tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31581000797444152742023-11-16T10:23:54.550-08:00TheWhiffleTreeNYCWelcome to TheWhiffleTreeNYC, a long overdue blog intended to celebrate all aspects of the famous and iconic New York City Horse-Drawn Carriages.
Our aim here will be to entertain, inform, and delight ~ not unlike the NYC carriage ride itself!
We hope you will bookmark us and visit us often.
Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or contribute your experiences.
Giddup!MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-25560755014282899192011-10-01T20:08:00.000-07:002011-10-01T20:15:46.163-07:00Long time, no see!It's been more than a year since I posted here on The Whiffle Tree -- many apologies to my readers.<br /><br />As my grandmother would say, I have "a lot of irons in the fire" these days.<br /><br />But The Whiffle Tree is officially resurrected, as of today.<br /><br />I'd like to start off with an offering from a new venue I have been fortunate enough to participate in; I am now the NY Urban Horse Examiner for Examiner.com! <br /><br />Please take a few minutes to read my very first article, published today.<br /><br />Would love to hear your feedback!<br /><br />http://www.examiner.com/urban-horses-in-new-york/a-complete-guide-to-your-nyc-carriage-rideMichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-4501367789368907892010-04-22T13:32:00.000-07:002010-04-22T13:39:16.874-07:00Here It Is: The New Law for the NYC Horse & Carriage IndustryAs promised in my last post, here is the link to our new legislation for anyone who is interested:<br /><br />http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=649931&GUID=A94F649F-F5BA-4F19-AE0A-69866F5E697C&Options=ID|Text|&Search=carriage+horse<br /><br />I'd be delighted to answer any questions!MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-75918004683171638832010-04-20T08:05:00.001-07:002010-04-20T08:41:55.409-07:00Congratulations to the NYC Horse and Carriage Industry!This past week the NYC Council passed our bill, Intro 35A with a vote of 46-4 with Mayor Bloomberg expected to sign it into law in the coming days!<br /><br />2+ years of hard work on the part of many of our members has paid tremendous dividends for both us and our horses, as this bill codifies our high standards, and gives us our first rate increase in 21 years! <br /><br />We will now be able to go ahead with our pro-active agenda, both for the horses and the industry as a whole. The rate increase plus the fact that the time-consuming work of getting the bill passed is over, will now allow us to tend to our business, and also loosens our purse strings with regards to improvements.<br /><br />Make no mistake; all provisions in this bill were carefully handcrafted jointly by the industry, the NYC Rental Horse Advisory Board, and Councilmembers. The media is reporting this story as if the horse care provisions were "forced" on the industry -nothing could be further from the truth. *WE* were the ones who wanted to standardize the quality of care our horses receive - there is nothing in this bill that we either didn't suggest or agree with. <br /><br />A very special THANK YOU to Teamsters Local 553 - we could not have done this without your dedication and help!<br /><br />Another big THANK YOU to Council Speaker Christine Quinn, for standing up for what is right in the face of ridicule, abuse, and harassment by the "animal rights" contingent.<br /><br />A hearty THANK YOU to all the Councilmembers who voted for us.<br /><br />A horsey THANK YOU to our brethren carriage operators across the country for your loyalty and moral support!<br /><br />Most of all, a resounding THANK YOU to the most important people - OUR CUSTOMERS. You are the reason for our existence, your patronage is highly appreciated, and allows us to continue being ambassadors for NYC.<br /><br />I'll post more on the bill later, including a link to the actual legislation.<br /><br />For now, I just want to say (with apologies to Robert Duvall):<br /><br />"I love the smell of horse manure in the morning....it smells like - <br />Victory."MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-7039493334734350302010-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:002010-04-01T13:14:31.240-07:00Vintage Images of Central Park Carriages<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" bgcolor="#ffffff"><tr><td><a href="http://smilebox.com/play/4d5455344e4463794d54413d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="303" alt="Click to play this Smilebox photobook: Vintage NYC Carriages" src="http://smilebox.com/snap/4d5455344e4463794d54413d0d0a.jpg" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/?partner=google&campaign=blog_snapshot" target="_blank"><img width="386" height="46" alt="Create your own photobook - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" style="border: medium none ;"/></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="http://www.smilebox.com/all/scrapbooking/index.html" target="_blank">Free digital photo book</a> created with Smilebox</td></tr></table>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-89307006114608820652009-08-30T15:13:00.000-07:002009-08-30T16:30:44.355-07:00Cruelty: City Carriage Horses vs Their Country Cousins<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQApdEATeTgL8t-2AxrO3m3mpUPhayBt0wkYBHAbTSpRztTZDnulc0mSJ-h9NLOfvSUokzL-jCvqAhXhSR8ODVXzU1N2zjbCixi6VhuZ0Xtbxf-SBkHgdCQ7rZJkc_dr5gj-ta6vzGDEb/s1600-h/Skin+and+bones+swayback.