Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Quick
facts
about
the
NYC
carriage
industry:
There
are
68
licensed
carriages
in
New
York
City.
The
carriages
are
driven
by
licensed
carriage
drivers.
The
carriage
industry
is
overseen
by
five
New
York
City
agencies,
and
governed
by
an
extensive
set
of
rules
and
regulations.
These
regulations
have
served
as
the
model
for
regulations
in
other
cities
where
carriages
operate.
The
approximately
200
licensed
NYC
carriage
horses
live
in
4
stables
on
the
west
side
of
Manhattan.
These
stables
were
all
built
as
stables
in
the
late
19th
and
early
20th
centuries,
and
house
approximately
130-140
horses
at
any
given
time.
The
remainder
of
the
horses
are
on
furlough
outside
of
the
city.
Among
many
other
requirements,
city
law
requires
that
each
licensed
carriage
horse
receive
at
least
5
weeks
furlough
outside
the
city
per
year.
Carriage
horses
in
New
York
City
may
not
work
if
it
is
above
89
degrees
Fahrenheit
or
below
19
degrees
Fahrenheit
or
in
adverse
weather
conditions.
Carriage
horses
may
only
work
9
hours
in
any
24-hour
period.
Carriage
horses
must
be
inspected
by
a
veterinarian
at
least
twice
per
year.
Veterinary
Support
and
Science:
No
equine
veterinarian
has
found
any
evidence
that
NYC
carriage
horses
are
neglected
or
abused.
Instead,
veterinarians
have
consistently
reported
that
the
carriage
horses
are
healthy
and
content.3
In
March
2008,
Dr.
John
E.
Lowe
of
Cornell
University
conducted
a
body
condition
exam
and
jogging
inspection
of
130
licensed
New
York
City
carriage
horses.
Dr.
Lowe
found
that
all
of
the
horses
were
in
good
body
condition,
with
bright
coats,
and
calm,
alert
dispositions.
He
observed
no
respiratory
issues.
96.8%
of
the
http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2016/02/8590220/mocked-
resented-and-now-dead-de-blasios-horse-debacle-makes-histor
3
Dr.
Harry
Werner,
Carriage
Horses
I
Inspected
Were
Healthy
And
Content,
New
York
Times
(January
17,
2014)
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/01/17/horse-carriages-are-not-
just-a-ride-in-the-park/carriage-horses-i-inspected-were-healthy-and-content
Dr.
Mark
Jordan,
Vet:
Carriage
horses
are
healthy,
happy
and
well-cared
for
New
York
Daily
News
(April
20,
2014)
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/vet-
carriage-horses-healthy-happy-cared-article-1.1763149
carriage
horses
examined
at
the
trot
were
serviceably
sound,
indicating
that
working
on
asphalt
does
not
harm
carriage
horses.4
A
2014
retrospective
study
of
carriage
horse
welfare
in
Charleston,
South
Carolina
demonstrated
that
horses
in
the
commercial
carriage
industry
there
received
adequate
care
and
were
healthy,
based
on
a
review
of
veterinary
records
from
2009
to
2012.
The
study
called
for
further
research
into
carriage
horse
health,
specifically
into
stress
levels
in
urban
carriage
horses.
Animal
rights
extremists
frequently
claim
that
simply
living
in
urban
areas,
such
as
New
York
City,
produces
unseen
stress
in
carriage
horses
that
is
somehow
inhumane.5
In
August
2014,
Dr.
Joe
Bertone
of
Western
University
conducted
a
cortisol
study
to
assess
the
stress
levels
of
carriage
horses
living
in
New
York
City.
Salivary
and
fecal
cortisol
levels
were
measured
in
12
carriage
horses
over
3
days,
before,
during
and
after
work.
The
study
found
that
cortisol
levels
a
measure
of
stress
in
carriage
horses
working
in
New
York
City
were
very
low,
among
the
lowest
levels
in
any
population
Dr.
Bertone
has
studied.
Cortisol
levels
were
also
measured
in
carriage
horses
on
furlough
in
Pennsylvania,
and
found
to
be
higher
on
the
farm
than
in
the
city.
Dr.
Bertones
study
confirmed
that
carriage
horses
are
essentially
stress-free
an
observation
that
had
previously
been
made
by
many
equine
vets
through
examining
carriage
horse
body
language,
health,
and
behavior.6
The
carriage
industry
has
opened
its
stable
doors
to
dozens
of
equine
veterinarians,
all
of
whom
attest
to
the
health
and
welfare
of
the
carriage
horses.
