A Park Not Big Enough for Children AND Horses? ? -New York City (Reply)

(Picture left: Canadian Geese in Central Park. Although our city is currently waging a massacre against these animals, normally, they bring delight and wonder to small children in the parks.)

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post ""They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" (Reply) -- New Yo...": You do not know what you are talking about. Horse stables in Central Park with turnout would take at least 1/4 of the park. Do your homework. Besides, it is a landmark.

Reply: It's easy to understand why you don't want to attach a name to
"hit and run" comments like the above.

Central Park (for those who don't know) runs from 59th Street to 110 th Street, from East Side to West Side in Manhattan. There is already a horse stable kept in Central Park that houses horses used by the police.

For children growing up in New York City, their exposure to farm animals and wildlife is almost nil.

And yet, noticing the sheer joy and smiles on small kids faces when seeing the occasional duck, goose, turtle or even raccoon is truly lovely image to behold.

Why can't horses be viewed this way? Why can't there be a special area in the park that could serve both the needs of horses and the needs of humans (especially the young) to feel connection to those outside of themselves and their own species?

I am of course not only thinking of horses (like you, apparently) as mere "vehicles for profit" but also as living beings, like us, caught in the web of life.

Because horses are both beautiful and mostly gentle, I believe they are the perfect animals to help educate and sensitize children to the fact that we are not alone on this planet, but in fact, share it with many thousands of other species.

I realize that for those who look at animals as mere "tools" to make money, such considerations are apparently outside of their grasp or mental capabilities.

But, you know it is a short step from "use of" animals to ABUSE of animals.

For those currently profiting from the use of animals and unable (or unwilling) to comprehend that kinder, responsible and better treatment of our fellow breathren ultimately results in a better world for people, it's easy to see which part of the line (between "use of" and "abuse of") s/he has stepped over.

"Where's there's a will, there's a way" as the saying goes.

It is not a matter of Central Park "not being big enough" to contain both, animals and people. It's a matter (once again) of the politicians and abusive industries putting profit ahead of what is ultimately enriching and fulfilling for both, animals AND the human public. -- PCA

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