Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner steers her coach on the main road through her hometown Schupbach near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
SCHUPBACH, Germany (AP) - Stephanie Kirchner's journey to work has got longer but, she says, cheaper: she has left her SUV at home and switched to real horse power.
Stud farm owner and horse trainer Kirchner, 33, says she decided 'œit can't go on like this'ť after fuel prices jumped following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 'œSince I also suspected hay harvesting and everything else will become much, much more expensive, we said, '~we have to save a little money,''ť she says.
So she has switched to traveling the roughly 6 kilometers (3 1/2 miles) from her home in western Germany by horse-drawn carriage. That turns a one-way trip from 10-15 minutes to as much as an hour.
But Kirchner calculates that, given how much fuel her Toyota SUV consumes, she saves about 250 euros ($264) per month if she can use horse power every day.
Her carriage, drawn by two horses, is popular with children and some others. But "of course humanity is hectic and then some people are annoyed if they can't get past me fast enough,'ť Kircher says.
She acknowledges that her answer to rising fuel prices isn't for everyone.
'œI can't put a horse in a parking garage," she says. 'œI think a lot more horse riders would do it if opportunities were created for the horses.'ť
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner prepares her horse at a small stud farm in Oberweyer near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner her horse at a small stud farm in Oberweyer near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner shows a tattoo on her leg in Oberweyer near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner steers her coach on a road near her hometown Schupbach near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner steers her coach through a village near her hometown Schupbach near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press
Horse farmer Stephanie Kirchner steers her coach through a village near her hometown Schupbach near Limburg, Germany, Thursday, May 19, 2022. Since the beginning of the war in the Ukraine causing rising gas prices Kirchner uses the coach or rides a horse to a small stud farm where she works whenever possible. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
The Associated Press