Horses have been used by mankind for centuries. They have labored pulling chariots and plows. They have gone to war and been slaughtered in our battles. They have served as transportation. 

Now such uses for horses are largely obsolete, thanks to modern machines and vehicles. Yet in contemporary cities, amidst buses, cars, taxis, emergency vehicles, motorcycles, and trams, they often serve as anachronistic entertainment for a few privileged tourists, denied their natural instincts just so these tourists may take a 30-minute ride. 

Photo by Catherine Nance

Many horses used to pull these carriages are not even workhorses, but smaller breeds, often broken-down horses from the racetrack who must work far more than their physical capacity can safely allow.

When they can no longer make the grade working on the street, they are often sent to auction on their way to slaughter.

It is time to put an end to many forms of cruelty to animals; this is but one small step towards this goal. 

We need to move into and embrace the 21st century and leave the 19th century horse-drawn carriages behind. It is time to put an end to many forms of cruelty to animals; this is but one small step towards this goal.

Free at Last Monty  - rescued Boston carriage horse

Sugar and Monty enjoying the snow

Cloud's herd in the Arrowhead Mountains of Montana The Cloud Foundation