The
NYC
carriage
industry
has
the
support
of
a
number
of
large
veterinary
and
equine
/
animal
welfare
organizations,
such
as
the
New
York
State
Veterinary
Medical
Society,
the
American
Association
of
Equine
Practitioners,
the
American
Veterinary
Medical
Association,
the
New
York
State
Horse
Council,
the
American
Horse
Council,
the
Animal
Welfare
Council,
and
the
American
Farm
Bureau
Federation.7
4
Dr.
Lowes
summary
jogging
report
can
be
found
at
http://carriageon.com/wp-
content/uploads/2016/01/JoggingReport.pdf
5
Julie
M.
Rosser,
DVM,
DACVS,
and
Anna
Ardis,
BS,
BA,
MAT
Clinic
for
Equine
Surgery,
Veterinary
Medical
University
of
Vienna,
Vienna,
Austria,
Retrospective
Review
of
Carriage
Horse
and
Mule
Welfare
in
Charleston
South
Carolina
(2009-2012)
Journal
of
Equine
Veterinary
Science
June
2014,
Vol.
34,
Issue
6,
pp.
816-819,
http://www.j-evs.com/article/S0737-0806(14)00003-3/abstract
6
http://carriageon.com/ground-breaking-cortisol-study-reveals-nyc-carriage-
horses-are-stress-free/
7
Statements
of
support
from
the
following
organizations:
New
York
State
Veterinary
Medical
Society:
http://www.carriageon.com/nysvms
In
sum,
the
veterinary
and
scientific
evidence
from
observations
of
the
NYC
carriage
horses
demonstrates
that
there
is
no
harm
that
comes
to
horses
from
living
in
a
dense,
urban
environment
and
working
pulling
carriages,
on
shifts
lasting
up
to
9
hours
per
day.
The
conclusion
that
carriage
horses
thrive
living
and
working
in
urban
areas
supports
the
conclusion
drawn
by
Canadian
veterinarians
that
carriage
horses
in
Montreal
are
healthy.
Public
Support:
The
carriage
industry
has
overwhelming
support
from
the
public
in
NYC.
Seven
consecutive
scientific
polls
conducted
by
Quinnipiac
University
showed
that
New
Yorkers
oppose
banning
carriage
horses
by
a
margin
of
2
to
1.8
The
editorial
boards
of
all
of
the
major
newspapers
in
New
York
City,
having
toured
the
carriage
stables,
having
evaluated
the
(false)
claims
of
anti-carriage
animal
rights
groups,
and
having
met
the
men
and
women
who
work
in
the
industry,
all
support
the
continued
operation
of
horse-drawn
carriages.
The
New
York
Times,
the
New
York
Daily
News
and
the
New
York
Post
have
all
run
multiple
editorials
in
support
of
the
industry
and
in
opposition
to
the
proposed
legislation.
Traffic:
The
main
concern
about
carriages
in
New
York
City
expressed
by
Mayor
de
Blasio
and
animal
rights
extremist
groups
has
been
that
carriage
horses
work
in
traffic.
However,
an
examination
of
the
data
concerning
carriage
accidents
reveals
that
horse-drawn
carriages
are
in
fact
the
safest
form
of
traffic
on
New
York
City
streets.
The
New
York
City
Department
of
Transportation
conducted
a
study
from
2007
2014
of
traffic
in
the
Hells
Kitchen
neighborhood
of
Manhattan.
The
study
area
included
all
but
the
last
4
blocks
of
the
commute
carriages
make
traveling
between
the
stables
and
Central
Park
everyday.
The
DOT,
in
studying
congestion,
accidents,
pedestrian
concerns,
and
more,
found
absolutely
no
issues
with
carriages
as
an
New
York
State
Horse
Council:
http://carriageon.com/new-york-state-horse-
council/
American
Association
of
Equine
Practitioners:
http://carriageon.com/american-
association-of-equine-practitioners/
American
Veterinary
Medical
Association:
http://carriageon.com/american-
veterinary-medical-association/
American
Farm
Bureau
Federation:
http://carriageon.com/american-farm-bureau-
federation/
8
7th
Quinnipiac
poll
conducted
January
2015,
question
#15.
https://www.qu.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/new-york-
city/release-detail?ReleaseID=2125
ultimately
miniscule
part
of
Manhattan
traffic.
In
fact,
neither
carriages
nor
horses
are
mentioned
at
all
in
the
extensive
report.9
Meanwhile,
traffic
experts
such
as
Charles
Komanoff
at
Streetsblog
determined
that
horse-drawn
carriages
contribute
very
little
to
traffic
congestion,
although
what
contribution
they
make
may
be
seen
as
a
positive.
Carriages
act
as
traffic
calming
devices,
ultimately
making
the
areas
where
they
work
and
travel
safer
for
other
road
users,
such
as
pedestrians
and
bicyclists.