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375886628928935858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 275px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAQApdEATeTgL8t-2AxrO3m3mpUPhayBt0wkYBHAbTSpRztTZDnulc0mSJ-h9NLOfvSUokzL-jCvqAhXhSR8ODVXzU1N2zjbCixi6VhuZ0Xtbxf-SBkHgdCQ7rZJkc_dr5gj-ta6vzGDEb/s400/Skin+and+bones+swayback.jpg" border="0" /></a> As I have described before on this blog, currently in the U.S. there is what amounts to an equine emergency - a "perfect storm" formed by the economic recession and soaring feed prices. People losing their jobs, homes, and land, or just having taken such a hit financially that they can no longer keep or care for their horses.<br />A simple Google search will reveal hundreds of news articles about surrendered, abandoned, or neglected horses. The reports often include interviews with horse rescues and animal shelters across the country, all stating the same thing: that they are full to capacity and overwhelmed by this phenomenon.<br /><br />Pictured here is a starved purebred Arabian horse, one of the dozens seized by the local SPCA from a ranch in Texas. This is the link to the story~~> <a href="http://www.horsetalk.co.nz/news/2009/08/200.shtml">Deal done over 77 Arabian horses Horsetalk - International horse news</a><br /><br />You see, out in the "country", the only place that many do-gooders and animal rights fanatics think horses should be allowed to live, it's fairly easy to starve or abuse or neglect a horse. Horses are on private property; no municipality has the resources to check on every single one. Kept from the public eye, this horror show plays out all the time in the lovely "country". This has never - and COULD never - happen to a NYC carriage horse.<br /><br />Here's why:<br />---EACH AND EVERY NYC carriage horse is checked multiple times a month by either the DOH or the ASPCA. These agencies have full access to <em>every animal</em> whenever they want it;<br /><br /><p>---Our horses must be vetted and given a clean bill of health every year;</p><p>---Our horses are in the PUBLIC EYE everyday! </p><p>Our carriage horses' poor country cousins have something else working against them - they have no JOBS. The hundreds of thousands of horses whose owners can no longer afford them - these horses were kept <em>as pets or for pleasure</em>. A horse with a JOB is helping to earn it's own keep; a horse with a viable job will be the LAST horse to feel the recession. </p><p>As you can see, anyone who wants to take jobs away from horses is NO FRIEND TO THE HORSE.</p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWokCT49No3yDMWNF-5XG1czAVJXgplyXZ5wbFua4m_c_z0Bn1qsiKCZxwqInRGj2chC_LBrgPkH_zeLNBIL4FHh7ezTr4L7_myazGaNTo-OTOsM_BQ6hTUCkhOjDUiqxzgq1mIESviFVQ/s1600-h/Steve.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5375897337115608210" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWokCT49No3yDMWNF-5XG1czAVJXgplyXZ5wbFua4m_c_z0Bn1qsiKCZxwqInRGj2chC_LBrgPkH_zeLNBIL4FHh7ezTr4L7_myazGaNTo-OTOsM_BQ6hTUCkhOjDUiqxzgq1mIESviFVQ/s400/Steve.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong>IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE MISGUIDED DO-GOODER OR HARDENED HUMANIAC: </strong><br />Consider trading in your constant efforts to shut down the NYC carriage industry with some hands-on help at a horse rescue, or better yet - put your money where your mouth is and adopt one of these homeless, unwanted creatures. This way you'll actually be DOING something for a horse, other than hurting it.<br /><br /><br /><p></p><br /><br /><br /><p><br /></p>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-57342356542776366632009-07-13T17:09:00.000-07:002009-07-13T17:20:33.282-07:00A Little Carriage Horse Poetry ;-)Came upon another hand-wringing humaniac today - only this one expressed herself in, um, poetry.<br /><br />You can read said author's offerings here ~~~> <a href="http://www.authorsden.com/categories/poetry_top.asp?catid=46&id=258905">Horses in traffic (poem) by JASMIN HORST E. P. SEILER on AuthorsDen</a><br /><br />Of course this puerile, ghoulish poem elicited more than a few chuckles from those of us 'in the know' - including my good pal Lisa from South Carolina, a life-long equestrian and horse owner.<br /><br />Lisa offered up her own take on Jasmin the Poet's grim, turgid lines - easily countering her obviously-unacquainted-with-horses hysterics:<br /><br /><em>NYC Horse</em><br /><br /><em>Shiny Shoes and bales of hay<br />some oats and grain just for a neigh<br /><br />A happy life of work I do<br />I pull a carriage and meet a few<br /><br />My body is strong, my mind is set<br />I'll pull this carriage to the park - you bet!