The Fancy Hat Veneer

Last year I was contacted by first time author Joyce Anderson,  who was researching and compiling information for her first book on horse racing.  “The Fancy Hat Veneer,” is the result of her research; it is a compilation of information proving the undeniable responsibility the racing industry and Thoroughbred breeders have for thousands of racehorses being sent to slaughter every year.  Joyce chose the  title because,  for many horse racing fans,  fancy hats have become a fashion statement by women attending famous races such as The Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs.  The fine clothing of the spectators is the biggest tradition in thoroughbred horse racing,  while the brutality and horrors of the  racing world are kept from the public….well hidden by “The Fancy Hat Veneer.”   As we know, a “veneer” is a thin layer of wood that covers what is under it, so the actual commodity itself appears more refined and polished.

The book is a broad stroke collection of articles, blogs, reports, statistics, and personal stories from the world of Thoroughbreds, horse racing, and breeding. Selected articles take the reader behind the scenes to the world the racing public never has the opportunity to see and generally does not hear about – the underbelly of racing,  breeding,  and the journeys of racehorses before, during, and after their brief careers.

If you would like a bit more insight into the book please visit  www.thefancyhatveneer.com where the book can also be purchased online.

Front and Back Cover

Synopsis By Chapter

(as written by Joyce Anderson)

 

 Chapter 1 – A Bit About Horses, A Bit About Thoroughbreds

Horses have been an integral part of our life and our survival since rehistory.  They have been warriors, workers, allies, companions, protectors, explorers and even teachers and therapists.

Horses have died on battlefields, transported goods, carried our families, moved canal barges, couriered mail, pulled fire engines, provided transportation and plowed the fields.

They have performed every task we have asked of them. They have more than earned the right to a full life.

Chapter 2 – The Story of Two

Press Exclusive’s journey and photographs are reprinted with permission of Mindy Lovell of Transitions Thoroughbreds who intervened and pulled her from the gates of hell to safety and Susan Wagner of Equine Advocates who provided Press Exclusive with a safe forever home. Her story is not an unusual one for Thorough­breds. However, the end of her story is unusual. She is one of the lucky ones.  The particulars of how she was discarded and the severity of the injuries she sustained are an unforgivable occurance.

Philotimo’s journey from the race track to emaciation took just six short months.  His glory days on the track were over and there was no place for him anywhere.He was “free to a good home”. He was given to a good home and starved at that “good home”. Then the “good home” tried to sell him for $2,500, which would be 100% profit. Rescued by Lynn Cross of Little Brook Farm, “Timo’s” story is reprinted with permission of Lynn Cross of Little Brook Farm, Old Chatham, NY

Chapter 3 – The Thoroughbred Breeding Industry

Individual Thoroughbred breeders can “produce” a few, a few dozen or few hundred foals each and every year.  This is done with the full knowledge that approximately 70% +/- will not have the opportunity to live their full life, the majority will not survive past the age of 10 and only a small fraction will ever be “good enough” to race. This is of no concern to the breeder. Their job is to crank out as many as they can. In fact, the Thoroughbred breeders want to increase breeding numbers and also want more funding for that purpose. They have no conscience.

Chapter 4 – The Racing Industry

Remember Barbaro? He was euthanized at 3½ years old due to catastrophic injuries sustained while racing. Eight Belles was euthanized at 2½ years old due to catastrophic breakdown while racing.

Young thoroughbreds die every week on racetracks from injuries sustained while training and racing.

When Rachel Alexandra lost her last race she was shipped off to be a baby making machine. She suffered grave complications at the birth of her first foal.

Chapter 5 – Horse Racing Wrongs 2013

Horse Racing Wrongs is a blog by Patrick J. Battuello who meticulously documents deaths and injuries of thoroughbreds on America’s race tracks.  The entries are not Mr. Battuello’s opinion; he is simply documenting what occurred.  They are unalterable facts. Each death occurred on the race tracks while the crowds cheered.

