Get Around in Style...Charleston Style

Now that summer is back, we have many more people enjoying tours of our city with the horses.

Many of our city's working horses are "Percheron" horses. I think they are absolutely gorgeous and I love them all, but I do have one favorite. Love to see him and I always talk to him. He looks at me. Does he recognize me or my voice? Probably not but it's fun to think so.

Check out the pretty braids!

I've  always called the Percheron horses "gypsy horses" because so many of the pictures I see of the old gypsy wagons, they are pulled by these type horses.

There are many ways to tour Charleston....vehicles like cars/vans/buses, or on foot. Carriage/wagon tours pulled by mules and horses seem like a particularly enjoyable way to see the historic city and they surely do add so much to the ambiance of such an old city. Truly, there have been horses on Charleston's streets since the very beginning, back in the 1600's. 

I love to hear the sound of our city's horses.....the approaching clip clop clip clop of the hoof beats, steady and true. The horses are so big and strong and gentle. 

I've nearly been trampled dozens of times getting in front of these 1000lb. animals for 'just the right picture'. ha ha ha Just KIDDING. LOL

This one is a beauty! A "Cinderella Horse"!

No wagon----but a pretty white carriage.

Last year there was an incident when one of our horses, Blondie, was spooked by the sound of a loud truck. Apparently Blondie backed up into the carriage, got tangled up, and fell. Somehow Blondie just couldn't get back up. I think it's still not clear what all contributed to it....the heat, was he injured, not in good health to begin with, his legs 'fell asleep' and the circulation was cut off....I was not there and only know what I saw on the news. They did call a vet in and I think he (Blondie) was sedated until a forklift could come pick him back up again. I was so relieved and happy to see him getting back up on his feet, under vet care, and then on a well deserved little break/vacation out in the country. I think he did come back to work. 
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These horses were all out working on this particular Sunday. The temperature was 97:

I do love animals and will always stand up for and defend them if they are being mistreated or neglected. So I went reading/researching a little further to see what I could find out about our city's horses. I found an interesting article here:
(click here) The Treatment of our Carriage Horses

The comments in the section at the end of the article are very interesting. I am not well educated on the care or needs of horses but some of these people clearly are and it was interesting to hear what their point of view is. 
What is yours?
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By the time I was getting to the end of this post I decided to go see for myself so I visited the downtown barn of the Palmetto Carriage Works. 
Again--I am not a vet nor do I own or have much knowledge of horses. I have ridden recreationaly  only and I have worked with very large mammals much much larger than horses, but I am not a horse expert by any means.
 I am just someone who loves animals.
Also-no one knew I was coming nor did they know who I was. The barn is open to the public.

First off---it's big. And clean. And the employees acknowledge you with a polite and friendly greeting.

The horses and mules were happily eating their suppers. They all appeared clean and well cared for.

The animals seemed to have plenty of room and nobody appeared "scrunched-up" or jammed into tiny spaces.

The stalls were clean and the horses were curious and friendly.

There were many large heavy duty fans blowing on the horses and there was also a water misting system which sprayed the horses. 

(above--that little fella was about knee high and adorable!)

I fully know that horses are not house pets. I think they were created to be work animals and to have a 'job'. From what I have read, they are happiest when they do have work. I also don't want to see animals mis-used. 

What do you think? Do you have carriage tours in your city? Do any of you know about horses?
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