Ann Arbor Carriage offers horse-drawn carriage rides downtown when the weather is right
If you thought you saw a horse and carriage on the streets of Ann Arbor on St. Patrick’s Day, you weren't hallucinating.
Ann Arbor Carriage owner Denise Kubin noticed that her horses were enjoying the bout of nice weather but were getting bored.
“We had to do something,” she said.
One of Ann Arbor Carriage’s Percheron draft horses, Glen, was the most likely to get mischievous, she said, and so won himself a trip downtown to offer rides to the holiday revelers. Carriage rides were available for about $20 per session.
Ann Arbor Carriage offers rides for weddings and other special events around the Ann Arbor area.
Courtesy of Ann Arbor Carriage
“It was more for fun, we didn’t really make a profit,” Kubin said.
But that won't stop her from planning to send the horses down for additional spring tours. Kubin told AnnArbor.com that the season is just gearing up, and that Ann Arbor Carriage offers packages all over the Detroit metro area. The company started more than 10 years ago, and has three horses — Glen, Sonya and Mr. Potter — that take turns pulling the carriage.
“Generally we do three or four (events) a weekend. Mostly weddings and parades, but also 16th birthday parties and 'princess parties,' too,” she said.
“We used to be in Ann Arbor all the time a few years back… offering tours from the Gandy Dancer, the Earle, Banditos, Union Hall," she said.
Kubin said the company has already secured the appropriate city permits to offer rides this season.
What’s the trickiest part of negotiating downtown traffic with a horse and carriage?
“The lights!” she said. “Each street (in Ann Arbor) has its own personality ... Everyone wants to come up and see the horses, or holler from the sidelines — really it’s just a lot of fun.”
Ann Arbor Carriage plans to be back downtown “on Friday nights if the weather is right,” Kubin said.
The company usually stages the horses at the corner of Main and Washington streets. A carriage can seat four people plus kids.
Private tours are also available for advanced bookings at $125 per session.
“It’s about an hour, but could go longer if we’re all having a good time,” she said.
Angela Smith is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com.
Comments
say it plain
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 6:39 p.m.
I hope the 'poop bags' are explained to the princesses as part of the 'princess party package' ;-)
huh7891
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 6:25 p.m.
They have " poop bags" that can be attached to the horses gear that catches the do do. Problem solved and no road apples to worry about.
say it plain
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 6:06 p.m.
Oh, lord, and "princess parties", those should be outlawed altogether ;-) Seriously, local parents, just *stop* with that meme already.
say it plain
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 3:45 p.m.
Aaw, c'mon, it's *surely* news that now some silly person will be offering horse-drawn carriage rides in downtown Ann Arbor lol! Don't you think?! I feel that now the transformation of Ann Arbor into an all-tourist all-tacky economy is complete! Too bad the conference center idea seems to have been shelved, perhaps this business was banking on that going through to fruition. Maybe the whole 'top of the park' situation at the library lot can be turned over to 'cutesy' alternative transportation, horses, rickshaws, outsized tandem bikes! maybe we can install a boardwalk somewhere too?! cool...
Tag
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:55 p.m.
How does this qualify as journalism? Seems more like an infomercial. Call now operators are standing by for the first 30 callers.
Wolf's Bane
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:23 p.m.
What is this, New York City!?
alan
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:03 p.m.
Horses are neat until you're the one who has to feed it.
mamabear
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:01 p.m.
I feel badly for the horses that will be forced to do this.
tdw
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 1:50 p.m.
The poop comments are silly.It's Ann Arbor I'm sure they developed a poopless horse
Dcam
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:27 p.m.
It's one of the promising nanotechnology research projects.
Dos
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.
Who picks up the poop?
Wolf's Bane
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.
That would be you and your kid.
Linda Peck
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 1:16 p.m.
I like it! I may try it! The clip-clop sound is wonderful. I don't care if it is inconvenient for some. It is a joy for most people to see these beautiful animals. Are people in such a hurry they cannot enjoy it? I think they are not in such a hurry.
Dos
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 1:17 p.m.
I agree, the animals are beautiful and people need to chill, but...... the poop?
diagbum
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 1:08 p.m.
Just what downtown needs, add the horse and carriage to the pedicabs, and the 1001 limousine/taxicab company's...
Brad
Sat, Apr 9, 2011 : 12:57 p.m.
They are seriously going to allow this on city streets? Next up - horse lanes!
Bertha Venation
Tue, Apr 12, 2011 : 8:49 p.m.
Gimme a break... It's no worse than the bicycles. (probably better)