Lighthoof Video: Return to Mackinac

Spring has returned to Mackinac Island, Michigan… and so have the horses!

Michigan’s Mackinac Island (pronounced MACK-in-naw) has become a nationally famous tourist destination as the only place in the country that’s still entirely horse powered. Motorized vehicles have been outlawed on the island in Lake Huron since 1896, though no one at the time likely anticipated that such a ruling would make Mackinac famous!

Tourists now flock to the island in the summer months to enjoy a slower pace of life, listening to the clip-clop of hooves up and down the streets of the village or taking a horse-drawn tour through the state park. The iconic Grand Hotel of Mackinac employs several teams of draft horses to draw its shuttle service from the ferry dock to the hotel, and now that spring has finally reached Lake Huron, the horses have returned to the island for their summer jobs!

Good thing that ferry wasn’t any smaller — some of those taller horses just barely fit through the door!

Mackinac’s horses winter over on mainland farms, enjoying several months of downtime before going back to work for the tourism season. Draft horses generally like to work, so we’re sure these Percherons are looking forward to leaning into their collars again for the summer.

Go driving!