Melbourne's horse and carriages

What do you think?
Tourist horse and carriage rides have been plodding through the 
streets of our city for around thirty years.
Together with our trams 
they are iconic Melbourne transport.

For $100 AUD you can take a half hour ride 

from Melbourne Flinders Street station 

to the Shrine of Remembrance.

It is not cheap,

but I'm sure it would be lovely,

unless that is, 

you start worrying about the condition the animals are kept in...

Melbourne's iconic horse and carriages

There is a bit of a rumpus going on at the moment
between those concerned about animal welfare,
who are a large and ever growing group,
and the rest of Melbourne. 

Melbourne's horse and carriages

The pro horse and carriage Melbournians
like seeing the horses on the streets,

believe they are well cared for,

and consider them a wonderful tourist attraction to be preserved.

The Melbourne Against Horse Drawn Carriages
are concerned that the horses work long hours, 
in all weathers, including searing summer heat,
and are subjected to all the fumes and pollution of the CBD,
amongst other things...

Horses and carriages Melbourne

In 2011 our Melbourne City Council introduced a code of practice 
for the operation of horse drawn carriages,
 in response to growing questions about the industry.

Today we found a long line of horse and carriages, 

It has been a wet and wild week here in Melbourne,
so maybe not the most popular day for an open carriage ride? 
Even with the nice woolly blankets which are on offer!

For hire on Swanston Street, Melbourne

The horses don't look too miserable, or poorly cared for,
But they do look extremely bored!

This horse decides to add to the wet conditions under foot 
and flood Swanston Street!
They are obviously being well watered...!

Melbourne horses and carriages

We are not alone having a horse furore!

On our recent visit to New York city

we found there is a similar debate.

As there is in other cities worldwide

Such as Vienna, Rome and Montreal.

Where ever you are in the world

if you see a horse and carriage 

it is likely that you might take a picture.

How many of us have similar snaps?

Horse and carriages New York City 

There is something very photogenic 

about the traditional horse and carriages.

You want to believe that these horses, 

the livelihoods of their human owners,

are well cared for...

Horse and carriage Central Park, New York

Of course the same applies to whatever animal is in question.

Here in Rajesthan, India, we spotted a camel and carriage.

Camel and carriage, Jaisalmer, India

   I saw a petition that

Horse & Carriage Rides in the City of Melbourne should be BANNED and replaced with human-powered cycle rickshaws

Human power is used the world over,

you only have to think of India's rickshaw drivers 

or the pedal bike carriages as seen in New York's Central Park.

Human-powered cycle rickshaws -New York

It will be really interesting to see how much longer 

the horses stay in Melbourne.

I would be happy to see the horses remain, 

as long as they are being properly looked after.

Do you have horse and carriage rides in your country?

Linking with Saturday's Critters thanks to Eileen

and  Camera Critters