Cab horses must be shielded from the sun

fabian muliet

Jul 29th 2009, 15:37

Imagine spending a day at work pulling heavy loads up a steep hill, with no water and in the scorching mid day sun then walking back "home" only to find out that you live in a small confined space usually without any sort of comfort and ventilation... This is a typical day of a cab horse here in Malta. The only place where i've seen horses fair a bit worse is Tunisia. Just by covering horses with a piece of cloth will not solve the problem, but actually make it worse. Ventilation around the poor animal's body will be drasticaly redused. Why put the responsability on the owners when the only solution is some sort of roof and running water which the horses can enjoy after a trip!! The responsability i'd put on owners is to have the horses vet checked on a regular basis and that there stables are fit for the said animals. But then again this is Malta, and when it comes to Animal welfare, animal lovers can only dream.

anthea doughty

Jul 29th 2009, 09:01

These horses are not well looked after, I see them with their sides absolutely heaving sweat pouring off them after they have done a round of Valletta. I would never ride in one of these cabs and look down on anyone who does. Use your own legs and feet! See how you would like to run about in the heat etc. I have seen one of the horses get punched in the nose by one of the drivers for absolutely no reason whatsoever as he walked past it - some of them look underweight and malnourished too. It is all very well to say they are a tradition, there are and were many traditions that have ended or need to end because these days in a more civilised and educated society we know they are unacceptable. Yes I am a horse lover and a horse owner - I know what a well cared for and healthy horse looks like! I also get fed up with being pestered by the drivers (the same ones if you walk back past even a few short minutes later) as I walk around Valletta.

mario aquilina

Jul 29th 2009, 08:42

Ban them completely is the answer.

The horses need protection from the sun, and the tourist need protection from the cowboys.

J Oatmon

Jul 29th 2009, 08:08

@ Andrew Harding

I agree completely - I remember one ocaision whem I was stck behind one of these ancient horse dram carriages going up Manwel Dimech street for ages, and when I managed to nip past (it is one way) the driver hit mar car roof with his whip. I see these things as being driven by arrogant self centered louts, whp are living in the past, and not caring for anything but ripping off tourists.

godfrey pisani

Jul 29th 2009, 07:49

this has been going on every summer for donkeys years and the easiest way is to get rid of them , very good thinking ?? get an other tradition out of the way and we want to promote tourist ? surly some kind of sheltered stands and some education and some time limits as to what time they can operate in summer would solve this problem once and for all .

T Aquilina

Jul 28th 2009, 16:59

Come on! Are we to believe that draping the horses will provide them with much relief (unless it is from the cold) over that of proper shade? Sounds more like a case of finding the easiest way out.

Andrew Harding

Jul 28th 2009, 16:02

Or why not simply ban the Karozzini from the streets of Malta all together ?, apart from the obvious cruelty to these wonderfull horses, the drivers are often foul mouthed rip off merchants with no regards whatsoever for the animal's welfare, if we are ever asked about the Karozzini we always suggest to people that they give it a miss due to the cruelty aspect, and also due to the fact that they will more than likely be ripped off by these people.

M. Galea

Jul 28th 2009, 15:30

How about removing the horses and getting the cabbies to pull the karozzin.

Am sure it would help their weight loss programme.

Paul Barrett

Jul 28th 2009, 12:16

How about a straw hat as well (with holes for the ears of course).