Streetsblog
also
determined
that
mile-for-mile,
carriages
in
New
York
City
are
involved
in
fewer
collisions
than
yellow
cabs,
which
already
are
the
safest
motor
vehicles
per
mile
traveled
in
Manhattan.10
Further,
carriage
horses
work
on
the
same
streets
as
NYPD
Mounted
Unit
police
horses
do.
Likewise,
Maire
Coderre
has
not
demanded
a
moratorium
on
the
SPVMs
Cavalry
or
RCMP
Cavalry,
despite
those
horses
working
the
streets
of
Montreal.11
At
the
January
22,
2016
hearing
on
Int.
573-A
before
the
Committee
on
Transportation,
the
Citys
own
witnesses
testified
that
between
2009
and
2016
there
had
been
15
reported
incidents
involving
carriages
traveling
between
the
stables
in
Hells
Kitchen
and
Central
Park,
or
working
the
streets
of
the
Times
Square
district.
Of
those
15
incidents,
10
involved
other
vehicles,
resulting
in
4
minor
injuries
and
no
deaths
to
horses
(and
no
human
casualties).
This
extremely
low
incidence
of
collisions
and
injury
was
ultimately
judged
by
councilmembers
on
the
Committee
on
Transportation
to
not
be
significant
enough
to
justify
a
$25
million
expenditure
on
stables
in
Central
Park,
or
to
otherwise
alter
the
regulations
governing
carriage
operations.12
Carriage
Horse
Retirement
Another
issue
that
led
to
the
defeat
of
the
legislation
to
ban
or
limit
the
New
York
City
carriage
industry
was
concern
over
what
would
happen
to
the
carriage
horses
should
they
lose
their
homes
and
jobs.
Currently,
carriage
horses
are
rehomed
by
9
NYC-DOT,
Clinton/Hells
Kitchen
Neighborhood
Traffic
Study,
Final
Report
2014
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2014-hells-kitchen-final-report.pdf
10
Charles
Komanoff,
Shutting
the
Midtown
Stables
Wont
Do
Zilch
For
Manhattan
Traffic
(January
19,
2016)
http://www.streetsblog.org/2016/01/19/shutting-the-
midtown-stables-wont-do-zilch-for-manhattan-traffic/
11
Adam
Wisnieski,
The
Horses
of
New
York
City:
Central
Park
Carriages
and
NYPD
Mounted
(June
18,
2014)
http://www.gothamgazette.com/index.php/government/5109-horses-new-york-
city-central-park-carriage-horses-nypd-mounted
12
Sandi
Bachom,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ptBNpZZxs
their
individual
owners
when
they
are
ready
to
retire.
New
York
City
carriage
horses
generally
retire
sound
and
fit
just
a
little
slower
from
age
and,
being
so
well-trained,
are
desirable
horses
for
smaller
wedding
carriage
companies
or
people
looking
for
family
horses,
trail
horses
or
beginner
driving
horses.
Contrary
to
what
animal
rights
extremist
groups
allege,
carriage
horses
are
not
sent
to
slaughter;
they
are
our
work
partners
and
every
effort
is
made
to
find
them
suitable
retirement
homes.
The
carriage
industry
also
partners
with
Blue
Star
Equiculture,
a
draft
horse
sanctuary
in
Palmer,
Massachusetts
that
understands
the
particular
needs
of
retiring
carriage
horses.13
The
initial
ban
bill,
Int.
573,
would
have
immediately
made
200
carriage
horses
homeless.
Horse
rescues/refuges
in
the
United
States
are
already
over-capacity,
and
there
are
simply
not
enough
homes
for
all
the
horses
that
need
them.
Between
100,000
and
150,000
US
horses
are
exported
to
Canada
or
to
Mexico
annually
for
slaughter,
and
horse
rescue
workers
speak
of
a
homeless
horse
crisis
that
has
arisen
following
the
2008
recession.
Although
there
were
horse
rescues
who
claimed
they
would
be
willing
to
take
in
NYC
carriage
horses,
there
was
no
guarantee
of
funding
for
their
continued
care,
which
was
estimated
over
their
remaining
lifetimes
at
$20
million.
Further,
carriage
horses
who
did
find
a
spot
in
a
horse
rescue
would
be
healthy
fit
horses
taking
up
room
that
could
be
used
to
rescue
other
needy
horses
from
slaughter
or
neglect.14
The
revised
carriage
legislation,
Int
573-A/B,
which
would
have
moved
the
carriage
horses
into
Central
Park,
would
have
cut
the
number
of
horses
in
the
industry
in
half,
and
capped
the
number
of
licensed
horses
at
95.
