The Horse that Built Kentucky -Documentary

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 strong desire to please its human companion. 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 documentary explores the ways that place and culture produced the mountain horse, and in turn, how these horses influenced a region.
Filmmakers: Stephanie McSpirit, Chad Cogdill, Neil Kasiak, Dan Renfrow and Jeff Cawood
Copyright: Eastern Kentucky University
*The title of this documentary "The Horse that Built Kentucky" is a registered trademark of Cindy Greene Clevenger. Our team is grateful to Cindy for providing our team with permission to use this title.