Upsetting to See, But I Think He's Okay

nanner

nanner

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On my way to my job this morning (walking), on 46th and 10th Avenue, I saw a carriage horse go down. I have no idea how it happened. All of a sudden, this beautiful horse was on his side, very upset. The driver was very quick, jumping off the carriage and getting the horse back up on his feet.

The driver then walked the horse a few yards over to the side of the street and very carefully ran his hands over the horse, all the time talking calmly to him to calm him down. No one interfered, because the horse was so agitated we all just felt the driver should handle it.....which he did beautifully. And then he got back in the driver's seat and they went off. But he sure wanted to make sure that horse was okay, which made me feel better.

I hate the idea of horses pulling carriages through the busy streets of NYC. It might have been picturesque and romantic and nice in the mid-20th century, but not on these busy streets in the 21st century. Anything could have happened today, but, thanks to the good handling of the driver, tragedy was averted.
 
farleyv

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I am definately with you on that. I hate the idea of these horses doing this too. I would never ride in one...not that I live near any place that does that.

I am thankful the driver was concerned though. I hope the poor horse is ok.
 
larussa

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Those horses do need to be looked after. An episode of Animal Planet showed where horses were to be taken off the streets when the degrees are very high. I totally agree, these beautiful horses are living breathing animals and should be treated well. Altho I live right next door in Jersey, I have never rode a horse carriage and I never will, in my opinion it's animal cruelty unless the drivers abide by every rule. This man seems to do just that.
 
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nanner

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Yeah, once the temp gets over 90 degrees, the horses come off the street, and there are always ASPCA officials checking on them during the day. But I'm definitely of the opinion that they shouldn't be on the street at all.
 
Winchester

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I'm so glad that driver took care of his horse. Such beautiful animals.

I don't believe in the carriage rides either. They have them in Niagara Falls, too, and I won't ride in them.
 
farleyv

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I didn't know they had them in the falls. Canada or US?

I wish I was a billiionaire and I would buy them all up and let them loose in a huge pasture with trees and a creek. I'd take care of them for the rest of their lives.
 
Winchester

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Originally Posted by farleyv

I didn't know they had them in the falls. Canada or US?

I wish I was a billiionaire and I would buy them all up and let them loose in a huge pasture with trees and a creek. I'd take care of them for the rest of their lives.
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On the Canadian side. Not so much up around Niagara-on-the-Lake, although we have seen them there on occasion, but normally right down around the falls. I always feel sorry for the horse.

On another note, if you really want to feel sorry for a horse, feel for the horses owned by the Amish. We live in Amish country and some of those horses! I could cry. For the most part, they're treated like a machine. We've seen them on the roads. I had to take part in a traffic study one time and it was during an Amish funeral. I was sitting in my car at the bottom of an intersection of a steep hill. Those horses almost ran down the hill and then the guys would pull up short on the leads at the stop sign, then make a sharp turn. Some of the horses almost fell. More than once, I held my breath, thinking that the poor horse was going to fall over sideways.

And the women are just as bad. Doesn't matter how hot it is, how humid it is. They run them. One morning, DH and I were walking down a steep hill. We heard a horse and buggy come running up the hill. Two kids, honestly not much more than 8 years old, were driving the buggy with the horse and that poor horse was running up the hill. I guess they can take it, but it's really sad to see how they're treated.
 
addiebee

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Originally Posted by Winchester

On the Canadian side. Not so much up around Niagara-on-the-Lake, although we have seen them there on occasion, but normally right down around the falls. I always feel sorry for the horse.

On another note, if you really want to feel sorry for a horse, feel for the horses owned by the Amish. We live in Amish country and some of those horses! I could cry. For the most part, they're treated like a machine. We've seen them on the roads. I had to take part in a traffic study one time and it was during an Amish funeral. I was sitting in my car at the bottom of an intersection of a steep hill. Those horses almost ran down the hill and then the guys would pull up short on the leads at the stop sign, then make a sharp turn. Some of the horses almost fell. More than once, I held my breath, thinking that the poor horse was going to fall over sideways.

