By Abigail Wright
NKyTribune reporter
Long before Ron Washington became mayor of Covington, he and his brother would ride towering draft horses along the floodwall. On quiet Sunday mornings, their route often took them past Covington City Hall, the very building that now houses Washington’s mayoral office.
“We would actually ride the floodwall here in Covington,” Washington said. “And sometimes early Sunday morning, when people were barely out, we would actually ride the draft horses past this building (Covington City Hall) as kids bike through now.”
Today, Washington leads Kentucky’s fifth-largest city. But away from City Hall, the 2024-elected mayor finds peace on dozens of acres of rolling countryside in Gallatin County, where he and his wife, Angela, spend time caring for their horses and enjoying a slower pace of life.
For Washington, the farm isn’t simply a hobby. It’s home, a place to relax and a lifelong dream fulfilled.
Washington’s love of horses began long before he owned any.
Growing up in Covington, he accompanied his brother, who worked for the city’s former carriage ride company, helping care for the horses before eventually learning to ride them himself. He also spent time horseback riding at Camp Marydale in Erlanger, where his appreciation for horses continued to grow.
That passion stayed with him for decades, even as life led him toward public service.
He and his wife, Angela, had long dreamed of owning a farm with horses, but that dream didn’t become reality until later in life.
“It’s my wife’s and my retreat, and we go as often as this busy job allows,” Washington said.
Their property includes a barn, pond and garden and is home to two horses – Andre and Elvis – as well as a Chihuahua named Chico.
Andre, a Tennessee Walking Horse named after Andre the Giant, earned his name from his remarkable size.
Despite his towering frame of more than 17 hands and, as Washington described, “probably taller than Shaq,” Andre has a gentle and affectionate personality.
“Andre’s in your pocket,” Washington said. “Andre is the type of horse that he’ll walk up to you; he’ll put his head on your shoulder if you let him. He’s very, very curious; he’s very, very loving.”
Elvis, a Rocky Mountain Horse named after Washington’s wife’s favorite singer, has a much different personality.
“Elvis is literally the king,” Washington said. “He’s in charge. He bosses Andre around even though he’s quite a bit smaller than Andre, but he’s the person that’s in charge. He’s a very intellectual horse; he’s intelligent.”
For Washington, caring for horses has taught him patience and responsibility, lessons that carry over into public service.
“The level of responsibility, it’s the same thing like owning a business,” Washington said. “You don’t get paid first; you get paid last. You don’t eat first; the animals eat first. Your animals get taken care of first, and that’s our philosophy at our house.”
That mindset extends beyond the farm.
As mayor of a city home to over 40,000 residents, Washington oversees decisions affecting neighborhoods, businesses and public services. The farm provides a reminder that leadership often means putting others’ needs before your own.
The farm also provides Washington the chance to reset mentally.
Whether he is riding horseback, mowing fields or simply enjoying the fresh country air, time on the farm offers respite from the demands of public office.
“Riding horseback gives me a chance to unwind. Cutting grass on our farm, being on my tractor, gives me a chance to unwind,” Washington said. “It’s a level of therapy and then the fresh air. It gives me a chance to reset for our community.”
Even during stressful days at City Hall, thoughts of the farm help keep him grounded.
“If I’m having a stressful day, I think about fishing at the pond. I think about cutting the grass. I think about being with my horses, and that gives me a clear mind to do the best I can for the city,” Washington said.
His favorite job around the farm is one many people try to avoid.
“It’s the best therapy in the world, cutting grass,” Washington said. “You’re just out there in nature, and it’s just you and the motor going.”
Although he now spends much of his free time maintaining the property, Washington said country living required plenty of learning.
“I’m a city kid. I’m from Covington,” Washington said. “So we had to learn all of this. Everything, you know, from having a driveway where you get the gravel, to weedwhacking, to taking care of animals, to being a good neighbor.”
The experience has also given him a deeper appreciation for his own family history.
“The interesting thing is, too, many people probably recall I’m adopted, and my birth family, they’re from the hills of Kentucky,” Washington said. “So it’s like I’m getting back to my genetic roots, returning when I can to the farm.”
The horses that once carried Washington past City Hall sparked a lifelong passion. Today, that passion waits for him in Gallatin County, where Andre and Elvis wait patiently at the fence, Chico patrols the yard, and the hum of a tractor replaces the sounds of city traffic.
Decades later, Washington still finds peace and clarity in the saddle, proving that sometimes the best way to lead a city is to occasionally leave it behind.