A recent bill passed by the City Council (Intro 35) granting 5 weeks vacation to NYC carriage horses received a great deal of attention in the press, with news anchors chuckling over such an extravagant benefit. It's easy to see why your average overworked New Yorker would feel a touch of envy, but the harsh reality of life for a carriage horse working in New York City is no laughing matter.
They routinely work at least 9 hours a day, pulling a vehicle that weighs hundreds of pounds, on hard pavement, while breathing exhaust from cars, buses and taxis. Unaccustomed to the urban environment, horses can be "spooked" easily, by anything from another horse to a plastic shopping bag to a pedestrian, and cause accidents that inflict great damage on vehicles, drivers and most often, the horses themselves.
At the end of the day the horses return to their tiny stalls in stables housed in former tenement buildings on the far West side of the city, or as Jon Stewart once called it, "The sad-eyed horse carriage district." The cramped space doesn't allow these enormous animals to lie down or to move about freely and get the daily exercise that equine veterinarians agree they need.
Once a horse hits the streets of Manhattan, its life expectancy is cut in half. After a few years of work, injuries and illness usually force the horses into retirement, not to a farm or pasture but to auctions in Pennsylvania where they can be sold to kill-buyers, transported to Mexico and Canada and slaughtered for meat.
As for the 5 week vacation promised in the bill (Intro 35) recently signed into law by Mayor Bloomberg? It sure sounds nice, but don't expect to be running into a horse at the Jersey Shore anytime soon. The minimal regulations already in place are frequently ignored by carriage horse owners and drivers, with no repercussions. The NYC Department of Health and the Department of Consumer Affairs simply don't have the resources or the expertise to fulfill their oversight responsibilities for the 211 carriage horses.
According to a 2007 audit by former NYC Comptroller Bill Thompson, the Department of Health's veterinary consultants spent an average of only 25 minutes inspecting each stable - and that 25 minutes included traveling from one stable to the next, inspecting the condition of the facilities, reviewing paperwork maintained by the horse owners, and completing their own paperwork, not to mention checking out the physical conditions of the horses.
It is no surprise then, that when comparing the 2005 health certificates of the horses with the 2006 certificates, investigators from the Comptroller's office found that 42% of them had conflicting descriptions of the same horses, including age, color, breed, name and gender. With such shoddy record-keeping, who will ever know if the horses get their much talked-about vacation?
The workers in the horse carriage industry don't fare much better. They are independent contractors and their daily income is based on how many rides they sell. They certainly do not get any paid vacation or sick days, let alone any other benefits, like unemployment, health insurance or workman's compensation despite the frequent injuries incurred on the job.
The New York City Council should pass legislation that supports the welfare of humans and animals. A bill currently before the City Council, Intro 86, would phase out the horse-drawn carriages and replace them with green horseless carriages. This new industry would create well-paying jobs with full benefits, and would allow for the retirement of the over-worked horses to farms and sanctuaries.
For more information on how the 21st Century alternative to the horse carriage industry solves not just the humane issue, but the traffic, safety, economic, and quality of life problems caused by the horse carriages, please visit www.NY-CLASS.org.
Thought so.
John G. Hynes, DVM, PC
Member, Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine
Member, Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association
1) You failed to address my mention of Dr. Lowe - surely you are familiar with him? Dr. John E. Lowe of Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine, is a giant in the equine field. Among his numerous achievements and positions held:
- 6 years on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Equine Practitioners
- 9 years on the Board of Directors for the American Show Horse Association
- 20 years on the Equine Practitioners Committee, 5 of those years as Chairman
- Developed and taught Equine Lameness Elective Course for 12 years at Cornell
- Horseperson of the Year by the NYS Horse Council
- One of the co-developers of Ketamine/Xylazine
....and many more accomplishments, too numerous to list here.
Oh, and did I mention that Dr Lowe testified on behalf of the industry at City Hall, after examining EACH of our 200+ horses, including Gait/Attitude/Impulsion and CRI, and the Hennecke Body Condition Scoring System? Can you say the same, Dr. Hynes?
I thought not.
I wonder who all those "educated people" you speak of would listen to - the esteemed Dr. Lowe, or a small animal vet with an agenda from Staten Island? LOL
A simple Google search will show that there are indeed horse-drawn carriages operating on the streets of EACH of these cities - as a matter of fact, the AP reported in May that Paris has added more at the Eiffel Tower since it has become so popular.
If Donny Moss will lie about this - a simple, easy-to-check fact - what else would he lie about?
Did anyone know that Donny started out by making a PRO-carriage film?
Things were looking bleak for Donny in stand-up, he started looking into film....rebuffed by carriage drivers and owners who had no interest in doing a puff piece doc by an amateur, in a snit he decided to do an ANTI-carriage piece (you shouldn't talk so loudly in bars, Donny!)
Donny soon found out that he could haunt the cocktail circuit and hobknob with C-list celebs, be feted at fundraisers at vegan restaurants (even though DM is not only not a vegan, but works for a pharmaceutical company that tests on animals) by the LoHV & others, and decided he could ride this niche gravy train until....he made another film to keep the whole thing going!
