Wandering the streets of central Rome and taking in the breathtaking ruins and archaeological history can be somewhat of a challenge when trying to keep cool in 30+ degree heat. In summer time tourists love to discover the city centre walking or looking up to the Colosseum from the back of a horse carriage.
Now animal rights activists are trying to ban this practice. The group, Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali (ENPA) says that traffic, pollution, heat and heavy carriages expose the horses to health risks, especially during this hot season. According to the association, about 90 horses carry tourists to see the city’s landmarks on busy streets full of speeding cars and motorbikes.
Activists say that horses have also been killed while on the streets. “They are in disastrous condition, forced to work in an urban environment and exposed to a million dangers,” said ENPA’s Claudio Locuratolo. The coachmen reject accusations that their horses are overworked or abused. “The horses are our partners at work, and very often, they are also partners for life,” said Roberto Sonnino, who owns five horses and has been a coachman for 20 years.
The activists have appealed to Rome’s city hall to stop the service, proposing that the coachmen be rehired as cab drivers. City hall has not commented on the issue and we don’t know which response they’ll receive in the future. Somebody believes the accusations are largely exaggerated even if ENPA activists said horses almost always ended their careers at the slaughterhouse.
I imagine horses can suffer as many others animals when people exploit them; nevertheless we have to remember that, in ancient Roman times, horses were used quite often: they were a big part in military, daily life, in mythology and stories. One might not think to be an asset to a culture but the horse played a big role here. And the tradition is still going on…
This let me think about Siena, the city I come from, well-known all over the world for the Palio: a medieval horse race that’s run around the centre of Siena’s main square twice a year, at the beginning of July and in Mid-August. This is not only a tourist attraction but a fiercely cherished part of the Senese way of life dating back to the 11th century.
Some years ago animal welfare activists called for it to be banned when an eight-year-old bay died after it collided with another horse. Television viewers witnessed the horse being dragged away by its hind legs. From that moment activists have been going on to contrast the Palio even if, in the last few years, people has been doing a big effort in order to protect horses’ welfare. Today near Siena there is a retirement home where hacks stay after their career as racers. But activists didn’t mention this good initiative…
The Palio is an ancient tradition that lives every year as the first time. Let’s see what Rome will decide to do with the horse-drawn carriage tradition…
Sources: Il Corriere – Repubblica
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Image Credit: Herry+ at Flickr under a Creative Commons license
What kind of eco-friendly blog doesn’t include compassion for animals? Does your “green” reporter support continuing female genital mutilation and slavery because they are traditions? Does Eco Worldly support preserving the tradition of burning coal, which also dates back to ancient times?
This is the 21st century–we don’t need horses for “military, daily life…mythology and stories.”
It IS exploitative (and dangerous for horses and humans) to subject these animals to the traffic, loud sounds, harsh temperatures, and punishing pavement of a city, all in the name of entertainment…or in Ms. Pratesi’s case, tradition.
In New York City, carriage horses continue to get spooked and collide with cars and pedestrians. And they continue to collapse on the streets.
Since 1994, 26 accidents involving horse-drawn carriages have been reported in New York City alone, which resulted in a total of 31 injured people and five dead horses. An additional four horses collapsed and died on the streets. In 2006 and 2007, seven accidents were reported, which left two horses dead and five people injured, and an additional horse collapsed and died in Central Park. Although New York City has not had any human deaths from carriage accidents, other cities have.
A supposedly progressive blog blindly promoting cruel traditions is not “eco worldly,” it’s “eco provincial.”
When I was in Chicago for my high school senior trip back in 2000, I looked into the eyes of a horse used to pull carriages. He just looked dead inside like he had given up on life and happiness. Surely there is a better existence for them than pulling carriages around. Plus, I saw on a television show that on hot days in New York City, the ASPCA comes out and tells the carriage horse operators they have to take the horses back to the stables. The ASPCA said, unfortunately, the carriages will just come back as soon as the officers leave the scene. Plus there are reports of accident after accident. It is just common sense that horses and traffic don’t mix. The horses don’t stand a chance against a heavy, speeding hunk of metal. There is also hoof damage due to walking on concrete all the time.
