![The rescued carriage horse once known as "Billy," and since renamed, "Bobby," at Equine Advocates](http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/hash/1f/28/1f2859e8b14aa57db5daead1d24dc006.jpg "The rescued carriage horse once known as "Billy," and since renamed, "Bobby," at Equine Advocates")
Billy couldn't walk very well anymore. More than five years pulling carriages on rock hard New York City streets had taken a toll on the 18-year-old gelding's legs, and on his psyche. When it became clear that Billy's lameness would cripple his ability to enrich the coffers of Manhattan's West Side Livery, his owners wrung the last few dollars from his hide by selling him at a Pennsylvania auction known mostly for fueling the Canadian slaughterhouse pipeline. Like so many others before him, the once valued steed was destined to die a miserable death, a cruel ending to a life lived in service, and in pain.
But on Friday, June 25th, someone at the New Holland auction noticed four digits chiseled into Billy's left front foot, and knew that New York City requires this form of "branding" on all of the carriage horses that march around Central Park. The unnamed good samaritan quickly contacted Elizabeth Forel, who runs the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, to alert her to Billy's desperate plight. With hours to spare before the kindly old horse would be loaded on a truck to oblivion, Elizabeth's group marshaled the $600 the dealer wanted, and, working in concert with Equine Advocates and Friends of Animals, they bought his freedom.
In New York City, where more than 200 horses are currently pulling cabs for hire, the numbers etched into the front of a carriage horse's hoof are analogous to the tattoo of a racing thoroughbred: a sort of permanent identity card that corresponds to a legal record detailing the horse's name, age, ownership, and the date he was placed into service. Because of the indelible code carved into the wall of his hoof, Billy's origins were easily traced. Ms. Forel didn't have to dig too deep into Department of Health records to learn that he had been part of the notorious West Side Livery, whose inhumane confinement and stable management practices had been the subject of an undercover investigation by Animals Angels in March of 2009.
"To me, it's very simple," Ms. Forel said. "The horse was old. He's got a serious lameness in his right front leg. He's got worms, and his teeth haven't been floated in a long time. Imagine this poor horse not feeling well, and having to walk up to the second or third floor of a building in order to rest." She wasn't shocked to find that Billy had ended up at a kill auction. "Having researched carriage horse records for many years, I have learned that about a third--or approximately 70--of the New York City carriage horses are eliminated from the Department of Health horse registry every year."
As to the whereabouts of the vanished horses, Ms. Forel cites a catch-22 in the city's regulations. "If a horse is sold outside of New York City, no sales records are required. It's not illegal for the stables to send a horse to auction, or even to slaughter, but it's certainly bad public relations."
And as for the horse once known on the street as "Billy," he has today been welcomed into the arms of the Equine Advocates sanctuary in Chatham, New York, where, rechristened as "Bobby," he will no longer have to do anything but enjoy the pleasures that were denied to him for so many years: fresh green grass, room to roam, the companionship of other horses, regular veterinary care, an ample stall, and most of all, the caring touch of human hands and hearts.
Comments
Oh Maureen, thanks for sharing a "Happy Ending" story! Great to know advocates are quick to recognize certain horses that have given their lives to duties for man, and then kept them from going to slaughter in the final hours!
All horses deserve their lives and our care however we can give it.
Happy for Bobbie! <3
A life of servitude for horses seems more and more to be rewarded with a trip to the slaughterhouse in a disposable society. I think of our aged horses who were euthanized on our property when they became too infirm due to age to live comfortably (one had cancer) after years of pasture leisure and can't imagine anyone so cold-hearted to be able to send a horse to slaughter. It's always a pleasure to be able to tell "happy ending" stories. There's one about a broodmare sold to a kill buyer on the Wichita, KS Pet Rescue Examiner site.
Thanks so much for a great article, Maureen. Just read it quickly while I get ready to leave for work. I would like to give a shout out to Friends of Animals, with whom we partner on this issue. They offered to provide half the funding to get this boy to safety. I am looking forward to seeing Billy -- now Bobby II - at Equine Advocates where I know he will be living in a heaven on earth -- like going from a flop house to the Plaza. I hear he is "very adorable and sweet." When I see the stable where he lived and know the streets on which he worked, I am so very happy we could have helped. And thanks to people like you who know the importance of this story and helping to get it out. As his god mother, I get to give him a middle name. If anyone has any appropriate suggestions, please e-mail us at coalition@banhdc.org --- and thanks again!!
Maureen!
I'm with Cat! I watched and waited as so many of us did last week to see if 'Bobby' (much better name!) would make it.. Of course he did! Along with the countless other sweet souls who have been cast aside by 'owners', not friends.
I wish there were MORE ways to get the word out there that our working companions, pet ponies and yes, our National Icon for Freedom; OUR Mustangs and Burros are facing slaughter EVERY DAY.
What these folks do is hard, emotional work each week.
Their place is surely in Heaven, for they are Angels on Earth!
For all the Bobby's and Wild Ones out there, Thank you for all you do, Maureen and Thank you to ALL the horse advocates.. They have no voice..
Happy and Safe 4th to all...
Takes one idiot to ruin it for an entire industry....Most carriage horses are treated well, loved by their drivers and have a happy ending. The saddest part of this story is that the protestors against carriages are probably happy that this happened, because it has been so long and the pictures that they are all using are so old- you finally got one that is new that you can use.
I'm happy for this horse- good save.
But what about all the ex-racehorses, ex-cutting horses, mustangs that are still there waiting for slaughter? Nothing to say or do for them? Horses in general suffer, can't single out one industry- sorry. The stats will just prove you incredibly wrong.
Since the crash of our economy all horses are at risk and the kill buyers are foaming at the mouth, able to get figures like $600 per horse now instead of the usual $200 they had been getting for years.
Heartwrenching.... Take a stand for HORSES! Carriage drivers DO!!!
Things happenng inside Westside Livery Stable that no one would believe.This stable is owned by an 82 yo lady, inherited from his husband.But she never comes to stable.The manager of the stable control everything, including sending horses to butcher,too.Billy was a great horse until 2008 Christmas.His driver, a greedy short guy was running Billy from the stable to Central Park cruel, and way coming back home too.He is now using a white small horse, I see him running the new horse crazy every day. No one can stop him, including the aspca.
New York City carriage horses.
4% Fair Tax Averages on America’s 9.2 Million Horses
Replaces Horse Slaughter with Logic and Value
See website, link at bottom, for figures with tax estimates.
This is vast revenue to pay for land, training, and wages for Committees to oversee America’s horse industry, including reclaiming the Wilderness Preserves for Our Mustangs.
Rebuild America with pride.
We built this Nation with horses.
We can do it again.
Sanctuaries should not only foster horses but should be learning facilities to teach responsible horse ownership. Sanctuaries become county revenue builders as fees are paid for horse adoption, trail rides, horseback riding lessons, and host competitions. Ideally, Sanctuaries should adjoin Federal land already utilized by equestrians or with promise to do so, such as land owned by The Army Corps of Engineers, State Parks and National Forests
https://sites.google.com/site/horsesasnationaltreasure/home Petition site.
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