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PULLING POWER: The Charm of Heavy Horses |
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| Posted on: Wednesday, April 28, 2010 |
Category: 'Uncategorized' |
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The new rubbish collectors just clip-clopped past my house. Yes, clip-clopped! Our village has recently set-up an eco-friendly rubbish collection system using good-old horse power. Every Wednesday morning, Maée and Quito, two sturdy Comptois horses, are harnessed to a specifically-made carriage to spend a couple of hours combing the country roads surrounding my village, collecting things people no longer want.
 I think it’s a wonderful idea, not just because I’m a hard-core horse fanatic, thrilled to have horses grazing in the fields across from my house, nor because it revalorizes various breeds of heavier working horses long-appreciated for their pulling-power, nor simply because recent comparative studies in France and Germany (where horses have also been reinstated in certain cities on a much larger scale) have proved that horse-power beats motorized power hands down when it comes to carbon emission (who’d have thunk it?!).The way I see it, having a horse-drawn carriage clip-clopping down country roads is also beneficial on a social level. It’s a charming event that draws people out of their houses, incites interaction between total strangers, makes people smile. It also slows down traffic, forcing all the speedy Gonzalezes to ease their feet from their accelerators far more efficiently than the hundreds of sleeping policemen and mini-roundabouts installed at great expense in this area over the past few years.
On another level, this initiative is also yielding great results among young people having experienced social difficulties, and who in working with these horses have found equilibrium, self-respect, a place in their community, and developed new marketable skills.
 The person behind this great idea is Marco Mora, a gentle-natured social worker with a longstanding passion for horses. On e of his horses, a formidable bay Percheron called Popeye (check out the size of his feet!), has been involved in cleaning up after Nyon’s Paleo Music Festival for a number of years, and has become quite a local celebrity! Marco hopes that the urban use of horse-power will catch on, leading to other villages jumping on the heavy-horse bandwagon. Considering the wonderful impression it’s making around here, how could it not?
Lots of love,
Francesca
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| Comments |
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At 11:56:15 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Ziggy Nixon wrote:
Ah my dear sweet Francesca, how much wonder you describe again! Here on my island that I live on alone in my 200 room mansion, I so enjoy the 50 thoroughbreds I keep as they go for their morning runs. I think though that I, too, will get some of these lovely clippity cloppity types you describe, they are such a joy. Ah, if only your adopted country men would let me buy more homes, there...
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At 11:57:44 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Sabina wrote:
Fancy that, we're back to 2 chevaux!! Quaint and just right for our lovely village of Founex! I wonder if they'll make it up to Upper Founex?!? x
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At 12:15:56 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Wendy Hollands wrote:
Oh wow! This is so extremely cool! We have the old horse and carts here in La Clusaz and I always feel a bit sorry for the horses in summer when the sun is really burning and they have to lug people up a hill. Sadly, it's the sound of a motorised truck emptying our giant bins rather than a pleasant clip-clip — normally at Stupid O'clock on the weekend!
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At 13:33:49 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Lindsay Townsend wrote:
Wonderful, Francesca! And what a superb idea! Kudos to all involved! Best wishes, Lindsay http://www.lindsaytownsend.net
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At 15:06:37 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, LK Hunsaker wrote:
I love that! What a great idea!
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At 15:24:47 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, blodeuedd wrote:
Those are so me big horses, lovely :D And I agree that it is a lovely idea
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At 16:33:22 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Valerie wrote:
Knowing about your love of all things equestrian, I'm surprised that you're not on the back of that wagon! Could your donkey neighbors pull a second wagon and come collect in my village?? Lovely story with that Prescott flair!
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At 16:52:27 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Virginia Mackay wrote:
I love it! Only in Switzerland... :)
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At 18:23:35 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Phoebe Matthews wrote:
Hey, Francesca, what a delightful idea. Your explanation and photos make this piece fascinating. Thanks!
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At 18:35:02 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Savanna Kougar wrote:
Oh, they're adorable and I love that coat color. What a functional fabulous idea. It would so improve the social fabric of life for all of us to return some of these ways. Especially for me since I love horses. Unfortunately, here, PETA would be yelling from the the rooftops instead of understanding the horses enjoy their work and folks love them. While I don't subscribe to the whole carbon thing, given plants love the stuff, it is far more beneficial for all of us and fun to have the horses as trash collectors.
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At 19:11:47 on Wednesday, April 28, 2010, Sheryl Browne wrote:
What a lovely story, beautifully told as per! I live in horsey country, her in the UK. When I walk my dogs I look down from the fields on the most lovely traditional horse stables. There are horses dotted in all the surrounding fields and the joy and calm one feels when watching these magnificant, graceful creatures is...well, it's therapy for the jaded old soul. As for the dustbin men who now shatter the peace twice as often with the collection of oh, so, eco-friendly coloured bins... I'd swap a horse for a man in a flash! :) Nice one, Cesca!
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At 23:34:01 on Friday, April 30, 2010, Beatrice Trigo da Silva wrote:
Great idea, I read somewhere about it, I would probably need one rubish collector, just for myself, if I would start to clean out my basement.... See you soon Bea
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