True horsepower
IT IS not quite correct to say there are only three working horse-drawn boats left in the country (Mail). The narrowboat Birdswood operates, when Covid permits, on the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire as both motored and horse-drawn. The snowflakes who complain about horse-drawn boats should consider that the Industrial Revolution would not have taken off but for the canals. On land a horse will pull one ton, on rail about three tons and on water up to 30 tons. This gives a good idea of just how much work the horse is doing — on water, it’s not a lot. All it has to do is lean on the towline and the boat will follow, thereafter keeping a steady pace that can cover many miles a day. I ran horse-drawn boats on the Cromford Canal for more than a decade, using a variety of horses from former pit ponies to Haflingers. My horses were well cared for and never over-worked. However, this did not stop a pony protection group complaining about the most basic form of transport in history. There were regular visits from the RSPCA until one day an irritated inspector declared: ‘I could see there was nothing wrong with your horse from 100 yards away!’ After that the complaints stopped. My father celebrated his 80th birthday by man-hauling the boat 1½ miles from Leawood to Cromford, raising funds for charity in the process.
SIMON STOKER, Winster, Derbys. WHAT a wonderful sight to see Jenny Roberts at work with her amazing horses pulling a barge along the Wey. It’s so sad that she is closing down her business after complaints that it is cruel to the horses. Yet another piece of history has been eradicated by ill-educated snowflakes. I wish Jenny a happy retirement with her fabulous animals who clearly mean so much to her.
L. GADSBY, Truro, Cornwall. THE snowflakes upset at the sight of a horse pulling a barge on a canal have never managed a boat. Canals are still water, so there is no current or tide. Pushing or pulling a floating mass on still water requires no great effort, however stopping can be a problem.
You can’t compare the effort required by a shire pulling a plough or a dray cart up a hill with towing a barge.
ANTHONY F. LOWE, Nottingham. I AM shocked at the hounding of Jenny Roberts, who has been forced to close her business taking passengers on horse-drawn pleasure trips along the River Wey. These heavy horses were bred to do this type of work and it was lovely that people enjoyed this leisurely way of going down the river. Do the snowflakes not realise that without making money from these trips, Jenny may not be able to afford to keep these horses. Is that a better outcome?
PAMELA JOHNSON, Ilford, Essex. I HAVE pulled my narrowboat when it broke down and it was very easy. People stating that the towpaths are for cyclists should study the byelaws, which state that pedestrians have precedence, not cyclists.
I. HOLDER, Welwyn Garden City, Herts. WHO will the snowflakes target next: Santa and his reindeer?
BRIAN SuTTON, Ringwood, Hants.