DELMAN
Delman is a horse-pulled carriage that is a form of transportation, which has been used in Indonesia for many years, especially before the the use of cars. To this day some people still use it as transportation, but more often used as a tourist attraction and used to entertain younger children.
Image: Kumparan/ Helmi Afandi Abdullah
How is it harmful for the horses?
Horses have ben used to pull carriages thousands of years. It is even a sport that still exists to this day (Carriage Driving). Horses are strong animals that can pull a carriage with people in it with no problem at all. "Then why is it a problem here in Indonesia?" You may ask. The issue with horse carriages in Indonesia is that most of the horses being used to pull the carriages are not being fed enough, they are overworked, and only get very little to no medical attention at all.
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Mario Miguel Silva, 42, who has been working with horses for 32 years, and Ana Luisa Rodrigues, 48, who has been around horses and working with horses since she learned how to walk, are both professional Dressage riders and instructors, have shared their opinions regarding this matter. During the interview, Ms. Rodrigues shares her knowledge regarding horse-pulled carriages. Horse carriages have been used since the 13th century BC, and at that time, they were mainly used for military purposes. Then in the 16th century, these horse-pulled carriages were used as transportation by the upper class of society and monarchs, but later became a common transportation worldwide. With this knowledge, Ms. Rodrigues says, "I don't have anything against horse-
Image taken from Jakarta Animal Aid's Instagram page
pulled carriages. The problem is that what I see is horse abuse. The horses that are being used for these carriages are not big nor strong enough to be pulling the amount of load they are being forced to pull. They are not well fed, and are overworked." Mr. Silva has a similar take on this matter. He says that he is not against the use of horse-pulled carriages at all. As a professional and an experienced person in the equestrian world, Mr. Silva says that the use of horses to pull carriages is not harmful towards the horse at all, when the horses are taken care of properly. Mr. Silva highlights his concerns on the lack of education, by mentioning how the owners of the horses are not taught or attentive enough to know when the horse is physically healthy enough to work, how long the horse is able to work, and what to feed these hard-working horses.
What Can I Do to Help these Horses?
Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), a non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lies of animals in Indonesia, have been fighting for mistreated horses used for pulling carriages since 2009. They have been on multiple horse rescue missions, and have succeeded in giving them a better life. As much as they would love to rescue every single horse in Indonesia that need their help, the financial burden that comes with rescuing and treating a horse is not something light. If you would like to continue supporting Chester and Tasik (picture on the right), and give more horses in need a new chance at life, click here to find donation information.
Image taken from Jakarta Animal Aid's Instagram page