Municipal horse

In France a municipal horse (cheval territorial) is a horse that carries out various public service missions on behalf of a local authority. A unique feature of this approach, which is in line with sustainable development and the search for ecological solutions, is the use of horses to preserve the authenticity of the sites concerned. The commune of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives was a pioneer with the mare "Uranie", in 1993. The commune of Trouville-sur-Mer organizes the annual congress and heads the national municipal horse commission (la commission nationale des chevaux territoriaux). In 2012, the activity was formally defined and the profession of coachman was officially registered in the Répertoire national des métiers. As of 2015, about 300 communes of France recourent services a or several territorial horses. Their missions are varied, but generally concern tourism, waste management and green spaces, prevention and safety, or personal transport.

Immensely popular with the public, municipal horses forge closer ties between residents and municipal services. They quickly became one of the municipality's symbols. Although the use of horses can be seen as old-fashioned, in terms of ecology and jobs created, they are considered more attractive than motorized vehicles, at the same or significantly lower cost. On the other hand, horses require a greater investment of time than motorized vehicles, particularly for their care.

Definition
Various names have been coined for the municipal horse: cheval cantonnier, cheval citadin, cheval communal and cheval citoyen. A symposium held in Avignon in 2000 was devoted to the "horse in the city". The term "municipal horse" was made official when the first Congrès national des chevaux territoriaux was held in Trouville-sur-Mer in 2003. At the end of 2012, a mission by the Conseil général de l'alimentation, de l'agriculture et des espaces ruraux (CGAAER) defined the term as "a horse used by a local authority (either on its own account or as a service provider) to carry out public service missions on its territory, such as passenger transport, waste collection, maintenance of green spaces or natural areas, prevention and security...". In Switzerland, the term "urban horse" is used. However, the notion of "municipal horse" remains difficult to define.

History
There is insufficient data to offer an overview of the situation and structures linked to the municipal horse, as there has been no thorough investigation. French communes used horses to perform tasks before the proliferation of motor vehicles. The modernization of transportation resulted in the abandonment of working animals in France during the 20th century. Pierre Rabhi notes that this event was a "rupture", as society wagered solely on oil, severing its connection to the earth.

Municipal horses stem from the concept of sustainable development popularized in the 1990s, at a time when horses were making a timid comeback in agriculture. The initial effort of this kind originated from the Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives town council, a rural commune whose identity is intertwined with the Percheron draught horse. Bruno Rible has driven a grey mare named "Uranie" for municipal tasks since 1993, including collecting garbage, cleaning gutters, and taking children for carriage rides. The initiative received official recognition in 1995. Uranie and her coachman achieved considerable popularity and media attention. From then on, a number of pioneering communes acquired a horse as a municipal employee. In 1999 and 2000, the commune of Trouville-sur-Mer introduced this system to manage its glass waste. The choice of a horse was motivated by its much lower purchase price than that of a specialized motorized vehicle, but also by the desire to reduce nuisance in this very touristy locality. The commune acquires a five-year-old Percheron, Festival de Mai. In 2003, Trouville-sur-Mer organizes the first national municipal horse congress. That year, Haras Nationaux commissions a Sofres survey to assess the public's perception in France regarding the horse's reemergence in urban areas. The research concluded that the presence of horses enhances the urban environment, making it more social and enjoyable. As part of the "Horse and Territories" initiative, the French Haras Nationaux analyzed a variety of community projects in 2005.

From the 2000s onward a growing number of French communes set up and developed public horse-drawn services, so much so that a municipal horse championship was created in 2009 (when 70 communes took part), followed by a national municipal horse commission in 2011. Over a hundred communities currently use at least one horse for public service. By the end of 2012, some 200 communes had a municipal horse or were planning to use one. The State entrusts the CGAAER with the task of analyzing this phenomenon to assess the potential development of municipal horses. In November 2013, many mayors showed interest. And by October 2015, around 300 communes were using a municipal horse, either occasionally or all year round. The popularity of this type of initiative prompts the Centre national de la fonction publique territoriale and the Institut français du cheval et de l'équitation (which is following this issue in particular) to organize several "equi-meetings" in 2015 and 2016, to take stock of existing initiatives and help municipalities wishing to set up their own horse-drawn teams.

The possibility of enhancing and therefore safeguarding the Breton horse breed prompted the Brittany region to launch a call for projects in September 2013, offering financial assistance for any initiative involving a Breton horse. This call for projects has been renewed every year since. Between 8 and 12 Breton communities respond each year. This project call allows for the examination or undertaking of an activity involving the Breton draft horse. Annually, the Faire à cheval network generates a report on a project call launched two years prior to trace alterations in community usage and recognize critical elements in project and activity triumphs.

Missions
A municipal horse's missions can be varied: mounted police, domestic waste collection, and awareness-raising on selective sorting, transport of people (schools, tourism, and the elderly), maintenance of green spaces (lawn mowing, watering vegetation, logging), maintenance of protected natural sites, herd surveillance and social actions.

