Anyone who traveled on Front Street in downtown Niles Wednesday morning likely noticed a 10-foot tall wooden horse perched on a trailer outside the now closed Riverfront Cafe.

The attention-grabbing equine was built by political activist Scott Tillman to raise awareness about term limits for state legislators.

Tillman’s father, Jeff, hauled the horse into Niles for about an hour Wednesday before trotting off to Portage.

Jeff said he is concerned that politicians will attempt to change term limits to allow themselves to serve longer in office.

“I love everybody getting a shot to be elected to political office,” said the 57-year-old Fremont resident. “With term limits in place, it gives more people a chance to get elected. That allows more people and new and better ideas to come to Lansing all the time.”

A lifelong Michigan resident, Jeff is part of the non-partisan grassroots movement started by his son called “Don’t Touch Term Limits.”

It was formed to defend the 1992 amendment to the state constitution limiting the length of time any individual may serve as a member of the legislature. Under the amendment, a person may not be elected to the Senate more than two times or the House more than three times.

“People like term limits because it gives people a shot,” Jeff said. “If you are up against at 20-year incumbent it is tough. You can’t get new people and new ideas in.”

This year’s effort began when the Tillmans’ “Citizen Calvary” group brought the horse to Lansing in mid November. Jeff said they plan to continue spurring the horse by trailer to other locations across the state for the next several weeks.

“The horse is a great way to get the message out. You need a large sign and a statement if you want people to listen,” Jeff said. “We want to get the word out to every representative to step up and say, ‘we don’t want to extend term limits.’”