PONY EXPRESS NATIONAL MUSEUM

Located on the grounds of Springdale Race Course---home of the Carolina Cup---the National Steeplechase Museum is dedicated to introducing people to the jump races, through videos, memorabilia, trophies, photographs and other interactive exhibits. One exhibit pays tribute to Marion duPont Scott, who deeded the 600 acres that is home to the museum and the race course to the state of South Carolina. Scott owned Battleship, the son of Man o’ War who won England’s Grand National in 1938. Out front stands a life-size bronze statue of Lonesome Glory, five-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Steeplechase Horse.

The museum sits near the training grounds, and visitors can sit on the back terrace to watch the horses. “Some people are dragged in here because their kids ride,” says executive museum director Catherine French, “and nine out of 10 leave asking, ‘When’s the next race?’” For more information, go to www. steeplechasemuseum.org.

The Pony Express National Museum stands on the site of the original Pikes Peak Stables, a 200-stall livery, where on April 3, 1860, the first rider of the Pony Express departed on the 2,000mile journey to Sacramento, California. Today, the brick structure (which dates to 1888) houses vintage stalls, a tack room and harness shop, plus many other displays to educate visitors about this unique mail service, which lasted for 19 months, until the first transcontinental telegraph was completed.

Visitors can examine a four-pocket mailbag called a mochila, stamp their own envelopes like those carried by the Express, and visit a replica relay station, where riders changed horses along the route. Most of the displays are kid-friendly; younger visitors can explore a period play kitchen and a discovery area where they can dress in period clothes. “Nothing here says ‘Don’t touch,’ except the fragile horses that date back to 1880,” says director Cindy Daffron. “So even the wagon--they can go up a set of steps and look.” For more information, go to ponyexpress.org. For more information, go to www. prorodeohalloffame.com.

highlight the sport of show jumping.

“The show jumping focus will feature artifacts from the Show Jumping Hall of Fame,” says Lacey. The display will include a Hermes saddle used by Bill Steinkraus and a jump used on course in the Los Angeles Olympics. The museum is also adding more interactive components to teach people about show jumping. For more information, go to ushja.org/wheelermuseum.