'You don’t see this every day': Canada Post carrier delivers mail by horse in Saskatoon

Canada Post carrier Taylor Newman rides her horse, Jay, for her deliveries on Aug. 25, 2021. (Chad Hills/CTV News)

SASKATOON -

A Saskatoon mail carrier took a unique form of transportation for her deliveries on Wednesday.

Taylor Newman, who's been a carrier for Canada Post for four years, rode her horse Jay through her route in the Greenbryre neighbourhood.

A Canada Post vehicle, driven by Newman’s dad, trailed behind, carrying the parcels — and carrots for Jay.

Newman hopped off the saddle to drop off her deliveries, while Jay chewed on carrots.

“It went better than I expected. It was a lot of fun,” Newman, who has been riding horses for eight years, told CTV News.

“It honestly started as a joke.”

But after a year of planning and seeking approval from Canada Post, Newman’s supervisor Aaron Delorme turned the joke into a reality.

“It’s something neat to see. You don’t see this every day,” Delorme said, laughing.

Jay had a good first day on the job, according to Newman.

“He only really spooked at the big Mack truck over there. Other than that, he did good,” Newman said.

Canada Post said Newman’s horseback delivery is a throwback to the past, when the company relied on horse-drawn wagons.