This chapter contains just a few blog entries for the recent 2013 racing season.  There are several hundred additional entries you can read for yourself on www.horseracingwrongs.com. 

Patrick J Battuello has been writing on animal-related issues for several years now. His blog, “Animal Rights,” debuted in the Times Union (Albany NY area) in 2009. It was the first of its kind in a Capital Region mainstream publication. In addition, Patrick has written for both the Albany and National editions of the Examiner, and has maintained three separate independent sites.

Chapter 6 – Horse Slaughter

Before we even discuss slaughter you should know how horses are transported to the plants.  Horses are usually transported in stock trailers, which are open without compartments.  All types of horses are together; old, young, babies, sick, injured, pregnant and blind.  Thoroughbreds, work horses and miniature breeds are loaded on the same trailer.  Those that are injured, too small or too weak to withstand the long trip are trampled.  When the trailer arrives at the slaughter plant those that have been trampled or are down are dragged out with a chain wrapped around their neck or a leg.

Horse slaughter is a savage, cruel, violent and barbaric solution to a man made problem. It is horrific, excruciating and brutal.  Nothing about it is humane.

Chapter 7 – What About The Other Horses

In my opinion horses are the most brutalized, abused and mistreated animals.  Maybe it’s their size or maybe it’s their beauty that makes men need to dominate, control, brutalize, harm and torture them.  There is something very deep, very dark and very, very primitive still lingering in our un-evolved psyche.

We live in a society where people are emotionally dead.  Perhaps it’s the internet or social media which has removed us from any personal sensitivity to horror, blood, guts and gore. Thanks to all the groups within the media industry (TV, films, computer games, etc) we have become immune to violence. We can witness the most appalling atrocities first hand and there is little or no reaction.  It barely causes a ripple.

Chapter 8 – In The News

The “In the News” chapter could have been filled with a ton of recent horrific articles.  Sadly there is no lack of appalling stories related to horses.  If you are inclined to read more the internet puts every news agency in the world and their archives at your fingertips.

 

Updated – Canadian Horse Slaughter Influences & Enablers 2014

Written by:  Heather Clemenceau

This infographic (downloadable here),  updated over my original 2012 version, exposes the hand-shaking and back-patting relationships, endorsements, and interconnectivity between the US and Canada. 

We can clearly see the tentacles of the Bill DesBarres’ Horse “Welfare” Association of Canada extending themselves into the breed associations,  farming groups,  Big Pharma, veterinary colleges and associations, and Equine Canada.  By way of the lobbyists in the IEBA,  we are influenced by Big Ag,  Dow and Monsanto,  Humanewatch and other organizations that not only advocate for horse slaughter,  but advocate for GMOs and against the EPA and indeed consumers in general. The Co-Chair position previously held by Sue Wallis is of course vacant, and it’s unknown whether the IEBA itself is actually a going concern., like so many of Wallis’ transitory slaughter groups. We’re unsure whether anyone has or will step into the position, as Sue Wallis was the driving force behind this group. Nevertheless, Bill DesBarres’ connections via the IEBA will no doubt continue to be exploited by HWAC and the horse slaughter industry.

While some of the associations that have been mapped out in the following Canadian infographic do not directly enable horse slaughter,  they are complicit in that they are silent against the practice.  At the very least they seem intent on preserving the status quo and ignoring the very real threats created not only by horse slaughter,  but by the power of Big-Ag lobbyists and governments who are willing to be influenced by them and their client base.

People are waking up to what is being done to horses.  Very few people condone what is being done, but the industry does everything it can to cover it up because they know it is not humane,  no matter what terminology they use.  DesBarres himself likes to refer to slaughter as “humane euthanasia,” and a “wonderful option.”    Please continue to contact the Agriculture critics, in particular – Malcolm Allen, who has endorsed Bill C-322 in the past and now rejects Bill C-571.

Please write to Equine Canada and insist that they take a more global position to promote equestrianism in Canada. Remind them that the GAO report they tout as the rationale for horse slaughter has been debunked.

