Members of the animal advocacy group Igualdad Animal staged a silent protest in Guadalajara’s Plaza de Armas on Saturday, April 4 to highlight what they say is the mistreatment of horses that pull the traditional carriages (calandrias) through the streets of the city center. The protestors also handed out more than 1,000 leaflets detailing the “inhumane abuse” the horses suffer as they take tourists through the traffic-filled historic downtown area. Calandria owners– and many city officials – dispute the activists’ claims, pointing out that the horses are in good health and subject to regular veterinary examinations.