No flies on Donny!
These animals are horribly abused. You need only to compare the way they look to the way a policeman's horse looks -- a cop's horse is doted on and cared for beautifully. Put a carriage horse next to a police horse and you will see how horribly these animals suffer from stress and poor care.
I hate this business that maltreats innocents animals this way!!! I urge all tourists to avoid the horse drawn carraiges. No New Yorker ever rides in a carriage! It's not a New York thing to do!
It's a blindly inhumane thing to do. Please do not support the avarious brutal and greedy practioners of this trade.
1)Go to YT and look at any of the hundreds of videos of our horses doing rides in Central Park - you'll notice that 95% of the time they are WALKING.
2) There's the same car traffic inside Central Park as there is on 59th Street.
3) Going back to the stables, the carriages ordinarily use 7th, 9th, and 11th Aves, not 5th Ave (are you sure you live in NYC? LOL)
4) A seasoned carriage horse pays no more attention to a bus or a taxi than they do to a fly - as a matter of fact, they pay more attention to flies.
5) What does an "exhausted, terrified" horse look like? ROFL
6) Central Park is a NYC landmark, there will never be carriage stables built there. And we don;t need them.
7) The movie "Blinders" is a laughable piece of useless propaganda, easily deconstructed piece by piece by us to show it up for the donkeydust it is.
8) Nearly EVERY major city in the WORLD has horse-drawn carriages, and most of the smaller ones, also. Don't take my word for it - Google "horse carriages" and any major city's name and you will see for yourself - or go to Flickr and see pics.
You really should do your own research, before spewing the talking points. Drinking the KoolAid can be very dangerous.
He says I am a "family member" - wrong, Dr, Hynes, I am a carriage ower, have been in the business for 30 years.
Also, I'd like to ask, how did you gain entry to our stables, and what vet did you come with? Because Dr. Farrell is the ONLY vet who treats our horses, and you have never been there with him. BTW, he *IS* an equine vet, and testified on our behalf at City Hall, as did the distinguished Dr. Lowe - surely you know Dr. Lowe? He is a giant in the equine veterinary world, and supports us 100%.
Because you have a little circle-je. Rk going on with D. Moss, does not make you credible on this issue. And in case you haven't noticed, you lost. LOL
Also, I don't think that a blog is journalism, it is a forum to talk about ideas. If you want straight journalism, go to a newspaper site. This is an opinion site.
Lie #1: "They routinely work at least 9 hours a day" - The max they work is 9 hours, read the legislation.
#2- "Unaccustomed to the urban environment"- It's insane to think anyone would drive a horse that is "Unaccustomed to the urban enviornment" on a city street! When horses are afraid they run! Hence they're known as- "Flight animals."
#3- "horses can be "spooked" easily, by anything"- How many accidents are from "spooked horses"- they are caused by drivers who don't look where they are going.
4- "At the end of the day the horses return to tiny stalls in stables housed in former tenement buildings. The cramped space doesn't allow these enormous animals to lie down or to move about freely and get the daily exercise that equine veterinarians agree they need"-1st you complain about horses getting too much exercise & then say they need more & in stalls? The legislation requires room for turning around & lieing down. Horses need to spend most of their lives standing, it helps the heart pump blood to the "ENORMOUS" body.
#6- "After a few years of work, injuries and illness usually force the horses into retirement, not to a farm or pasture but to auctions where they can be sold to kill-buyers.-
Most of these horses are SAVED from slaughter. 3 of mine were rescued,1 is a 28 y.o. retired carriage horse alive & well in
However, there ARE horses that are in desperate need of a sponsor thousands of them, none of which have the great homes and care that our horses-do. Here's one of them, who is in the killpen in NJ as we speak, with the deadline being 4pm TODAY.
Can you help?
5-11-04 - Tri color mare approx 14.3 hands 14 yr old it's not known if she is broke to ride gorgeous color gentle to handle. Video done in hand
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJIJT6mzXeg
$450.00 A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6HxyvaDOeM
It is also a real bother for NYC residents. Ever get stuck behind one on the road? Ever step in a pile of horse excrement? Ever smell them when you go to the park? Ever get hustled by a driver? No, thanks.
The park is for everyone, but the carriages don't add charm, they add bother.
And beyond all of the bother, look at a horse when you walk past them. That is not what happiness looks like. Dirty, old, tired and, yes, sad eyed.
Let's move past this industry. I know that some small businesses will have to change and move on, but that isn't a tragedy--that is progress.
She's a kill-pen horse, and the deadline is 4pm today.
Can any of you buy her and keep her and pay for her the rest of her natural life?
Thought so.
5-11-04 - Tri color mare approx 14.3 hands 14 yr old it's not known if she is broke to ride gorgeous color gentle to handle. Video done in hand
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJIJT6mzXeg
$450.00 A
How's about dogs, they're pack animals - should they be outlawed as well? Most city dogs spend the lion's share of the day alone in an apartment - then go out for a nice walk on the concrete, and back to the apt. And cats - locked up for their entire lives, never getting to roll in green grass or chase a squirrel.
