Mackinac Manners
By Jessica Delaney

Everybody has heard the saying, “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” Outside of the obvious advice offered by this adage, it can be applied to other horses as well. For example, don’t grab a carriage horse with a bit in its mouth to look at its teeth.

Though most of the horses on Mackinac Island are gentle and well trained for crowded streets, they weigh hundreds of pounds and one still must take care around them. If a horse becomes agitated, it can seriously injure a person.

A few precautions can be taken to keep from frightening the Island’s hardest workers. One is obvious, but also has been forgotten: Do not make loud noises near a horse. Loud noises can range from fireworks to cap guns. While the horses on the Island are accustomed to the cannon shots from the Fort and the noise and bustle of Main Street, a sudden, unexpected noise can be frightening.

Another way to frighten a horse is with balloons, or other objects that move in chaotic and unplanned ways. Even a piece of paper blowing in the breeze can startle a horse, which is just one more reason not to litter on the Island.

Boy Scouts and historical interpreters at Fort Mackinac take steps to help keep horses calm. When they are all marching together, they will stop when a horse-drawn carriage comes by and allow the horses to pass. Some horses spook when they see large groups of people marching toward them. Others are disturbed just by seeing a crowd all walking in step. For this reason, it is generally not a good idea for a mass of people to converge on one horse.

Ever wonder why there are never horses leading a band during a parade? The loud, unexpected sounds of a band in the back can startle some horses.

Many horse owners on the Island take precautions to help make sure that there is no trouble with horses. Carriage Tours, for example, has a policy of not letting people touch the horses while they’re working, a precaution to head off any trouble before it has a chance to start.

Dogs may be man’s best friend, but horses are a pretty close second, especially on Mackinac Island. As long as one has respect for these large creatures, and refrains from doing anything sudden or unexpected, they can be sweet and gentle animals, whether pulling a carriage along a street or taking a rider through State Park trails.

After all, there’s a right way, there’s a wrong way, and there’s the Mackinac Way. In this case, the Mackinac Way may also be the safe way.