This was our second team of horses. This time three together. The one in the middle is the dominant horse. They are always harnessed in the same position. There are three vets on the Island to attend to almost 600 horses on Mackinac Island. The team is always kept together. They work four hours a day, four days a week. The other three they rest in pasture. It's a four month work season and then the horses are shipped out of state where they are cared for in a less harsh climate. The driver is responsible for the care of the team. Each day he/she must bath the horse before the day begins and then again after the shift. The horse is brushed and groomed each day. They are sprayed with fly repellent and the horseshoes are specially made to tolerate the paved roads. It is a polyurethane cast with the horseshoe encapsulated within this cast. It sort of acts like a sneaker to their feet. They are rested at specific locations even during the tour where, as you can see here, they are given water at each stop. Do you get the idea this might have been my favorite part of the Island?
No comments:
Post a Comment