Mauve painted several variations on the theme of horses trudging along tow paths. The horses were used to haul boats which carried goods from place to place along the river or canal. They were a common sight in the Netherlands and the subject was also taken up by Jacob Maris, a fellow artist of the Hague School. The Hague School painters were interested in painting out of doors and capturing light effects, and Mauve was particularly known for his rendering of a special kind of silvery light that can be seen reflected in the canal and the puddles on the muddy path.