<br /><br />Those silly activists cry foul and shame<br />but stupid dumb *****, they are so lame<br /><br />They think I am human, those nerdy turds<br />I'm not of course,<br />I'm just a horse<br />with a job to do, for him and for you<br />I pull this carriage, that's my life,<br />A place, some care, with little strife</em><br /><em></em><br />Thank you, Leese!MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-21911693333264025802009-05-18T23:41:00.000-07:002009-05-18T23:59:32.000-07:00Carriage Horse Chuckle from CharlestonRe: my previous post concerning Charleston's carriage trade...seems someone down there understands PETA's, um, <ahem><em>position</em> perfectly. Look closely ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>>>>>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-61766379832236423132009-04-30T05:24:00.000-07:002009-04-30T05:44:21.292-07:00On Our Brethren Carriage Horses Down in CharlestonI happily stumbled upon a delightful article this morning, written by a Dr. Edward M. Gilbreth of Charleston, South Carolina.<br /><br />In the piece published by The Post and Courier, Dr. Gilbreth lays out a cogent, comprehensive, and fact-filled argument in favor of protecting Charleston's carriage industry from the humaniacs at PETA. Dr. Gilbreth's flair for writing is a bonus; the article is both entertaining and colorful, giving us glimpses of the history and character of Charleston itself.<br /><br />Because I am unsure of the copyright situation, I will not reprint the article here on my blog, but you can read it <a href="http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/apr/30/petas_horse_proposal_skewed80484/">here</a>.<br /><br />But I will take the liberty of posting, what is to my mind, the most delicious line:<br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;">"It's the skewed ideology negatively impacting humanity while providing no net benefit to animals that I protest."</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></strong><br />This is the crux of all that is wrong with the humaniac 'movement'; it needs to be understood and repeated often.<br /><br /><em>I'd like to thank Dr. Gilbreth for making my day.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Long live the Charleston carriage industry!</em><br /><em></em>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-71021081341139635272009-02-10T10:53:00.000-08:002009-02-10T11:03:56.952-08:00Author Michael Gross Loves Him Some Carriage Horses!Author Michael Gross wrote an insightful and supportive piece on us that he posted on his blog yesterday, it is a must-read (link below in letter)<br /><br />I just had to thank Mr. Gross. This is the email I sent:<br /><br />Dear Mr. Gross,<br />You gave a whole lotta deserving people a little encouragement - and a respite from a grueling battle - with your piece <a title="http://www.mgross.com/gripebox/clap-your-hands-say-neigh/" href="http://www.mgross.com/gripebox/clap-your-hands-say-neigh/">Michael Gross : Clap Your Hands Say Neigh</a> .<br />I've been in the NYC carriage business for 27 years, since I was 19 years old. I think it's pretty safe to say that we are among the most misunderstood and unfairly maligned groups in this city, and there is always a plan afoot to strangle us, close us down, or replace us. It is rare that a person of your stature takes the time to express support and insight into our situation.<br />Scratch the surface of our little industry and you might be surprised at the history and complex politics of it all; a cottage industry of animal rights groups, self-serving politicians and "city leaders", propaganda, land grab plots - we have it all.<br />If you're interested, my blog link is in my signature below, and I would be delighted to expand on anything you find there, or answer any questions you may have.<br />Again, on behalf of us & the horses, thank you.<br /><em>****************************************************</em><br /><em>What a breath of fresh air Mr. Gross' piece was! </em><br /><em>Every kind and supportive word helps, and we are very grateful to Michael Gross.</em><br /><em></em><br /><em>Michael Gross is one of America’s most provocative non-fiction writers. A contributing editor of Travel + Leisure and editor of Bergdorf Goodman Magazine, he’s written for Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, Town & Country, the New York Times and New York, and authored ten </em><a href="http://www.mgross.com/books/"><em>books</em></a><em>, among them, the best-sellers </em><a href="http://www.mgross.com/books/model/"><em>Model</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://www.mgross.com/books/740-park/"><em>740 Park</em></a><em>. His next, </em><a href="http://www.mgross.com/pages/the-met/"><em>Rogues’ Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money That Made the Metropolitan Museum</em></a><em> will be published on May 12, 2009</em>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-64532058682332712502009-02-08T21:03:00.000-08:002009-02-09T05:49:22.836-08:00Victory for NYC Horse Carriages!So <em>very</em> sorry to have left my faithful readers without an update for so long; it has been over a week since our VICTORIOUS hearing at City Hall!