This
still
would
have
posed
a
risk
to
carriage
horses
who
lost
their
homes,
would
have
overworked
the
remaining
carriage
horses,
and
would
have
eliminated
95-100
good
homes
for
horses.15
13
Rich
Schapiro,
After
retirement,
Central
Park
carriage
horses
still
get
to
do
what
they
love:
work,
New
York
Daily
News
(May
8,
2014)
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/retirement-central-park-horses-work-
article-1.1785474
14
Mara
Gay,
EXCLUSIVE:
Both
major
mayoral
candidates
want
to
ban
horse-drawn
carriage
rides
in
Central
Park,
but
the
effort
to
rescue
the
horses
could
lead
to
their
slaughter
instead,
New
York
Daily
News
(October
29,
2013)
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/election/city-carriage-horses-slaughtered-
article-1.1499665
15
Christina
Hansen,
De
Blasios
carriage
plan
is
made
for
horse
haters,
New
York
Post
(February
1,
2016)
http://nypost.com/2016/02/01/de-blasios-carriage-plan-
is-made-for-horse-haters/
In
short,
both
versions
of
the
anti-carriage
legislation
in
New
York
City
would
have
been
bad
for
horses.
As
a
result,
many
equine
welfare
advocates
who
work
in
horse
rescue
opposed
the
bills.16
The
Montreal
moratorium
likewise
will
place
homeless
caleche
horses
at
risk
for
slaughter
or
neglect,
or
will
displace
other
horses
in
need
from
refuges.
They
are
fine
where
they
are
now
being
cared
for
and
properly
exercised
by
their
owners,
who
currently
can
afford
to
provide
them
with
everything
they
need
because
they
work
together.
Involvement
of
Carriage
Workers
It
is
the
strong
belief
of
the
New
York
City
carriage
industry
that
the
workers
in
our
industry
should
have
input
into
the
rules
and
regulations
under
which
they
work
with
their
horses.
The
carriage
owners
and
drivers
in
New
York
City
are
represented
by
Local
553
of
the
Teamsters
Union.
In
2010,
the
carriage
industry
itself
drafted
a
bill,
Intro
35-A,
that
reformed
the
carriage
regulations,
increasing
the
care
and
oversight
given
to
the
horses.
The
carriage
industry
also
has
a
seat
on
the
5
member
Rental
Horse
Advisory
Board
that
reviews
issues
affecting
carriage
and
riding
horses
in
the
city
as
they
arise.
Despite
Int.
35-A
passing
the
New
York
City
Council
by
an
overwhelming
majority
of
44-3
in
April
2010,
less
than
four
years
later,
Mayor
de
Blasio
insisted
that
these
strict
regulations,
the
model
for
so
many
others
elsewhere,
were
insufficient
and
that
only
a
ban
could
protect
the
horses
from
any
and
all
harm.
Int.
573,
introduced
in
December
2014,
which
would
have
banned
all
horse-drawn
carriages
entirely
from
New
York
City,
contained
a
provision
to
offer
job
retraining
or
green
taxi
licenses
to
displaced
carriage
workers.
This
so-called
compensation
was
rejected
by
the
union,
because
its
members
are
horse
people,
not
taxi
drivers,
and
who
have
done
nothing
wrong.
Advocates
of
workers
rights
joined
the
Teamsters
in
support
of
the
carriage
drivers.
New
York
City
Central
Labor
Council
president
Vincent
16
Dr.
Janine
Jacques,
What
you
should
know
about
the
carriage
horses
in
New
York
City,
Equine
Rescue
Network
(December
12,
2013)
http://www.equinerescuenetwork.com/index.php/2013-12-12-18-24-59/nyc-
carriage-horses
Dr.
Janine
Jacques,
Do
Carriage
Horses
need
rescuing?
(December
8,
2014)
http://janinejacques.com/?p=290
Ginger
Adams
Otis,
City
horses
are
better
off
pulling
carriages
than
ending
up
homeless
or
slaughtered:
rescue
experts,
New
York
Daily
News
(April
28,
2014)
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/city-horses-fine-rescue-experts-article-
1.1772257
If
the
moratorium
continues
for
a
year,
Montreal
risks
losing
its
human
capital,
as
cochers
are
forced
to
either
find
new
employment
or
leave
the
city
to
continue
carriage
driving
elsewhere.
Instead,
the
cochers
should
be
allowed
to
continue
their
trade
in
Montreal,
and
they
should
be
included
in
the
legislative
process
to
reform
the
regulations
governing
their
working
conditions.
The
cochers
are
the
true
experts
on
the
caleches.
Montreal
should
do
what
New
York
City
has
done
and
consider
its
people
and
its
horses
and
keep
them
all
employed.