NYC Carriage Horses:
★Receive a *minimum* of 5 weeks on vacation on pastures per year.
★Can only be out for work a *maximum* of 9 hours per 24 hour period.
★Receive a *minimum* of 15 minutes rest per 2 hours of work.
★Do not work in temperatures below 19 degrees.
★Do not work in temperatures above 89 degrees (or 80 degrees with high humidity.)
★Are blanketed while standing on the hackline when it’s 40 degrees or below.
★Are blanketed in wet weather when it’s 55 degrees or below.
★Do not work in harsh storms.
★Are not permitted to work if they are ill or injured.
★Are visited by equine vets every other week.
★Are required to receive *at least* two veterinary exams per year.
★Receive routine vaccinations, de-wormer, and teeth floating.
★Won’t have their licenses renewed if their veterinary exam and vacation proof isn’t submitted to the city.
★Receive hoof trimmings/new shoes every 4-6 weeks coated with borium or drilltek to prevent slipping.
★Receive routine carriage inspections.
★Have their regulations enforced by five city agencies.
★Have owners that love them and do their best by them.
★Are only driven by licensed carriage drivers.
★Have around a 99% safety level with traffic related accidents happening *extremely* rarely.
★All live in stables originally built as stables.
★Have large box stalls that allow them to easily turn around and lay down in.
★Have 24/7 stablemen that frequently muck their stalls and routinely provide them with clean water/hay.
★Receive regular grooming by their owners or stablemen.
★Are all breeds bred and built for pulling work.
★Have very easy, lightweight work a human being could even pull off.
★Have year round access to two continuous flow water troughs with heated pipes at Central Park.
★Have buckets under their carriage that hold oats/water.
★Have a long list of equine veterinarians, professionals, and organizations that support them.
★Can pull a carriage in NYC between age 5 through 26.
★Are found suitable homes to retire to when they leave their current job.
★Have extremely low cortisol (stress hormone) levels while on the job or in their stall.
★Primarily work inside Central Park.
★Were in mind with the entire design of Central Park.
★Are all privately owned and work on 68 carriages that are each their own small business.
★Benefit physically and mentally from their work.
★Ensure the cost of their care/upkeep is covered through their own work.
★Have comfortable/relaxed/content and prideful behavior, posture, body language, and facial expressions.
★Have more regulations than any other horse carriage industry in the country.
★Have been represented by The Teamsters Union and currently the Transport Workers Union.
★Have a union hired horse carriage expert check on the horses at the park weekly.
★Have a safety committee & shop stewards looking after the industry internally.
★Are an iconic part of New York City and Central Park.
★Are beloved by most New Yorkers and a very popular tourist attraction.
★Are not abused or mistreated in any way whatsoever.
★Have animal rights extremists with an agenda against animal welfare and real estate developers interested their stables properties spreading false and misleading information about them.