In the summer, Hermon the Estonian draft horse (Eesti raskeveohobune) enjoys a large paddock. However, for the third year in a row, he is spending the winter in a Tartu apartment with all the necessary amenities, just a few minutes' walk from Town Hall Square (Raekoja plats).

"We are lucky with our neighbors. People want to interact with the horse, and I also like it when strangers come and want to pet him or take pictures," said Hermon's owner, Tõnu Mägi.

Mägi is always close to Hermon when someone wants to meet the horse. "A hundred years ago, children didn't have any chocolate in their pockets, but today they do. However, giving chocolate to a horse is a total crime," said Mägi. "Eating chocolate causes horses to have stomach cramps."

Last winter, Hermon helped Tartu arborists remove old trees from one of the city's parks. Mägi's next goal is to offer horse-drawn carriage rides to anyone who wants to see the city in a unique way. "We are already ready for street driving, and our confidence is growing every day. Hermon used to be afraid of cyclists, for instance."

"The horse can walk 5 km an hour and trot at 15 km per hour, which is our limit," Mägi told ERR.

When encountering a horse in city traffic, Mägi said, it is important to slow down and pass by calmly. People should definitely not sound their horns or grab their phones to take a picture while they are still behind the wheel.

"My father even named me after his horse," Mägi chuckled.

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