The Horse That Built Kentucky: Documentary Film Premier

February 17, 2022
7:30 pm
O'Donnel Hall

With Filmmakers Stephanie Mcspirit, Neil Kasiak, Daniel G. Renfrow, Chad Cogdill, Jeffrey Cawood & Special Musical Performance by Cindy Clevenger

Synopsis:
When people think of Kentucky, they often think of pastures of elegant Thoroughbreds or a day at the races. But Kentucky’s horse story takes us deep into the Appalachian Mountains of eastern Kentucky where lush pasture is scarce and one’s survival often depended on a sure-footed mountain horse. Through selective breeding, the Appalachian people developed a multi-purpose “using horse,” who possessed both a comfortable, ground-covering gait and a willingness to work with its human partner. These mountain horses plowed small hillside farms and served as the preferred mounts of rural families, mail carriers, pack horse librarians, and frontier nurses needing to travel long distances over rugged terrain. This is the story of “the horse that built Kentucky.”

Photo credit: School Teacher at Cliffside, Private collection Cynthia L. Clevenger.  Used with permission.

Published on February 18, 2022