The horses of Mackinac Island. Hello from your guest blogger, regional editor, Tracy Sutton. Just thought I would let all of you horse fanciers know about a story I'm writing for the next issue of Mid-Atlantic Horse on the draft horses of Mackinac Island.

I was in Northern Michigan last weekend and took a trip to the famed island, which is in the Straits of Mackinac, where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet (at the tip of mitten). It's a bit of a haul to get there, but on a crystal blue day (which it was, a rare blessed weather day), the place is heaven itself. Blue water, bright skies -- and horses! Mackinac Island is renowned for not having any automobiles (except one town fire engine and ambulance). The only way to get around is by bike, foot, or horse.

The island is only a few miles long, but during the season (when the lakes are not frozen), Mackinac Island is home to nearly 700 draft horses, about 400 of whom work for the historic Mackinac Island Carriage Tour Co. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Bill Chambers today, the fifth generation horseman in the family business. It was his great-grandfather, Thomas Chambers that successfully petitioned the Island in the 1940s to ban the introduction of automobiles on Mackinac Island. I asked Mr. Chambers how business was and he said, oh, they hitch a lot of teams in the season. The busiest season he had, he said, was one year in the 1980s when he hitched 280 horses in one day.

The horses get quite a work out, traipsing around the Island, pulling tourists. (Known as "fudgies" by the locals, for all the confectionary sugar they consume.) At the end of the season, in early November, before the lakes freeze, the town has a parade -- hundreds of draft horses march down to the docks and get on ferries, where they sail five miles north to the Upper Pennisula of Michigan and spend their winter on a farm in Pickford, run by Mr. Chambers brother Jim Chambers.

So check out the next issue of Mid-Atlantic horse to see pictures of this unique island and its horse history.

Monday we turn you back to the capable hands of regular blogger and Lancaster Farming phenomenon Dick Wanner.

Happy Friday!