Recently, I came upon a story written for EQUUS by one of our contributing editors, Eliza McGraw, back in 2016. “15 Museums for Horse Lovers” featured large and small institutions dedicated to celebrating horses and equestrians.

I remember at the time thinking that the story could be the basis of an amazing equine-themed road trip, starting—perhaps—at the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York, winding westward with stops at the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington and the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. 

The next stop might be the Pony Express Museum in St. Joseph, Missouri, and then maybe I’d take a southward route to the American Quarter Horse Museum and Hall of Fame in Amarillo, Texas. Heading westward on my imaginary journey, I would have pointed toward the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and from there made a trek to the Appaloosa Museum in Moscow, Idaho. After that, I figured, I’d work my way back east and stop at all the other horse museums I had missed on the first pass.

Today, after a year of stay-at-home orders, mask mandates, cancelled events and broken plans, I find that sort of road trip even more appealing. Perhaps you might, too. So as we await the arrival of the new COVID-19 vaccines, and deliverance from the anxiety and grief of this terrible pandemic, let your mind wander to the many destinations and adventures that await. And for those interested in revisiting that long ago EQUUS story about horse museums, click here and enjoy!