Ban Horse Drawn Carriages in Manhattan?

I've never been to NY, so this is based purely on what I've seen/read on the internet...

Horses weren't made to stand nose to tail with cars in traffic jams. If for no other reason that would you want to spend hours everyday breathing in exhaust fumes?

Also read about them being kept in upstairs flats in tiny stables.

Obviously not saying they all are (and as said, this isn't first hand experience).

Yes, they might get to jolly around the park, but I also wonder how many hours they spend stood around in their harness.

I have always felt sorry for the carriage horses in every single city I've seen them in (Europe). They've always looked reasonably healthy to healthy, but it can't be a particularly fun life.
 
MotherOfChickens said:
mixed feelings-the less jobs horses have to do (and that includes as transport/food etc) then the less they are worth. the less they are worth, the worse the welfare.
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I know the ASPCA keep checks on them , be a shame for them to go as they are tourist attraction and their fate will be on the line if they ban it.
 
I personally think America would do better to address the appalling cruelty inflicted on Tennessee Walking Horses first, the perhaps less than ideal conditions of carriage horses would be a long way down my to do list.
 
The ASPCA are leaning on the whole thing, very heavily because their senior director is a property developer, and wants to buy up the site where the horses are stabled. The scheming and conniving which has gone on, including the attempts to corrupt the veterinary evidence, is a disgrace.

This has nothing to do with horse welfare, nothing what-so-ever.

Alec.
 
Alec Swan said:
The ASPCA are leaning on the whole thing, very heavily because their senior director is a property developer, and wants to buy up the site where the horses are stabled. The scheming and conniving which has gone on, including the attempts to corrupt the veterinary evidence, is a disgrace.

This has nothing to do with horse welfare, nothing what-so-ever.

Alec.
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Sadly that does make perfect sense :(
 
Alec Swan said:
The ASPCA are leaning on the whole thing, very heavily because their senior director is a property developer, and wants to buy up the site where the horses are stabled. The scheming and conniving which has gone on, including the attempts to corrupt the veterinary evidence, is a disgrace.

This has nothing to do with horse welfare, nothing what-so-ever.

Alec.
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That sounds more like it. Went to New York last year and wanted a carriage ride. Being horsey I gave the horses a good look over before I decided, no welfare issues that I could see. Decent muscle tone, hay and water available, shoeing was different to UK but looked ok and on a rainy day they were rugged.
 
I went to New York in the summer and every horse I saw looked very healthy and happy - although I thought the farriery wasn't quite up to British standards. While I agree that they should be closely monitored I think an outright ban would be silly - they provide an income as part of an important tourist attraction.
 
I go to New York frequently and see them a lot. I always think they look well in general, but can't say that I like seeing them hammering through the busy streets in the heat New York gets in summer. I don't think I would be sorry if they were not there.
 
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