This makes me so sad! I will never ride a horse drain carriage and shocked that NYC still allows it. Does Chicago? Anyone know? I don't remeber seeing any but haven't been in a while.

Posted by: Alicia | September 19, 2009 09:05 PM

I dont understand why is taking so long to ban horse carriages. It is not a significant economic source for city of new york and it obviously creting more trouble than anything else. Everytime i see the tourist riding those things I want to throw something at them...like a half eating subway sandwish.
I think that eventually the ban will happen. Because it makes sense, thats all.

Posted by: marlyn | September 19, 2009 10:33 PM

This is ridiculous. Horse drawn carriages are so cliched and old fashioned, not to mention cruel and unnecessary. It will take human fatalities before anything is done, injured horses don't seem to matter.

Posted by: Nicola Craig | September 19, 2009 10:48 PM

Mayor Bloomberg,
PLEASE stop the use of carriages in New York City. There are so many accidents and people and animals are getting killed all the time. I beg you to please stop this practice.

Posted by: Rosemary V Bernier | September 20, 2009 09:55 AM

Will NYC never catch on?

Posted by: katie | September 20, 2009 10:59 AM

Yes, Chicago has horse-drawn carriages. A sad sight, believe me.

Posted by: NT | September 20, 2009 11:32 AM

Are you suggesting we ban all horse drawn carriages including those used for pleasure? i can understand banning them as a tourist attraction but what about people who use them for simple, peaceful enjoyment and time between them and their horse? sorry if i have misunderstood

Posted by: Becky | September 20, 2009 11:57 AM

Alicia...yes, Chicago still does have carriage companies, and they receive dozens of complaints for abuse and neglect of their horses...ban the carriage!

Posted by: matt | September 20, 2009 01:11 PM

omg?? this is sick.. I hate tourists!!!!!

Posted by: carla | September 20, 2009 03:22 PM

This is a joke. Why should horse carriages be banned? In the accident above, the horse wasn't even injured. The fact that the carriage driver was thrown from the carriage is irrelevant. If the taxi had slammed into a group of kids crossing the street, would you be begging to have taxis banned from NYC?

Everyone that has posted so far seems to be the type of person that is completely against any form of domestication of animals and completely fails to realize that were it not for human intervention, the horse as a species would probably have died off ages ago.

There are bigger problems in NYC than horse drawn carriages. Wake up and smell the coffee. Poverty, an overpopulated, crime, archaic metro systems, the fact that non-commercial cars are even allowed in the city at all, etc. Horses are the least of anyone's worries. In fact, if the only things allowed on the streets were busses, taxis, horses, 2-wheeled vehicles/bicycles and segways, NYC would be a MUCH better city.

Posted by: Benjamin | September 20, 2009 04:41 PM

alicia, i'm sure they still do. they just do a good job of hiding it. if you ever head down michigan avenue near the old water tower they are usually there. chicago is such a dump.

Posted by: chris | September 20, 2009 09:11 PM

How many of you really have seen close up these carriages and are not drawn by the sensationalism of what groups such as PETA are doing?

Yes, some do mistreat their animals, but horses are for the most part treated quite well.

And - they were brought here from Spain to begin with to help with work and travel - it's what they're bred to do.

I'm sorry - but you guys are a bunch of morons to think that this is cruel to animals.

Also, to the person who said they'd throw a sandwich at a tourist using these - if you hit the horse, it'd probably spook, and if the people were injured, you'd be charged with assault. Seriously - NEVER do that, no matter how much you disagree with the issue.

Posted by: Mel | September 21, 2009 10:02 AM

Whilst I agree with PETA and all postees that the abuse of any animal is intolerable I am not sure where PETA gets it's information from that London has banned Horse Drawn Carriages.
There are many fine companies in and around London that offer carriages for hire, for weddings, for funerals and for other occaisions. Not to mention the Household Cavalry being regularly seen on the streets of London.
The horses here are well looked after and receive regular veterinary inspections. I can't remember seeing any news items about collisions with motor vehicles either. In the UK it is written into our Highway Code that motor vehicles give way to horses - and they do it!
I for one would hate to see these magnificent animals banned from our streets.

Posted by: Babs Watkinson | September 21, 2009 12:01 PM

So my coworker Lisa told me that Peta has a blog called "Peta Files" and she said that its sounds like "pedophiles". Unfortunately, I agree with her :S

Posted by: Maybelle | September 21, 2009 01:20 PM

Any word on how the horse, the carriage driver, and the driver of the taxi are doing?

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | September 21, 2009 01:58 PM

Horse drawn carriages should be allowed in Central Park only, not on the busy streets of NYC. The animals should be out of traffic and away from toxic auto fumes. Those who own horses and use them for pleasure driving and other competitions know that this is as it should be, that is, if they care about their animals.

Posted by: Patricia Ardavany | September 21, 2009 06:43 PM

Shame on this tragedy. How many horses must be abused in NYC before this cruel industry ends?

Posted by: roxanen | September 21, 2009 07:47 PM

What about the equinne Holocaust + slave economy the Amish oversee in Lancaster, Penn, and NO ONE seems to notice or care????

