The cab industry at Brighton Railway Station relied heavily on horses, but their working conditions were often harsh. Horses endured long hours, pulling heavy carriages through the city streets in all weather. Many suffered from exhaustion, injuries, and poor nutrition. By the mid-19th century, concerns over their welfare grew, leading to campaigns for better treatment and competitions to recognise the best-kept cab horses.
One of the biggest challenges was waste management. A single horse could produce up to 20 pounds of manure per day, creating sanitation issues and attracting flies and vermin. This led to what became known as the ‘Great Horse Manure Crisis’, as streets and cab roads struggled with the sheer volume of waste. Authorities introduced pest control measures, and jobs like the Inspector of Nuisances and Collector of Horse-Pest Duty were created to tackle the problem.
Efforts to improve conditions saw the introduction of watering stations, regulations on working hours, and, eventually, the transition to motorised transport, which gradually reduced the dependence on horse-drawn cabs. However, during the peak of the cab trade, the welfare of horses remained a pressing issue—one that shaped public health, transport policy, and urban planning.
