Carriage Drivers Paint Horses to Hide Injuries

Horses who pull carriages in the extreme summer heat of Antalya, Turkey, are painted with carcinogenic oil to cover up work-related injuries, such as harness rubs. The Antalya Bar Association’s animal rights council, which has filed a criminal complaint against the carriage operators, says that the 15 horses pull carriages for up to 14 hours/day before returning to “restricted spaces in poor sanitary conditions.”

DHA Photo

When faced with criticism, horse-drawn carriage drivers assert that they have to take care of their horses because their horses earn them a living. That sounds compelling, but it’s simply not true. With an overpopulation of horses (like dogs and cats), disposing of sick and injured horses and replacing them with healthy ones is far less expensive than providing appropriate medical care in the first place. Carriage horses, like circus elephants and captive dolphins, are not companion animals; they are money-making commodities who are exploited until they can no longer turn a profit for their owners. To learn more about why horse-drawn carriages are inherently inhumane and unsafe so that you can speak out against horse-drawn carriages, please see Blinders.