Detroit Horse Power mission is to “teach urban youth to ride and care for horses as a way to develop critical skills that will set them up for future success.” To help them better meet that mission they are trying to get an urban equestrian center built in the city of Detroit for year-round youth programming.
Through some initial planning work, a viable location has been identified along the Joe Louis Greenway near Salsinger Playfield (Fenkell at Linwood). If that does get built, it would make sense to try getting a rustic natural surface bridle path parallel to the main asphalt bike/walk greenway path. The Kal-Haven Trail in Western Michigan has such a feature.
We’ve spoken with David at Detroit Horse Power about this and he shared this strong connection to Joe Louis himself.
Did you know Joe Louis was an avid equestrian? He owned and operated Spring Hill Farm in Shelby Township from 1939-1944. At a time of significant racial segregation, Joe Louis organized all-Black horse shows at his facility to open doors to the talented African American horsemen who were barred from participating in most competitions. While the facility in Shelby Twp no longer exists, we hope to see Joe Louis’ equestrian legacy live on by incorporating horseback riding trails into the coming greenway through the heart of Detroit that will bear his name.
The upcoming Framework Planning will be a good opportunity to discuss this possibility further.
Imagine biking or walking the trail and seeing Detroit youth next to you on a horse. Amazing, right?