<br /><br />I have been busy catching up with the rest of my life (which was sorely neglected during the run-up to the hearing), and also preparing for the next phase of the fight - getting our bill actually voted on and passed.<br /><br />Quick summation of the hearing: We TROUNCED the humaniacs LOL<br /><br />I actually feel a little silly being so prideful, because it really was no contest - more or less like an elephant squashing a dung beetle ;-)<br /><br />The carriage industry had authoritative speakers (veterinarians, equestrians, reps from NYC Tourism Board, the Teamsters, the Dept of Health and the Dept of Consumer Affairs), and informed and supportive elected officials (CMs Jim Gennaro, Oliver Koppell, Leroy Comrie.)<br /><br />Most importantly, the many members from our ranks who also spoke did so with intelligence & clarity, provided provable facts, and easily communicated their dedication and experience to the Council Committee. I was (am!) so proud :-D<br /><br />We may be one big dysfunctional family lol, but we are a mighty force to be reckoned with when push comes to shove. Every owner or driver had something different to offer - from the history of our business to descriptions of multi-generation carriage families; from the excellent countering of malicious lies with rock-solid facts to the personal stories of hardship that this witch hunt has had on our families. All was spoken with dignity and courage. We were a sight to behold.<br /><br />I want to thank ALL our well-wishers out there for your support, prayers, and general kindness. Thank YOU!!<br /><br />To our detractors I would like to say - the next post is for you. <em>::evil grin::<evil></em>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-32652586829402400852009-01-14T10:06:00.000-08:002009-01-14T11:04:31.790-08:00"Hands Off the Horse Carriages!" - Thank You, Liam Neeson!The members of the NY Horse & Carriage Association would like to express their deep gratitude to Irish actor Liam Neeson, whose letter to the NYC Council in support of our industry was reported today in the NY Irish community paper, the Irish Echo. The front page (!!) story can be read here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.irishecho.com/newspaper/story.cfm?id=18971">Irish Echo Online - News</a><br /><br />Liam Neeson is a long-time New Yorker and horseman. We are proud and delighted to have him speak out for us as we continue our battle against those who seek to put us -and our horses- out of business.<br /><br />Cheers!MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-61444704891639282332009-01-04T18:57:00.000-08:002009-01-14T11:07:34.074-08:00On NYC Carriage Horses: Words of Wisdom from The Editor of the NY Daily News!<span style="font-family:georgia;"><em>Kudos to the New York Daily News for their Sunday, January 3, 2009 editorial, reprinted in its entirety here:</em><br /><strong></strong>********************************<br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;"><strong>The Equine Equation</strong><br /></span><strong><br /></strong><span style="font-family:georgia;">"Neigh, we say. Neigh! </span><a title="PETA" href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/PETA"><span style="font-family:georgia;">People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals</span></a><span style="font-family:georgia;"> and City Council PETAphiles are trying again to sever the alliance between <em>homo sapiens</em> and <em>equus caballus</em>.<br /><br />Specifically, they're out to shut New York's carriage-horse business, breaking a bit of the bond that began when humans domesticated horses 6,000 years ago. (We learned that through the Museum of Natural History's recent exhibit on horses.)<br /><br />Over the centuries, humans created more than 200 breeds, from the muscular Clydesdale to the striking golden palomino and elegant Arabian. For more than 3,000 years, humans have ridden the beasts into battle. For more than 1,000 years, horses have plowed fields, cleared forests, herded cattle - and pulled carriages.<br /><br />This sacred friendship between two species must go on. The PETApoops must be stopped.<br /><br />Otherwise, they'll come for the dogs, too.<br /><br />Just you watch."<br /></span><span style="font-family:georgia;">*******************************<br /><em>We are delighted to see such straightforward thinking and comprehensive support!<br /><br />No doubt the humaniacs were crying into their soy lattes this morning as they read the morning paper as they realized their relentless, baseless, histrionic attacks on us have gotten them exactly nowhere.<br /><br />Thank you, Daily News!</em></span>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-89736878235924643822008-12-06T11:38:00.000-08:002008-12-06T13:36:54.387-08:00"Giddy-Up, Jingle Horse, Pick Up Your Feet...