Contact your breed associations. Many supporters have been lobbying the breed associations and discovering that some appear to be unaware that their names have been added to HWAC’s list of partner organizations. Let them know what they are endorsing when they associate themselves with the Horse “Welfare” Association of Canada and Bill DesBarres. Please ask them to insist that HWAC remove their names and ask them to reject any references to slaughter as “euthanasia.”

 

Click to Embiggen. Click here for downloadable PDF (large file)

Summary of Changes:

1)      Removed references to IEBA Co-Chair Sue Wallis

2)      Updated Agriculture Critics

3)      Updated flowchart to include KML Meats – new slaughterhouse in Westwold, British Columbia

4)      Updated Chief Food Safety Officer and Chief Veterinary Officer for Canada

5)      Removed Kill Buyer JP Soucy – left the business

6)      Added new Kill Buyers Jonathan Lalonde, Mike Swain, Mark Sneider, Richard Patenaude, and Jeff Grof

Here is the current list of provincial associations from the HWAC website. Note that the Ontario Equestrian Federation, which used to be on the list, has been removed.

Provincial Organizations

British Columbia Horse Council	Orville Smith President Lisa Laycock Executive Director	27336 Fraser Highway Aldergrove, BC V4W 3N5	Phone: 604-856-4304 Toll Free: 1-800-345-8055 Email
Alberta Equestrian Federation	Tara Gamble President Sonia Dantu Executive Director	100, 251 Midpark Blvd S.E. Calgary, AB T2X 1S3	Phone: 403-253-4411 Toll Free: 1-877-463-6233 Email
Saskatchewan Horse Federation	Shirley Brodsky President Executive Director	2205 Victoria Avenue Regina, SK S4P 0S4	Phone: 306-780-9244 Email
Quebec Fédération équestre du Québec	Rosaire Houde President Richard Mongeau Executive Director	4545 Ave Pierre de Coubertic CP 1000 Succursale M Montreal, PQ H1V 3R2	Phone: 514-252-3053 Email
New Brunswick Equestrian Association	Deanna Phalen President	Suite 13, 900 Hanwell Rd Fredericton, NB E3B 6A2	Phone: 506-454-2353 Email
Nova Scotia Equestrian Federation	Barbie Lewis President Heather Myrer Executive Director	5516 Spring Garden Rd 4th Floor Halifax, NS B3J 1G6	Phone: 902-425-5450Ext 333 Email
PEI Horse Council	Wendell Grasse President Joy MacDonald EC Representative	POB 1887 Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N5	Phone: 902-964-2379 Email
Newfoundland Equestrian Federation	Kathie Lane President Chris Gallant  Past President	17 Seal Cove Road CBS, NF A1X 6S5	Phone: 709-489-6166 Email
Yukon Territory	Vibeke Coates President	P.O. Box 20165 Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 7A2	Phone: 867-633-3012 Email

 

Additional HWAC “Alliance” Partners

• Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC)
• Appaloosa Horse Club of Canada
• BC Farm Animal Care Council (BCFACC)
• Canadian Quarter Horse Association
• Farm and Food Care Ontario
• Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS)
• Intercity Insurance Services Inc. / Capri Insurance
• Island Horse Council Board

 

 

 

The “Abolitionist Approach” Cult

Written by: Roland Vincent,  Lawyer, Social Justice Activist, and Presidential Campaign Strategist

Reproduced With Permission

Artwork © Heather Clemenceau

 

There are some in the Animal Rights movement who are as intellectually open minded as are cult members. They seem to believe that people will just go from eating meat and wearing leather to being vegans in one fell swoop. All that is required is posting horrific images and railing against speciesism.

If only that would work.

In the real world, it doesn’t. Introducing people to compassion and veganism is easy. Getting people to change their lifestyles is not.

The so called “abolitionist approach” may make adherents feel righteous and morally superior to others, but it does not help the animals.

