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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 ** Demo - Saturday April 12th ** Sign our petition to ban horse-drawn carriages ** Contact the mayor ** advertising campaign - please donate ** Remembering 3 horses ** New blog about media coverage ** the Villager takes an ethical stand
SIGN OUR PETITION TO BAN HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGES IN NYC
to Mayor and City Council
If you have not already signed this important petition, please do so now. And please share with others. We want Mayor deBlasio to keep his campaign promise and shut down this inhumane and unsafe carriage trade. We do not want a 3-year phase out because it will not work. So please click here to sign the petition and please share it with your friends and colleagues.
CONTACT THE MAYOR THROUGH THE INTERNET
we want the ban NOW - not in three years
For the last 7 months, there has been an onslaught by the media against the proposed carriage horse ban. The media has presented the issue from the carriage drivers' point of view. From Fox News to CNN and Channel 11 in NYC -- the Daily News, Post and NY Times. Even AM-NY. They have all done it with no shame.
Contact Mayor deBlasio - tell him that you want a ban of horse-drawn carriages THIS YEAR. If he delays it for three years or if there is another accident, it will hurt him politically. Tell him that you voted for him because he promised to ban the trade - and even on the first day he took office, which we knew was an impossibility. So far, nothing has been done. Click Here. Please be respectful.
THE VILLAGER TAKES A STAND
supports a ban on horse-drawn carriages
At last - an independent journalist takes an ethical stand.
The Villager - 4/3/2014
Ban the horse carriages; Keep the Citi Bikes
Two topics that have been getting a lot of heated discussion lately are horse carriages and Citi Bike. In a way, they're related, since they're both modes of transportation - if horse-drawn carriages in New York in this day and age can be called such - but in a lot of ways, they're very different issues.
During the mayoral campaign, Bill de Blasio pledged one of the first things he would do if elected would be to ban the horse carriages. It's simply the humane thing to do, he said. True to his word, he's moving ahead with a plan to end the horse carriages that ply Central Park and the Theater District - mainly ferrying around tourists - and replace them with electric vintage cars. Ideally, many, hopefully all of the 300 carriage horse drivers would get jobs driving the cars.
It's the right thing to do. Yes, there has been no shortage lately in the daily newspapers of paeans to the unique, wonderful relationship between humans and horses that has existed ever since the latter were domesticated thousands of years ago on the steppes of what is now Ukraine, no less, or about how the horse helped build the modern city and so on. But society evolves, the world moves forward. There's no reason these majestic creatures must continue to be beasts of burden - much less on New York City's mean streets. The "nose-to-tailpipe" argument is very valid: Horses walk with their heads down, right at the level of car exhaust pipes. They are easily spooked by noises and sudden movements, and so wear blinders.
Some say that it would be O.K. if the equines are merely limited to Central Park and kept off the main city grid. Well, what about Smoothie, a 12-year-old mare who was startled by loud drumming in Central Park, then bolted, got her harness stuck between two poles, and died as she struggled to keep running?
Yes, it's nice to think about what horses mean to us, and how quaint their clip-clop on the hard asphalt is. But what about the horses? They're out there in all weather, in blistering heat or bitter cold. One look at them in their queue on Central Park South shows they're miserable; they look dejected, listless, exhausted.
We agree with de Blasio, PETA and - despite conflicting polls - many city residents. It's time to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City.
As for Citi Bike, the tabloids, again, seem delighted that the new bike-sharing system is struggling financially. Let's face it, it was a brutal winter and early spring, and that hasn't helped daily ridership, which is how Citi Bike makes money, as opposed to the super-affordable annual memberships, which are only around $100, though there are murmurings that rates may rise.
De Blasio announced he won't "bail out" the privately financed Citi Bike with government funding, which was music to the ears of many of the "haters." We're not so sure that's the right approach, however. Bike-share is now an integral part of the city's transportation infrastructure. It's nonpolluting, and we're sure it's far less expensive to operate than the M.T.A. subway or bus system. In other words, bike-share is a bargain, and a healthy transportation option, for the city. To use the "P" word, it's progressive, forward-thinking.
Yes, at 45 pounds, the blue bikes are heavy, but they're stable and slow, plus have excellent brakes - meaning they're safer and less likely to be involved in accidents.
Now that the warm weather is finally here, Citi Bike ridership will ratchet back up, and the program will have its first full summer of operation. Instead of rooting for this program's demise, we're hoping it becomes even more firmly established - and accepted - as part of the city's transportation system. And, yes, we do support using public funding, if needed, to keep it running. (images are of Oreo 8/16/12)
WE ARE ADVERTISING IN METRO
please donate what you can for our advertising campaign
We will continue to run ads in Metro as long as we can.
you may donate here. Please remember we are all volunteer and do not take salaries. Every penny you donate is put back into the organization.
We are the organization that began the "ban" campaign in 2006 and we plan to continue our ad campaign until this inhumane, unsafe and abusive trade is stopped. We are hoping Mayor deBlasio takes positive action soon.
We are running this ad next week in Metro.
A TALE OF THREE HORSES
Doreen, Flash and Oreo
On December 4, 2011, Flash collapsed near the hack line. This happened during the heavy tourist period, which begins around Thanksgiving and goes to the end of the year. On August 16, 2012, a horse named Oreo spooked on Central Park South when his driver was trying to make an illegal u-turn. This video is a compilation of both incidences. CLICK HERE. A few comments about Flash - the horse who collapsed. The activist you hear in the video knew that she had to document what was happening -- otherwise this horrific incident would be lost. Although you hear how upset she was and how she contemplated helping the horse -- the "handlers" would not have allowed her near him. She also knew that if she were to have touched Flash, she would have been sued. But notice how these "horse experts" are pulling the horse up by his bit at one point. Horses do not just fall so easily. This horse had been overworked to the point of exhaustion.
Doreen was a mare who was injured in an accident on Columbus Circle on September 6, 2012. Carriage horse banged up in crash with car and motorcycle at Columbus Circle
All the humans involved walked away from the 5 p.m. accident unharmed, but the horse had a nasty- looking gash to its head.
"He's fine, he's fine," the coachman insisted after his 12-year-old mare, Doreen, limped off to a trailer.
Doreen's head cracked the windshield of the SUV after she was sideswiped by the vehicle.
This is a tribute to Doreen made by a supporter. (Flash is still working; Oreo was retired after the incident; Doreen is no longer in the industry and it is not known where she went. We suspect she was sent to the auctions.)
BEWARE: THE MEDIA IS MANAGING THE CARRIAGE HORSE ISSUE IN NYC
don't fall for it
BEWARE: THE MEDIA IS MANAGING THE CARRIAGE HORSE ISSUE IN NYC - DON'T FALL FOR IT.
Read how the right wing media in NYC is manipulating the story of the carriage trade. The blog shows how the Daily News highlights the retirement of Roger who is 17 years old. At the same time, they ignored the fact that Roger's owner had rented his stable from the City for about 10 years at a substantially reduced rate, subsidized by tax payers.
DEMO - APRIL 12, 2014
Next Saturday - please join us
Please stand up for the carriage horses and join us in our educational demo.
- When: Saturday - April 12th - 1:00 pm - to 3:00 pmi>
- Where: South/west side Central Park South & Fifth Avenue
PLEASE JOIN US ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS
Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Google Blog & Flickr
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.
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Thank you for caring about the horses,
Elizabeth Forel - Coalition to Ban
Horse-Drawn Carriages - a standing committee
of The Coalition for New York City Animals,
Inc.
Please DONATE
to our campaign to ban
the inhumane and unsafe carriage horse industry.
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