There is a book out there called, "The Horse: the Most Abused Domestic Animal," by Greta Bunting, available HERE. The author writes about many kinds of abuse, including the sad carriage horses in New York City, and the conditions under which they must work, a fate kind of like out of the dark ages. It's amazing. I spoke with somebody who read this book, and who knows me and my constant emotional state over the plight of our horses, both wild and domestic. She advised me not to read it. I don't want to know any more than I do now about the suffering of horses. I just want the suffering to end.
So, I don't feel as if I have enlightened you in any way. We all know horses suffer tremendously.
I wanted to end this on a happier note, so I am please to announce that my daughter has taken a first place in the ASU Equestrian team horse show in California today. The team is new, and this is only its second year. My daughter is a freshman, so we were surprised and tickled to hear of her first place.
You can find the ASU Equestrian team here. They will be competing next weekend at California State Polytechnic University at Pomona, CA.
Perhaps instead of being in a "constant emotional state", and refusing to educate yourself, you should learn some facts.
ReplyDeleteThe welfare of the NYC carriage horses is what the decent-minded, casual observer is truly interested in, and for good reason. The horse-drawn carriages are a New York City icon; they are ambassadors to our visitors, and the horses themselves are working animals that are entitled to proper care and good handling.
Fortunately, our record reflects exactly that. Our horses lead exceedingly reasonable and content lives. They each receive a superior, formulated diet, occupy roomy box stalls, receive vet & farrier care, and are groomed and bathed regularly. This amounts to food, shelter, and medical care - which many CHILDREN in this city do not have.
Beyond these basics, they are loved by their owners/drivers; they receive affection, treats, and human interaction everyday.
Every stable has a sprinkler system in case of fire, and every stable has 24/7 stablemen. We are overseen by 5 city agencies, and not one WEEK goes by (and sometimes, day) that our horses are not checked by the ASPCA or the Dept of Health. (Let’s see Child Protective Services match that record)
The horses receive rotation turnout several times a year on farms in both Upstate NY and PA.
When the time comes, we retire them to loving, forever homes; some of the owners retire them themselves on privately owned land. I personally have retired 3 horses, one of which is still living the life of Riley after being retired 6 years ago in South Jersey at a bank president’s home.
Our safety record is STELLAR - 68 carriages operating approx 300 days a year /25 years = over 2 MILLION trips in traffic back and forth to the stables. (this does not even include all of the actual rides done!)
We have had THREE equine fatalities due to traffic accidents in those 25 years.
NO equine pursuit can claim a similar ratio (500 horses died onracetracks just since the Kentucky Derby last year - hell, 100 HUMANS were hit by cars and killed in 2008 in NYC alone)
While each of the three horse deaths was a tragedy (I knew each one - Chester ‘85, Tony ‘90, and Spotty ‘07), there is nothing in life with no risk, & certainly not in human/horse activities. Many, many more horses are injured or killed in eventing, jumping, racing, polo, etc. The humaniacs would eradicate all horses in order to eradicate all risk - something I do believe they could live with, & indeed, it’s something that many of them actively seek. They drag out the same ghoulish pics from these accidents on every website & at every demonstration, sometimes even using pictures of dead or injured horses from other parts of the country and saying they were in NYC!
Anybody hell-bent on putting carriages out of business should hop on down to the auction & buy a slaughter-bound horse and care for it for the rest of its natural life. That would actually be doing something to help the horses, not hurt them.
The epidemic of abandoned horses across the country is due to what is being called a “perfect storm” of a slow economy, the mortgage crisis, and high feed prices. This is a mammoth crisis - 1000s of horses being left to waste away in fields & paddocks, or surrendered to over-crowded rescues.
Closing down a business where horses lead content & exceedingly reasonable existences will only ADD to this problem.
A well-loved, cared-for horse with a job is a lucky horse.
You're anti-slaughter, right? Then you have no business trying to take away the JOBS of perfectly content horses.
Want to actually LEARN something? My blog: http://thewhiffletreenyc.blogspot.com/