I don’t think that’s his stall. I think that’s the ground floor area where they get them harnessed and ready. I’ve seen photos of the insides of these city stable buildings, and the stalls are on the upper floors and look like regular stalls aside from being in a more cramped environment (narrow hallway etc). The horse’s condition is inexcusable, especially to still be working him, but I don’t believe he lives tied to that wall.
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Well, according to the article:
" Meanwhile, animal activists — including NYCLASS — descended on City Hall on Thursday to call on the City Council to fast track legislation that’ll phase out horse carriages in the Big Apple. That bill was introduced by Councilman Bob Holden last month."
I too am surprised that the mounted police had such a poor response, based on what I know of them.
I don’t think he lives tied up that wall either, which is why I said temporary. I’ve seen the ground floor where they hook up and never saw shavings down on the floor before. Perhaps he was spending the day down there recuperating before climbing the ramp(s) to his actual stall.
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I am surprised. I thought they had better regulations and oversight that should have prevented a horse in such poor condition from going out. And the idiot in the costume tophat didnt help matters.
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What a curious coincidence that there was a non-compliant carriage, with such a terribly cared for horse, at this special time, just as one more bill against them is being pushed? 
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I think it is just that. Otherwise, nefarious people would have to get an evil carriage driver and a horse in poor condition and arrange to have it collapse publicly in the street. Kind of hard to do…
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I’m not anti carriage either, but this story is awful and unacceptable. How that horse has been working with no complaints is beyond me.
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“Those who don’t remember the past are doomed to repeat it”…so said someone smarter than me…Jorge de Santayana.
I suggest people here do a search the COTH BB for “NYC Carriage Horses NYCLASS”…and you will find the long-going saga of people trying to outlaw carriage horses in NYC…like dating back to 2013-2015 or so.
When Bill DeBlasio ran for mayor of NYC he promised to get rid of the carriage horses…this “outrage” is not new news.
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I don’t think there is anything nefarious about the situation, from a political point of view. The human behavior in keeping a horse like that IS pretty nefarious. The article and video featured a driver, Cristina Hansen, who seemed (to me) to be familiar with the horse.
Another website identified her as “Christina Hansen, a spokesperson for a union that represents carriage drivers and works at the stable where Ryder was taken…”
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It doesn’t excuse his horrible condition, but was the horse being hired out to give rides around the park, or was he simply being tried, in the new environment as a new purchase?
Again, that is also not acceptable to do with an animal in that condition.
Often, police mounted units have learned to ride, but haven’t learned the horse management stuff. That’s (one reason of many) why they hire barn managers.
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I don’t think any poster here would dispute the fact this poor animal needs a vet and calories, not to be working hard (working at all, in fact) in the heat.
But I also have to say, I still have questions. It almost beggars belief that a bag of bones would be working in (nearly) 90F heat, dragging a carriage full of gleeful tourists who didn’t notice his jutting bones, driven by someone who didn’t notice his condition, while he was riddled with a severe disease just after dragging a cart for the Amish, right before legislation phasing out carriage driving came up for a vote. It sounds like something from Black Beauty.
The fact our main sources are Twitter and the NY Post does give me pause (re: the backstory, I’m not disputing any eyewitness testimony that this poor horse was in bad shape).
Again, I truly have no insider information, I’m just very shocked. I didn’t know that 90F was the upper limit of when they could go out, either, and I do agree that’s too high even for the very healthy draft horses I have seen pulling carts, since they tend to be of breeds that don’t do well in the heat.
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I try real hard in this current environment not to leap to conspiracy theories, but I have to say, I agree that the stars are lining up just a bit TOO much here.
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I absolutely do not think this is any sort of conspiracy. The union is standing firmly behind the driver, Ian McKeever. They know him, they know the horse, and since they are local and well aware of the people involved, I just think that they would have denounced him if he were a newcomer intent on creating a scandal. McKeever is facing animal cruelty charges.
“We thank everyone for their concern about Ryder, one of the beloved Central Park carriage horses,” TWU Local 100 President Tony Utano said. “The veterinarian who examined Ryder believed he has EPM, a neurological disease caused by possum droppings. This is another example why people shouldn’t rush to judgment about our horses or the blue-collar men and women who choose to work with them and care for them. Sadly, horses - like people - can get sick.”
One thing which is outrageous to me is the union rep being quoted in the news clip above saying that she admitted the horse was skinny but that could be due to his age or his EPM disease. Seriously? His age? The horse is fourteen! What kind of idiots are representing this union?
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When he’s underweight he’s not fit to work.
Why he’s underweight like this, just doesn’t matter.
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I generally am not opposed to carriage horses in the city - as long as they are well cared for. This horse IMO was in no condition to be working. Reportedly the carriage driver bought him 4 months earlier in PA. This horse needed a few more months (at least) to gain weight and strength and:or a vet exam to see why he was underweight, IMO.
Having said that - I’m worried about Ryder’s future. The carriage horse union says that he will be treated and retired on a farm. No further details. Of course the owner is not required to share that info with the public - but it would be nice to know that he’s ok. And if he was placed with a reputable rescue, there would be more assurance of good care.
One more thing - the owner and carriage horse union has not shared Ryders registered name. He is a 14 years old Standardbred, if he has a freeze brand it should be readable.
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Having bought several in dire need of groceries and been around more over the years, in 4 months there should have been substantial weight gain. Certainly enough to get to a 2+ If not a low 3 instead of the very low 2 (and that is charitable) as he appears. Ribs, hip bones and vertebrae should not be so sharp in any horse.
No tree hugging PITA fan here but carriage horses and their drivers are ambassadors for our sport to the general public. If this is what they see, we all look bad.
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Article says horse is 26, not 14 as first reported, in addition to being thin and having EPM.
I hope he gets a soft landing for his remaining days, or at least a quick end.
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I still think there is something fishy here, a horse bought 4 months ago, in bad shape and not getting better, against regulations and common sense pulling a wagon in that terrible shape, in public, right when a bill to eliminate carriage horses from the city is presented?
Someone has to be accountable for that failure, starting with whoever oversees the horses there, as he was out in public, surely other drivers saw the horse and should have stopped it from working in that shape, why didn’t they? 
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I agree with you, something stinks.
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