Shelbyville, KY Outdoor Activities

Hoofbeats resound across cropped-turf grounds at Shelby Trails Park Equine Education Center. Here, 25-year equestrian Corinne Bradley teaches dressage and jumping techniques to riders of every stripe, from beginner to advanced to honorary centaur. She works with all ages but especially enjoys teaching young people, perhaps because she was only a child herself when she mounted her first horse. By the time she got to high school, she was steering her steeds through full-on equestrian events. Today, Bradley manages an equine paradise. Indoor riding areas introduce barn stormers to their mounts in a controlled environment, and winding trails encourage human and beast to bond while taking in the scenic countryside.

A student of the Parelli way of riding, Bradley’s style emphasizes the horse-rider relationship. Through the Parelli philosophy, students learn to communicate effectively with equines, earning the horses’ trust by eating salt licks and respecting how they react to their natural environment.

Rated a top-10 course in Louisville by ESPN, Tanglewood Golf Course guides strokes over 200 acres of Kentucky countryside. Wide fairways roll through regions of dense forestation, complicating club selection with rapid changes in elevation and testing the endurance of each player who dares climb its undulations or somersault down its hills. Water comes into play on seven holes, including the picturesque fourth, which doglegs to the right and dares big hitters to muscle their way onto the green in one shot. Back-to-back par 5s in holes 13 and 14 give bold thwackers ample opportunity for scores below par, whereas the 185-yard, uphill 15th can easily add back those strokes for anyone who doesn't choose enough club for its par 3 expanse.

Prior to a round, players can gain familiarity with the range's practice green.