Lovely Carriage Horses of NY.

Help Protect the Working Horses of New York City

Goal: 70,000 • Progress: 68,119

Sponsored by: ASPCA
"A bill being considered by New York City, Intro. 653, would drastically weaken the oversight and implementation of proper care for the city's long-suffering carriage horses -- and even allow the industry to self-regulate through a third-party arrangement if it so chose.

These horses work for their living, and deserve to have clean stalls and bedding, proper food, and appropriate care. Protect these iconic animals -- tell New York City Council members to oppose Intro. 653. Sign the petition and tell a friend!"
More info ...
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=CarriageHorses&ThirdPartyClicks=ETA_092310_CarriageHorses_F
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"Many people have been to New York City and have seen carriage horses going up and down the streets.

You think it would be fun to take a ride on one, you think these animals love their job, you think they're well treated...you're wrong.

Behind the scenes, these animals are over-worked, under-fed and and even beaten or sent to slaughter when they can no longer do their jobs. These horses are neglected and the city life has a harsh effect on them. Many fall victim to neglect and abuse such as the horse in the picture right.......

There are several health hazards that affect these horses such as traffic, noise, exhaust, hard concrete, as well as the industry's proven unwillingness or inability to provide for horses.

They often are prone to lameness and hoof deterioration because of long hours spent pulling carriages over rough surfaces.

Horses have even collapsed while on the streets. In the heat there is a lack of water offered to them and overall safety is an issue that also puts them at risk. Horses can spook, causing crashes and injuries to both horse AND human."

More at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-nyc-carriage-horses/
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"A recent bill passed by the City Council (Intro 35) granting 5 weeks vacation to NYC carriage horses received a great deal of attention in the press, with news anchors chuckling over such an extravagant benefit.
They routinely work at least 9 hours a day, pulling a vehicle that weighs hundreds of pounds, on hard pavement, while breathing exhaust from cars, buses and taxis.


At the end of the day the horses return to their tiny stalls in stables housed in former tenement buildings on the far West side of the city, or as Jon Stewart once called it, "The sad-eyed horse carriage district."

The cramped space doesn't allow these enormous animals to lie down or to move about freely and get the daily exercise that equine veterinarians agree they need.

It is no surprise then, that when comparing the 2005 health certificates of the horses with the 2006 certificates, investigators from the Comptroller's office found that 42% of them had conflicting descriptions of the same horses, including age, color, breed, name and gender.


With such shoddy record-keeping, who will ever know if the horses get their much talked-about vacation?" 
More at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/laura-eldridge/the-harsh-reality-for-new_b_575391.html
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Today:

Ray got the kettle and china teapot down from the top shelf for me, as Pamala and Nigel are on their way.  They will want a cuppa as soon as they get here!

Then he painted some pictures frames gold, as I wanted to hang some of my family pictures on one wall.
Then he cleaned the inside windows of the Puddle Jumper and vacuumed it out.  Nigel might want to use my van once their rig has been dropped off at the shipper in Galveston who will ship it to England.


So I might let the Puddle Jumper back out on public roads again.  The AC no longer works, but it is cooler now.  I feel uncomfortable driving a vehicle that small on the freeways, so I might be "Blue Road Penny" for a while.  It has not left this subdivision, not even for gas, in about 18 months!

Jay was on the step ladder stapling more flowers under the pergola, and then moved some of my Monet pictures around in the living room, to make room for the family ones.

Jay needed to go into town to the bank, and we stopped at Dollar General to buy some laundry detergent and stuff.

A busy day.