Mackinac Island To Commemorate First Day of the Horse August 5

Jadyn Rickley of Mackinac Island rides Ellie while competing in the barrel racing at the 2022 Mackinac Island Horse Show. PAIGE HODDER / MACKINAC ISLAND TOWN CRIER

The first observance of Mackinac Island’s Day of the Horse is Saturday, August 5, the same day as the 54th annual Mackinac Island Horse Show. This year also marks the 125th anniversary of the ban on motorized vehicles on the island.

In May, the Mackinac Island City Council granted a request made by Leanne Brodeur, a founding member of the Mackinac Horsemen’s Association and head of the Mackinac 4-H Horse Club, to dedicate a special day to recognize the Island’s horses and their contributions to the Island’s unique horse culture. The resolution, in recognition of the horse culture of Mackinac Island, declared “That the Mackinac Island City Council, on the 125th anniversary of the ban on motorized vehicles, establishes the first Saturday of August as Mackinac Island’s annual Day of the Horse.”

In 2004, Congress declared National Horse Day as December 13. But that day didn’t work for Mackinac Island, said Ms. Brodeur, as many of the horses leave the Island for the winter. There are between 500 and 600 horses on the Island during the summer, according to Steve Rilenge, president of the Mackinac Horsemen’s Association, but only between 20 and 30 stay all winter.

The horses need a lot more credit than they currently get, Ms. Brodeur said. The horses are essential to everyday life. Nearly everything is delivered by horse, from groceries to building supplies. The Island used to have a Festival of the Horse, but it was a huge multi-day undertaking. The Day of the Horse is a start to bringing back something like that, to at least have one day dedicated to celebrating the Island’s horses, Ms. Brodeur said. Island organizations like the Mackinac Horsemen’s Association and the Mackinac Community Equestrian Center are dedicated to educating and promoting care for the Island’s horses.

“We want to carry the equine tradition forward,” Mr. Rilenge said, stressing that the goal of the equestrian center and the 4-H club is to educate. “If we didn’t have the barn and the educational facility that we have, then (the kids) would not learn about horses, and then one day there won’t be any.”

The horse show starts at 9 a.m. at the Mackinac Community Equestrian Center, and Mackinac Island’s Day of the Horse celebration will begin after the show at 3 p.m. Candice Dunnigan will speak about the history of horses on Mackinac, and Mr. Rilenge will also speak. Trish Martin will offer a blessing of the horses. With the help of Kitty Jackson, who also designed the event’s logo, Mackinac Island’s Day of the Horse has its own Facebook page for updates, including a coloring contest, where participants may enter to win a free riding lesson at the equestrian center.

The horse show is an open show, meaning there aren’t necessarily registered horses. All the riders competing are local, and it’s the one chance for them to show off the lessons they’ve been learning all summer. They all share horses and equipment. It’s also a chance for them to win ribbons and trophies, Ms. Brodeur said, which is always fun for them. One year, in the lead line class where the littlest riders get to lead their horses around, one competitor didn’t want the blue ribbon. They wanted a pink ribbon, and they got it, Ms. Brodeur recalled. Other riders on the mainland may focus very seriously on shows and competition, Ms. Brodeur said, but not here.

“I try not to focus so much on the competition,” she said. “It’s more about sportsmanship and having fun and showing off their skills.”

The club usually brings in judges from the mainland, again treating it as a learning opportunity. The judge, Denise Webber from Marshall, will walk the participants through judging decisions, so that they can learn. About 22 kids and nine adults are expected to compete. There are 13 different events, including a costume class open to all ages and a lead line class for kids eight and under, followed by events for different age groups like English equitation, in which the judge assesses how well the rider can control their horse, and Western equitation, in which the judge judges how well the horse and rider work together. Also on tap are barrel races and a Rusty Cup adult game class. A full list of events can be found on the equestrian center’s website. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend.

The show is open to all Island riders, and it is more of a fun, educational opportunity for the riders rather than an intense competition, Ms. Brodeur said. The celebrations dedicated to the Day of the Horse may be on a smaller scale this year, but they are hoping to expand in the future and make it bigger and better next year.

“[Horses] are a huge part of life here,” Mr. Rilenge said. “It’s pretty much like it was 125 years ago.”