We have all heard "you get what you pay for" and all the other similar cliches when it comes to purchasing a good or service. We have all also privately desired to obtain that good or service at the lowest price possible.
This is being a "smart" or "savvy" shopper. Right? Well...not always. You see some business's have very little "wiggle" room and some none at all. Commercial carriage is a good example.
Very few if any that remain in the business for long are doing it because it is highly profitiable. It's just a business where that simply isn't possible. Its a high cost/low return business, and there is no way around that. Its a labor of love not fat bank accounts.
Which is why I caution you against hiring the "cheapest" carriage service in your area. You see...you just can't provide feed, vet, farrier, hay, grooming supplies, dental care, etc for carriage horses and at the same time play cut rate with the prices you charge.
You just can't. See...not too many businesses have employees that are on room/board/meals & full medical 365 days a year for very part time employment. Not only that its usually not just one of those employees its usually two per carriage operated. You know...just in case one is sick, lame, or can't work for whatever reason.
So...its more of a "THEY get what you pay for" and I mean that quite literally. The horses are the "they"and the price you pay directly affects the quality of the care they get. Its the difference between a company that can afford to call the vet when needed, and one that put's up a Go Fund Me page in hopes that a sympathetic public might pay that bill for them. (usually not)
Also worth noting is when you look you will notice that the "bargain bin" carriage services are cutting lots of corners. Look at the first photo of a horses obviously wearing tack that does not fit and undoubtably belongs to one of their far larger horses. Or the second photo that clearly depicts that it can be third world bad for the horse belonging to the outfit that is operating on a razors edge. Compare them to the last photo of a proper first class turn out.
I hope you keep this in mind when you are shopping for a carriage service. If the ones that charge the most seem to look the best there are good reasons behind that. When live animals are part of the equation the cheapest around is never the best choice. Paying a fair market price for an any animal industry endevor insures fair treament of the animals. So please...when it comes to carriage services, shop with your eyes, and not with your purse strings.
