 10 a.m., with the last leaving at 5 p.m. Customers to this stable range from families and church groups to tourists and Boy and Girl Scouts.

Rocking U Riding Stable, part of Wranglers Campground in the Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area in west Kentucky, is open April through October, and offers two guided trail rides: a gentle 45-minute ride that traverses fields, and a 90-minute experience jobbing up and down among the hills, with water views along the way.

Race horses are still front and center on the minds of most when you mention the Bluegrass State. Some might even think of bourbon, coal, tobacco, Louisville Slugger bats or even Kentucky Fried Chicken. Just remember, however, that trail riding horses outnumber the thoroughbreds in the state by nearly three to one.

Alltrails.com (a website for horse trail riding in each state) lists the top 65 horseback riding trails in Kentucky, rating them as easy, moderate or hard.

Number one on the list is Purple Heart Trail, a 5.3-mile moderate ride combining a section of the Siltstone Trail with the Purple Heart trails in the Tom Wallace Recreation Area of Jefferson Memorial Forest.

Second on the list is the Otter Creek Trail, a moderate, 8.6-mile trail that takes riders along caves, streams, wildlife and rivers. It’s located northwest of Elizabethtown. The average time for most riders is 3 hours, 12 minutes.

Ranked third is the Purple Heart Trail, a moderate trail that take about two hours to complete. Experts say it’s a nice family friendly loop located in Jefferson Memorial Forest south of Louisville. The loop offers a great ridge top view of the city.

Fourth on the list is the Middle Creek Park Loop, a moderate, 2.4-mile trail that is well marked, though a little muddy in spots. This trail takes riders from creeks to ridges on a trail rated as serene and beautiful. This trail is a short drive south of Cincinnati.

Fifth on the list is Shawnee Run Trail to Fulling Mill Waterfall. This moderate, 1.3-mile trail begins at the west lot wash house to Fulling Mill. This trail is located 30 miles south of Lexington.

Kentucky and horses are a natural go-with, and the equine industry in the state is a strong one and is home to 209,500 equine of all breeds.

“In the past 10 years, Kentucky’s equine industry has seen areas of contraction along with areas of growth,” said Jill Stowe, professor and agricultural economist for the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Department of Agricultural Economics. “Although the total number of equine and equine operations has decreased, the average value of equine has increased. Additionally, revenues for equine operations increased more than expenses, a promising metric for commercial operations. Equine agriculture remains vibrant and strong as a signature industry in Kentucky.”

Stowe says overall equine numbers in the state have declined slightly over the past decade, mainly due to emergence from the Great Recession in 2008-2009, the global pandemic in 2020-2021, and recovering from multiple natural disasters in 2021 and 2022.

Still, Stowe added, “Kentucky is home to approximately 31,000 equine operations and the total value of equine and equine-related assets in Kentucky increased from $23.4 million in 2021 to $27.7 billion in 2022.”

Stowe is no stranger to horses. She has been actively involved in the horse industry since she was a child, starting with the local Quarter Horse show circuits, 4-H, Pony Clubs and later hunter/jumper, combined training and dressage. Stowe, too, rides trails with her off-the-track thoroughbred and is on the board of directors for the Lexington-based Masterson Equestrian Trust.

For a full list of horse camps and trails in Kentucky go to https://horsetraildirectory.com