With the recent rise in fuel costs I have heard many different people say they are considering using horses or horses & buggies as their main source of transportation. I'm just curious how much money it might save a person if they really did this?

Buggies are not cheap to purchase nor is a good quality leather harness (as opposed to the cheap nylon ones some people think are good enough). Not to mention most places do not have safe roads for travel, and any Amish can tell you even in their area it can be a problem and they have had many years to get used to buggies down there. You will also have to look into shoes if your horse is unshod, different types for different times of year, and possibly studs for winter.

Its a nice thought, but unless you already can walk to work safely its probably not going to happen yet.

I agree, I wouldn't like to have to ride down some of the roads near me. People drive like 60mph and weave all about while talking on their cell phones. Not to mention they would have to pick up after their poop, and people don't do that with their dogs and thats a whole lot less poop. ;)

It's happening in a few country towns wherre people already have their horses and hack along the roadside anyway, they're just putting their hobby to good use. I don't know how you'd go about transporting a family with kids around though.

Hacking with only your tack is different than adding saddle bags and paniers and a buggy or sulky to accomodate other things. I hack on a couple rodes for trail riding (mostly to get to the safe areas to trail ride) but where are you going to put your horse when you go shopping at Walmart?

I can imagine how difficult this may be. In this day in age it has got to be dangerous even in smaller towns to have your horse take you everywhere. Although it would be so nice to see that happen again, to go back in time when we rode horses and wore long pretty dresses.... :p

Hacking with only your tack is different than adding saddle bags and paniers and a buggy or sulky to accomodate other things. I hack on a couple rodes for trail riding (mostly to get to the safe areas to trail ride) but where are you going to put your horse when you go shopping at Walmart?

Actually, many Wal-Marts in Amish country have horse and buggy parking to accomodate their Amish customers. If these Wal-Marts could accomodate, I'm sure others could if the need proved necessary.

I'm wondering if this would be a possibility for short trips - say, to your post office or corner store, if it's just a couple miles up the road - if you live in a rural area, that is. But still, I guess there would be the problem of what to do with your horse while you are inside - not knowing if people, cars, or dogs might be scaring or harrassing your horse! :(

I don't really see people doing this right now. I have a couple of friends that will ride a horse to a local store (like a mom and pop shop thats within a mile or two of their farms) otherwise its still the car.

Actually, many Wal-Marts in Amish country have horse and buggy parking to accomodate their Amish customers. If these Wal-Marts could accomodate, I'm sure others could if the need proved necessary.

Well that's interesting. It had never dawned on me that the Amish do still travel by horse and buggy. I guess I just hadn't thought of that. I think it's really nice that some Walmarts would provide this service. However, I'm with the majority here, it would be alot different now traveling by horse and buggy all the time. It's a shame really, but I just don't think our roads are safe enough for this anymore.

I've been known to ride my horse down to the ice cream stand (they have parking enclosed by what seems to be a horse tie up anyway) but I've known people who have had issues with leaving their horses tied and kids or adults approaching them and even untying them while they were right there. I would hate to have driven to Walmart and come out to have my horse gone.

And anything in Amish country is a do or go without. The ONLY way to keep business going well is to accommodate the Amish. Its an all or nothing kind of thing as well. If the community says its ok its ok, if not you can get excommunicated for going there. A couple hundred bucks for a buggy lot is cheaper than losing their business.