HORSE SENSE
Periodic updates about issues and actions concerning New York City's Carriage Horses +
Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages
www.banhdc.org
Horses Without Carriages International
www.horseswithoutcarriages.org
PLEASE FORWARD TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ** ** Horses Without Carriages Day - 12/1/12 ** unattended & untethered horse ** horse leads himself to water ** NYC accident ** new protest ** Israel bans cart horses ** Saving America's Horses **
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HORSES WITHOUT CARRIAGES INTERNATIONAL DAY
a resounding success
Our event in NYC was very successful yesterday. We started in the Rockefeller Plaza area and ended up at the hack line. There were many tourists on NYC's streets and we handed out about 500 flyers educating tourists about the inhumane and unsafe carriage trade.
We heard that events were also successful in Rome, Dublin, Vienna and Philadelphia. We are updating our Horses Without Carriages web site to reflect this.
- Rome- courtesy Helen Dufton
Thanks to all the activists from every city who participated in this event. Photos in NYC by Mickey Z (c); photos in Rome by Helen Dufton.
EXAMPLE OF HORSE BEING UNTETHERED & UNATTENDED
Illegal in New York City
This is a series of pictures on Facebook of a driver turning his back on his horse, leaving him unattended and untethered while he looked for customers. This is illegal for a good reason. If the horse spooked - and it could happen in a second - he would bolt and set out into traffic or onto the very crowded street, probably injuring or killing himself or pedestrians. It is dangerous, common and unprofessional practice.
The photos are on Facebook and you may only be able to see them if you are a member. The photo above shows a carriage sans driver and passengers standing up.
ACCIDENT DU JOUR NYC
another one!
Eye witness report: On Saturday morning, December 1st, a horse pulling a carriage on Central Park South near 6th Avenue got spooked from a truck coming east. The driver was apparently trying to pass another carriage when this happened. The horse then bolted onto the sidewalk. A pedicab salesperson showed us a picture of the carriage, which sustained damage, being loaded onto a vehicle. It is not known what happened to the horse.
Horses do not belong in the congested traffic of New York City. This business needs to come to an end.
A HORSE WILL LEAD HIMSELF TO WATER IF HIS DRIVER WON'T LET HIM DRINK
Eye witnesses reported to us that around noon on Wednesday November 28th, a carriage horse took off from the hack line near Sixth Avenue and ran into Central Park without his driver or passengers. He stopped at the water trough to get a drink. Other drivers caught up with him and grabbed his reins. The horse did not spook - he was just thirsty. This says two things - that the drivers consistently do not control their horses, leaving them untethered and unattended and they also do not give them enough water. The plate number is #1068 owned by Riccobono Tours.
There are two water troughs for the horses in Central Park. The Fifth Avenue one is turned off during the cold months. The image here is of that one, taken yesterday, December 1st. Horses need even more water when they are working hard during the holiday season.
CARRIAGE HORSE PROTEST
Sunday December 9th
Please join the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and activists as we continue to protest the carriage trade this holiday season.
- When: Sunday December 9th - 12:15pm to 2:15pm
- Where: north side of Central Park South near Fifth Avenue
From Thanksgiving to the end of the year is the busiest time for the carriage trade. This is when they work their horses to exhaustion. Although the horses are supposed to get a 15 minute break every two hours, they do not. There is no one there to enforce the law anyway. Please help us educate tourists not to take these rides.
Dress warmly - hats, scarves, gloves. We will supply posters and flyers.
ISRAEL BANS CART HORSES ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS
Congratulations Israel! Well done!!
The Jerusalem Post reports on November 29, 2012 - Animal rights groups thank Katz for ban, that the Transportation Minister, Katz is congratulated for his role in banning cart horses in Israel. Article mentions Horses Without Carriages International Day.
NYC PEDICAB BILL PASSES OUT OF COMMITTEE
expected to become law
The NY Daily News reports that a bill to control rates charged by pedicab drivers recently passed out of committee. It is supported by Speaker Christine Quinn and is expected to become law.
In late 2005 a bill was introduced into the NYC Council that would have banned PEDICABS. It was being pushed by a carriage horse lobbyist who was also married to Deputy Mayor Linda Gibbs who oversees the Department of Health, which oversees the carriage horse trade. Conflict of interest? Our mayor didn't think so. Anyway - the bill had five sponsors; three backed out and the bill died.
Then in early 2006, we created the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages and got the first ban bill introduced by then City Council member Tony Avella in 2007. The drivers cried that we were trying to put them out of business. Our bill and the subsequent ones that followed were about safety and humane conditions. Theirs was simply about greed. What goes around comes around
The present City Council, under the leadership of Christine Quinn, continues to look the other way when enforcing laws that govern the carriage horse trade. For example - Manhattan Carriage Company, which overcharges, has been operating for some time despite complaints going back to 2009.
- Ride B, which is 40 minutes should cost $90. Instead they charge $122.28
- Ride C, which is for one hour should cost $130. Instead they charge $173.23.
ACCIDENT DU JOUR OUTSIDE OF NYC
Horses pulling sleigh spook at tree lighting ceremony
11/26/12 - Another spooking accident. This time in Pennsylvania when two horses pulling a sleigh were spooked by a band playing music. The driver fell under the sleigh and was hospitalized. The passengers jumped out. Click here for story.
Tuesday's Horse weighs in with this blog Spooked horses cause Claus carriage wreck questioning why nothing was said of the state of the horses.
SAVING AMERICA'S HORSES - A NATION BETRAYED
read below for reception, movie and other events
Saving America's Horses - A Nation Betrayed will be premiering in NYC on Friday night December 7th. Please click on this link to buy tickets for the Peter Max reception or the movie. See the movie trailer. Click here.
Look around the web site and see the different opportunities. You may volunteer and get free passes to the events.
HELP OUR ORGANIZATION BY SHOPPING ON LINE
Also check out Cafe Press to purchase CBHDC merchandise
Through a free registration with iGive, when you buy merchandise on line, your purchase will help us. There are over 700 stores that include such popular ones as Amazon.com, Staples, Best Buy and Barnes & Noble. Even Cafe Press is available if you purchase some of our merchandise. Click here to get started.
On iGive - the name of our organization is "The Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc." We also have three stores on Cafe Press with great t-shirts, bags, hats, mugs, mouse pads, etc. Purchasing this merchandise helps our organization. Click here.
"Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever
has." Margaret Mead.
