Holiday activities are limited this Christmas thanks to COVID-19, but folks looking to make merry the old-fashioned way have a new option thanks to Shari Erickson of rural Hutchinson.
Erickson, a horse enthusiast, has started Erickson Acres Carriage Co., which specializes in horse-drawn carriage rides.
“This is my brand new dream,” she said. “My lifelong dream is to do something with my horses that I can make an income with.”
Erickson, or Auntie Klaus as she’s known while in character, recently received approval from Hutchinson and Litchfield city councils to give carriage rides in city limits. This past weekend, she spent Saturday and Sunday giving rides in Hutchinson, near Riverside Park and the Gopher Campfire Sanctuary.
Her carriages and company have a victorian theme, complete with footmen in top hats and livery coats. She has three different types of carriages, including a smaller one and a vis-a-vis, which allows passengers to face each other while sitting.
“Horse-drawn carriage rides are an opportunity for people to take a step back and enjoy a simpler life,” she said. “They don’t have to worry about anything that’s going on, other than enjoying what’s happening around them.”
Another part of the budding business Erickson is proud of are her four driving horses, including her “star,” Thyme, which she rescued from a kill pen.
“These horses are exceptional, and they were cast aside by someone as trash,” Erickson said. “Luckily for me, I was able to find them and they’re my treasures now.“
This is Erickson’s first go at a carriage business, and she also works in health care and commutes to Edina, so she’s not yet able to devote as much time to the carriage rides as she would like. But she’s learning as she goes and developing a plan. Rides typically last about 15 minutes, and the cost to ride is $17 per adult age 18 or older, $9 for kids age 5-17, and rides are free to children 4 or younger.
For now, Erickson’s schedule will be flexible. The best way to know if she’s giving rides is to follow her Facebook page, Erickson Acres Carriage Company LLC, or keep an eye out for her posts on community pages such as Real Life In Hutchinson and Real Life in Litchfield, MN.
If you’re hoping to catch a ride this weekend, Erickson is tentatively scheduled to be back at Riverside Park in Hutchinson 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, and at the Litchfield City Hall parking lot near the Opera House 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20. Erickson recommends dressing appropriately for the weather, and bringing blankets to stay warm. Her carriages can typically fit between four and six people comfortably, but due to current COVID-19 Minnesota Department of Health regulations, only people from the same household may ride together.
The original focus of the business was to give rides from spring to fall. She doesn’t have a sleigh, so she can’t give rides in snow. But with people looking for ways to celebrate the holidays during this difficult time, Erickson hopes her horse-drawn carriages can help “spread some good Christmas spirit of an earlier time.”
“Right now, everybody is experiencing some really strange times,” she said. “So I’m trying to get this done quickly in December, because I really would like to spread some Christmas cheer.”
