Horse and Sleigh

The Carriage Association of America and the American Driving Society
by Charlie Leck

I'm at an unusual sort of conference this weekend as our state and the city of St. Paul plays host to a Winter Conference of the Carriage Association of America.

For those of you who haven't already left this blog, I'll go on very, very briefly. The number of those in America -- or the world, for that matter -- who collect antique horse drawn vehicles and sleighs is relatively very small. So, one has to assume that the interest in a blog about such is also miniscule.

I just have to boast for a second or two and express my gratitude for those locals who have worked so hard to host a conference of those who love horse drawn sleighs and sleighing. The conference they've organized here in St. Paul has opened with a bang and the beauty of all the displays and the organizational efforts of all the volunteers have really both surprised and completely pleased me.

We have here a wonderful display of newly restored horse-drawn sleighs that is truly eye-popping. I'll run photos of this display as soon as I can get to my photographic equipment.

In addition, there are displays of spectacular sleighing blankets, foot warmers, miniature or model sleighs, wonderful pleasure carriages and commercial carriages and all kinds of little and big accessories that go along with this unusual,, but wonderful hobby.

On Saturday and Sunday there will be sleighing in a couple of the parks of St. Paul and spectators will get to see these sleighs in action with horses pulling them through the beautiful Minnesota snow.

I'll explain all this very unusual gathering in a blog on Monday. In the meantime, I want to react to the international uprisings and nascent revolutions that appear to be taking place in the Islamic and Arabic world. I'll do that tomorrow morning.

From Charlie Leck, in St. Paul (Woodbury), Minnesota