Man Uses "Horse Power" To Save Money

Darrin Taskey Got Sick Of Rising Gas Prices, So He Rides To Work In A Horse-Drawn Buggy

(CBS)  With gas prices hitting all-time highs, commuting to work can be a major expense. So Darrin Taskey has come up with a creative solution.

Taskey, a Kentucky native, is something of a modern-day cowboy. He can shoot straight, break the meanest mule, likes his coffee black and is proud of 24 years of service in the Kentucky National Guard. So it makes sense that he has turned to his beloved horses to help defray the cost of gas.

Taskey broke loyal 22-year-old Rebel as a colt. There is also Eli and Missy, who he was looking for when The Early Show national correspondent Jeff Glor caught up with him.

"I think your mother rode when she was pregnant with you," he said to the horse.

Darrin bought Missy so he could get around town by horse and buggy, which came in handy a few months ago when gas prices hit an all-time high.

"When I stopped to fill my Harley up, five gallons of gas cost me 17 bucks and I thought 'That's just stupid,' " he said.

Taskey decided to leave his motorcycle at home and commute to work by horse and buggy instead, even though his 17-mile ride takes an hour and 45 minutes. Taskey figures it is time for one man to take a stand and send at least a small message to big oil.

"It's just my little way of taking a bite out of their pocket for a day," he said.

He has to pay for hay and horse shoes and the occasional visit to the vet, but Taskey says it's still cheaper than gas. If nothing else, it keeps his friends amused.

"If gas keeps going up we'll all be probably hitching a ride with him soon," Chuck Rudey said.

"I think it's wild," Jim Duble said, "going backwards in time."

It ended up being a tough day for Missy. She got a sore leg on the long trip back and had to be taken home by trailer. But she's fine and Taskey is looking forward to riding his buggy again this fall once it cools off.

[bbob503]

He did not shamelessly ride his horse until it was injured. The horse received a nick on its leg when a horseshoe grazed the other leg. He then stopped and transported the horse home by trailer. He really cares his horse.

[r9119111]

Word change:
Good going. People are finding it necessary to adapt in various ways. This is a good one.

I have found it beneficial to sell one car. Transportation isn't as convenient, but we are investing the savings to provide additional income for our family.

The greedy are gouging the people and pocketing the profits while using all kinds of excuses. Now the people, being pinched as they are will be adapting and that will cause an economic slow down because less fortunate people won't be spending as much. Then their whole scheme (reverse Robin Hood effect) will collapse because less people will be able to buy more expensive or unnecessary goods and services. Consumerism will give way to frugality and sensibility. The greedy will defeat their own purpose.

[r9119111]

Good going. People are finding it necessary to adapt in various ways. This is a good one.

I have found it beneficial to sell one car. Transportation isn't as convenient, but we are investing the savings to provide additional income for our family.

The greedy are gouging the people and pocketing the profits while using all kinds of excuses. Now the people, being pinched as they are will be adapting and that will cause an economic slow down because less fortunate people won't be spending as much. Then their whole scheme (reverse Robin Hood effect) will collapse because less people will be unable to buy more expensive or unnecessary goods and services. Consumerism will give way to frugality and sensibility. The greedy will defeat their own purpose.

[suthncpl]

I think it is a wonderful idea and yes even though some can't adapt right now to this kind of situation I think that those who can should.

The oil companies have gotten way to greedy and this would stop the use of all the gasoline not to mention pollution. It would lower taxes because we would no longer need all the highways and maintenance and just maybe the earth would cool down some.

I have seriously been thinking about going to this method myself and I imagine with the way things keep going up others will have little to no choice when it is all done with. I am totally for this!

[ecuadoriana]

Nothing new. The Amish are all about hitching up their horses. Unfortunately there are so many people who are not in a position to ride a horse to work if the commute is an hour or more by car. It would be so much longer by horse. Also, many people are forced to drive on 8 lane super highways which do not allow horses (thankfully for the horse's sake!).

But it's great people are starting to come up with alternatives to relying only on the gas monster. In my house we ride our bicycles around town when we do our shopping & other errands.

[willylou11]

I think this is one of the best things I've read lately. Unfortunately, I can see the animal rights people posting here about how he shamelessly rode this horse till it was injured, and start protesting what he is doing. I say keep it up, if only more people could do this, it would really send a message to big oil and the rest of the Jughead Texas conglomerate. Believe I'll be pulling the saddle out of the barn sometime soon.

[bkylws]

Good idea. He already had the horses so why not use them for what they are meant to be used for?