And the women are just as bad. Doesn't matter how hot it is, how humid it is. They run them. One morning, DH and I were walking down a steep hill. We heard a horse and buggy come running up the hill. Two kids, honestly not much more than 8 years old, were driving the buggy with the horse and that poor horse was running up the hill. I guess they can take it, but it's really sad to see how they're treated.
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OT - that's not all re: animals the Amish mistreat. They are notorious around here for running puppy mills.
 
mrblanche

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However, just like race horses, most of the carriage horses love to work. I suppose it's possible the horse just slipped and fell (it happens, especially on brick surfaces).
 
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nanner

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

However, just like race horses, most of the carriage horses love to work. I suppose it's possible the horse just slipped and fell (it happens, especially on brick surfaces).
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Not sure about the loving to work part - like pulling a carriage through the busy streets. But I do know that if a horse is skitterish, anything can happen on these streets - and has happened - couple of years ago, just a few blocks away from me. It was raining, a horse bolted when a car backfired, ran off and slipped on 9th Avenue, in traffic, was hit by a car, and had to be put down.
And another one, before that, just bolted as it was waiting at Central Park - also had to be put down.

I don't know what exactly made this horse fall the other day, but I'm thankful the driver knew what to do. Alot of them don't.

Laurie, there's no room in the park to board them. They have to travel to and from their stables, which are on the West Side, in the 30's and 50's.
 
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Nanner, I receive emails from a carriage horse watchdog group. The alerts are on current issues and/or law issues concerning the horses. This group really opened my eyes--These beautiful horses breathe in auto exhaust fumes for way too many hours in their nose-to-tailpipe day (and night) simply because they're quote-unquote part of Manhattan's economy. Uh, a tiny part - let's be real. The horses deserve a better life - a natural one - but noooo -homo sapiens novo yorkus has decided this-n-that for them. I made up homo sapiens novo yorkus. What I really want to call them, I'm not allowed, but in a nutshell I can just call them stupid humans in positions of power


In the age of the horseless carriage, we non-Amish should not use horse-drawn carriages! If you would like info on the watchdog group, feel free to private message me.
 
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nanner

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Originally Posted by c1atsite

Nanner, I receive emails from a carriage horse watchdog group. The alerts are on current issues and/or law issues concerning the horses. This group really opened my eyes--These beautiful horses breathe in auto exhaust fumes for way too many hours in their nose-to-tailpipe day (and night) simply because they're quote-unquote part of Manhattan's economy. Uh, a tiny part - let's be real. The horses deserve a better life - a natural one - but noooo -homo sapiens novo yorkus has decided this-n-that for them. I made up homo sapiens novo yorkus. What I really want to call them, I'm not allowed, but in a nutshell I can just call them stupid humans in positions of power


In the age of the horseless carriage, we non-Amish should not use horse-drawn carriages! If you would like info on the watchdog group, feel free to private message me.
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I would, actually, so there's a PM comin' your way. I agree with absolutely everything you have said. I hadn't brought up the exhaust issue, but it certainly is a huge problem, as well, for these beautiful horses. This is not the 1800's. It's 2010 - the carriage horses need to be relieved of duty.
 
tara g

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I'm glad the carriage driver was concerned for the horse! They have carriage rides here in downtown Charleston. I've never been on one. The carriage companies are in the news a lot here, usually because of investigations into the treatment during the summer time. It's been above 90º all week here and in the heat indexes of 110º+. They are to be taken off the street when it's 90º here I believe. In a way I can see that they do the carriage rides here still to fit in with the historic district, but some of the horses looked so worked.
 
EnzoLeya

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Oh my gosh that's so sad. I'm glad the driver cared! I'm guessing the horse slipped on the cement. Shoes are kind of scary on pavement especially if it's at all wet, but unfortunately they need shoes on pavement. I keep all my horses barefoot for many reasons, but slipping is one of them. Wet grass is also really dangerous with shoes, unless you have tacks on the shoes, which get wore down quickly and aren't really useful for everyday riding.

I agree, I really don't like horse carriages in big cities
It's so dangerous. Horses are living creatures that can spoke and run in front of a car.
 
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