About Hydra’s Equines

Equines (horses, mules, and donkeys) in Hydra are used to transport items and people on the island as there are no cars, motorbikes, or even bicycles. Equines in Hydra have adapted to the characteristics and conditions of the island:

• Because they walk on cobbled streets and along mountain paths, their hooves harden, and shoeing is unnecessary.
• Mules are able to carry heavy loads, and the muleteers understand how to distribute the weight with minimal strain on the animal.
• They have learned to navigate stairs with caution.
• In winter their coats grow heavier (as do those of all animals) to help them withstand the cold and damp.
• They are social, friendly, and quiet as they are surrounded daily by many people and are familiar with the noises of the town.

All equines have owners who care for them daily. These animals are an integral part of the island’s economy and culture. The owners are knowledgeable about animal care, and usually that knowledge has passed from generation to generation.

At times owners tie their equines or leave them to graze freely in fields. It is necessary to rotate their diet and to include in it both fresh and dry grass. If water isn’t available in the area, the owners always bring it to the animal. At times you will see the horse, mule, or donkey loosely tied (hobbled). This is to allow the animal to graze freely while preventing him or her from wandering off and getting lost.

Many of the horses are used for the daily transfer of goods, supplies, and people from one place to another. Sometimes it is necessary for them to remain tied in the same place for some time, usually in the inner neighborhoods of the island. (The rope used to tie an animal is generally one meter from the halter to the attachment point).

The equines carrying heavy loads (e.g., building materials) do not work more than four hours per day. They are usually young mules but not younger than three years old.

Horses, donkeys, and mules are used for transporting people, luggage, and small cargo.

The equine equipment of Hydra includes

• Pack saddle, used for transport of all materials and people. The saddle consists of the brostelina (strap down the throat, which is loosely tied) and eagle (girth, which is tied tightly to prevent the saddle from slipping). At regular intervals, the saddles are checked and repaired if necessary so as not to strain the animal’s back.
• Bitless bridle. The bridle consists of the mytaria noseband, made of iron and curved toward the nostrils, which helps the owner to control the animal. Of the two reins, usually one is connected to the harness and the other is free.

Finally, we would like to say that every year more and more owners bring their animals for evaluation during the annual visit of the Animal Action team and follow their instructions on how to better care for their animals.

If you see an injured animal or find one in a situation not like those described above and fear that it is being abused, you should report it to the police, which alone are responsible for handling these situations.

“Muleteers” and Equines Through History

The muleteer—in Greek, αγωγιάτης (agogiatis) or κυρατζής (kyratzis)—has historically served a vital function in Hydra Island’s transport: of goods, in the old days of large casks of wine (in askia), and of people, such as doctors visiting patients, government officials performing their duties, and so forth. Greek horsemen are skilled professionals, often having learned the trade from their fathers or other family members from a young age. The drivers use mules and donkeys, as well as horses, in their work, and until the arrival of wagons and trucks in the 1930s, these animals provided the dominant mode of transport for both people and products. In Hydra, because the island is a protected national monument where all but a few essential vehicles (trucks to collect garbage and move extremely heavy loads, an ambulance) are banned, equines remain the main form of land transport even today.

In the past, for his services the muleteer (agogiatis) received a payment, called agoi (αγώϊ), set according to the route (στραθιά—strathia) and sometimes according to the weight of the goods transported. In those years, the agogiatis, usually a farmer himself, could in this way supplement his income from agriculture and earn a relatively good living. However the job of agogiatis is now included in the category of Greek traditional professions that are disappearing, and only intelligent governmental and municipal policies can ensure their survival.

Dramatic statistics show that this profession is under threat not only in Greece but in other Mediterranean countries, where motorized transport had replaced the use of equines across the board. The island of Hydra, however, has stood firm against this trend. By a decision of the municipal council, we have no private cars, lorries, buses, or motorbikes; even bicycles are banned within the town limits. Hydriotes conduct the vast majority of their land transport with mules, horses, and donkeys. Despite the economic crisis and everyday problems, Hydra’s horsemen still work in a profession with a dignified past and have dreams for a promising future. The island of Hydra provides a unique model of human-animal interaction and sustainable development and serves as an example to the rest of the world.

One of all animal friends and equines owners major desires is the creation of a sun shelter for working equines in the port.
HydraArk and Animal Action Greece have worked hard on this project and are close to getting it done within the guidelines established by Hydra’s status as a protected architectural monument.