Tragic End to Iconic NYC Tradition: Horse-Carriage Debate Heats Up

① Calls to Ban Central Park’s Horse Carriages

The voices calling for the ban of horse-drawn carriages in New York’s Central Park are growing louder. While the debate over the carriages has been ongoing, a tragic incident last year has intensified the issue.

On August 10 last year, a horse pulling a carriage suddenly collapsed on a road in Hell’s Kitchen, a neighborhood in Manhattan. The horse appeared to be gasping for breath and struggling to regain its footing. Ian McKeever, the owner, was seen whipping the horse and shouting, but the horse couldn’t get up. A passerby confronted McKeever, asking, “How would you like it if I beat you like that?” A woman also intervened, urging the owner to stop beating the horse.

The horse lay on the ground, unable to get up, resting its head on the pavement. Responding to calls from concerned citizens, police officers arrived, sprayed the horse with water, and applied ice.

After about 45 minutes, a tow truck took the horse back to the stables. However, the horse could not recover and was eventually euthanized.

The horse was over 28 years old, equivalent to a human in their late 80s, and was suffering from malnutrition and osteomyelitis due to its underweight condition.

Over a year later, on the 15th, the Manhattan district attorney charged McKeever with animal cruelty and assault for failing to feed the horse and physically abusing it. The owner forced the horse to work without rest, even on hot days and didn’t provide proper food.

District Attorney Alvin Bragg said, “On a hot summer day, even horses shouldn’t work, but this horse worked until it collapsed,” adding that “The abuse this horse appears to have suffered is absolutely unacceptable.” The prosecution investigated with the participation of the New York Police Department’s mounted unit, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

As a result, they determined that McKeever had abused the horse.

② A 150-year-old Tourist Attraction

The horse-drawn carriages have been a tourist attraction for over 150 years and have become a symbol of New York. In 2014, the mayor of New York attempted to ban the carriages. Still, the move failed due to opposition from carriage owners who argued that the carriages were a century-old tourist attraction.

The operation of carriages on the busy streets of New York has been controversial, with critics arguing it constitutes animal abuse. The horses used for carriage rides in New York work all day on the streets. Running on these hazardous streets often results in minor and major accidents. In the past, there have been incidents where horses lost their lives after colliding with taxis. There have also been accidents where lost horses darted into traffic.

In addition to these incidents, there are ongoing concerns about the safety of the horses. Horses should be running freely in nature and spend their days walking on New York’s asphalt streets. Pictures of stressed horses shedding tears have also sparked controversy, as extreme stress can lead to death.

Animal rights groups have proposed replacing the horses with electric carriages to preserve the owners’ livelihood and develop a new tourist attraction in New York. The animal rights groups claim, “The horses in New York collapse on the streets, inhale exhaust fumes in traffic jams, walk on concrete, and stand for hours living inside concrete buildings.”

Despite years of calls for a ban, carriage rides still appear on the streets of New York. Last year, the New York City Council prepared an ordinance to replace the horses with electric carriages.

Councilman Robert Holden proposed an ordinance to ban horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric cars by June 1, 2024. He added that the city would prioritize drivers who lose their jobs due to the ban on electric carriage licenses.

③ Horse Riding Experiences in South Korea

Horse riding experiences are also available in South Korea. In addition to Jeju Island, horse riding facilities are emerging in the metropolitan area. Most of these horses are retired racehorses confined to these facilities for the remainder of their lives. The poor quality of the conditions in which they are kept has sparked controversy. Living in such conditions, the health of these horses is also not good, with some displaying abnormal behaviors.

By. Kim Min Jae