Horses and humans have been in cahoots for more than 5,000 years. There have been both working relationships and social relationships between man and horse for so long, that to ban it now could be detrimental to both. There is much debate and misinformation in the world about carriage horses and how they are being abused, which makes it extremely hard to find any good information that doesn’t ultimately stem from emotional outbursts.
Do horses mind pulling carriages? Horses relish and thrive on mental and physical stimulation. And the fact of the matter is, a carriage to a horse is the equivalent of a grocery cart with some groceries in it to a human being. Even a full carriage is a piece of cake for a horse to pull, and they enjoy doing it.
The misinformation that has been spread is doing its job to scare the public. If animal cruelty protesters had their way, horse-drawn carriages, or even ownership of horses would be abolished. Ultimately, that would hurt the horse population more than it would help it, not only because of overpopulation but because of food scarcity, and they are domesticated as well. So, without further ado, let us dive into the world of horse-drawn carriages and the myths that follow it.
Are Horse-Drawn Carriages Cruel?
Horse-drawn carriages began as a means of transportation. It is only cruel if the handlers treat the horses badly or abuse them, or if bystanders treat them poorly. But like with any type of abuse, it is wrong and illegal. So, anyone that is caught will be punished and rightly so. For the most part, carriage drivers treat the horses as if they were their own. The horses often bond with the carriage drivers, and they usually have a unique friendship of their own.
Carriages are not cruel. They are extremely easy for the horses to pull, they keep the horses mentally and physically active, and the horses have the opportunity to make lifelong friendships with their handlers. Most carriage horses are treated very well, fed a healthy diet, and always have water available. There is nothing cruel about horse-drawn carriages. In fact, for horses pulling a carriage is much like a dog going for a walk.
Common Myths About Horse Cruelty
Many people think that the blinders that are put on the horses are meant to blind them. This is not the case. Horses have a 340-degree field of vision because their eyes are on the side of their head. The blinders are meant to help the horses keep their focus in front of them and help them see much as we do. This coincides with the myth that horse-drawn carriages are dangerous because a spooked horse is dangerous.
Spooked horses are dangerous, yes. But the horses that are pulling the carriages have been thoroughly trained and are used to the hustle and bustle of civilization. In fact, it doesn’t faze them. The only time spooked horses should be an issue is if a bystander treats the horse poorly or if the horse was abused before it was trained for carriage pulling. But horses that have been treated poorly are not usually chosen to pull carriages.
Another myth that is completely false is that carriages horses only live about four years, and then they are sent to be slaughtered. This is just not true. Horses’ lifespans average around 10 to 15 years but can live be even longer. Carriage horses are no different. And because these horses have worked so hard for much of their lives, carriage businesses make it a priority to send them into retirement with a good family, a horse retirement facility, or the carriage owners’ home.
There are myths about horses being subjected to harsh weather conditions and inadequate amounts of nourishment. The fact of the matter is that horses are outside animals and are built to be able to handle harsh weather conditions. Oftentimes the carriage drivers are more uncomfortable than the horses. Even so, there are guidelines that need to be followed for operating in acceptable weather conditions.
As for the food and water, horses are usually fed a special diet of both hay and grain. This diet is meant to give them all the nourishment they need from food while allowing them to actually enjoy what they are eating. Not only that, but horses have free access to water at all times, even when they are working. The last myth is that carriage pulling is cruel. But horses can pull three times their weight, so carriages are nothing for them to pull.
What Do the Protesters Say?
Many animal rights activists say that the horses should be free, horses don’t even want to pull carriages, or the pollution these horses are breathing in is bad for them. For starters, if we set all of these horses free, they probably wouldn’t survive on their own because they are domesticated. That’s not to mention the massive population of wild horses that there already are, setting carriage horses free would only stress the natural order of things.
It might be hard to believe, but horses actually enjoy keeping busy with carriage pulling. Like any living creature, they get bored, and with boredom comes destructive behaviors. Of course, some horses would rather stay home and take a lazy day as a lot of us feel sometimes, but that doesn’t mean taking them out of the carriage pulling business will make them happy either. Carriage pulling keeps carriage horses active and busy. It keeps the minds stimulated.
While they are working, of course, they are breathing in polluted air. But so is everyone else. Air pollution is no worse for horses than it is for any other living and breathing thing in the population. Banning horse-drawn carriages is not the answer to the problem. The answer to poor air quality and pollution is to start focusing on decreasing the amount of air pollution society creates. We could even do these by using horse-drawn buggies instead of cars.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, people will always have their own opinions about horse-drawn carriages. No matter how much good information is spread about horse-drawn carriages, the pity and sympathy for these horses won’t go away. It makes sense to feel sorry for them because if it were any other animal, it might actually be cruel. For example, dogs shouldn’t pull a carriage because they aren’t large or strong enough to.
On the other hand, dogs can pull a sled without it being considered cruel. All animals have their own capabilities, and pulling a carriage is well within a horse’s capabilities. It gives them a purpose and keeps them active; the horses are well taken care of and often have better living conditions than a pet horse. They live with many other horses, which gives them the opportunity to socialize and make friends. Some might argue that owning a single pet horse is even crueler.
Even better, when the horses have lived out their lives and grow old and tired, they aren’t forced to keep working until they drop. These horses are taken care of by people that care about them. So, instead of working them to the bone, the horses are able to retire peacefully to a quieter and more serene life. They are given love and friendship until the day they pass on. There are exceptions to this like there is with anything. But for the most part, carriage horses are happy.