Second Stride Inc. founder’s home in Louisville is full of equine art

One’s home decor is as much a reflection of their personality as the clothing they wear, the food they eat, and the people they spend their time with. This statement certainly holds true for Kim Smith’s home in North Oldham country, which is filled with equine art, accessories, and Kentucky Derby-related décor.

Smith is the founder and executive director of Second Stride, Inc., a local nonprofit organization that provides professional rehabilitation, retraining, and placement of retired thoroughbred racehorses. Through the program, Smith and her team offer retired thoroughbreds the care and quality training they need to succeed in the next stage of their lives. Her interest and love for all things equine can be seen throughout her Cape Cod-style house.

Early enthusiasm for horses

Smith’s horse obsession began when she was just a child when her father bought her first pony.

“He fibbed to my mom that we were going to the grocery store,” she told The Courier Journal, “(but) we ended up getting a pony.”

She later began working at stables, cleaning barns, tacks, and horse stalls in exchange for riding lessons.

“That (interest) just kind of kept growing,” she said. “I just became immersed. … I would find stray horses all the time … and have to find homes for them.”

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Smith eventually converted her passion into a career, and her home reflects this dedication.

Equine embellishments

Through the front doors — which boast double leather horse collars — the home’s entryway features an equine sculpture placed on a piece that Churchill Downs outrider Lee Lockwood once had atop his horse. To the right, a Pegasus centerpiece created by Smith’s mother rests in the middle of the dining table.

In the kitchen, Kentucky Derby glasses are set up on a serving tray with a bottle of Woodford Reserve, the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. A dishcloth printed with a mint julep recipe lies next to it, as does a fresh bunch of mint that Smith grew herself. On the kitchen island, blue placemats with embroidered jockey silks sit under the table settings, ready for entertaining.