The people of New York City are divided over a tradition and tourist attraction that has been around for centuries: The horse drawn carriage ride.
Millions of tourists flock to New York City every year to experience Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, and horse drawn carriage rides through Central Park. Tourists and residents alike believe that horse drawn carriage rides are a romantic tradition, however others claim that it’s an unsafe and inhumane practice.
Currently there are two bills up for consideration concerning the issue of horse drawn carriages. One bill is designed to carefully regulate the horse carriage industry, the other is focused on banning it entirely
Inhumane and Unsafe Conditions
Horse lovers and animal activists are supporting Intro 658-A, the bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City, because they feel the horses are being treated inhumanely. Supporters of Intro 658-A also argue that horse drawn carriages are a thing of the past, something that does not fit in today’s world.
No matter what the weather, horses spend around nine hours a day pulling carriages full of tourists through the busy streets of New York. The horses are forced to spend that time on the pavement, breathing in exhaust fumes. After horses complete their shifts, they are corralled into cramped stalls housed in multilevel stalls until their shift begins again. Activists are outraged that the horses have to suffer through long hours and inhumane conditions, and then are not even given the basic comfort of running and grazing in pastures after.
Activists claim that the horses do not receive proper veterinary care, and they work long days without adequate food, water, or rest. A New York equestrian, Marjorie Caruso, spoke up at a public hearing on the Carriage Horse Bills in January and said “The NY City carriage horses oftentimes are limping, have cracked hooves, are underweight with ribs showing, have dirty dull coats.”
Supporters of the horse drawn carriage ban argue that the ban is necessary to protect humans, as well as the animals. By nature, horses are very skittish and easily frightened, a trait that does not mesh well with the congested and loud streets of New York City. Several fatalities have already resulted from accidents involving spooked horses.
A Romantic Tradition
New Yorkers and those involved in the horse drawn carriage industry have denied that horse drawn carriages are obsolete and inhumane. Millions of tourists flock to New York City every year to experience Broadway, the Statue of Liberty, and horse drawn carriage rides through Central Park. Tourists and residents alike believe that horse drawn carriage rides are a romantic tradition, and are part of the city.
Even celebrity Liam Neeson became involved with a letter defending the industry saying "As a proud New York resident, I have personally enjoyed the beauty of Central Park on a daily basis for many years, and these horses are an undeniable integral part of that experience."
At least 400 people are employed in the horse drawn carriage industry, and many argue that shutting it down right now would be a very poor move in this shaky economic time.
Defenders of the industry also argue that the horses are treated very well. Many question the fate of the horses if the industry was shut down, suggesting they could end up in slaughterhouses and processed for meat to be used in foreign countries.
Cities around the world such as Paris, London, Beijing, and Toronto have already banned horse drawn carriage because of the risks posed to both humans and animals. It will be up to the divided New Yorkers to decide if they will follow the role of other countries, or continue the controversial tradition.
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