Here It Is: The New Law for the NYC Horse & Carriage Industry

As promised in my last post, here is the link to our new legislation for anyone who is interested:

http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=649931&GUID=A94F649F-F5BA-4F19-AE0A-69866F5E697C&Options=ID|Text|&Search=carriage+horse

I'd be delighted to answer any questions!

Cruelty: City Carriage Horses vs Their Country Cousins

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.
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.

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~~> Deal done over 77 Arabian horses Horsetalk - International horse news

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.

Here's why:
---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 every animal whenever they want it;

---Our horses must be vetted and given a clean bill of health every year;

---Our horses are in the PUBLIC EYE everyday!

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 as pets or for pleasure. 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.

As you can see, anyone who wants to take jobs away from horses is NO FRIEND TO THE HORSE.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE MISGUIDED DO-GOODER OR HARDENED HUMANIAC:
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.

A Little Carriage Horse Poetry ;-)

Came upon another hand-wringing humaniac today - only this one expressed herself in, um, poetry.

You can read said author's offerings here ~~~> Horses in traffic (poem) by JASMIN HORST E. P. SEILER on AuthorsDen

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.

Lisa offered up her own take on Jasmin the Poet's grim, turgid lines - easily countering her obviously-unacquainted-with-horses hysterics:

NYC Horse

Shiny Shoes and bales of hay
some oats and grain just for a neigh

A happy life of work I do
I pull a carriage and meet a few

My body is strong, my mind is set
I'll pull this carriage to the park - you bet!

Those silly activists cry foul and shame
but stupid dumb *****, they are so lame

They think I am human, those nerdy turds
I'm not of course,
I'm just a horse
with a job to do, for him and for you
I pull this carriage, that's my life,
A place, some care, with little strife

Thank you, Leese!

Carriage Horse Chuckle from Charleston

Re: my previous post concerning Charleston's carriage trade...seems someone down there understands PETA's, um, position perfectly. Look closely ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>>>>>>>

Author 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)

I just had to thank Mr. Gross. This is the email I sent:

Dear Mr. Gross,
You gave a whole lotta deserving people a little encouragement - and a respite from a grueling battle - with your piece Michael Gross : Clap Your Hands Say Neigh .
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.
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.
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.
Again, on behalf of us & the horses, thank you.
****************************************************
What a breath of fresh air Mr. Gross' piece was!
Every kind and supportive word helps, and we are very grateful to Michael Gross.

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 books, among them, the best-sellers Model and 740 Park. His next, Rogues’ Gallery: The Secret History of the Moguls and the Money That Made the Metropolitan Museum will be published on May 12, 2009

Victory for NYC Horse Carriages!

So very 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!

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.

Quick summation of the hearing: We TROUNCED the humaniacs LOL

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 ;-)

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.)

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

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.

I want to thank ALL our well-wishers out there for your support, prayers, and general kindness. Thank YOU!!

To our detractors I would like to say - the next post is for you. ::evil grin::

"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:

Irish Echo Online - News

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.

Cheers!

On NYC Carriage Horses: Words of Wisdom from The Editor of the NY Daily News!

Kudos to the New York Daily News for their Sunday, January 3, 2009 editorial, reprinted in its entirety here:
********************************
The Equine Equation

"Neigh, we say. Neigh! People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and City Council PETAphiles are trying again to sever the alliance between homo sapiens and equus caballus.

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.)

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.

This sacred friendship between two species must go on. The PETApoops must be stopped.

Otherwise, they'll come for the dogs, too.

Just you watch."
*******************************
We are delighted to see such straightforward thinking and comprehensive support!

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.

Thank you, Daily News!

NYC's Very Own Pinocchio

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.

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 very interesting tidbits of some of our detractors' behind-the-scenes shenanigans that we have recently uncovered!)

But until then, here is a list of the oft-repeated lies that are making Mr. Avella's nose very long indeed:

TONY AVELLA AND HIS LIST OF LIES

LIE:
"Other major cities across the planet have banned horse drawn carriages."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
The fact is that there are horse drawn carriages in nearly EVERY major city in both the US and Europe.

LIE:
"The horses are forced to walk several miles back to their stables at the end of the day."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
NO carriage stable is further than 1 1/2 mile from the park, and two of them 1/2 mile.

LIE:
"The horses are worked in illegal temperatures."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
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.

LIE:
"The horses are kept in narrow stalls."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
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.)

LIE:
"The horses ...are improperly fed"
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
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".

LIE:
"There is only one water basin at Central Park."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
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.

LIE:
"The horses are not properly watered."
-Tony Avella, The Brian Lehrer Show 12/11/2007
TRUTH:
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.
NO HORSE has ever died from dehyration.

LIES, LIES, LIES
So -how's the ole schnoz, there, Tony?
(And wouldn't a wooden nose be attached to a wooden head? LOL)

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.

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!

(What DO they do with all that moolah, anyways?)

Of Ambassadors and Angels

Each and every day the NYC carriage horses and their drivers welcome people to NYC.

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.
Hey - locals know a good thing!

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.

Our profile is iconic and historic - we are ambassadors for NYC, in the truest sense of the word!

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.

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."

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.

For the horses, it's just another day on the job, doing what they do best - delighting people.

I would like to thank those involved for making this world a better place.

We are proud to be NYC ambassadors - but we are humbled to be called a child's "angel".

Back Up on Me Horse 'n Carriage in NYC!

Back in the saddle, so to speak ;-)
A thousand apologies for the long hiatus....things have been a mite busy personally of late.
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.
It's a very good, reasonable law, I think. The rest of our industry agrees.
NYC has the lowest stop-work temp law for carriage horses in the country, by the way.
Problem is, the law has been handed to the ASPCA to enforce, and they send us in at their whim.
We've been sent in at 88, 87, 86, and even 85 degrees.
We've been sent in on days that have never reached 90 at all.
But this is all to be expected, as the ASPCA has a classic and stunning conflict of interests.
Just imagine - a privately funded charity, given police powers by State law, overseeing an industry it has pledged to put out of business.
Naw, you say, can't be! Not in America!
But yes, sad to say, 'tis true.
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:
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_120807
And so it goes - they try to inflict as much damage on us as possible, including cutting our days short with bogus temp readings.
Meanwhile, the bills keep pouring in, and we carry on.
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?
Interesting....