Consider: People are having babies faster than we are winning people to vegan lifestyles. And the abolitionists aren’t even helping us do that. They oppose transitional diets, vegetarianism, Meatless Mondays, vegan entre additions to school lunches and restaurant menus. If one is not 100% vegan the abolitionists consider them to be the enemy. Not a smart way to make friends or influence people.

So called “abolitionists” also oppose single issue campaigns as somehow promoting speciesism. They believe that efforts to save whales, elephants, rhinos, and seals, for example, denigrates the lives of cattle, pigs, lambs, and chickens dying in slaughterhouses.

They similarly oppose fighting the dogmeat trade in Asia, bullfighting in Spain and Mexico, pigeon shoots in Pennsylvania, and canned hunting in Africa. They even think criticizing Michael Vick is wrong.

The absurdity of their positions is lost on them. Only by reaching out and kindling people’s empathy can our movement grow. As people who love dogs and elephants, dolphins and whales, come to realize that all animals have the right to live and be free of exploitation, the Animal Rights movement will attract new activists and grow.

Erecting barriers to that growth is counterproductive and ridiculous.

And hurts the animals.

Have You Heard of the Yellow Dog Project?

Written by:  Heather Clemenceau

If you’ve ridden a horse at organized trail riding events as I have, you’re probably familiar with the coloured ribbon system on the tail for horses – red for potential kicker, white for sale, green for a horse in training, and generally yellow for a stallion. The system is pretty universally reproduced in trail riding handbooks too. The ribbons are a great visual aid that helps people following horses to know how far back they should keep their horse, to avoid sudden unexpected responses from the horse in front, and to ride safely in a large group.

Most every dog owner considers themselves astute to the moods of dogs. I’m probably no exception, since I don’t automatically reach down to pet an unknown dog, nor do I generally allow strangers to try to pet my dog, a 15 lb, “Lhasa-Shih Tzu-Peke.”  But Coco, rescued from a Quebec puppymill in 2008 and adopted in 2009, has some “issues.” Yeah, she’s got quirks. She was afflicted with dry-eye and while in the puppymill, it was never addressed. When she and other dogs were rescued in a public raid, she went to a dog rehabber, and I found her on Petfinder in 2009,  after she’d had a litter of puppies,  who were also placed by the rescue. Her eyes were severely damaged as a result of the lack of care, and looking into them is like looking into a stained glass window – they are full of strange dark “creases” and “crinkles.” We give her eye drops to prevent them from worsening, but the vet says that there is almost zero reflection back out from the retina, meaning that she is almost totally blind.

I think she navigates out on walks by smell, some light and dark sensitivity, and by feeling the change in textures under her feet. She finds her food bowl mostly by smell. She won’t get better, but hopefully she won’t get worse either. Dog socialization and play classes only cause her anxiety – she cowers after only a few minutes of being inundated with playful dogs, growls and snarls at them, and retreats to my lap with her head in my armpit. At these events she’s generally looked upon as the sad misfit who will never be able to mix with the cool kids.

While some adults and children are very aware of proper ways to approach a dog, many are not. Quite often, well-meaning dog owners in the community always assume that all dogs are friendly and want to play, usually without regard to the different personalities of dogs, their youth and training, and whether they’re intact or not. So I don’t think it’s safe to assume that the public will automatically respect your space; and while it shouldn’t have to take a ribbon to communicate this, it could help in the most-needed cases. Coco really needs a seeing-eye dog of her own, and as a result, she is often startled by the sudden presence of an unfamiliar dog next to her. Quite often I see a dog on a fast trajectory course for Coco, or children approaching with outstretched hands.

“Don’t worry, dogs really like me!”

Warning growls often go unheeded by young dogs and their owners. On occasion I’ve gotten quite irritated with people for opening the door of their house as we walk by to allow their dogs out to “play” with us.  When I explain she’s blind and may bite, they laugh it off and say “Oh, it’ll be a good lesson for my dog.” Well, why is it my obligation to teach your dog any lessons? And what if they come at the expense of both of our dogs if a fight develops? What kind of lesson will your dog take away from this experience? A person should have the grace to step away if the approach by either dog or human is not welcomed,  but sometimes they don’t seem to want to accept this.

