From the horse's mouth

A Philadelphia carriage horse tells us, in no uncertain terms, what it's like to walk in his shoes. "The world has moved on," he explains. "But not for everyone, apparently." Read his post on "The Philadelphia Turkey" blog.

Treats, and terror

Bourbon didn't like being a Philadelphia carriage horse...
His driver was none too thrilled about the job, either. She writes in The Washington Post about the claustrophobia of being in traffic, the searing heat, the people yelling at them. Bourbon worked in a world of things he feared: jackhammers, skateboarders, and Dumpsters, to name a few. He was a stressed-out eater and often succeeded in getting people to turn over to him the treats they were munching on.

And just like that, his days as a Philadelphia carriage horse were over. One winter, he was sold by Adele's boss to a carriage company in Minneapolis. She says they both loved Bourbon, and the thinking was that he would find a place that was more enjoyable.

His driver, Adele Levine, wrote fondly of her days working with Bourbon, even though she says they both hated the job. I guess they were both desperate. She, however, surely had more options that being bought and sold like an old car. We can only hope that Bourbon enjoyed a new life somewhere, but we are not so optimistic.

In an industry that is too cheap to euthanize the horses when they deemed unable to do the job, horses often come to a terrible end.
Read: "The City Was His Feedbag" (Aug. 15, 2008)
Photo credit: George Widman, The Associated Press