Meet the Mounted Patrol at Long Hunter State Park

Long Hunter State Park keeps a mounted patrol horse on staff, and on Sunday morning he is the main attraction. Meet Ranger McDonald and her partner Virgil at the park visitor center for an hour that is part horse-meeting, part ranger Q&A.

Kids get one-on-one time with Virgil and a look at what daily care for a working patrol horse actually involves — the grooming, the feeding, the tack. It is a hands-on hour rather than a lecture, which is exactly the right speed for a Sunday with small children.

When: Sunday, September 20, 2026, 11:00 a.m. to noon
Where: Long Hunter State Park Visitor Center, 2910 Hobson Pike, Hermitage
Cost: Free — registration is required

Registration is required and the group size is limited, so sign up ahead rather than turning up cold. Long Hunter sits on the Mt. Juliet side of Percy Priest Lake, so it is a short drive from most of Wilson County — and the Couchville Lake paved loop is right there if you want to stretch the morning into a walk.