I have recently returned from a holiday in Malta. The island is a dream but the one thing that has put me and many other English tourists from returning are the appalling conditions your horses have to cope with.

The temperature was 30 degrees and more the whole time we were there, yet horses with cabs had absolutely no shade and stood for hours without moving. It is disgusting; all they need is a canopy to shelter under and you would find that tourists would be far more willing to go for a ride on these horse-drawn cabs. I never saw a horse being given a drink of water and every one I saw in Qawra, Bugibba and Valletta was clearly distressed by the heat.

I would love to return to the island and be able to recommend it to everyone but I find myself telling them about the cruel sights I witnessed. The government is clearly letting down your country.

Nigel Mercer