Waste collection and maintenance
The use of horses for waste collection can have many applications, including collecting household waste and special waste from the selective sorting process (such as batteries, glass and cardboard), the collection of garbage cans and litter garbage cans in streets and parks, and even steel, aluminium and plastic. The presence of the horse makes it easier to communicate with the public about waste sorting and management. As a result, the volumes recovered are often greater. The horse-drawn carriage also enables more effective door-to-door collection from both private and professional customers. There are also seasonal collection schemes, such as at Christmas markets or for used Christmas trees. Horse-drawn vehicles are seen as a more effective way of raising awareness, especially among children. This practice also enhances the visibility of the individual responsible for collecting waste. Furthermore, some reports indicate that workers are more driven and productive when working with horses. Problems encountered with vehicle traffic are considered to be just as, if not less, restrictive than with a truck. Lastly, horses are more efficient at negotiating very narrow or steep streets, and at working short distances with frequent stops. On the other hand, public acceptance of the use of horses in this context is lower, with 72% of French people saying they are opposed (Kantar TNS poll, 2003). Local authorities are also encountering problems in adapting staff and equipment.

There have been instances of horses or donkeys being used for mechanical scanning, collection, upkeep, surveillance, and lightweight maintenance of urban equipment such as pavements, sidewalks, and signposts, as well as for maintaining paths and beaches. Horses are particularly useful for accessing hard-to-reach areas and can supplement motorized vehicles.

Maintenance of nature and green areas
The horse is particularly suited to work in green spaces and sensitive natural areas (wet, unstable, sloping or fragile), rivers, hiking trails, regional or national parks, and forests managed by the National Forests Office. The work entails tasks such as skidding, portaging, and other functions related to forestry. The organized and professional nature of the French equestrian industry grants them an advantage as they possess the necessary training, skills, and equipment. Such a structure brings a significant ecological benefit as horses do not cause soil compaction, disturb flora or fauna, or add pollutants like hydrocarbons to the environment. Horses offer greater flexibility and maneuverability than vehicles, enabling them to traverse rivers and slopes, and at a lower cost. However, motorized vehicles are faster and more efficient, rendering horses comparatively slower and less efficient.

The horse has a wide range of applications in urban parks and green spaces. These include watering and irrigating planters and flowerbeds, maintaining paths and embankments by harrowing or leveling, planting and tending to flowerbeds, collecting litter from garbage cans, excavating small and large forestry works, hauling and transporting green waste, and performing various activities such as rides and prevention. Additionally, the horse can also be used in a conservation grazing program. Horses are a favored mode of transportation and leisure for visitors to parks and gardens. This compatibility with Natura 2000 zones and historic sites adds to the appeal of such sites. Horse riding is a sustainable alternative to motorized transportation that respects the ambiance and wildlife of these natural areas. Equally efficient as motorized vehicles, horses are ideal for watering and other daily park activities. Nevertheless, it is challenging to acquire equipment specifically adapted for horse-related tasks.

Municipal transport
Several municipalities have implemented horse-drawn school transportation, either for regular transportation to and from schools in highly rural areas with small class sizes or for special excursions. This program has been received with immense enthusiasm from children who greatly value the presence of horses and are more motivated to attend school. It also offers an opportunity to use the horse as a pedagogical instrument to educate on the subjects of equine nutrition, farriery, and care. However, the use of horse-drawn transportation for school purposes faces significant regulatory and safety limitations, as well as logistical challenges.

Initiatives exist to transport elderly individuals to retirement clubs, using cabs and horse-drawn buses, regardless of whether fees are charged. However, this form of transportation prompts questions related to the development of horse-drawn parking lots, traffic management, and ensuring accessibility for those with disabilities.

Protection and monitoring
Protection and surveillance operations using municipal horses can be permanent or seasonal, and involve Eco-guards or municipal police officers. These initiatives are valued for the discreet, deterrent and approachable nature of law enforcement officers on horseback, as well as the ability to survey broad areas from an elevated perspective and the proven effectiveness of these riders in preventing crime. Additionally this practice is widely welcomed, with 82% of French citizens expressing approval for the concept of using horseback officers to secure public spaces. Limitations in training, animal and human selection, and consideration for the well-being of horses in urban missions pose obstacles to the execution of protection and surveillance missions.

Tourism
Tourism accounts for a significant proportion of these initiatives, with 85% of French horse-drawn transport linked to it (2015 data). This can be explained both by the scale of tourist activity in France and by the horse's adaptation to visitors' desire for "slowness" during their vacations. Some of France's major tourist sites have set up horse-drawn shuttles to take people to heritage sites, while preserving the surrounding landscape. Some initiatives enable tourists with no previous equestrian experience to ride a horse for the first time. The development of horse-drawn wine tourism is envisaged, as horse-drawn carriages are particularly well-suited to visits to the great vineyards.

What's more, horse-drawn tourism is well received, with 79% of French people surveyed in 2003 endorsing the use of horses for city tours.

Social actions and integration
Municipal horses can also be used to rehabilitate the disabled, an initiative supported by 90% of the French population. This outlet can help to promote the employment of disabled or marginalized people (Emploi des personnes handicapées), and ease social conflicts, but it also comes up against regulatory constraints, risks of failure and problems of professionalism.

