All the Queen's Horses

In 2003, the museum unveiled its second self-produced international exhibition. All the Queen’s Horses was the most comprehensive exhibition ever to explore the rich equestrian heritage of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. It offered an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the width and breadth of British history through the eyes of their most steadfast partner –...

Ancient Bronzes of the Asian Grasslands

This exhibit presents a major sampling of steppe art from the collections of the late Arthur M. Sackler, M.D. Curated by Trudy S. Kawami, Ph.D., Director of Research for the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, the exhibition presents eighty-five works illustrating the personal decorations and equipment of the horse-riding steppe dwellers of the second and first century BCE.

Arte en la Charreria: The Artisanship of Mexican Equestrian Culture

Today, the equestrian sport of La Charrería remains one of Mexico’s most important cultural traditions and is a part of its national identity. Like the American rodeo culture, Charrería extends beyond horses and riders to include costume, music, and food that bring a uniquely Latino influence to this Spanish-inspired sport. Arte en la Charrería showcased the art of the Charrería culture, highligh...

Because of Horses: Photography of Scott Trees

This exhibit presented an assemblage of the work of renowned photographer Scott Trees. Born into an equestrian environment Trees first started his photographic journey with horses in 1973. Photographing and creating unique videos for the past 36 years, he has distinguished himself as a leading international equine imaging specialist. Based in Glen Rose Texas, USA and Dubai, UAE, Scott Trees has co...

Elvis and his Horses

In January of 1967, after a long search, Elvis purchased his first horse, a Golden Palomino named Rising Sun, for $3,000 that took the nickname “House of the Rising Sun.” That same year Elvis purchased a Tennessee Walking Horse named Bear, who would become one of his most prized possessions. Elvis would visit the stables frequently to personally take care of his animals. Priscilla said that a visi...

Fay Moore: A Woman Artist in a Sporting World

In 1961, Norman Mailer introduced Roger Donoghue to Fay, and they were married in 1964. She started going to sporting events with Roger where she began to sketch football, boxing, and hockey figures, as well as horse racing scenes around the New York tracks. In the sporting arena Fay found her most compelling subject. This exhibit expressed Moore’s use color and movement to convey the excitement ...

A Gift from the Desert: The Art, History, and Culture of the Arabian Horse

The ancient Near East and Islamic cultures made significant contributions to human advancement – from the invention of writing and the wheel to advances in mathematics, astronomy and medicine. In 2010, the International Museum of the Horse developed and presented A Gift from the Desert: the Art, History and Culture of the Arabian Horse. It was the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever de...

The Story of Harness Racing by Currier and Ives and the Kentucky Connection

From 1834 through1907 the firm of N. Currier and later Currier and Ives, became the printmakers for the people. During this period they produced, and sold for between five and twenty five cents each, more than ten million reproductions covering more than 7,000 subjects. In addition to their depiction of everyday life, including their famous trotting and other horse prints, they also provided the c...

Henry Clay and Horses

While the world remembers Henry Clay as one of the most significant and effective politicians and statesmen of his day, few realize that he was equally as skilled as a progressive agrarian and stockman. He also had a keen eye for fine horses, in particular Thoroughbreds, and was one of the leaders in establishing the bluegrass region of Kentucky as the nation’s premier thoroughbred breeding center...

The Horse

From the horse’s earliest ancestors grazing on the plains of what is now Nebraska, to a magnificent contemporary Deborah Butterfield horse sculpture, the eternal bond between horses and humans is explored in the largest equestrian traveling exhibition ever assembled. The Horse graphically portrays the horse’s impact on trade, transportation, labor, warfare, culture, and sports. It showcases specta...

Horses and Hollywood

Horses and Hollywood traced the story of the horse in film and television. Western film legend John Wayne was once quoted as saying, “Nothing is as exciting as a horse. Planes, cars, trains are okay for speed. But for excitement, there’s nothing like a horse.” Filmmakers have understood this sentiment since the beginning of the industry. Horses were a favorite subject of early film pioneer Thomas ...

Imperial China

Throughout the course of Chinese history, one animal has exerted tremendous influence over its development, the horse. This exhibit featured over 250 artifacts, many of which had never traveled outside of China. Spanning 3000 years of history, the exhibit included terracotta warrior, ritual bronzes, and jade ornament. This exhibit marked the first major International Exhibit organized and presente...

Presidents and Horses

It is hardly surprising that many of our nation's leaders were not only excellent horsemen but were often intimately involved in varying aspects of equestrian pursuits. Many served on horseback in the 18th and 19th century army, some were breeders and trainers while others just enjoyed a long ride on a good horse. These are the relationships that were explored in The Presidents and Their Hors...

Vavra’s Vision: The Equine Images of Robert Vavra

Robert Vavra is universally recognized as the world’s premier photographer of equines. This exhibit showcased the vivid, fresh, and very personal way that Vavra photographed the horse. As a retrospective exhibition it delved into the world that Vavra had created through his lens for the past 60 years while circling the globe. In photographs, in film and in print, his images capture the strength, b...