May 23, 2011
Written by Laura Kadechka
From Tampa Bay News Channel 10 WTSP.com
COMMUNITIES
New Port Richey-Port Richey-Hudson
New Port Richey, Florida -- Cara Hacht and Jane Mundy are fed up with paying too much for gas, so they're protesting.
Once a month, the women say they'll be trading in their car keys for a one horse power ride to work - their horses Maya and Black Hawk.
"Since I'm a chiropractor, we do alternative care of medicine, so we thought why not do an alternative way to get to work?" said Hacht, who practices in New Port Richey.
On Monday, the women met at Mundy's Hudson home, where they keep the horses, and saddled up for the 5-mile ride into work. A normal commute would take a matter of minutes, but Monday's trot in took closer to an hour.
There were pit stops along the way, including a trot through the bank drive-thru to make a deposit. Then there was a quick stop at the local feed store for a snack for Maya and Black Hawk.
There was no stopping at the neighborhood gas station, although it sparked a lot of conversation.
"They rode up and I was shocked, I was surprised," said Joe Zolton.
When the women told them why they were on horseback, he had to laugh.
"It's going to get a lot of attention, I guarantee that," he said.
That's the whole point of the ride. The women are hoping to encourage others to consider changing how they commute to work each morning.
"We would encourage everyone to ride your horse, ride your bike, walk or car pool," said Hacht.
The women say they checked with law enforcement to make sure they were even allowed to make the 5-mile trek to work via horseback and got the seal of approval, as long as they did not disrupt traffic.
"They're allowed to be along the shoulder of the edge, roadway edge," said Sgt. Steve Gaskins with the Florida Highway Patrol. "They're entitled to it just like pedestrians would be."
While state law does not forbid someone from riding their horse to work, there are limits. Sgt. Gaskins says horses are not allowed on limited access roads like the interstate and toll roads like the Crosstown Expressway.
We called law enforcement agencies across the Bay area and it turns out you can ride your horse to work as long as you abide by local traffic laws and not disrupt traffic.
But, there's also something riders must be mindful of - manure.
"Please be courteous and pick up after the horse," said Sgt. Gaskins.
That doesn't seem to be a problem for Hacht who said it's great fertilizer. "We've even had a couple of patients say, 'Pease bag it up for us and we'll pick it up the next time we're coming to see you.'
The women are an exception to most of us because they have a place to "park" the horses in a makeshift stall behind their office.
They say they plan to be out riding again next month, again as a reminder to drivers that there are other ways to commute and save.
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