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmmuR3n9syu8cwo8y9CLCC8xHG0b20z49rqtCDXAoE6bxVyodfBeB2aLSomFbNyN3JuKYbXfE2Z3KjEuT9SlL4NZPkHWC3D5-IEPUyhAfQvfl8To7a5bS-_f2t3K9A_4YGBHTw4B-BGQ9/s1600-h/carriage+snow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276774314148044722" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 253px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjmmuR3n9syu8cwo8y9CLCC8xHG0b20z49rqtCDXAoE6bxVyodfBeB2aLSomFbNyN3JuKYbXfE2Z3KjEuT9SlL4NZPkHWC3D5-IEPUyhAfQvfl8To7a5bS-_f2t3K9A_4YGBHTw4B-BGQ9/s320/carriage+snow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>...dancing and prancing in Jingle Bell Square, in the frosty aiiiir!"<br /><br />Like the song says, it's that time of year again, when thousands of people will help to usher in Christmas time in NYC with a horse-drawn carriage ride.<br /><br />We here at the New York Horse and Carriage Association would like to take a moment to thank all the folks who help to keep our century-and-a-half old tradition alive.<br /><br />So bring your thermos of hot chocolate and your best caroling voice, and head on up to 59th Street!<br /><br />(Note: this time of year on weekends, there may be a wait for a carriage. We thank you for your patience and understanding! To avoid the big crowds, weekdays or the early mornings and evenings on weekends are your best bet!)<br /><br />A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours,<br /><br />The NYC Horse and Carriage Association</div>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-30096040329544268092008-09-25T19:06:00.000-07:002009-01-14T11:09:38.214-08:00NYC's Very Own Pinocchio<span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="color:#000000;">Sorry to intrude on this fine soft evening with unpleasantness, but the simple truth is that our on-going fight with Councilmember Tony Avella (flanked by his coterie of conspirators and his ever-present sidekick band of slavering minions, of course), is being kicked into high gear here in dear old New York.</span></span><br /><br />In a post this coming weekend, I'll be getting into the particulars of the latest salvos fired at our lovely little business (and also divulging a few <em>very</em> interesting tidbits of some of our detractors' behind-the-scenes shenanigans that we have recently uncovered!)<br /><br />But until then, here is a list of the oft-repeated lies that are making Mr. Avella's nose very long indeed:<br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>TONY AVELLA AND HIS LIST OF LIES</strong></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE</span>:<br />"Other major cities across the planet have banned horse drawn carriages."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH</span>:<br />The fact is that there are horse drawn carriages in nearly EVERY major city in both the US and Europe.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE</span>:<br />"The horses are forced to walk several miles back to their stables at the end of the day."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />NO carriage stable is further than 1 1/2 mile from the park, and two of them 1/2 mile.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE:</span><br />"The horses are worked in illegal temperatures."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />The horses are not allowed to work below 18F or above 89F, and there have been NO summonses issued in violation of these laws by any agency in the last 14 years.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE:</span><br />"The horses are kept in narrow stalls."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />EACH AND EVERY carriage horse is housed in a BOX STALL (unlike some riding horses and police horses in the city, which are kept in "straight" stalls.)<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE:</span><br />"The horses ...are improperly fed"<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />EVERY carriage horse receives a high quality diet of oats/sweetfeed/pellets and hay. NO tickets have EVER been given by any agency for "improper feeding".<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE:</span><br />"There is only one water basin at Central Park."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />There are TWO horse troughs with a constantly running spigot at Central Park, and EVERY carriage originating its ride anywhere on 59th Street passes EACH one on EACH ride.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;">LIE:</span><br />"The horses are not properly watered."<br />-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007<br /><span style="color:#3333ff;">TRUTH:</span><br />NO diagnosis or summonses have EVER been given for dehydration. A horse that is "not properly watered" would soon sicken and die from complications of dehydration, like any mammal.<br />NO HORSE has ever died from dehyration.<br /><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><strong>LIES, LIES, LIES</strong></span><br /><span style="color:#000000;">So -how's the ole schnoz, there, Tony?</span><br /><span style="color:#000000;"><em>(And wouldn't a wooden nose be attached to a wooden head? LOL)</em></span><br /><br /><span style="color:#000000;">Soon Mr. Avella might be needing some help lugging that growing nose around - yanno, for when he's busily bustling around, sticking it in other people's business.