The first time my mom came to visit me in New York years ago, I had a huge fight with a horse drawn carraiage operator.  He asked me if I wanted  a ride. I asked him why he felt it was okay to make a living exploiting animals. He said he treated his horse better than his girlfriend. I then went into a fury, where my mom had to pull me away.  What I don't understand is how so may people think its okay. It infuriates me.

Wow.... I never really thought of it that way. I myself have never been in a horse drawn carriage, but always thought it would be romantic for my bf to take me on one. Now I realize there is nothing romantic about these horses suffering needlessly.

I wouldn't just say NYC because the horses on Michigan Ave in Chicago go through the same thing. It breaks my heart to see them standing on the side streets freezing and looking so depressed. Their stables are at least one floor and they don't have to go up 3 stories like in NYC. I'm from Chicago but live in LA and it's the same when I go to Studio City farmer's market and see the "petting zoo". I want my child to be able to see these animals and show them love but at the same time I don't condone how these animals are being treated for our entertainment. 

Lets start Now...!!! Dont let those horses dye.... Let them run wild like they did when they where.... Like wild horses... they should be used the right way.( wild horse or have them work on feilds.. like in the olden days... lets now use horse the wrong way

I've been lucky enough to have shared my life with horses since I was a little girl and most of them do love being ridden and worked and can get quite agitated if for instance circumstances have meant they're to miss out for a few days. However, pulling a carriage on the rock hard streets of the city would be a no no even if it were just for the fact that anything faster than a walk is hard on their hooves and legs.  They don't sleep lieing down, well the foals do until they're about a year old and then they just don't seem to want to anymore, maybe it's their instinct kicking in where in the wild that would leave them vulnerable to attack. However, they do like to "play" in their paddocks and roll so why it isn't illegal to keep a horse permanently in a city stall is just beyond me. Wouldn't it be classed as animal cruelty in any State?

However, are ALL carriage horses treated the same way? Maybe in New York but what about other places..are they all worked 7 days a week? Just because a horse pulls a carriage does this mean they don't get to live in a pasture? I have to add (even though it's getting a little off topic) that Peta are very quick to point their finger at ANY animal in so called captivity but I actually feel that the human/animal relationship CAN be an improvement on the wild. We have the ability to provide animals with everything they need, and for horses; large open spaces for running and grazing, warmth in the cold, protection from predators, healthy balanced diet, dental and medication. If a wild horse breaks its leg, it's going to suffer a long time before death comes from starvation or until another animal eats it alive, lets face it, nature is harsh, it is possible for an animal to have a much happier and fulfilled life with human involvement.

The owner of one stable in Manhattan is being evicted, and the building will be torn down to make way for new developments. I wish we could use this as an opportunity to improve conditions for the horses.

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Shamrock-Stables-to-be-evicted-from-home-on-45th-street-in-midtown-Manhattan-87374627.html

This saddens me deeply... I love horses more than most things... My boys are ASB rescues that were on there way to slaughter... I have always wondered where the horses stayed after they were done working... I hoped that they were taken home and given days off by rotating them with other horses... I don't have a problem with giving horses a job but like anyone else they need to be compensated for their work!

And YES when they don't meet the needs of their thoughtless owners, they are dumped in kill pens and shipped out of the country for inhumane (extra horrible not that any kind of slaughter is really good) slaughter... I'm sure there are other rescue's but If anyone is interested in rescuing a horse from a kill pen or donating money (the smallest donation helps potential homes bail out the horses and ship them home) check out this website... AC4H.com (another chance for horses) Christy is amazing and every week theere is a new batch of horses in the kill pen... She does her best and we all try to pitch in as best we can but she can't save them all... a lot of these horses are amish buggy horses who no longer meet their needs... my boys are both ex-amish horses

I agree with Barnyard, you make some excellent points.  The biggest thing we need to improve is how we are caring for these animals.  Over and over again I see the same common thread and that is we treat animals like they are inanimate objects that we can discard when we don't want them anymore.  But they are living, breathing beings just like us and they need to be respected.  We need to think about the impact we make on an animal when we take it out of its natural enviornment, but above all, we need to make sure that we are providing it with the basic things we require for ourselves - quality food and nutritional and a warm and dry shelter to rest in that is safe.