{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name            = Horse Cave, Kentucky
|settlement_type          = City
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = 

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Davedowntwn8vl.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Downtown Horse Cave, December 2006
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = KYMap-doton-HorseCave.PNG
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Horse Cave, Kentucky
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = Kentucky
|subdivision_type2        = County
|subdivision_name2        = Hart
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         = 

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  =  Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 7.7
|area_land_km2            = 7.7
|area_water_km2           = 0.0
|area_total_sq_mi         = 3.0
|area_land_sq_mi          = 3.0
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.0

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = 2000
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 2252
|population_density_km2   = 292.7
|population_density_sq_mi = 758.0

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = Central (CST)
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 193
|elevation_ft             = 633
|latd = 37 |latm = 10 |lats = 34 |latNS = N
|longd = 85 |longm = 54 |longs = 22 |longEW = W

<!-- Area/postal codes & others -->
|postal_code_type         = ZIP code
|postal_code              = 42749
|area_code                = 270
|blank_name               = FIPS code
|blank_info               = 21-38008
|blank1_name              = GNIS feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0494572
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
}}
thumb|right|[[Interstate 65 exit sign for Horse Cave]]

'''Horse Cave''' is a city in Hart County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 2,252 at the 2000 census.

== History ==
The city is best known for the large natural Native Americans historically hid horses in the cave. A similar tale is that an early carriage may have lost its horse to an accident, when the horse fell into the cave opening. Another, more likely, reason for the name is that the word horse was simply a 19th Century adjective implying huge. The cave opening is large, and this is the most likely reason for the odd name.

The cave itself has figured prominently in the history of the town. Around the Louisville to have electric lights in Kentucky.

The town's drinking water was also taken from the cave. Unfortunately, due to an incomplete understanding of the underground water flow in the region, sewage seeped into the cave, and hence into the drinking water, and the cave became severely polluted. The outcome was that the cave was shut down for tours for over 50 years. During the 1960s, the stench was so bad that pedestrians would cross to the other side of Main Street, rather than walk near the cave's opening. Birds flying over the cave's opening could be seen struggling to breathe, falling from the sky into the opening of the cave. Fortunately, efforts made to prevent polluting ground water in the region, coupled with the natural regenerative effects of the running water, have largely restored the cave to a pristine condition. Tours have resumed once more, the outcome of a successful anti-pollution effort by various levels of government.

The town of Horse Cave dates only to around the time of the Civil War. A stop on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad at this location led to the development of commerce. For at least a short period of time, the town was also known as Caverna, before returning to the name of Horse Cave. The local school district, which is an independent school district crossing three counties and encompassing Horse Cave, Cave City, and Mammoth Cave, is still known as the Caverna Independent School District.

{{infobox plaats VS|<!--Horse Cave (Kentucky)-->
|naam=Horse Cave
|staat=Kentucky
|county=Hart County
|bevolking=2335
|datum=2006
|oppervlak=7.7
|water=0.0
|lat_deg=37
|lat_min=10
|lat_sec=34
|lon_deg=85
|lon_min=54
|lon_sec=22
|hoogte=193
|code=38008
|type=city
|detailkaart=
}}
'''Horse Cave''' is een plaats (city) in de Amerikaanse staat Hart County.

==Demografie==
Bij de volkstelling in 2000 werd het aantal inwoners vastgesteld op 2252<ref></ref>. 
In 2006 is het aantal inwoners door het United States Census Bureau geschat op 2335<ref></ref>, een stijging van 83 (3.7%).

==Geografie==
Volgens het United States Census Bureau beslaat de plaats een oppervlakte van 
7,7 km², waarvan 7,7 km² land en 0,0 km² water. Horse Cave ligt op ongeveer 193<ref></ref> m boven zeeniveau.

==Plaatsen in de nabije omgeving==
De onderstaande figuur toont nabijgelegen plaatsen in een straal van 20 km rond Horse Cave. 
<div style="position: relative; float:left; width:500px;">
400px|left|Plaatsen in de omgeving  