</span><br /><br />Maybe the Coalition to Ban Horse Drawn Carriages will buy a nice wheelbarrow for Tony's nose with all that $$$ they make from those fundraisers!<br /><br />(What DO they do with all that <em>moolah</em>, anyways?)MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-9729451498016328212008-09-14T10:45:00.000-07:002008-09-29T19:31:40.752-07:00Autumn in New YorkYou can feel it coming into its own.<br /><br />And there is no better time to ride in - or drive! - a carriage.<br /><br />Yes, yes - there are those who will disagree. While 'tis true devotees will sing the praises of a horse-drawn carriage ride through Central Park in the Spring (enchanting, no doubt), Summer (lazy and languid, for certain), and Winter (bracing and cozy, to be sure), it is the magnificent Autumn that I enjoy most each year.<br /><br />Firstly, Central Park is unlike any other landscape anywhere in America. The trees to be found here are an amazing mix of specimens, both native and foreign. Trees indigenous to Europe and Asia can be found everywhere among the native American species. One can see a stately and rare stand of American Elms within sight of the fuzzy and cute Japanese Red Pine; a European Beech with it's cookie-cutter cartoon leaves just a stone's throw from the tear-drop outline of the a Bald Cypress.<br /><br />As one can easily imagine, this international, hodgepodge canopy of Central Park in Autumn becomes a delicious swirl of surprises for the casual observer - an unintentional botanical representation of NYC itself!<br /><br />Then of course, there's the carriage horse in Autumn.<br /><br />The carriage horse in Autumn resembles somewhat the carriage horse in Spring. That light, cool wind playing under his belly gives a little extra frisk, a little lightness in the feet. But, instead of the shedding out of Spring, the coat is getting it's first bloom of that fuzziness that precedes the winter growth. Perhaps the horse will have a little extra appetite; the doldrums of hot, heavy-aired days isn't conducive to big eating. The horse will stick his nose in his feed with a little more gusto this time of year, to help him along to his 'winter weight'.<br /><br />Autumn in NYC is short and sweet. People who experience it with a carriage ride make the most out of this fleeting time, and see it in a way unlike any other.MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-2196928098797758762008-08-28T12:48:00.000-07:002008-08-28T17:44:22.477-07:00Of Ambassadors and AngelsEach and every day the NYC carriage horses and their drivers welcome people to NYC.<br /><br />Now, a goodly portion of our patrons are locals; folks from the 5 boroughs of NYC and the surrounding tri-state area ride regularly, especially at Christmas time, on Mother's day, etc.<br />Hey - locals know a good thing!<br /><br />But the majority of the people who climb in a carriage are visitors, and hail from every corner of the world. I myself have had people in my carriage from every continent on the planet; from a Maori tribesman of New Zealand to a group of high schoolers from Norway, from a great grandmother and her family from Greenland seeing NYC for the first time to a newlywed couple from South Africa, the people of the world make a Central Park carriage ride part of their NYC experience.<br /><br />Our profile is iconic and historic - we are ambassadors for NYC, in the truest sense of the word!<br /><br />There is a much lesser-known side to the carriage business, though. People in our industry work with the Make-A-Wish foundation and Ronald McDonald House among other charities to bring smiles and make dreams come true for sick and disabled children.<br /><br />I find it difficult to convey in words the feeling of witnessing one of these events. A child whose days are filled with physical and medical challenges that would tear apart the strongest adult is able to find a moment's respite to enjoy a carriage ride, or to pet a velvety nose and squeal with delight as one of our gentle giants lips a carrot from the child's hand. At Ronald McDonald events held in one of our stables, I have seen these children light up for hours in the warm, equine atmosphere, petting and interacting with our horses, listening intently to a veterinarian explaining about their care, making little handcrafts as a memento of their day. A parent of one of these children told me "You don't understand....these children's days are an endless series of doctor's appointments, treatments, and therapies, many rarely get to leave the hospital. To come to a place like this and enjoy the afternoon is such a blessing, you guys are angels."<br /><br />For the carriage owners involved, I know that it is an honor and a privilege to be able to provide for these children this small interlude of relief from their courageous medical journeys.<br /><br />For the horses, it's just another day on the job, doing what they do best - delighting people.<br /><br />I would like to thank those involved for making this world a better place.