I am going to the AEC’s for the first time this year, traveling from Florida. I have. a ride for my horse, a place to stay, and we are stabling off site and hauling in daily. I heard it was a good idea to lease a golf cart to get around the KHP. Does anyone know what company is going to be leasing them? Also, what are your tips to get the most out of the AEC’s? I am very excited as this is kind of a “bucket list” item- to ride at KHP and do the AEC’s! TIA
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I’m also going for the first time, too. Looking forward to enjoying the experience.
The golf cart reservation link is: https://deverrentals.com/kentucky-horse-park-golf-car-reservation/
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Dever is your only option for GCs. It’s a captive audience. I’m a local and also going to AECs. Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions.
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My only tip, soak up each day and have a great time! and buy merch day 1 as it sells out fast lol. Go get em!
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This will be my first time competing at KHP. I’ve gotten some tips about must haves and nice-to-haves. Some tips are dependent on which barn you get assigned to so I’m not sure if I:
-need a golf cart
-need a tack stall
-need to bring my own hose for filling buckets
I have a 2 horse straightload, so think I’ll need to order most of my hay and shavings as I don’t have a tack compartment I can load up. Costs are adding up quickly. If I arrive the day before the dressage phase starts, I’ll be there 4 nights. I hear stall flooring in concrete, so should I plan on ordering 10 bags of shavings and 4 bales hay? I usually do 1 or 2 day localish shows so this is all new to me.
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On another thread, I think someone said that you can rent stall mats at KHP.
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I am staying offsite so that my horse does not have to stay on concrete and also get some turnout. I want to show out of my trailer, but also rent a golf cart- I just got home and called the golf cart place, but it went to voicemail- will call tomorrow. I don’t even know if this is a realistic thing to have a golf cart with the whole “trailer in” thing. I am going to be there a week because my ride is showing prelim, but I think I will just volunteer a couple of those days.
There is a tractor supply very close by. We bought shavings from the event for arrival but then bought more from tractor supply. Def need a golf cart. We had a tack stall which we locked at night with a bike lock, but kept our saddles in our trailers each night locked up. Our barn was pretty far from where the trailers are parked.
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I had gone to that Tractor Supply for rain boots several years ago while attending LRK3DE. I assumed they’d be sold out of shavings with a big show at the KHP? Maybe I can bring a couple bags and get more there.
I went as soon as they opened in the am and they had a huge stack of shavings on pallets. This was 2021. Brought my pick up and loaded a bunch!
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I buy the pelleted bedding and put down 3-ish bags of that, then a few bags of shavings on top of that. I think the pellets pack down a bit more for more cushion.
Yes to bringing your own hose, and fan!
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The place to park for day haul ins is on the opposite of the park from the office to pick up the golf carts. Office is in stabling area.
Day parking is over by the KHP / camp grounds entrance. Or at least it was when I was competing there a few years ago.
Yes, you can rent rubber mats and pay people to put down rubber mats in the stalls on-site.
I would throw in a hose just to be sure. Definetly a fan, plus rain gear- because it’s KY. I wouldn’t leave saddles etc in tack stalls, lock in trailers. Or take with. If there is anyway to bring or buy shavings off site, otherwise I think bags of shavings are $10/ bag 
We would put straw, laid down as flakes, on the bottom with shavings on top for more cushion. Oops KHP is shavings only? Well save that thought for other venues.
In 2021 we brought straw for one of the horses from our barn as she can’t tolerate shavings well with breathing. So I think you can have either. Or maybe with a notice to the office about it.
I show at KHP all the time and I’m always on a budget. I never get a tack stall when I bring my one or two horses. I keep my saddle and bridle in my truck when I’m not by my stall (and put it in my trailer at night) but I leave my grooming stuff out. Overnight trailer parking is far from the barns.
You definitely need a hose and a fan. They have rules about the fan but I haven’t seen them check for compliance.
I have never rented a golf cart; I used to bring a regular bike all the time and it was fine but just recently got an electric bike and that’s easier.
Showjumping, in the Rolex Stadium, is far from the barns but you can drive near there to park if you’re not riding. Haul-in trailer parking is usually near the Rolex Stadium so if you wanted to, you could put your horse in your trailer for the 5 minute drive over there then you could tack up at your trailer for showjumping.
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@Jump314, What length of hose should I bring? My friend who’s coming to help me is an older horsewoman , so I’m going to rent a golf cart mainly for her benefit - secondarily for mine.
You’ll need to bring your hose to the wash rack and you’ll need to use it for filling buckets (or just carry your buckets to the faucet). I don’t know the exact number but faucets for buckets are spaced something like every six stalls apart. A lot of people will just leave their hose attached to the aisle faucet but if you use someone else’s hose for buckets because you don’t feel like disconnecting it, be careful about biosecurity.
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Anyone have any recommendations on the VIP hospitality tent? Is it air conditioned? Is there seating? Can people see the competition from within the tent (live feeds or something)?
My horse’s owner is 90 and while they’re very mobile we thought maybe the VIP tent might be a good option for if they gets hot/tired. I have never been to the horse park before so would love some insight. The description where I can buy tickets doesn’t do a great job of answering my questions.
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I suggest you call or email the organizer. I did when I had questions about the hospitality for Land Rover and they got back quickly with answers.
Never been to the AEC but bought hospitality for Land Rover this spring and five times before. In the spring: No air conditioning, but great seats and you get lunch. Lunch is a really good idea as the food has long lines …especially an issue if it is really hot or rotten cold and raining. If they are elderly, I would get hospitality for them…At Land Rover, one of the hospitality packages also had a tent on cross country which would be a good idea too if it is offered at the AEC.
This is the one thing I do for myself all year…and I think the Hospitality would be really worth it for your owners.
Just a caution, every day Hospitality gives a different wrist band. You would not be able to join them unless you bought yourself a hospitality pass also.
Thank you! I’ll email the organizer but getting an idea of what has happened before is helpful. I want the owner to be comfortable but still feel like a part of everything.
The XC tent for AECs would be awesome! If I get an answer as to if that’s a thing or not from the organizer I’ll update here. Thanks again!
