Carriage Horses Today
horse carriage  can be found in many cities and tourist destinations. One of the most interesting places for a horse carriage  ride is Mackinac Island, Michigan, where automobiles have been banned for more than a century. Horses, whether ferrying passengers or cargo, supply most of the transportation. You can even rent your own carriage and drive it yourself after a short lesson. As a horse lover, there is nothing better than to hear the clip-clop of horse hooves in the streets below your hotel as you drift off to sleep and dream of a bygone era.
Carriage horses generally have a very good life. Many, like the carriage horses of royalty, including the Queen of England, and other royal families across Europe, live in luxurious splendor. They are attended by several “carriage men” and have more time off than they actually work. Horses such as the Budweiser Clydesdales that are used for parades and special events are equally well cared for and help educate the world about the lives of carriage horses and their place in history. Working horses, such as those used by the Amish, farmers, and city carriage horses, may be used on a daily basis, but most owners of such horses realize the value of their animals and treat them accordingly.
Most people are probably familiar with the horse carriage  and horses in New York City. There are approximately 221 licensed horses, 293 drivers and 68 carriages. The carriages have been plying the streets of NYC around Central Park since the 1860s. After a recent series of accidents involving horse carriage , there have been heated debates over the carriage horses and their safety. An audit was conducted on June 27, 2007, largely brought on by the efforts of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Those who want to see the horse carriage  banned feel that the horses are abused by not having adequate shelter, food and water during their working hours, and that the horses are worked too many hours, sometimes in adverse weather. The biggest concern is the proximity of automobile and pedestrian traffic to the horse-drawn carriages. Even though the horses and drivers are well trained, there are inevitably incidents in which a horse is spooked and runs off, creating an accident, or a car or bus hits a horse carriage .
Owners and drivers of the carriages in NYC feel they are getting an unfair rap. They claim their horses are properly stabled, fed, groomed, wormed and have routine veterinary care. If a horse gets ill or tired, he gets time off to recuperate. To the drivers, their horse is not only a financial partner, but also a friend.
The debate concerning horses and carriages in city environments, especially in New York City, will surely rage on in the coming months and years. Other cities with horse carriage  will no doubt be watching with interest to see how it may affect their business.
Hopefully, an agreement can be made to keep the horses safe, yet save this longtime tradition and preserve a part of our heritage.


Tags: CARRIAGE HORSE