The Yellow Dog Project is a movement created for dogs that need space. By tying a yellow ribbon to the dog’s leash you are indicating that this dog needs space (or maybe the human walking the dog needs the space). Short of creating a harness that says “Do Not Pet,” I think this is a great idea if it can get wide acceptance and exposure. Just imagine walking in a neighborhood and rather than having to “shoo” off an approaching stranger that clearly wants to see the dog, they see the ribbon and understand. Now, for creating a wide awareness in my own community…

The movement is not intended to warn people way from dogs that may be dangerous, but the ribbon is intended to represent dogs that are scared or skittish, maybe in heat, post-surgery, learning leash manners, deaf, or recovering from an injury. The use of these ribbons – which has caught on globally – was started by Tara Palardy, a positive reinforcement dog trainer in Red Deer, Alberta. Palardy got the idea from a website launched in Sweden. Since branding her own project, people around the world have started tying bows. She launched a Facebook page for 250 of her friends and clients in September 2012 and now has almost 90,000 followers around the world. The Yellow Dog Project is a not-for-profit organization that now has its own website – http://www.theyellowdogproject.com.

The yellow ribbon is not an escape clause. It’s not an excuse not to train a dog. It does not release you from liability if your dog bites someone. Whether you have a yellow ribbon or not, when approaching an unfamiliar dog:

• Follow leash laws and have your dog under control (even if friendly)
• Ask permission before approaching an unfamiliar dog
• Wait for the dog owner to respond to you
• Always allow dogs enough space to pass

It is human nature to want to touch and interact with a dog. However, I don’t think that it is appropriate for any stranger to allow their dog to rush yours, or to touch or pet your dog without asking first.

The expectations we have for dogs are often a continent away from reality.  This year I vow to stop caring what other people think and stand up for my dog. I pledge to be patient and explain the yellow ribbon to anyone who approaches and asks. It takes practice to be able to say “no” over and over to the same “friendly” person who isn’t respecting our dog’s needs. But this year I hope to reinforce to my neighbours and those in my community that not all dogs are created equal.

 

NYC Carriage Horse Supporters – Words and Pictures

Written by:  Heather Clemenceau

Most people who oppose urban carriages are used to being told that they have “limited horse knowledge” or that they don’t live in New York City, etc. etc. and therefore have no right to render an opinion. But much of the propaganda being churned out in favour of the urban carriage industry is written by so-called journalists who are themselves seriously limited in their understanding not only of the business they are writing about, but of horses in general. Some authors are enviable in their ability to produce 10,000 words per day attesting to the carriage horses’ overall “happiness” and love of their work,  but again, they are also not “horse people.”  This observation does not seem to lend itself to criticism by the urban carriage trade though……

A great many comments I have seen over the last few months have been made by those who support leaving the carriage horses on the streets because they are active in the industry itself. They have made it sound as if a very small minority of animal advocates are the only ones who favour a ban on horse drawn carriages, and everyone else is in it for the big “Real Estate Grab.”

In a recent, blatantly promotional article, published originally on a pro-dog breeding, pro-kennel club website, numbers and statements about the carriage trade are regularly tossed about like pennies into a fountain.  I’ve chosen some of the more unverifiable and outrageous statements from the aforementioned article and provided some real-life context to refute them.  Sometimes,  the most damning statements come from the carriage trade themselves.  So here we go…

“They also have a mandatory five weeks annual vacation that must include unlimited feed and free run of green pastures.”