<br /><br />We are proud to be NYC ambassadors - but we are humbled to be called a child's "angel".MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-44280134784801288152008-08-07T19:37:00.000-07:002008-08-08T00:28:16.122-07:00Back Up on Me Horse 'n Carriage in NYC!Back in the saddle, so to speak ;-)<br />A thousand apologies for the long hiatus....things have been a mite busy personally of late.<br />It's been a very nice summer - a bit hot, but that just means more time off for us, as the horses -by law - may not work in temps above 89 degrees.<br />It's a very good, reasonable law, I think. The rest of our industry agrees.<br />NYC has the lowest stop-work temp law for carriage horses in the country, by the way.<br />Problem is, the law has been handed to the ASPCA to enforce, and they send us in at their whim.<br />We've been sent in at 88, 87, 86, and even 85 degrees.<br />We've been sent in on days that have never reached 90 at all.<br />But this is all to be expected, as the ASPCA has a classic and stunning conflict of interests.<br />Just imagine - a <em>privately funded charity, </em>given police powers by State law, overseeing an industry it has <em>pledged to put out of business</em>.<br />Naw, you say, can't be! Not in America!<br />But yes, sad to say, 'tis true.<br />The Humane Enforcement division of the ASPCA - whose officers have summons books, handcuffs, billy clubs, and guns - is responsible for the oversight and enforcement of laws with regard to the NYC carriage industry, a business that they state they want to see banned. Here is their position statement from their own website:<br /><a href="http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_120807">http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_120807</a><br />And so it goes - they try to inflict as much damage on us as possible, including cutting our days short with bogus temp readings.<br />Meanwhile, the bills keep pouring in, and we carry on.<br />You would think that people allegedly concerned with animal welfare would like to see the people responsible for those animals be able to earn enough money to make sure they continue to get complete, top shelf basic care, plus all the niceties, wouldn't you?<br />Interesting....MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-90509261961307441802008-05-06T20:50:00.000-07:002008-05-07T15:45:22.242-07:00Part II - The Carriage Horse's Worst EnemyAllow me, gentle reader, to introduce to you the carriage horse's worst enemy - the "humaniac":<br /><br />A humaniac is a person who identifies him/herself as an "animal rights" advocate. Now, a humaniac differs greatly from the average, normal person who is concerned with <em>animal welfare</em> - the everyday concern that most of us have in caring for and enjoying our pets, seeing that animals are not wantonly harmed, etc. No, the humaniac disdains the term "animal welfare" as a human condescension; the humaniac (to varying degrees depending on which organization they belong to) wants to outlaw <em>all</em> human interaction with animals. Their life's work is to harangue and lie and spread misinformation about any pursuit they deem not in line with their agenda (just <em>why</em> they feel compelled to do this is fascinating - we'll get to it in a future post, I promise ;-)<br /><br />Unfortunately for us and our horses here in NYC, we are one of the humaniacs' <em>primo</em> targets, as we fit the bill perfectly: a small, high-profile industry with very limited resources. You can see what an excellent opportunity our industry is for these maniacal misfits. They would rather see a horse dead than have a job. To them, a carriage horse doing what it was bred to do, and living a comfortable, content existence alongside his driver, is no different from Michael Vick and a pile of mutilated fighting dogs or undercover horror videos revealing grotesque cruelties at factory farms. Indeed, humaniacs have made public statements comparing the carriage horse trade to the enslavement of people of African descent, and the Holocaust of the Jewish people during WWII.<br /><br />What?! Surely it should be easy to defeat people who rave and spout such outrageous lunacy!<br />Yes, one would think.....MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-13396585354302889742008-05-06T20:13:00.000-07:002008-05-07T15:42:30.096-07:00Part I - Hay There!The soaring price of hay & animal feed of all kinds has made headlines more and more lately. There has even been an epidemic of people abandoning their horses all across the South due to what is being called a "perfect storm" of a slow economy, sky-rocketing feed prices, and the recent national outlawing of slaughtering unwanted horses. This is a mammoth crisis - thousands of horses being left to waste away in fields and paddocks across the country. Google it; it will tear your heart out.<br /><br />Meanwhile, here in NYC, the carriages carry on. Our horses have the same high standard of feed, shelter, and vet & farrier care that they are used to. But things are getting increasingly difficult. Surely, you say, the carriage rides are as popular as ever? Thank goodness, that is true; however, the NYC carriage industry has not had a rate increase in almost 20 - <strong>that's right,</strong> <strong>20</strong> - years. While the cost of everything from gas to groceries to health care to hay and oats has gone up and up and up, the cost of a trip through the Park has remained the same as it was when ladies with big hair and shoulder pads climbed in a carriage after a matinee of <em>When Harry Met Sally</em> in <strong>1989</strong>.