German Woman Uses Horse Power to Save Fuel Money
2022-05-26
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1A woman in Germany has made a big change in her daily ride to work that adds time but saves money.
2Stephanie Kirchner now leaves her vehicle at home and uses real horse power to get to work.
3She rides a carriage pulled by two horses.
4Kirchner is a 33-year-old horse trainer and farm owner.
5She says she has little choice.
6Fuel prices have increased following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
7She also expects the running of her farm to become more costly. So, she said, "we have to save a little money."
8Kirchner now uses the carriage to travel about 6 kilometers from her home in western Germany to work.
9That turns a one-way trip from 10-15 minutes to as much as an hour.
10But Kirchner estimates that she could save about $264 a month by not driving her vehicle and using "horse power" every day.
11The carriage and her horses are popular with children and other people.
12However, she does admit that some people are always in a hurry and can get "annoyed" if they cannot pass her fast enough.
13Kirchner knows that her answer to rising fuel prices is not for everyone.
14And she does run into some difficulties.
15Parking, for example, can be hard to find for her horse and carriage.
16"I can't put a horse in a parking garage," she says.
17However, she adds that "a lot more horse riders would do it if opportunities were created for the horses."
18I'm Anna Matteo.
1A woman in Germany has made a big change in her daily ride to work that adds time but saves money. 2Stephanie Kirchner now leaves her vehicle at home and uses real horse power to get to work. She rides a carriage pulled by two horses. 3Kirchner is a 33-year-old horse trainer and farm owner. She says she has little choice. Fuel prices have increased following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She also expects the running of her farm to become more costly. So, she said, "we have to save a little money." 4Kirchner now uses the carriage to travel about 6 kilometers from her home in western Germany to work. That turns a one-way trip from 10-15 minutes to as much as an hour. But Kirchner estimates that she could save about $264 a month by not driving her vehicle and using "horse power" every day. 5The carriage and her horses are popular with children and other people. However, she does admit that some people are always in a hurry and can get "annoyed" if they cannot pass her fast enough. 6Kirchner knows that her answer to rising fuel prices is not for everyone. And she does run into some difficulties. Parking, for example, can be hard to find for her horse and carriage. 7"I can't put a horse in a parking garage," she says. 8However, she adds that "a lot more horse riders would do it if opportunities were created for the horses." 9I'm Anna Matteo. 10Writers for the Associated Press reported on this story in Germany. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. 11____________________________________________________________________ 12Words in This Story 13carriage - n. a wheeled vehicle 14annoyed - adj. feeling or showing angry irritation 15parking garage - n. a building in which people usually pay to park their cars, trucks, etc. 16opportunity - n. a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place : a chance for greater success