I'm just making a point of course, I have nothing against keeping pets in the city - as I have nothing against keeping horses in the city.
Our horses lead solid, blue-collar lives, with lots of amenities. They (and we) have every right to be here.
Just because YOU say they don't, doesn't make it so.
Share the road - horses paved the way.
And, animal cruelty aside, this industry is responsible for dozens of horrific accidents in the past several years.
Shame on the forty three members of the Council who have just given the industry carte blanche.
Rina Deych, RN
And the reason Gennaro is involved is A) he is a lifelong horseman and knows lies when he sees them and 2) lots of carriage families live in his district.
What else ya got? lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXPiZYl3a_o
And when I gain 1200 pounds and sprout two more legs, then I'll pull a carriage LOL
BUT, in order to have that conversation, there can be no room for misinformation - and I am sorry to say, your blog entry is rife with it.
1) The horses work a maximum of 9 hours a day, not a minimum. They get lots and lots of half-days and full days off year-round due to weather, plus vacations in either Upstate NY or PA.
2) A horse is capable of pulling several TIMES its own weight on wheels with ease (and the average carriage horse weighs 1200-1800 pounds). Pulling on pavement makes it even easier. The laws of physics will tell you that an object once in motion, stays in motion - the intitial "pull" and those on inclines is really the only time a horse is actually "pulling" - the rest of the time they are just walking.
3) The stalls are not "tiny", and EVERY horse can and does lie down (really, where do you people get these things? lol). Every stable in NYC has an original CofO as a STABLE - they are not "former tenements". This is public info at the Dept of Buildings website.
4) Intro 86 is no longer "in front of the City Council". It died in committee.
I could go on, but it is late. More tomorrow :-)
2) The majority of stables has standing stalls, which require that the horses be tied up at all times and prevent them from lying down fully stretched out. Current regulations require that the stalls be 64 square feet or larger, which is far short of the 120 square feet or more recommended for draft horses.
3) Intro 86 is alive and well. It has not yet been voted on by the Consumer Affairs committee, which would be the next step before coming to a vote before the entire City Council, but it has been steadily gaining co-sponsors since its introduction.
The bill can be viewed on the City Council website:
http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=652689&GUID=1F3959F3-5F33-48E8-89B3-2E925666348D&Options=ID|Text|&Search=86
1)you stated that the horses work "at least" 9 hours a day. The opposite is true - they work a MAX of 9 hours a day, with lots of half days and full days off due to weather etc, as I stated. Of course there were no requirements for vacation before Intro 35A - that's why *WE* put it into law. 90-95% of the industry has been rotating horses for decades - we did it on our own, without being told. Now it is the law, period. And surely you are kidding about us divulging the names & places where our horses are turned out? LOL, do you really think we would give people an opportunity to harass the farmers or owners of the land which we use? Please.
3) Your insistence that we have standing stalls is nothing short of absurd, I can't believe anyone is still clinging to that, after it has been disproven time after time. Even Horse Sense, a commenter here, knows that isn't true, and that commenter is our leading adversary here in the city. Go ahead - ask her.
Oh, and did you see the video I posted of the stalls?
4) Intro 86 is dead, never came out of committee. If you don't believe me, call Quinn's office and ask her.
http://www.youtube.com/user/StopLiesSeeTruth#p/u/25/Yj2JZy6vWLU
What does that actually mean that your safety record is stellar? What can it mean when the ASPCA is never around to check up on you and the NYPD is not interested. You have carte blanch to do what ever you want. It is total BS.
But we all know the truth don’t we, Mikey. We know the new law was bogus and designed just to give the drivers a raise. We know that vacations for horses are a sham and what they really need is daily turnout to pasture, which is an impossibility. We know that your stalls do not meet the size requirement of the NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets. We know that the water troughs in Central Park are turned off for the winter months while the horses are parched. We know that the Department of Health recommended that horses be retired when they were 20 and the law says 26 ......and that barely scratches the surface.
This city can no longer tolerate horse-drawn carriages. You have had a good run and now it is time to go. You thought we would go away once the Mayor signed your bill. Not likely. This is an inherently inhumane and cruel industry where you deny the horse his innate nature. It is also a very dishonest industry that makes up its own facts as it goes along.
And yes, I agree - the NYC carriage industry SHOULD get an award, but we don't need it.
And yes, I do know the truth - because owning and driving a carriage isn't what I do, it's who I am, and has been for 30 years.
The vacation inserted in the bill was suggested by *US* to give a minimum to the 5% of horses whose owners didn't ordinarily practice rotation; as for the rest of us, our horses get MONTHS off at a clip. For instance, our 2 horses work 6 months each - nice work if you can get it, huh?!
The NYS Dept of A & M has a minimum stall requirement that includes straight stalls which are 4 feet wide, (none of ours are less than 7ft X 8ft) so you are stating an outright falsehood, and you know it. Under the State Charter, if our stalls did not meet standards, the ASPCA has been fully empowered all these years to summons or even close operations based on such a violation. You know that, too - they carry a NYSDofA&M law book on their hipbelts! lol