It is time to ban carriage horse operations across the globe.
End the travesty. I seen those poor horse carriages near the vatican city and it was so depressing. NYC is also cruel because they make the horses tied to the buggy run in traffic. This is absurd. And the commercial building where they are kept in is a travesty. They looked like they are in jail with those bar doors.
I don’t think horses should be exploited in this way. Speaking of, I was in Beijing a couple months ago and the tour group leader pressured us to ride in bicycle rickshaws powered by old men. It made me really uncomfortable. I felt like an entitled American.
oh thank goodness all the comments so far disagree with this post — it gives me hope for humanity. i just had to add myself to the numbers here. i find it so sad when people justify animal exploitation in the name of “tradition.” tradition has its value, but harm to another being needs to trump that value in every case, without exception. yes, we can have tradition, but do we not also want progress? as humankind advances and we discover that certain things are immoral and no longer acceptable (slavery, racism, sexism, and, yes, speciesism) our society and our traditions are obligated to adapt accordingly. aren’t we all in favor of progress and betterment? or should we blindly cling to outmoded and even cruel practices, not having the courage to question the modern-day relevance of such “traditions”?
Oh, dear…an “eco-blog” promoting animal exploitation in the name of tradition and tourism. This strikes me as completely misguided. Animal cruelty (yes, let’s be honest) is never entertaining and it is never right.
This “tradition” is outdated and wrong, and like others that preceded it, should come to an end sooner rather than later. Many great cities of the world have banned such cruel practices, and others are considering it. In New York City, tourists often comment to me on the poor, sick physical appearance of the horses–and they are so right, as we know from the horses that we are fortunate enough to rescue and keep from a grisly end.
Horses lying dead in the streets, as we have seen in New York, particularly since 2006, do not constitute tourism but merely poor judgment by a city that should know better. As should Rome. I adore Rome, but I cannot visit there again until this cruelty is stopped.
This “green” reporter is “green” in many ways. First of all, she “imagines” that horses can suffer like other animals. Secondly, she dismisses exploitation of horses in ancient Rome as simply a matter of “tradition”. She’s totally unaware that the heinous practices of animal cruelty in Ancient Rome are well documented by historians and even appear in the art & texts of ancient Rome. In fact, dogfighting is said to have its origins in the Coliseum combats of ancient Rome. Google it, lady! Maybe that little research tool will improve your reporting skills. Now, on the subject of horse-drawn carriages: Even the agency that New York City has relied on for decades to police & regulate the practice has come out against horse-drawn carriages, acknowledging that there is no way to effectively protect the horses against cruel handling. As a result, a ban against the practice of horse-drawn carriages has been introduced in the City Council in New York City. The practice has also been banned in Beijing, London, San Francisco & other major cities.
While I’d say it’s good that some Roman traditions have come to an end (gladitorial combat, say), I feel two ways about this issue.
Firstly, I spent a summer as a college exchange student in Siena so I have some appreciation of what an absolutely pivotal role horses play in Siena. There’s no way to overestimate the cultural importance of the Palio horse race. All year, events lead up to the (currently two) races and the outcomes of these races determine the social structure of the city for the following year. Horses are revered animals in Siena.
Let’s think then of Rome. In such an ancient city (which is in no way naturally suited to car travel) horses make a great deal of sense. In fact, many buildings still have iron rings attached to the outer walls where one can tie a horse after riding it to the building.
In addition to horses playing a significant cultural role in this part of the world, I don’t think that anyone would argue that driving a car is better for the environment than riding a horse.
Here’s what I’d like to see, though. In all interactions where humans and other animals work together, I’d like to see mutualism. That is to say, a mutually symbiotic relationship in which both parties benefit and neither is harmed. I know that humans and horses (as well as other animals like cats and dogs) can have this type of relationship. We benefit from their skills and companionship they benefit from ours. Their species increase many times over thanks to the food and resources we provide.
