'Neigh - not for me' - 9 things you said about horse-drawn carriage rides at Seaton Carew

Some of you hailed it as an added attraction for the town, while others saw it as cruel. And the majority of voters in an online poll appeared to agree with the latter, with 70% of you saying you wouldn't go on a horse-drawn carriage ride.

The Mail reported earlier this week that Hartlepool Borough Council has updated its taxi licensing policy to allow for fare-taking, horse-drawn carriages to operate in the town. Someone had made a "tentative" inquiry regarding operating the carriages - but there is nothing more to it at this time.

Here are some of your comments from social media:

Linda Tindale: "No it's a terrible idea, the horses get worn out and they never drink enough water especially in the summer when it's boiling. The horses will sweat loads and possibly collapsed through dehydration."

Dave Ryan: "No it's cruel and shouldn't be legal. Those horses get worked to death. Same as donkey rides.

"It should be banned on animal welfare grounds. The poor animals should be in a field, not on the road being worked to the bone."

Shirley Carruthers: "Why not, sounds great."

Ian Saunders: "No it's cruel, it's not Blackpool it's Seaton."

Diane Kidd: "I still say my idea of bicycle rickshaw rides is better ... no food bills, no vet bills, no dung to clean up and no animal rights militants having a whinge ... and they could make operating them part of a town-wide health and exercise initiative."

Chris Mason: "If it brings in tourists I welcome it. Of course there will be negative folk against it."

Carol Burton: "Trying to make Seaton something it's not, I think they need to concentrate on doing the place up, before getting horse and carriages."

Phill Craggzy: "Neigh not for me."

Brian Flounders: "If it works, it will be good."