Audit of Horse-Drawn Carriages Business Finds Inconsistencies

Hudsons Bolt · 09-08-07, 10:17 PM

Call it a horse of a different color. And, er, age, breed, name and *– yes *– gender as well.

For one of the most fascinating findings in the first audit of the city’s carriage-horse businesses by the New York City comptroller is the strange discrepancy it found when investigators compared the 2005 health certificates of 135 carriage horses with the 2006 certificates.
Fifty-seven of them *– 42 percent *– offered conflicting physical descriptions of the horses. Including color.

That startling finding is one of many critical conclusions raised in the comptroller’s audit, which found a litany of problems in the carriage industry, from lax veterinary care to infrequent inspections. The audit found that the horses were not provided with enough water, were at risk of overheating on hot asphalt and were forced to stand in their own waste because of inadequate drainage.

The poor record-keeping, it would seem, is just the tip of the iceberg.
Audit language is invariably bland, cautious and inoffensive, but the comptroller’s report says — on the verge of snidely? *– that “it would seem important for the [Department of Health] veterinarian to carefully review and compare the current information with the information on prior years’ certificates to ensure that horses are not being switched or that one license number is used for several horses.”

Or, as Elizabeth Forel, president of the Manhattan-based Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, said *– considerably more bluntly *– the comptroller’s discovery was evidence of “switching horses, or that is just very bad record-keeping.”

We have posted the full text of the audit [pdf] — including responses from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Consumer Affairs, which were taken to task for inadequate oversight of the 221 licensed horses, 293 drivers and 68 carriages.

The audit by the city comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., is likely to renew calls in some quarters for a ban on horse-drawn carriages, which some activists proposed in July and which became the subject of a heated debate on this blog.

New York Times
Glenn Collins 09/06/07

purplefdu · 09-10-07, 12:39 PM

Wow thats just awful. Carriage horses these days are a dwindling population in many places and one would think it would be important to watch such animals in NYC where there is a lack of space and adequate room for proper exercise out of the job. I know tourists like a ride through Central Park, but at what cost? For all the switched animals I wonder how many were replaced due to death from lack of vet care.

QuarterHorses · 09-10-07, 07:10 PM

This has been going on for years. Every year several horses get injured or kill in New York. It is a rough place for a horse and they should be restricting the use, but the city officials seem unwilling. The horses also get spooked by the noise and injure tourist also when the carriage crashes into cars.

One More Lap · 09-10-07, 11:35 PM

I don't really understand why / how they are having carriages anyways - or is that just in certain areas and times, or do you guys have something different down there?

I know some cities have parks or some area where you can ride in a carriage, but I don't really understand what's going on - I just know it's bad because horses are getting injured...

Gizmo · 09-13-07, 02:19 PM

Carriage industry is something extra a town offers. I am apaled by the report and the abuse and corruption in the industry. I am sure that such an industry could work fine if it was taking the interest of the horses before the interest of the shareholders....

purplefdu · 09-13-07, 03:32 PM

They have them mostly as tourist attractions to drive around/through Central Park. I know the last time I took a group of college kids to NYC we took a carriage ride, but I was very picky and selected carriages that took the time to make sure their animals were cared for (although I wonder if it was counter productive.no money means no food). Perhaps if they were tracked more like the cabs it would stop this type of issue? I know they've done alot to try and increase the quality of NYC cabs over the years, maybe the carriages need to be next.

**alexis** · 09-17-07, 07:20 PM

I think if anything, a place should be built specific for carriage riding. This way the horses are taken care of, in a safe place (maybe outside the city a tad?) and people still have the chance to have a ride. I must say, I have been to NY for a quick visit, and always wanted to do the carriage, but I never seen the reason behind it having to be in the city. Why do I want to be around a city thats noisy in a peaceful ride? I would rather see outside the city.

And its not like NY doesn't have the money to make this a reality after all.