Is there a way to emphasize this mutualistic relationship in this case I wonder? For example, if the horse walks on hard pavement they could make dirt horse “lanes” or trails. Or, if the horse is ridden too often they could mandate a limit of several rides a day per horse.
Do the readers who have contributed their input thus far agree with these ideas? Would you agree that it’s about a mutually symbiotic relationship? Or would you say that humans should not ride horses at all? Should people not domesticate any animal? Is the issue here who rides the horses (tourists vs. citizens)? I’m really curious to get these perspectives. Thanks.
Wow. I feel like one of my fellow writers is unnecessarily getting some undeserved criticism. Do I think horse carriages are good? Personally no. Have I ever rode in them? Yes, a long time ago when I was a kid. Would I ever do it again? I don’t know.
Eva wrote an article that expressed both points of view about this animal rights issue. She took an acceptable risk by suggesting that she thought a traditional way horses are used in her home country was a tradition worth keeping (I had to read the article several times though to make sure that is what she was saying– and I’m still not sure).
There are so many traditions that I am opposed to, but rarely do I get up in arms about them. I can’t think of any way a horse is not exploited in some way as a domestic animal, or for that matter cows.
So, while I think it’s fair to disagree with Eva (and I even do in some ways myself), I think she wrote an interesting article that in no way took a hard line stance. It’s a shame that some people think ecoworldly shouldn’t be a place where different points of view can be expressed. There are many ways that animals can be appreciated and loved (as Eva suggested), and it’s possible that some animals even want and desire human companionship. People are part of ecosystems after all.
So, good job, Eva. If you’ve gotten people angry, you’ve probably stimulated them to think– which is a pretty good outcome from writing I think.
Your concept of mutualism is a noble, but highly unrealistic, ideal. We can’t even effectively prevent child abuse, let alone cruelty & abuse against carriage horses who can’t even express pain & suffering in ways that are always noticeable to humans.
Levi–
Perhaps you should get up in arms if you believe that something is wrong based on the facts of the situation. This is not an abstract argument–we know what these animals endure and we are not willing to stand by and watch them suffer. They have no voice, so we have to be their voice. Do you understand?
The major problem with this article is that the reporter didn’t do her homework and didn’t present facts. It’s all opinion. If you want to be taken seriously as a journalist and a publication, dig deep into the issue, present what you find, and then let the public make their decision. Without trying to get at the truth, you’re only doing a disservice to the public–and in this case, these animals as well.
Eco Compassion–
I agree with you that animals need to have people advocating for them. We all have to pick our battles though (or potentially live unhappily and go crazy).
Why do you think though that “the reporter didn’t do her homework and didn’t present facts.” Please inform me of what facts she missed? It’s also not all opinion she wrote. Plus, there is nothing wrong with expressing personal opinions as long as they are labeled as such in an article (which I believe she did appropriately).
There is not always one “truth” to every issue. If all writing was “objective” without any personal opinions then I think it would be pretty dull, kind of like USA Today. I’m not saying that good reporting and research should not take place, I’m just saying that it’s a little naive to believe that presenting “facts” alone (if there are many of such things) constitutes good reporting.
Please enlighten me if you can provide examples of writing that adheres to such principles of stalwart journalism that doesn’t bore me to death.
gavin,
like zoe, i think this notion of mutualism is idealistic. do domesticated companion animals benefit from their relationship with us? i think the lucky ones might. but realistically, many, many, many of them are not so lucky. i’m talking about the ones in bad homes, abused, neglected, unwanted, abandoned, on the streets, crammed into shelters, euthanized — and in the case of horses, made to do work like pull carts or to race for “sport”, until they are injured, euthanized, smuggled across the border for slaughter, and packaged as steaks to be shipped overseas as a “delicacy.”