Posted by: Martin Skyeagle | September 21, 2009 10:54 PM

Would you people use your minds. This is not mistreatment. May I remind you that the animal rights activists are the same people who dress up like animals and think its normal. I heard one story where there was a pony play show going on and this "pony" got loose and ran to a mall food court and started eating from someones plate. Also if you need a definition on pony play look it up. Rather disturbing.

Posted by: Tobias Reaper | September 21, 2009 11:13 PM

man....look at all the misinformation on here...looks like some angry carriage drivers are posting here yet again..spreading lies! many, many horses have died pulling carriages, from being hit by cars or from heat exhaustion, and many other causes that would NOT have occurred if they werent in busy traffic and pulling carriages...and to those people saying "i dont remember ever hearing about any horses getting hurt blah blah blah..." do some research....www.banhdc.org you obviously have done zero reading on the subject...educate yourself before you run your mouth...unless youre just a carriage driver, in which case your word isnt worth a dime. how many more horses have to die before you people give it up and get a job where you dont exploit these horses? if these horses could speak, you think theyd want to pull around fat, lazy tourists? i think not...and to the person talking about how its not wrong to want to take a "nice, relaxing " carriage ride....how relaxing do you think it is for the horse? use your brain and quit being so self centered.

Posted by: matt | September 22, 2009 12:28 AM

So when is PETA going to attack the Amish? The Amish in central PA routinely drive horses and buggies, even in cities, such as Lancaster.

Posted by: Anonymouse | September 22, 2009 03:44 AM

"Carla," YOU ARE A JOKE.

Maybe you should try pulling a carriage in all seasons and while in traffic. The idea that these poor animals have to battle traffic, car and bus exhaust, etc is obscene. Then add it the terrible cold in winter and the sun, heat and humidity in summer. Get a life Carla.

Posted by: NYC61 | September 22, 2009 09:07 AM

I ride horses, and there is nothing cruel about horse and carriage rides. It's their job. It's why horses are still around. There are excess numbers of horses around the country in these hard economic times, and without training for carriages, most of the horses providing a pleasurable form of transportation in the cities would most likely be on a trailer right now being shipped to Canada or Mexico for slaughter. Which would you prefer: a horse enduring hard labor with a comfortable home to rest in (like many of our hardworking American patriots) or being shipped to slaughter?

Posted by: Adi | September 22, 2009 07:58 PM

Thank you Matt, you said it for me and very well! These horses are getting killed and abused and neglected. Thank you Matt for speaking up for them on this blog,and you got it right, they must be horse carriage owners who are blogging these comments.

Posted by: Shari | September 23, 2009 12:08 AM

This is so wrong. These poor animals are as out of place on a city street as a dinosaur would be. It is total hedonism what people will do for a thrill.

Posted by: Carole Edmonds | September 23, 2009 12:09 AM

Pony play? What are these pro-carriage company people talking about? Yet another horse was hit by a car, quite needlessly, yet all these nuts come on here and start posting about irrelevant things like "pony plays" and ponies eating off peoples plates in mall food courts? Wow...and theyre trying to say WE'RE the crazy ones?!?! What are any of you even talking about? Bottom line: yet another horse was needlessly involved in an accident where it or a perso couldve been seriously hurt or killed...and why? Because lazy, apathetic tourists would rather have an animal pull them around than WALK. Lame. Period.

Posted by: matt | September 23, 2009 01:27 AM

Matt.. well said. Mel..if someone wants to throw a sandwich its up to them, keep your nose out. And to all those who are whining about this not being cruel then your all SO DUMB,Before i'd heard of peta and heard about the cruelty i unfortunately had a ride in one at blackpool for a birthday surprise and when the carriage driver lifted his hand near the horse the horse flinched, i got off and refused to get back on. this is just like any other abuse of animals, they get whipped and are forced to pull people and a heavy carriage round all day so dont tell me that the horses enjoy it, they get beat, whipped and water is rarely provided at all times, this is just a bunch of lazy saddo's like yourselves who'd rather get pulled round than walk.

Posted by: emma | September 23, 2009 06:01 AM

P.s nyc61 it wasnt carla that said it, it was benjamin. lol so many people have made that same mistake. the name of the postee is at the bottom of the comment.

Posted by: emma | September 23, 2009 06:08 AM

check it out, pro-carriage people...two drivers convicted of animal cruelty in chicago for the horrific treatment of their horses...read up, pals! now what were you saying again about how lovely and relaxing a carriage ride is for you and the horses? http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-carriage-owners-trial-24-sep24,0,2912554.story

Posted by: matt | September 24, 2009 09:18 PM

Car wrecks happen everyday, and kids get hit with riding their bikes in the street. You gonna ban them too?

"a taxi lost control and crashed into a horse-drawn carriage.:

the taxi driver is at fault not the horse/nor carriage driver. This wouldn't even be an issue had it been another car getting wrecked into.

NYC61 said it good too. If these horses didn't have jobs more than likely they be dead on be on their way to death. Horse rescues are overflowing and way over capacity. I would rather see horses working than on their way to Canada or Mexico. We wouldn't be where we are today if not for the horse and horse drawn carriage why not try to preserve a piece of history? There are more wrecks involving amish in rural areas around where I live than there have ever been in NYC or other city. Again the party responsible is the vehicle drivers.

Posted by: katy | October 15, 2009 05:38 PM