Horses arouse human emotions. My wife and I have horses, mostly ponies that provide rides for little kids, and occasionally someone tries to tell us how they think we are being cruel. No sense in their minds.

We also drove carriages, about 20 years ago, and can easily say that our carriage horses genuinely preferred driving to riding. It's a relaxing situation, mostly, and the horses enjoyed the "sight-seeing" that was involved.

Where do these "aminal rghits" people (to whom I will not even grant correct spelling) get the idea that we should not make use of animals? Civilization arose in the middle east as men learned how to make use of horses for transportation and warfare. In my opinion anything I can do to keep today's people aware of the reality of horses is important.

I frequently get the question, "Are those ponies REAL? I thought ponies were just in stories!" "Come over here," I say, "and touch the pony." (Evidence of the senses.) "He is really real. Why would you think he isn't?"

Our ponies are generally quite intelligent, and seem to understand very well how to provide rides at a birthday party. They know they are to be on good behavior, and not to do anything that would hurt the children, even if offered candy.

Thank your local pony-ride or carriage person. It's not a high-paying job, but it is enjoyable (for both man and beast, if done right) and is certainly needed.

Please note that the newly crowned de Blasio is more concerned about satisfying the Teamster union thugs. All the driver must be members of the Teamsters. the horses get fired but the teamster drivers keep their jobs, assuming they want to be a taxi driver. The animal rights wackos have been after this for decades. In the rare event when a horse and carriage has a mishap the hand wringing starts at the NYT, CNN and at Rockefeller center on NBC/methNBC - with all their feigned outraged - we have to do something to protect all animals.... then Katie Curic sneaks off to go fox hunting in the Adirondacks Not that i have anything against fox hunting, it is great fun and great tradition. But these people are hypocrites. It is all about emotion, not reason and of course the pay back to the union hacks at the top. The actual members of the teamsters who actually love driving the horse drawn carriages, they're expendable too. This is another case of people who know nothing about anything other than statist, throat crushing control dictating outcomes.

More to the point what does he bring to the City...his past is trash its ridiculous when since the turn of last century horses have been working creatures and they look forward to doing so..with proper care these horses know what their job is and look forward to their job..Bloomberg is loon but DeBlasio is immoral and living in the past !!

not only is the opposite of the animal rights groups' goal accomplished-we are given insight into the character of this mayor. The most important 1st action I take as mayor is....this. Hell help New York.

Does any remember Woody Allen's movie "Bananas"? Where the new government made an annoucement that its first law is that everyone will change their underwear every hour, on the hour. And they'll wear it on the outside, so that it can be checked. Are we there yet?

The whole position is that horses that are "relieved" from whatever activity the animal rights activists are protesting will lead idyllic, better lives. Who is going to pay for those horses to live in green pastures? Are they out of their minds? The bulk of those horses would get put down, shipped to a different country and turned into food, or dumped into a lousy home with a miserable existence. And the carriage drivers? They have their business taken away by someone else's misguided whim? Disgusting.

I find this so sad, deBlasio so mad!! And we thought Bloomberg was bad?? Tourists
have always loved taking the carriages through Central Park (as we also!). Will the
horses be shipped to China, slaughtered and
churned into dog/cat food? How awful - Yep - the lunatics have left the asylums....

You should check it out :)

Are YOU kidding me??? Has he lost his mind. I go to NY for the carriages! I’ll go to Charleston for the carriage! I watch movies for the carriages! I’m jealous of the Amish becasue of the carriages!
Somebody do that ole hag, Blasio a favor and put him out of my misery.

Yes. Stayed several nights at the Grand Hotel with a newborn. Lol

No, I have never been in the state.

Ever been to Mackinac Island MI? That's ALL they have is carriages.... and bikes. :)

Way to go NY voters! Why is always the NY Mayor's job to ban ban ban ban so many things? Why not eliminate some laws or lift restrictions or kill some fees or lower taxes or any number of useful moves? And people vote this crap in...repeatedly.

He just signed their death warrant.