The horse was replaced because it was not able to deliver the workload of newer delivery technology.

Also it eats and gets rid of that food in a most unpleasant way.

Having been to an island several times that has no autos, (except one ambulance) even UPS uses a horse drawn wagon I can attest to the unpleasant remains in the streets, and the slow pace of the animals. And to the support network needed to care for and clean up after them.

I would bet that the support network (stalls, food delivery, doctors, and on & on) would far exceed that of even a small delivery truck (a pickup truck as small as it is could do what a horse can)


Romance gives us a vision of a horse drawn wagon delivering goods to people in a personal and less fast passed life, but it’s a thing of the past for a good part of the world.


I would guess that the present made horse drawn wagons look like those of years past is because the technology of a horse is from years past and looked at as a novelty or reminder of what was. No need to update, if you update, buy a truck and do more work with less upkeep then a horse needs.