is it possible to truly love and care for a companion animal? perhaps. but one of the problems with the ownership of one species by another is that you can’t guarantee that everyone will be so kind. and do the happy lives of the lucky few justify the suffering of the others? not in my opinion. so i think we need to consider the possibility that it is this “ownership” that is at the heart of the problem. and as long as humans regard other species as property, i don’t see how these relationships can be called mutualistic — rather, it’s exploitative. now, if the horses ran free in their natural habitat and willinging showed up to work every day, happily ready to be hooked up to a carriage… then maybe we could start to talk about mutualism
and no, i don’t think that driving a car is better for the environment than riding a horse. but i also don’t think that weight should fall on the shoulders of the horses. these cities were built by humans, and if the cars we built aren’t well-suited to them, well then we need to move on and invent something new. and if our burning of fossil fuels are destroying the environment, well then we need to work towards a cleaner fuel. we need to move forwards, not backwards. and in the meantime, more of us can ride bikes
oh, and levi — i personally don’t really see the point in having beliefs if you don’t stand up for them.
Millie,
Thanks for these insights.
Levi–Read the NY Times. They’re not perfect, but they have some excellent investigative journalists. They dig deep into all sides of a story. I’m not talking about USA Today.
Some topics for research: how many horse-drawn carriage accidents have occurred in Rome? How many people and horses were injured? How many people or horses died? Where do the horses live? How far do they have to walk to the stables? Do they get daily turnout? Do they have cushions on their hoofs to combat the hard pavement? Do they have ready access to water? How many horses have died in the stables, and how old were they? How often are the stables inspected? How often are the horses inspected? Are there restrictions on temperature or adverse weather conditions? Do the carriage operators own the horses or do they rent them? What percentage of the horses are sent to slaughter when they can no longer work? Where do carriage operators get their horses from–are they breakdowns from racing tracks–standardbreds who aren’t accustomed to pulling heavy loads? How many years on average do the horses last on the streets? Are there other cities that have banned horse-drawn carriages?
Eco-Compassion–
I concede the point. You are definitely right that finding some answers to these questions you have come up with would be of interest to readers of this article. But must all of these questions be answered?
I like articles I read in the New York Times, but as you mentioned, they are not perfect (as is the case with all media– including EcoWorldly at times!). I grew up reading the Atlanta-Journal and Constitution and several not so great papers in my hometown of Athens, Georgia. When I went to college, I was very pleased to enjoy the Boston Globe– one of the more consistently better newspapers I have read. I like photos though, so I have to ding the NYT on that count.
Dear all, thank you for your comments, they let me reflect and see this topic from different points of view. I’m not a cruel person, I don’t support neither “female genital mutilation and slavery because they are traditions” nor “slavery, racism, sexism”. I don’t support animal exploitation, I simply try to see also “the other side of the coin”. In this post I reported the two different positions:
-ENPA activists: ““They are in disastrous condition, forced to work in an urban environment”
-Coachmen: “The horses are our partners at work, and very often, they are also partners for life”
I perfectly know the history of ancient Rome and when I talk about that period I don’t refer to the Coliseum combats but to the strong importance of horses into the culture of Rome, in its everyday life. The interaction between people and horses is part of our history and talking about the Palio as a tradition that still goes on I want to say that horses, in Siena, are considered sacred animals and nobody wants to see them suffer during a race; that is something that, unfortunately, can happen as in any competition but there is a strong respect for them. I don’t think horse carriages are good, I simply think the accusations are exaggerated. The Roman City hall has not commented on the issue but I hope it’ll consider the possibility to close some streets of the centre to traffic or, possibly, create new routes only for horse carriages. Respecting, in this way, both animals and generations of coachmen.
“Let’s see what Rome will decide to do with the horse-drawn carriage tradition”.
Ban horse-drawn carriages in Rome.
I would like to add one thing I did not see mentioned here. I spent last week-end in Rome. Having had a little conversation with one coachman (David) I also appreciate the other side version of the situation. David told me, that they also want better stables for the horses but will never get them. The reason is politics: people want to make more discoes and restaurangs, that is why they want the horses out. Doesn’t that make sense?
eco-compassion! would you please write me an e-mail.
I would like to quote you in an article.
Thank you!
JEppe