More city people use horses as transport than country people.

[Davidsdaughter]

My biggest surprise moving to a city, was to find how many people use horses as a method of transport instead of cars. I would have expected it to be none, but in fact it is significantly more than in the countryside.

Am I in the only UK city where this is the case? Is this an increasing trend?

YANBU - horses are a valid and common city transport method
YABU- you live in the only place where this happens

Tetleys in Leeds did as well. I read something not so long ago that the shire horse was in danger of becoming extinct as they were no longer required for pulling brewery carts and they served no other purpose (too big to ride I suppose) so weren't being bred any more.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/KXC6r1yBm3Rjcn5gL6ytlQ/gentle-giants-could-the-shire-horse-be-extinct-in-10-years

I've lived in south London for about 40 years. I've never seen this. We are out in zone 6 and surrounded by stables so see lots of people riding recreationally. And the travellers with their touchy little ponies and traps that are a nightmare on the roads.

sorry, I don't understand your post, you don't see this, but you do see it?

Why are they a nightmare? From posters on here it seems likely that what I am seeing are travellers horses, and I don't understand why they are so unwelcome. The ones I see are just trotting along fine

It damages the horses hooves and legs to trot or canter on tarmac roads. The welfare issues for the horses are huge.

I'll answer in good faith even though I'm beginning to think you're not posting in good faith.

You must see that there is a welfare issue with horses being kept on verges and made to run on the roads all the time. No?

My brother in law is a traveller and it's something he's never been able to get his head around. Horses are just transport or things to trade to him, no thought that they might be sentient.

It's those huge 4x4 carthorses that get me, taking up the whole road

I dont understand why running on the road is a problem, Police horses do it all day every day, don't they? And the cavalry horses around London, and other working horses,

why would I not be posting in good faith?

Police horses walk most of the time, don't they?

o, ok, so it is ok for horses to walk on the road, but not run

I'm not a horse expert but the post upthread says it's trotting and cantering on hard surfaces which are the problem (no one would be mad enough to gallop!). I'm sure those gaits are much higher impact than walking.

Makes sense, I mean it is higher impact for our joints too, probably more so for horses, being so much heavier

Nope, never seen in our city (by me anyway) or in the city my in-laws live. Didn’t see it when I lived in London either for that matter but anything is likely I suppose 🤷

😂😂😂

What city was it? Was it from Little House on the Prairie?
The only horses I have seen in cities have been police horses, horse drawn hearses, for weddings, or a tourist thing.

How would a horse used as transport in a city work? Where do you "park" them when you need to pop into a shop?

I know people with horses, and if they are out with them, it is exercise for their horse, and a fun little ride for them.... and they wont be in a city centre, ever.

I was in Brighton the other day and some bloke appeared to be just popping onto town on his horse. Thought how random
And then saw this thread a few days later!! Wouldn't say it was the norm though anywhere else I've been.

Yes, it’s because there’s something in the water apparently!

West Dulwich not far from Brixton which also has stables

Absolutely thirded. Horse care and husbandry isn’t exactly high on the agenda when you keep your horse tethered on a roundabout…

Sure I used to ride mine down to the cafe and get flapjack and milkshake (which he may or may not have tried a crumb of a few times!) but seriously, a roundabout?!?

Even an "unhandleable" stallion appropriately called "Thug" had more manners than many motorists.

How cute would it be if everyone rode everywhere all the time, and it was an everyday thing to see a parent on horseback leading a line of toddlers on Shetland ponies 😀

If you really can't see a problem with racing on dual carriageways, watch these. I think this is Ireland, but it has happened near me in South London.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5766984/horrific-moment-horse-stumbles-and-falls-over-central-barrier-after-traveller-takes-it-on-dual-carriageway/
https://www.irishcentral.com/culture/craic/irish-police-try-to-stop-horse-and-cart-race-on-a-busy-highway-video

There would be horse shit everywhere like in Victorian times. If it was collected regularly and used as fertiliser it wouldn't necessarily be a problem.

Horses are prey animals. If you see a herd of horses grazing, there will always be one on lookout duty. They spend a lot of time grooming each other, they bond with each other. A horse will recognise another horse it knew years ago. There is a distinct equine body language and once you learn what the horse is 'saying' you can work out its needs and how to work with it.

There are five freedoms of horse welfare which every owner should bear in mind when owning a horse

Freedom from hunger or thirst
Freedom from discomfort
Freedom from pain, injury and disease
Freedom from distress and fear
Freedom to express natural behaviour

Those who think horses should be galloping on the roads have never seen a bolting horse run straight into a car and die in great pain with its legs splayed across the car and the driver in hysterics. It's not a good thing to see. And as for the curricles? That the travellers race on the roads near here, they are fantastically dangerous. Someone a few miles away drives a carriage and pair into this city every so often. We have little traffic and I hope nothing ever spooks them. Roads are too dangerous for horses.