What Gives with this Horse?

I do wish horses could talk!

This one was left next to a site with piles of sand and gravel. You can see the back of scoop, that scoops up the sand or gravel, on the left of this photo.

And right next to it, is this horse, that has two ropes, for turning its head right or left.But no bit in its mouth. This is not unusual, because they are not needed, for this type of horse.

The owner may be drinking in a bar, across the street. He will return, slightly inebriated, and take his horse home.