AURORA | Laurel LaFramboise prefers a unique form of transportation when it comes to riding her pony Leeloo around Aurora: one that was a common sight hundreds of years ago.
“She needs a lot of exercise,” LaFramboise said as she demonstrated strapping a small, bright orange carriage to the stout, brown horse. “And riding doesn’t give her as much exercise as carting does. With carting, she’s going at a trot the whole two hours, and nobody can ride at a trot for two hours.”
LaFramboise, who likes to ride Leeloo two times a week via what she calls an easy entry pony cart, keeps the horse at Kenlyn Stables, a 12-acre property where more than 100 horses mill about barns, stables and arenas. The property is located in Kierkegaard Acres, one the city’s older neighborhoods and a community home to dozens of horse farms and other agricultural operations.
LaFramboise said she likes to drive Leeloo across East Colfax Avenue to the High Line Canal Trail, where she takes the trail for a few miles, just past the Community College of Aurora.
She said she also enjoys driving her grandchildren around with Leeloo and allowing strangers to stop, ask questions and take pictures with the pony, who she describes as a mix of Shetland, Welsh and Haflinger.
But LaFramboise, who moved to the city last April from Vermont, was recently told she could no longer ride Leeloo on the trail as it is prohibited under city regulations.
According to the city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department, equestrians are allowed to ride on the Sand Creek Greenway Trail and the High Line Canal Trail, but they must be riders on horseback and stay off the paved trails and paths.
LaFramboise said Leeloo wears a bun bag to catch droppings and rubber hoof boots to protect her legs and the concrete from damage.
Brian Green, an open space and natural resources superintendent with PROS, said in an email to LaFramboise that the city has never had a request to allow the use of a horse cart or rubber boots on concrete paths until now. He said the city is looking into whether they can make an exception for LaFramboise.
In an email to PROS, LaFramboise expressed her frustration with the lack of equestrian trails in the city.
“R-A real estate is being re-zoned to eliminate horse properties. Construction closes off horse trails near my stable, even on weekends when there’s no reason to close them,” she wrote.
Linda Fisher, who owns Kenlyn Stables, said she hopes the city does more than provide an exception for LaFramboise. She said though no one other than LaFramboise boards a horse for carting at Kenlyn right now, Fisher has in the past boarded the Irish Rose Carriages that are now located in Denver. She said when she boarded that company a little over a decade ago, carting was allowed on Aurora park trails.
“I’m hoping they totally quit their nonsense of who is allowed and who isn’t allowed,” she said of the city’s Parks department’s warning to LaFramboise. “To me, it’s nonsense. They’re supposed to be improving equestrian trails and instead they seem to be catering to bicyclists and everyone else as to who could ride where and do what.”
In the meantime, LaFramboise said she remains uncertain of where carting is allowed in the city. PROS has so far remained unclear about whether LaFramboise is allowed to cart with her horse on city streets.
“I don’t even know where I would go if I can’t go to any parks or open spaces,” LaFramboise said.
How about moving to the county. There’s plenty of wide open spaces out east just a short distance. Really? A cart? What’s next?
100 years ago every urban family owned a horse. 10 years ago when I visited Denver horses were stabled right next to my daughter’s apartment. Now I meet people on my rides who have never seen a horse close up. Why do we dismiss this very historically significant relationship when we so ardently pursue historic buildings and wildlife preservation? Why don’t we tell cyclists to take a half hour drive into the desert to ride, or folks with dogs to walk them out there? Who do we cater to now, at the expense of those we used to cater to? Who makes those decisions?
You’d be amazed how refreshing it is to see Laurel LaFramboise riding her cart; she gets greeted with smiles and applause. I saw no damage to the ground and no mess after the pony. She takes pride in ownership. I get more annoyed having to pass cyclists. Let this woman enjoy this natural organic pastime. Marie Costa
Thanks, Marie
Have you even seen the cart? Don’t judge before you know the facts. It looks more like a racing surrey. Not bulky and not very wide.
It is in the country sweet heart. That’s the problem…did you read the first part of the article about it being in a horse and farming neighborhood?
It is in the country sweet heart. That’s the problem…did you read the first part of the article about it going through a horse and farming neighborhood. They were there BEFORE the urbanization and rezonig and now SHE has to move?
As a frequent bike rider on these trails, I say let her ride! The picture shows there is plenty of room aside the cart. Our trails aren’t so crowded they can’t handle an extra horse cart of two.. J. Dougherty, Ward 4
I think it’s a shame the rezoning to disallow horses. Allow this cart on the trail. When we arrived in Aurora not all that long ago, there was a rather famous local woman who lived with her horse at Havana St & 25th Ave. Try keeping or even riding a horse there now. She donated her property a bit at a time, and they no longer celebrate her in the public school local history lessons like they used to.