On the deck at Wildwood Stables, a wayside exhibit entitled "Harnessing Horsepower" overlooks the parking lot and the restroom building beyond.
The exhibit's title appears over a photograph of a horse. Don, a Belgian draft horse, is chestnut colored with white markings on his face, mane, tail, and feet. Labels identify parts of his gear - bridle, bit, blinker, collar, driving reins, and traces.
An inset photograph features Max the Ranger, an American Quarter Horse who greeted thousands of park visitors every summer. A park ranger holds Max's reins as three children pet him.
Along the bottom of the exhibit, three small silhouettes compare three types of horses: -Percheron, the tallest at up to 17.3 hands, and heaviest weighing up to 2600 pounds. -Morgan, sleek and slightly shorter at 15.2 hands, and weighing up to 1100 pounds. -Shetland pony, a small, short breed reaching up to 10.2 hands, and weighing between 300 to 450 pounds.
A note invites you to "measure yourself in hands using the nearby wall chart."
Safety Tips: -Keep a safe distance from the horses. They can crush your feet with their hoofs or injure you with their heads. -Do not yell or run near the horses to avoid startling them. -Do not feed the horses.
