Ban Carriage Horses at Hampton Beach Forever

A congested and crowded street at Hampton Beach, NH is not safe for horse drawn carriages or their passengers, motorists or pedestrians. There is inherent danger to the horse due to its natural instincts to run when spooked. It is highly likely that even though the carriage operators say they won't operate the carriage on fireworks day, that any loud noises (cars backfiring, street racing sounds) would frighten the horse causing a fatal accident for the horse and quite possibly the passengers or others.

Here is a copy of a letter that I am sending to the Hampton Town of Selectmen and Town Manager.

We are appalled to learn that Charmingfare Farm is offering carriage rides at Hampton Beach this summer. Please visit this link that shows a video of a beautiful draft horse pulling a well-appointed carriage down Ocean Blvd. Please note the video shows a virtually empty street with maybe one or two cars. Is this a typical evening of traffic? No, it is not. This is unlikely to be a true image of what these carriage horses will encounter during their carriage rides. Though the video states, the carriage rides are not available on the day the beach has fireworks, the safety of the horses are most certainly put in jeopardy daily.

With the congested traffic patterns and speeders, we don't even feel safe crossing the road at the very busiest of times on foot, never mind a 2000 pound horse pulling a family in carriage. As an equestrian, I understand the mind of the equine. I also have a degree in Applied Animal Science specializing in Equines. I have trained and shown horses in hunter/jumper, dressage and long-distance trail rides. I have driven a few as well as preliminary driving training a young horse. It is the very nature of the horse to flee whenever frightened. And if a frightened horse is fleeing, he's taking the carriage with him as well as the passengers.

Carriages are not made to withstand the impact of a vehicle vs. carriage accident. There are no airbags for the passengers and no head protection for anyone! This is NOT safe! Can any of you imagine the danger both the horse, passengers, pedestrians and motorists would be in should (an illegal and unplanned) fireworks display go off? This is not an impossibility and is more than likely a probability. The crowds at Hampton can be downright rude and rowdy. Every night someone shoots off some type of firework. Ask your police chief. Yes, I am sure the horses that would be used would be well-trained and accustomed to some of the crowd and motor cars. However, as I said when frightened a horse will flee with no thought of its safety other than instinct to just RUN. The horse can cause an accident or be involved in an accident and would likely need to be euthanized due to devastating injuries. This would set the town up for a hefty lawsuit.

Hampton Beach is NO place for a horse in any shape or form (except trained Mounted Police troops). The Police Horses have specialized training to "bombproof" them and don't have the confines of a carriage and harness to contend with maneuvering on a crowded street. The horses from Charminfare farm are not trained to be specialized police mounts. In the video, as mentioned, Charmingfare Farm does not use the carriage on fireworks day because they say "the horses don't enjoy the fireworks display as much as we do". Well, what they mean is the fireworks are likely to spook the horse and cause injury to motorists, passengers, pedestrians or itself, as well as expensive property damage. How many LOUD motorbikes backfire unexpectedly, loud stereos, souped up cars sound like fireworks? As a rider, I can't tell you how many times on quiet country roads motorists would scream out the window to spook the horse I was riding. It will happen to these carriage horses as well. It would only make sense that a reasonable person can reasonably expect such noises will occur at Hampton Beach and a reasonable person can reasonably predict that this would frighten a horse causing aforementioned injuries and property damage. We feel it is negligent for the Town to allow such activity at Hampton any time of day or night at any time of the year. Not only is the horse and people at risk of injury, but the horse is exposed to loud noises that can damage sensitive ears and exhaust that can cause damage to very sensitive respiratory systems. Walking on tar, even with protective shoes is jarring to a horse's bones and joints especially a horse that weighs nearly 2000 pounds. I have been involved in many incidents involving horses that get spooked. In fact, while riding in a ring a firework went off, the horse spooked and I had a fall. That was an experienced rider on an experienced school horse. When horses spook it is lightning quick because that is how they are designed from years of having to be on the look out for predators in their natural state. Sometimes you can control the "spooked" horse and other times you can't, regardless of how well schooled the horse is or its' handler.

Please, we beg of you, do NOT allow carriage rides at Hampton Beach. We are starting an online petition and am contacting the NH Animal Rights League as well. Please research online the number of horrific accidents involving carriage horses and I think you will agree with us. Thank you for your time. I am available to speak to the Town on this matter.

Denise Muccioli