Kensington Stables Protest Plan to Ban CP Horse-Drawn Carriages

Worried about what the future will be for retired horses if the carriages pulled by them are banned from Central Park; Walker Blankinship, who runs Kensington Stables near Prospect Park is protesting New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plans for the beloved tradition of horse-drawn carriage rental in Manhattan’s fabled park.

Are Horse and Carriage in Central Park Going to be Banned?
Not if Kensington Stables can help it.

Blankinship asserts that the unwanted horses will end up on the chopping block, slaughtered for meat, despite de Blasio’s reassurances that a loving home will be found for each and every one of the horses. De Blasio would like to see the carriages banned, as he, along with animal rights groups, see the custom as inhumane to horses.

The main group lobbying for a ban on the horse-drawn carriages is the New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NYCLASS) advocacy group. In a statement they claim that:

"The stable owner is putting forth a false choice by saying carriage horses shouldn't be banned because other forms of animal cruelty against horses exist. That's like saying you can't take in an abused dog found on your street corner because some other dog in a shelter somewhere else would have his spot taken. Those who want to adopt a horse want to specifically stop this unnecessary and inhumane practice of horses in dangerous midtown traffic. 

“NYCLASS has been working closely with animal protection groups including the ASPCA and the Humane Society of the United States, to identify individuals who are committed to providing retired horses loving homes on private farms and in sanctuaries. 

“The interest has been overwhelming. More than that, though, NYCLASS board members have guaranteed a home for every retired horse. Not one of these horses will go to slaughter."

To get the ban passed however, de Blasio needs the approval of the City Council, which might not be so easy. A recent Quinnipiac poll showed that most New Yorkers want to maintain the tried and true, not to mention romantic, tradition of Central Park horses, drivers, and carriages.