MACKINAC ISLAND, MI — The clip-clop of hooves isn’t just nostalgia - it’s a living piece of history that echoes through the streets of Mackinac Island during the tourism season and beyond.

With most motorized vehicles prohibited, horses aren’t just a tourist attraction, they’re essential to daily life. This necessity is why there are teams behind the scenes to keep people and goods moving effortlessly across the carless island.

Jessica Dobin, a 19-season veteran with Mackinac Island Carriage Tours , offered us a rare glimpse into the round-the-clock care that keeps this unique transportation system running.

“There’s 24-hour care that goes into these horses,” Dobin explains. “We have a day crew that’s here from 7 a.m. to about 7-8 p.m. and then we have a night crew that comes in an

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