<br /><br />Why, you ask? Why wouldn't the city powers-that-be grant an obviously needed rate increase to a beloved and iconic industry?<br />Why indeed.....MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-91605148636077710022008-05-04T20:24:00.000-07:002008-05-04T20:41:28.275-07:00Off-Topic: Condolences to Those Who Knew Eight BellesThe filly Eight Belles sustained a double injury at yesterday's Kentucky Derby and had to be euthanized. We at The Whiffle Tree NYC extend our sympathy and prayers to the jockey, trainers, owners, and all who worked with and loved Eight Belles.<br />Horse people love their horses. It doesn't matter the capacity - from trail riding to barrel racing to jumping to the circus to racing to carriage driving - any horse person feels the loss of a beloved horse deeply. It's maddening and outrageous that people choose this sad time to malign and rail against the very people who lost the most. The blogs are abuzz with calls for everything from suspending the jockey to outlawing horse racing. Cynical sneers and accusations of greed and mishandling abound as these ghouls exploit the death for their own ends. <br />The fact is, Eight Belles would never have even been born if it weren't for horse racing - she was born and bred to do just that. So the argument is pared down very quickly to an almost existential philosophical question: is it better to be born, live a good life with risks while delighting people - or never to have been born at all? We think the answer is clearly the former.<br />ALL equine pursuits have inherent risks, as do most pursuits in life generally; eliminate anything with risk, and there would be very little left.<br />Here's to you, Eight Belles, you were all heart.MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-44221652245358284892008-04-26T21:30:00.000-07:002008-04-26T21:39:11.274-07:00A View From The BoxNo, it's not a new Merchant Ivory film lol. The driver's seat on a carriage is commonly called "the box". A carriage driver named Noel Douglas, quoted in a New York Times article many years ago, said of this singular perch: "It's a fine, high seat on the world." And that sums it up beautifully. This time of year it's exceptional; the blossoming cherry trees in the Park, the spring breezes, the extra frisk in your horse as you trot past the brownstones on the Westside on your way to the park. Very, very special.MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-18183463149614464422008-04-26T12:36:00.000-07:002008-04-26T14:59:35.451-07:00The whiffle tree as metaphor....Ah, more whiffle tree talk ~ just what you were hoping for, I'm sure. lol Well, other than it sounding rather whimsical, there <em>is</em> a reason for the name of this blog....<br /><br />The two main points of contact between the horse and the carriage can be found on either end of the whiffle tree. This is the fulcrum, the point where the kinetic energy that makes a carriage ride possible is transfered from the movement of the horse's massive shoulders, to the collar, along the 'line of draft' through the traces, to the carriage.<br />So there it is. I'd like this place to be a virtual "whiffle tree"~ a transfer point where the energy from the exchange of ideas, information, and history provides the reader with a delightful and insightful "ride" into the rich and colorful world of NYC's Horse-Drawn Carriages.<br /><em>Giddup! </em>MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158100079744415274.post-61145844945737601802008-04-25T01:33:00.000-07:002008-04-25T01:54:40.733-07:00What is a "whiffle tree"?For the uninitiated:<br /><br /><strong>whif·fle·tree<br /></strong><br /><em>n. Northeastern U.S. </em><br /><em>Pronunciation: 'hwi-f&l-tree'<br />The pivoted horizontal crossbar to which the harness traces of a draft animal are attached and which is in turn attached to a vehicle or an implement. Also called singletree, swingletree; also called regionally whippletree.<br />[Variant of whippletree.]<br /></em><span style="font-size:85%;">Regional Note: Whiffletree, a term primarily used in the northeast United States, is derived from the older term whippletree, which is used in the Upper Northern states farther to the west. The fact that whiffletree, the newer term, is used in the Northeast, the older dialect area, illustrates the process of linguistic change. Even as the older word whippletree was spreading westward into a new dialect area, it was evolving into something differentwhiffletreein the area where it originated, as if the older dialect area were somehow trying to keep a step ahead.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"></span><br /><em>Shew!</em> Probably much more than you wanted to know about the etymology, but I like to be comprehensive ;-)MichaleenFlynnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01777240646146181102noreply@blogger.com0