NYC Carriage Horse Violations
*Photo by Yannic Rack.
Stall Sizes
Violation:
NYC carriage horse stalls are only required to be 60 square feet with a minimum width of 7 feet, less than half the 144 square feet recommended by equine welfare organizations. This restricted space prevents horses from turning freely, lying down comfortably, or performing natural behaviors. The lack of pasture access and turnout time further worsens welfare issues, violating basic equine behavioral standards.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners): Minimum 12×12 feet stall for adult horses to allow proper movement and rest.
American Humane Society: Minimum 12×12 feet for horses over 1,000 pounds, with vertical clearance of at least 15 feet.
British Horse Society & FEI: Stalls must allow full movement, rolling, and lying down without restriction, supporting both physical and mental welfare.
Summary:
NYC carriage horse stalls fall far below established equine welfare standards. Horses are confined to spaces that compromise movement, comfort, and natural behavior, highlighting a serious gap between city regulations and the requirements for healthy, humane living conditions. What is clear is that much of the current regulation fails to reflect the biological and behavioral needs of horses.
Ventilation
Violation:
Many NYC carriage horse stables are poorly ventilated, allowing ammonia, dust, and other harmful gases to accumulate. This environment causes respiratory stress, discomfort, and illness for horses. Poor airflow also creates a serious fire hazard, as stagnant air combined with hay or bedding materials can ignite more easily.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners): Stables must have adequate airflow to prevent respiratory disease and reduce ammonia buildup.
British Horse Society: Continuous natural or mechanical ventilation is recommended to maintain air quality and prevent dust accumulation.
American Humane Society: Well-ventilated stables are required to ensure healthy respiratory function and minimize fire risks from hay and bedding.
Summary:
NYC carriage horse stables fall far short of these standards. Fans and apartment-style windows do not compensate for inadequate airflow, exposing horses to respiratory disease, chronic stress, and fire hazards. Adequate ventilation is a basic requirement in all professional equine facilities and is critical for both health and safety.
Stall Flooring
Violation:
Horses are forced to stand on hard surfaces such as concrete or asphalt for long periods, often with shallow or insufficient bedding. This causes arthritis, lameness, hoof bruising, and tendon/ligament strain. Dirty, wet, or poorly drained stalls also create slip hazards, further endangering horse welfare.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners): Recommends deep bedding over soft surfaces to cushion weight, absorb urine, reduce ammonia, and provide thermal insulation.
American Humane Society: Advises soft, dry, well-drained flooring that supports lying, rolling, and movement without risk of injury.
British Horse Society & FEI (Federation Equestre Internationale): Require cushioned surfaces in stables to prevent musculoskeletal injuries and promote comfort.
Summary: NYC carriage horse stalls violate these widely accepted standards, exposing horses to chronic pain, injury, and long-term physical deterioration. Proper bedding and flooring are not optional, they are essential for equine health and welfare.
Food & Nutrition
Violation:
NYC carriage horses are fed diets consisting predominantly of grain with minimal hay. While they receive hay after 9-hour work shifts, they lack access to pasture or grazing. Feed is often exposed to pigeons, which can spread pathogens like botulism, and the hay in the stables may be contaminated by rodents’ urine or feces due to the unenclosed property. These practices violate equine welfare and health standards.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners): Horses are grazing herbivores and require high-fiber forage (hay or pasture) as the primary component of their diet, with limited grain. Adequate nutrition prevents colic, gastric ulcers, laminitis, and metabolic disorders.
American Humane Society & British Horse Society: Recommend daily turnout and grazing opportunities. Feeding practices should avoid exposure to wildlife and contamination to prevent disease.
Best Practices for Water & Electrolytes: Horses require unlimited access to clean, fresh water, especially when working, to prevent dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, kidney stress, and collapse. Water sources must be protected from contamination.
SUMMARY:
Feeding predominantly grain, denying pasture access, and allowing hay and feed to be exposed to pigeons and rodents violates widely accepted equine nutrition and welfare standards. Proper diet, clean feed, and safe hydration are essential to maintain both physical health and mental well-being.
Lack of Pasture / Social Interaction
Violation:
NYC carriage horses are confined to small stalls or working long hours with no daily pasture access, preventing natural movement, grazing, and meaningful interaction with other horses. Standing tethered on a hack line in a row, with carriages on their back, does not count as social interaction. This restriction violates basic equine welfare standards.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP & American Humane Society: Recommend daily turnout and group housing whenever possible to allow horses to move freely, graze, and interact socially. Lack of turnout contributes to stress, stereotypic behaviors and depression.
British Horse Society: Emphasizes that turnout is essential for both physical health (musculoskeletal development, circulation) and mental well-being.
WHAT SOCIAL INTERACTION MEANS FOR HORSES:
The ability of horses to engage with other horses in natural ways, including grazing together, mutual grooming, playing, vocalizing, and moving freely within a herd. True social interaction supports mental well-being, reduces stress, and allows horses to express instinctive herd behaviors. This does not exist for any of the carriage horses in NYC.
Summary: Denying pasture time and social interaction causes chronic stress, behavioral problems, and physical deterioration. Even with adequate feed, ventilation, and stall size, lack of turnout is a serious welfare violation.
Furlough / Vacation
Violation:
NYC carriage horses are confined to small stalls for long hours with no daily turnout or pasture access. The fact that they receive only five weeks of “vacation” per year is not a benefit, it is an admission of chronic, unfair treatment. Many horses come from working farms and return after furlough weaker, stressed, and less able to cope with the demands of urban carriage work.
Reality:
Context / Industry Standards:
AAEP & American Humane Society: Recommend daily turnout and group housing to allow horses to move freely, graze, and socialize. Denying this leads to stress, stereotypic behaviors (cribbing, weaving), and depression.
British Horse Society: Highlights that regular turnout is essential for physical health (musculoskeletal development, circulation) and mental well-being.
Summary:
A five-week vacation is no substitute for daily turnout. Confining horses for 51 weeks a year is a serious welfare violation, causing chronic stress, behavioral issues, and physical deterioration, regardless of feed, bedding, or stall size. This is an admission of guilt.