What’s Romantic About Horse-Drawn Carriages?

When I see a horse wearing some ridiculous retro get-up, tied to a carriage, in the middle of noisy traffic that’s full of exhaust, negotiating his way through the mayhem on pavement, "romantic" is not the word that comes to mind. Yet, the "rides" are billed as such.

Why is that?

Where’s the romance?

As I’ve written prior, I am revolted by the sight of the carriages because I see one thing only: slavery. The horse’s life is not of his own control, and he must work all day, sometimes every day, in the service of people. He sleeps when they tell him to, and he walks when and how they tell him to, in whatever weather they tell him to.

It’s 2007, people, we have cars. There is no longer a need to use animals for transportation, and to use them for "romantic" transportation is, in my mind, the ultimate insult to them. We’re wasting their lives for our silly illusion of romance. We don’t even pretend to have a legitimate reason other than a financial one.

Check out the story of Teddy, and other horses at Central New England Equine Rescue, and when making your vacation plans this summer, avoid cities that use horse-drawn carriages. Just Say No to Manhattan, Boston, Charleston and St. Augustine, and Say Yes to London, Paris, and Las Vegas!