Balance, Benefit and Reason on NYC Carriage Horse Issue?

Can New York City find reason, balance and fairness to keep our beloved carriage horses here as we find in other contentious issues?

This past week, a woman tragically died as result of a collision with a bicyclist in Central Park. This is the second such death within a two month period at CP.

.

Last year, there were 316 reported injuries in NYC as result of pedestrian and cyclist collisions:

.

A Death in Central Park Raises Real Questions About Bicyclist Behavior - CityL

.

This is obviously a legitimate safety issue in New York City (particularly in public parks) and is currently being addressed through greater police ticketing and law enforcement, as well as cycling clubs taking on the issue with their own members. 

.

But no reasonable person is suggesting or demanding that cyclists be banned from NYC parks or city streets.

.

Such demands are however being made to "ban" horse drawn carriages partially on the basis of alleged safety issues.

.

Accidents involving NYC carriage horses and either pedestrians or vehicles are extremely rare.  To date, no human has died as result of carriage accident, but sadly, three horses have. (Reportedly, two of the incidents involved horses dying as result of electrocution due to faulty manhole covers -- a problem Con Edison is apparently addressing as several pet dogs have also died similarly.)

.

It is not reasonable to expect that any enterprise, mode of transportation or even hobby can be 100% risk free all the time.  As the saying goes, "S&*% happens."

.

Considering 3 to 6 million horse carriage rides over the years, the safety record for the industry is extraordinarily high -- higher actually than any other transportation activity short of walking.

.

Walking is in fact, what carriage horses do (and at usually slow pace). Walking is a healthy and easy activity for both humans and horses and is usually pathway to healthy and long life. Most of the carriage horses personally observed over the past week were well into their teens with one being 19.  Most have been working as carriage horses for some years, in one case, 12 years.   All appeared remarkably fit, healthy and of cheerful, alert and outgoing disposition for their ages.

.

All these things considered, it is hard to justify the drumbeat to completely "ban" carriage horses in New York City.

.

Put simply, with so much attention and thousands of eyes fixed upon these animals every day in New York City it is virtually impossible for the horses to be "abused" in any significant manner and nor do they represent real and actual threat to human or for that matter, animal safety.

.

Some might read what is said here and think, "What does this woman know about horses? She has never had one!"

.

That is true. Nor have I been inside the stables recently to check on whether carriage horses are "neglected, abused" or drugged. 

.

But, one woman has.  Someone who is not an industry spokesperson, carriage driver or person with vested interest, but rather a legitimate horse rescuer and expert.

.

Dr.Janine Jacques is founder of Equine Rescue Network and recently visited carriage horse stable in NYC unannounced.  She reports and confirms in her newsletter much of what has been reported in this blog over the past week.  To succinctly sum up: NYC carriage horses do not need rescue and banning of the activity would be "unnecessary" and likely counterproductive to the actual lives and safety of the horses:

.

http://www.equinerescuenetwork.com/index.php/2013-12-12-18-24-59/nyc-carriage-horses

.

Over the past week, I have been reading much online material, representing both sides of the controversial and contentious issue.  It seems both sides have "dug in" their heels with little wiggle room or place to go.

.

That is very unfortunate as it is ultimately the animals who lose in situations like these.

.

As Sean (one of the carriage drivers pointed out last week) improvements that could be made in stables are not being made now for fear they will be shut down. Money, efforts and resources that could be used to save even more horses or improve treatment and conditions for present ones are instead being diverted in attempt to fight back against unfair and particularly virulent campaigns and attack.

.

It is all quite frankly, ugly and completely unnecessary.

.

As previously noted, improvements are always a sought desire in anything, from schools, to law enforcement, to cyclists in our parks.

.

So they should be for carriage horses, too. 

.

Ms. Jacques' commentary for example, suggests the micro chipping of all current carriage horses to insure that when they are no longer capable of working, they do not fall through cracks and wind up on potential slaughter block.

.

I personally think this excellent and responsible idea and fully endorse it.  Thankfully, it seems the stable manager endorses it, as well.  Does it need to become law and mandatory in order for all horse owners to comply? Probably.  But, certainly at the very least, it seems something important for all horse advocates to support and push for, regardless of which side of the general issue they are on.

.

But, is this even a realistic and practical demand in light of the current push to ban horse carriages entirely?

.

(Or, what about the complaint that working carriage horses don't get pasture time? Why seek a place for pasture in the city, if the ultimate goal is to get rid of the horses all together?  It doesn't make sense.)

.

Unfortunately, the more extreme of animal rights activists are seemingly putting the proverbial "carriage before the horse" by demanding something for which there are no set protocols for insuring where the horses actually wide up.  There is talk and vague promises of current carriage horses going to "bucolic" farms and fields to "frolic," but there is no actual law or regulation requiring or guaranteeing such.

.

Obviously, I personally do not support the push to ban horse carriages in New York City for these reasons and many more.

.

One simply cannot find the explanations for such demand to be compelling, reasonable or of sound merit.

.

But, what is ultimately tragic is that such unreasonable and destructive demand virtually eliminate all discussion and effort of improvement of any sort or degree in favor of proverbially "throwing the baby out with the bath water."

.

As said at the top of this entry, one does not see any serious discussion or consideration of "banning" cyclists in city parks despite the two people killed by them in the past two months and hundreds injured over the past year.

.

Rather, what is sought is reasonable regulation and improvement for the safety and benefit of all.

.

That any politician, including our mayor would seek ban on carriage horses without any attempt at meaningful and reasonable dialogue and compromise seems to suggest a reckless disregard for horses, the people who work with them and even the general public who, in most cases simply enjoy seeing the horses in Central Park, whether or not they actually take a carriage ride.

.

If improvement and balance can be sought and implemented for the safety and benefit of cyclists and pedestrians, then it can certainly be achieved for the carriage horses of Central Park and the people of New York City -- most of whom treasure and want to keep the horses safely here.  -- PCA

.

.

.

                                               **********