Bobby is very sweet and friendly and is progressing every day into a happy, spirited horse. His scarred face shows the abuse behind the carriage trade and the abusive people who had him before - possibly the Amish. His bridle and other equipment were worn too tightly, wearing his hair off to bare skin, long scarred. But he is still beautiful.

To learn more about Bobby , click on the Equine Advocates' blog. Notice the worried look when he first arrived compared to a few days later. By the time we got to see him, he already knew that carrots and hugs were coming. Susan tells us that when Bobby first arrived he would stand in place as if he had a carriage attached to his back. That behavior is quickly being left in the dust as he acclimates to his new surroundings. See the video of Bobby II Freedom arriving at Equine Advocates' Sanctuary. Click here. For more media coverage about the rescue, see the web site of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages. See past newsletters by clicking on Newsletters on the left side.

Wagner loves all horses, but carriage horses, from her perspective, are working class heroes. For years, she has supported legislation to ban New York's controversial carriage trade, where a few hundred horses pound the pavement, pull heavy loads, and are monitored by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. "It's not only the traffic accidents," explains Wagner. "It's the horrible conditions in the stables and the physical wear and tear on the horses. They never get to run, walk on grass, or socialize with other horses." But getting custody of a carriage horse, even an unwanted one, is virtually impossible. According to Elizabeth Forel, the founder and president of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, New York City drivers sell off about 70 horses each year, one third of the stock. "But it's difficult to learn where they go," explains Forel. Their owners are not about to give their horses to the enemy-those who would like to shut the industry down.

When the van pulls into Equine Advocates, the staff breaks into applause. Minutes later, Wagner leads a bay gelding down a ramp, and he walks gingerly into the warm light of a spectacular Columbia County morning. Bobby moves slowly, doing what he is told, which is probably what he's been doing for most of his life. As soon as he stops for the crowd to approach, Bobby lifts his crusty nostrils into the air to catch the wafting scent of hay, grass, other horses. Paradise. ....CONTINUED - CLICK HERE.

NYC is in the middle of a very serious heat wave. Last Tuesday and Wednesday reached over 100 degrees. Read my blog: THE LAW, THE CARRIAGE HORSES AND THE ASPCA - and why we need change. The ASPCA should have totally suspended the trade on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Philadelphia did and Annapolis did for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Monday, I sent an e-mail to the Sr. VP in charge of Humane Law Enforcement and their equine veterinarian asking why this was allowed to happen. Of course, I was ignored. This is a disgrace. The ASPCA probably got a lot of you to sign petitions to allow them to keep their inspection "powers." There are still petitions being circulated on line even though the issue is moot. They are afraid to take action and misinterpret the law in favor of the industry. It could not get worse. They are accountable to no one. Please send an e-mail to the following to complain. You will probably get a boilerplate spin response, but they should not be allowed to get away with this..

• Ed Sayres - President - esayres@aspca.org, ed_sayres@aspca.org
• Stacey wolf - Sr. Pres of Humane Law Enforcement - stacyw@aspca.org
• Pam Corey - equine veterinarian - pamelac@aspca.org
• Joe Pentangelo - Humane Law Enforcement - josephp@aspca.org

As of September 2009, there were 237 horses according to records from the Department of Health. Oddly enough some of the horses seem to disappear for a few years then reappear - or at least their 4-digit number does. Are these numbers being reused? Anything is possible because there is no oversight.

We are working with Jakarta Animal Aid Network on this issue. Although JAAN would like to see the horses treated better, they love the idea of replacing them with pedicabs. They will be meeting with business and government leaders in mid July to discuss this. Please let's all try to grow the petition by that time.

These signatures will be used to pressure business leaders to take positive action. Because tourism will suffer, it may well be a great opportunity to help these horses. See the video on New Tang Dynasty Television. Poor Treatment of Horses Threatens Tourism in Indonesia And please join the Facebook cause Help the Abused Carriage Horses of the Gili Islands.

This petition has been signed by Holly Cheever, DVM, world renowned equine veterinarian and specialist on urban carriage horses and Nedim Buyukmihci, founder of AVAR - Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights. This was Dr. Buyukmihci's comment: As a veterinarian experienced with horses, I strongly believe it is inappropriate to use horses to pull carriages. The history of such use is replete with numerous tragedies in which horses have been seriously injured or killed. Accidents involving motor vehicles or collapse due to heat stroke or other conditions are the major issues which plague these horses in general. Also, in an effort to keep costs down and maximize profits, some operators do not properly care for their horses. Some of the horses I have examined have been almost emaciated and had chronic leg injuries. The conditions under which the horses are forced to work are often arduous (high heat and humidity) particularly in an environment like the Gili Islands, leading to metabolic collapse. It is my fervent hope that community leaders will use their influence to ban the use of horses to pull carriages on the Islands. It would be the humane and compassionate thing to do.

If you would like to be part of our Action Alert e-mail list, please send an e-mail to coalition@banhdc.org. E-mails will be sent out when action is needed such as writing letters to the editor or a legislator