The Ins, Outs of Driving a Rental Surrey on Mackinac

by Candice C. Dunnigan

The only horse and buggy rental still in operation on Mackinac Island is Jack's Livery. The actual term of buggy refers to a lightweight carriage. It is a slang expression given to several styles of onehorse hitch vehicles, including gigs. These abounded on Mackinac throughout the Victorian era and they were plentiful into the 1940s. By the late 1970s, many private offIsland carriage collectors had bought up a good number of these working vehicles that were gathering cobwebs in the backs of old barns.

Jack's Livery was the brainchild and pride of Jack Gough, who with his brother, Burton, carried on in the livery rental business on Mackinac. The rental buggies today at Jack's are a blending of old, and new. The same holds true for the horses that pull them. They're often a combination of draft and lighter breeds and they, like the buggies, come in all shapes and sizes.

These horses (for the most part) know the Island, and the hire is usually for one or two hours. The horse and buggy travelers take one of two main routes. One is a quick left up Mahoney Avenue and left onto Cadotte and past Grand Hotel, toward roads that lead in and around the West Bluff and the Annex. The most popular route is the sharp right-hand turn down Mahoney, and another right onto Lake Shore Boulevard (M-185). Approximately 3.5 miles later you will find yourself at British Landing. It's a perfect place to stop for a soda or snack at the "Chicks and ducks and

Belle (left) and Henry, two of the Island's hourly drive-yourself horses.

geese better scurry, When I take you out

in the surrey."

- Richard Rodgers little shop there (just like people did 50 years ago). Often, Jack's has an employee there stationed to help hold the horse and get him going in the right direction.

Moving a horse and buggy into traffic is the same as for moving a car, in that you need to check for traffic in front and behind. But most people riding bicycles or tandems or carrying children in strollers seem oblivious to people trying to take a carriage ride. In some cases, I've seen kids try to reach out and grab a horse's tail as they were passing. The lack of courtesy holds true for madly-pedaling adults on bikes with speed and motion on their minds.

Incidents like these can set a horse off, triggering the ambling walk to a heated trot, canter, or possible gallop. Most people, when faced with a quick increase in speed, or unbalanced carriage, have been known to panic and scream, and that can make matters worse. So, too, can an overlyaggressive driver, worrying about his time out, who decides to pick up the pace as he nears town. The horse also knows he's heading back to the barn and can get strong in his desire to return there. The straightaway behind the Fort can often be tempting for a horse that knows town is less than half a mile away.

It is important to remember that the driver holds the reins. The reins, in turn, are attached to the bit, the bit is in the horse's mouth, which should give you control of his head. This needs to be a very important thing to remember if you're driving a horse. Horses wear blinders on their bridles for a reason. The blinders prohibit sight from the rear. Horses are able to see in virtually all directions, and are often frightened by objects from behind or to the sides.

Backing up a horse and carriage and keeping the wheels straight, along with allowing for a wide turning ratio, are important reminders. So, too, is keeping the left rein over the left hip of the horse and the right over the right hip. If you follow these guidelines, you have the basics of driving.

Jack's, at its summer peak, has 18 carriage horses. For the most part, they're willing and able. They've been trained to know what is expected of them and where they're supposed to go to. Islanders have a colloquial euphemism when it comes to these "drive-it-yourselves." We call them "you-aim-its."

In all fairness, this is still one of the most delightful and unique ways to see the wild and romantic beauty of Mackinac, the same way it was experienced in days of yore. The only difference between then and now is that, back then, most people knew how to drive a buggy, handle a horse, and were used to being around them.

What is the best way today? Take care, be aware, use caution, and have confidence. Ask the people at Jack's some questions before you go. Watch other people going out of the livery yard or coming back. Take command of the driving lines. Remember, this is an animal who no matter how slow or plodding he seems, can still become unpredictable at the drop of a hat. Most importantly, study the map provided so you have some sense of your direction. Then, enjoy.

There used to be a saying that was found printed on a certain brand of tea bags: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you."

Candice Dunnigan is an active member of the American Equestrian Association, the Waterloo Hunt, and the Mackinac Island Horsemen's

Association. Seasonally she resides at Easterly Cottage.