Clearing the Air

New York City carriage horses lead a true nose-to-tailpipe existence, and equine veterinarians have detailed the ways in which this compromises the health of horses. Worse still, the horses get little respite in their stables, where the air quality is also poor.

Poor air quality is common in all horse stables. A full 25% to 80% of stabled horses devleop neutrophilic airway inflammation, a disorder caused by a type of white blood cell that helps kill and digest microorganisms. The average barn or stable has levels of airborne particulates that are "off the chart,"according to Melissa R. Mazan, DVM, a faculty member at the Tufts University School of Medicine and a diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. "It is difficult to persuade trainers and owners that there might be anything wrong with a barn," she explained. "Hard data can be worth a thousand words."

Learn more about air quality in stables.
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New York's carriage horse stables are dirty places with steep ramps that the horses must climb. The stalls are cramped, and the horses often stand in their own waste--just as they do outside of Central Park. Conditions cannot be made safer for New York carriage horses, who travel to and from their stables every day in city traffic. Please support Intro. 658, a bill to ban horse-drawn carriages.

Examine the evidence. NYC carriage horses don't get enough water and receive only infrequent veterinary care. Read the full city audit of the New York City carriage horse industry.

Urge your Council Member to co-sponsor Intro. 658 in support of a full ban. Respectfully ask for a response.