List of missions by commune
Many municipalities promote the activities of their municipal horses.

Implementation
Implementing a municipal horse program often relies on the involvement of highly motivated elected representatives. It calls on a wide variety of public, associative and private players, all of whom must work together to optimize costs and bring the project to fruition: the latter very often goes through a phase of experimentation and trial and error. The Commission nationale de développement des chevaux territoriaux, based in Trouville-sur-Mer, organizes an annual congress. Associations of animal traction professionals operating in France (Traits de génie, Trait d'avenir, CIVAM, PROMMATA, Hippotese, etc.) also play an important role in providing advice and exchanging skills. At European level, CERRTA (Centre européen de ressources et de recherche en traction animale) is an accredited training center for draught horse activities. FECTU (Fédération européenne du cheval de trait pour la promotion de son use), founded in 2003, encourages cooperation in Europe for the use of draught horses.

This involves training the horse, training the coachman and building (or acquiring) the horse-drawn equipment. The cost of purchasing the horse and its equipment is generally lower than for motorized vehicles, but the final cost of the mission depends heavily on the organization chosen by the commune. European subsidies (ERDF) can be used to set up the project.

Horse-drawn equipment
Finding suitable equipment can be challenging, as horse-drawn traction equipment has not been widely used in France since the early 1900s. Additionally, preserved equipment has frequently deteriorated and is no longer appropriate for modern municipal horse usage. Furthermore, manufacturers of such equipment are scarce and typically operate on a small scale. Advances in the design of horse-drawn equipment and vehicles have reduced nuisance: most carriage harnesses are equipped with a system for collecting dung before it falls to the ground, and there are horseshoes that reduce the noise caused by horses' hooves.

New horse-drawn equipment has also been developed to meet the specific needs of territorial use of the horse. In Pont-Sainte-Marie, for example, a pink and green horse-drawn carriage called funny garden is used to water the municipality's plants. Similarly, Veolia has developed a horse-drawn carriage combining high technology and horse power.

Choice of coachman
The Syndicat National des Cochers Professionnels was created on April 12, 1999, to gain recognition for this profession in France, notably through the creation of the Diplôme de Cocher Professionnel, recognized by the French Ministry of Agriculture in 2002. At the end of 2012, a report by the Conseil général de l'alimentation, de l'agriculture et des espaces ruraux suggested that the profession should be registered in the trade register. The aim is to make it easier for communes to recruit qualified professionals. The job of coachman requires a great deal of practical knowledge, particularly in terms of driving a carriage in an urban environment and knowing the highway code applicable to horse-drawn vehicles. By 2012, the coachman profession represented 300 jobs in France.

Reception
The reintroduction of the municipal horse has raised a great deal of astonishment, but also genuine popular enthusiasm: some 70% of French people surveyed in 2003 by Kantar TNS MB were in favor of the return of horses to perform public service missions in towns and cities. The export of this model is envisaged, particularly in Quebec, where horses are tending to disappear from cities. Assessing the potential for development is difficult, with some players believing that the sector is set to grow rapidly in towns with more than 2,000 inhabitants, while others consider it to be a niche sector.

Advantages
As part of a sustainable development approach, the horse is far more ecologically efficient than a motorized vehicle (35% less CO² than a truck), while generally being less expensive (including equipment) to purchase, and therefore more quickly amortized. It strengthens ties between residents and municipal employees, as well as between town and country. The public is made more ecologically aware. In the case of the mounted police, the horse's presence commands the respect of the authorities. As a "catalyst of positive emotions", the horse acts as a social mediator, while awakening Écocitoyenneté responsibility. The use of horses in protected natural sites allows visitors to rediscover authenticity without motorized vehicles spoiling the place, and the presence of horses improves the living environment. Horses generate less noise than motorized vehicles. The use of horses in towns and cities brings life back into communities. In the case of traction applications, the municipal horse helps to preserve draught horse breeds, with many communities choosing to work with their heritage breeds. Last but not least, the municipal horse generates more jobs than the motorized vehicle, and helps to build the identity of the commune in which it is employed.

Disadvantages
The approach has been characterized as "backward-looking" or "folkloristic" according to the 2012 CGAAER mission, "the horse in town still makes some people smile". Some elected representatives feel that setting up mounted or harnessed public service missions is costly, that horses require too much time investment for their upkeep, and that their effectiveness is relative. These aspects motivated the withdrawal of teams of mounted municipal police officers in Valence, Versailles and Caen, in 2014 and 2015. Skills adaptation is also a problem. Many young people are attracted to working with horses, but do not always have the appropriate training, the quality of which varies greatly depending on the training organization. Similarly, the characterization of horses is often insufficient to adapt to demand, as breeders do not always have objectives (breeding heavy horses for meat, etc.) in line with needs (the need for a draught horse). Taking account of horse traffic in town can be a safety constraint. The attraction of the animal also requires constant vigilance on the part of those working with municipal horses, to guarantee public safety.