Sunday, January 12, 2014

Don't Shoot Me: I Drove a Horse Carriage


Sunday January 12 2014

'Slim' was his name. He was a well-cared-for, well-treated draft horse in his late teens that I drove in Seattle over a Christmas holiday many years ago.

Slim was not abused. He did not work every day, and when he was finished at night, and on his days off, his owner hauled him home (an hour or so away) and turned him out in his pasture with his herd-mates.

His 'beat' was approximately a 20-minute route in downtown Seattle, from Fourth street to First street near the Pike Place Market and back. He didn't work on steep hills; he didn't gallop along the streets till he was lathered up; he didn't pull 20 people in his carriage at a time. He was offered water between his rides (which he only rarely accepted). 

He's one of the best-trained horses I've ever worked with, regardless of discipline. He was utterly unafraid of traffic, or street people who sometimes got in his space. He was very willing (no, I never had to use a whip on him), and he was smart enough to read the traffic lights that told him when to go and whoa.

He'd stand between his rides parked at a curb at rest, with his head lowered, hind leg cocked - the same way our horses in the pasture stand at rest, when they aren't doing anything. Horses spend most of their resting and sleeping time standing up due to the handy locking mechanism in their legs (horses don't lie down to sleep much, because they don't need as much REM - rapid eye movement - sleep as other species, and because lying down for long periods of time will interfere with their blood flow because of their weight). Slim wasn't hanging his head from exhaustion, or cocking his leg from lameness. He was dozing, like horses do between periods of activity.


Horse abuse does exist, in every discipline, and in no disciplines. It can exist in a neglected horse in a pasture. One might argue it even exists in the wild when a wild horse starves to death. But abuse also exists in other animals: dogs, cats, rabbits, whether they are working animals or pets. Abuse exists among humans.

Horse abuse itself can be subjective. Most abuse is obvious: the soring practices in Tennessee Walker show horses; positive dopings in endurance horses in international races that have come to light of late, rollkur in the show ring when taken to extremes, among many other disciplines.

Some people say that making a horse do anything outside letting him exist is abuse. The converse of that is: letting a horse exist, stand in a pen and eat all he wants, and not asking him to work, could be considered abuse.

Using a horse for "work" does not automatically mean the horse is abused. There is no reason a horse can't be put to work, whether it be riding, competition, carriage pulling, ranch or farm work. In fact, I say that work is good for a horse, physically and mentally. Yes, abuse exists, but work does not always equal abuse. A real horse person can look at a horse and see the difference between 'work' and 'abuse'.

I haven't laid eyes on the carriage horses in New York whose fate appears soon to be determined by politicians. Therefore, I can't say if each or any of those horses are abused. If the horses and carriage drivers are like any of those I worked with in Seattle, it's very possible the New York horses are working horses that are not abused.

From personal experience, and as a horse person, I can say with certainty, that just because a working horse is pulling a carriage does not mean it is abused. Just because a carriage horse is standing with his head down, eyes closed, leg cocked, it does not mean it is abused.

Slim was a working carriage horse who was not abused, and who acted like a horse - while pulling his carriage, and in between his routes. Slim was an awesome carriage horse I was proud to learn from and drive.

My next post will give you a completely different perspective on carriage horses: two working horses in Egypt, a country where animals are used daily as a means of existence in the lives of the fellahin.

11 comments:

  1. Slim sounds like a dream. His owner sounds very caring too.

    I've seen the horses in New York and still haven't formed an opinion because I don't really know their circumstances after they go back to the stable. I don't think they have any pasture time and I think they are worked quite a bit. The summers here can get very hot and humid and there is a certain temp where they're not allowed to work. My only fear is that if they do stop using them what will happen to them. I doubt they will find good homes and may well go to auction. It's hard to know what will be best for them.

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    1. The NY weather is an important point. It's good they can't work if it's too hot and humid. And you're right about the slaughter aspect...auction (i.e. slaughter in Mexico or Canada) is a big possibility for horses who can't earn their keep.

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  2. I can't even read the link to the working horses in NY, but chances are I'll get really pissed. People need to get a grip on animals working in this day and age. When a horse or a dog is running to the fence to get ridden, or a dog is knocking you down to get a leash & collar on them to go work, they want to and they love to. It's the ignorant who don't understand horse or dog behavior and that we aren't abusing them for our own benefit. Thanks for this post.

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  3. And what happens when these horses stop working because some AR group is worried and thinks they should run wild? One day we won't be able to ride horses at all because it will be considered abuse and it starts with getting rid of carriage horses (or some other "sport"). I think it is a slippery slope and while all animals need to be treated properly, there is a a fine line that is where we will no longer be able to own them. It's one step at a time......it's frickin' scary and we need to be actively involved with our animals and let people know that riding, training, owning animals is NOT politically incorrect. That animals and humans have co-existed for many, many centuries and we need and love each other. A life without animals is hell. But across the country our relationships are being taken away.

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  4. Thank you for posting this. People also seem to forget that many of these horses wouldn't have a life at all if it weren't for their carriage driving careers.

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  5. It's so wierd how some of our past overlaps. I drove Barney and Dan. Barney was the freak (kicked out of Victoria) and Dan was like Slim, the perfect carriage horse, until one day when that one thing scared him, and I realized every horse has that one thing that makes driving in Seattle "mostly safe." Anyway, I hope our future overlaps again soon, not just our past.

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    1. that's crazy - I can't wait to see what *else* we have that overlaps!
      I always hesitate to use the term "bombproof" - *every* horse has at least one trigger that will set them off, no matter how well they are trained.

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  6. Merri, my dad was a cop in San Francisco and for a time was assigned to a unit with horses. The horses were treated very well and I doubt they they suffered because of working. Dogs and horses mainly like to have work to do. When I spend time with my dogs working on their manners, they both really enjoy the experience. When Harry was younger and a little wild, I got him a pack so he could carry his own water and he loved putting the pack on and going out for his exercise. I don't know about the NY carriage horses although I have seen them. The heat would be a worry.

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  7. I'm a firm believer in "working" horses, most - who are well cared for & have a job - seem happier, better adjusted, have fewer vices & are more in tune with their environment, regardless of whether they pull a cart, race on the track, or cut cows. As to those who abuse... Well... We all know how we feel about that! Looking forward to the future post!

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  8. My niece helped fund her college education in St Augustine, FL by driving a carriage for the tourists. I found the horses to be well kept and not overworked. My recent week long trip out west on the Red Rock Ride gave me a new respect for working horses.

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  9. It reminds me of a carriage horse we saw in Little Rock one night years ago. He was a big, very mellow, Belgian. His owner purchased him from Disney Land. This wonderful fellow had memorized his route and followed it without the carriage driver having to lift a finger as he gave us the history of the area we were touring. We stopped in front of the bill Clinton mall and I swear the animal posed for the picture by turning his head and facing the camera everytime we started to take a picture.

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