09-08-07, 10:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hudsons Bolt Member Join Date: 09-08-07 Posts: 27	Audit of Horse-Drawn Carriages Business Finds Inconsistencies *Call it a horse of a different color. And, er, age, breed, name and – yes – gender as well.* For one of the most fascinating findings in the first audit of the city’s carriage-horse businesses by the New York City comptroller is the strange discrepancy it found when investigators compared the 2005 health certificates of 135 carriage horses with the 2006 certificates. Fifty-seven of them – 42 percent – offered conflicting physical descriptions of the horses. Including color. That startling finding is one of many critical conclusions raised in the comptroller’s audit, which found a litany of problems in the carriage industry, from lax veterinary care to infrequent inspections. The audit found that the horses were not provided with enough water, were at risk of overheating on hot asphalt and were forced to stand in their own waste because of inadequate drainage. The poor record-keeping, it would seem, is just the tip of the iceberg. Audit language is invariably bland, cautious and inoffensive, but the comptroller’s report says — on the verge of snidely? – that “it would seem important for the [Department of Health] veterinarian to carefully review and compare the current information with the information on prior years’ certificates to ensure that horses are not being switched or that one license number is used for several horses.” Or, as Elizabeth Forel, president of the Manhattan-based Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, said – considerably more bluntly *– the comptroller’s discovery was evidence of “switching horses, or that is just very bad record-keeping.” We have posted the full text of the audit [pdf] — including responses from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Consumer Affairs, which were taken to task for inadequate oversight of the 221 licensed horses, 293 drivers and 68 carriages. The audit by the city comptroller, William C. Thompson Jr., is likely to renew calls in some quarters for a ban on horse-drawn carriages, which some activists proposed in July and which became the subject of a heated debate on this blog. New York Times Glenn Collins 09/06/07

09-10-07, 07:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
QuarterHorses Member Join Date: 08-11-07 Posts: 63	This has been going on for years. Every year several horses get injured or kill in New York. It is a rough place for a horse and they should be restricting the use, but the city officials seem unwilling. The horses also get spooked by the noise and injure tourist also when the carriage crashes into cars. __________________ Quarter Horses, nothing is better!

09-13-07, 02:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Gizmo Member Join Date: 08-12-07 Posts: 22	Carriage industry is something extra a town offers. I am apaled by the report and the abuse and corruption in the industry. I am sure that such an industry could work fine if it was taking the interest of the horses before the interest of the shareholders.... __________________ Just dont let this guy make you coffee

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09-10-07, 12:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
purplefdu Member Join Date: 08-12-07 Posts: 236	Wow thats just awful. Carriage horses these days are a dwindling population in many places and one would think it would be important to watch such animals in NYC where there is a lack of space and adequate room for proper exercise out of the job. I know tourists like a ride through Central Park, but at what cost? For all the switched animals I wonder how many were replaced due to death from lack of vet care.

09-10-07, 11:35 PM	#4 (permalink)
One More Lap Member Join Date: 08-31-07 Posts: 26	I don't really understand why / how they are having carriages anyways - or is that just in certain areas and times, or do you guys have something different down there? I know some cities have parks or some area where you can ride in a carriage, but I don't really understand what's going on - I just know it's bad because horses are getting injured...

09-13-07, 03:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
purplefdu Member Join Date: 08-12-07 Posts: 236	They have them mostly as tourist attractions to drive around/through Central Park. I know the last time I took a group of college kids to NYC we took a carriage ride, but I was very picky and selected carriages that took the time to make sure their animals were cared for (although I wonder if it was counter productive.no money means no food). Perhaps if they were tracked more like the cabs it would stop this type of issue? I know they've done alot to try and increase the quality of NYC cabs over the years, maybe the carriages need to be next.

09-17-07, 07:20 PM	#7 (permalink)
alexis Super-Moderator Join Date: 08-10-07 Posts: 329	I think if anything, a place should be built specific for carriage riding. This way the horses are taken care of, in a safe place (maybe outside the city a tad?) and people still have the chance to have a ride. I must say, I have been to NY for a quick visit, and always wanted to do the carriage, but I never seen the reason behind it having to be in the city. Why do I want to be around a city thats noisy in a peaceful ride? I would rather see outside the city. And its not like NY doesn't have the money to make this a reality after all.