Horses Should be Used Widely in the US

Thank you for posting your argument so quickly. As you have brought up cars, I will begin with these points. I'd like to start by quickly clarifying that "Peak Oil" does not refer to when oil runs out, but when oil will begin to diminish. As there are ongoing debates about whether this has already occurred, and if not when it will occur, we can assume it will be relatively soon, and we will need an alternative to petrol. Although an alternative is needed, there are better options than horses. For instance, all-electric vehicles like the ones currently being produced, which will only get better with technological advances. Currently, the best selling cars in the United States are midsized sedans, one of the most popular examples of which is the Toyota Camry. http://autos.aol.com... When you compare the performance, MPG, and operating cost of the Camry to the best-selling all-electric vehicle, the mid-sized Nissan Leaf, you see numbers that favor the Leaf in several categories. First, the starting price of the Camry and Leaf are just a few hundred dollars apart. Second, the MPG of the Leaf is far superior to that of the Camry, with 126 city, 101 highway, compared to 25 city, 35 highway. Annual fuel cost for the Leaf is approximately $550, as opposed to the Camry's $2000 a year. My opponent mentioned the top speed of a horse at about 25 mph, and clearly the Leaf can go much faster, up to about 93 mph. http://www.fueleconomy.gov... http://www.nissanusa.com... http://www.toyota.com... http://www.fueleconomy.gov... My opponent also mentioned EMPs rendering any type of cars useless, however the chance of an EMP being used is far less than the chance of a severe drought, during which grass and food for horses would be severely limited. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov... http://dailysignal.com... I'll now move on to briefly discuss allergies to horses. According to the Allergy and Asthma Association of America, 15% to 30% of Americans are allergic to animals, and according to Everyday Health, horses are the third worst animals to cause allergies. http://www.healthcommunities.com... http://www.everydayhealth.com... In addition to the slower speed of horses, horses also do not provide protection from weather, and riding and raising them requires extensive training and skill, unlike driving. My opponent mentioned that additional paths would need to be created for horses, to allow for the continued use of cars, but doing so would cost tax payer money, and those that do not know how to ride horses, and certainly those allergic to them, might not be willing to pay these. Finally, I'm going to bring up animal cruelty. Currently, one of the most well-known uses of horses in the United States is horse-drawn carriages in major cities such as New York. In recent years, more and more people have chosen to stop supporting these, and it is likely that they would be an integral part of transportation for those that are not familiar with riding horses, should they be used more. Due to long working periods, hot temperatures, painful concrete, and heavy loads, many horses have died in New York City, and many handlers have been convicted of animal cruelty. http://www.mediapeta.com... http://www.nyclass.org...