You can believe in the five weeks “vacation” or not. There are many reasons why,  in my opinion, this mandated “vacation” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  Especially if it isn’t actually a holiday if horses are  sent to Amish country for their R&R,  where they are, unbeknownst to the average person,  used as work horses on farms they are loaned to. And what is this ridiculous comment about “unlimited feed?” Haven’t the carriage peeps been telling us forever that horses shouldn’t be on grass or they will founder? Common sense would seem to dictate that you can’t give any horse unlimited feed either, which shows exactly how much the author of this article knows about horses (or has been spoon-fed). No one can say with any certainly that any of the horses are on a green pasture anyway – the pasture, if it exists, is just as likely to be a dirt paddock. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

If the carriage owners have farms as is claimed by this supporter, then all the more reason to reject claims that horses who are no longer employed in the NYC carriage trade will be sent to slaughter.  Also a very strong reason to reject claims that medallion owners are all of such modest means and cannot afford to provide aftercare for their horses. Source – http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2013/10/31/nycs-mayor-bloomberg-doesnt-know-manure-about-carriage-horses/

“Prices usually exceed $200,000 when they do. Most medallions are inherited. Families have carried on this business for generations, and no one is getting rich.”

It’s unclear what a medallion (license to operate a carriage business in NYC) is actually worth in present value terms. Some drivers said they paid $30,000 for their medallions 25 years ago. So obviously they are worth a considerable sum

Stop Lies, See Truth indeed. Being able to invest in real estate and other businesses implies an income that is at least middle-class or upper middle-class, or perhaps largely tax-free? Source – https://www.youtube.com/user/StopLiesSeeTruth/discussion

of money, given what the average income must be for the 68 medallion holders bringing in an estimated $15-$19 million dollars to the economy – an amount that has been corroborated by the Communications Liaison for the Horse and Carriage Association of New York City.  Therefore, to determine how “working class” the industry is as a whole, a little arithmetic can be applied as follows:

$15,000,000/68 medallions = average gross income of $220,588 per medallion owner (low-balling the industry estimate)

$19,000,000/68 medallions = average gross income of $279,412 per medallion owner (applying the upper limit of the estimate)

The problem is that the carriage industry may be talking out of both sides of their feedbag. Perhaps they didn’t anticipate that by arriving at the estimate of $15 – $19 million “investment” into New York City, that there would be people who could do basic arithmetic and figure out what the average gross income would be for 68 medallion owners (or half-medallion owners). So now, the claim that “nobody’s getting rich” is much harder for the average reader to choke down. Especially since the vast majority of that income is cash. To further throw shade on the claim that the medallion owners are just working class people struggling to earn a living in this cash-based economy, we have the testimony of ”StopLiesSeeTruth,” a prolific YouTube videographer and carriage owner, who claims to be earning an exemplary income that affords him the opportunity to invest in “real estate and other businesses.” There seems to be a lot of variation in terms of income, depending on whether one is bragging about it, or declaring it for taxation purposes.

“Horses are kept at four stables in Manhattan. All are currently cooperatively owned and managed within the industry. Even so, expenses for each horse run about $20-$25,000 annually.”

For the average person yes,  perhaps many could not afford this type of monthly expenditure.  But it’s been pointed out elsewhere that the largely cash income derived from operating a hackline carriage is not “average.” Apples to oranges. Source – http://www.forbes.com/sites/vickeryeckhoff/2013/10/31/nycs-mayor-bloomberg-doesnt-know-manure-about-carriage-horses/

A feature of this blog post is obviously to quote the carriage people back to themselves and point out the ridiculousness of both their overstated claims and the claims of their propagandists. So again I’m using the assertions of a NYC carriage supporter who obligingly provides estimates of the basic costs of looking after and providing stabling for an urban horse in the city. Obviously, the supporter providing these numbers has omitted many other expenses in the operation of a carriage business, such as Insurance, wages, haulage, and other potential medical expenses, but even with the addition of these other costs, the cost for caring for one urban horse in no way approaches $25,000. And these costs are gross expenses from business income (again, predominately cash) while people such as myself who have taxes deducted at source, pay for board and veterinary expenses using after tax dollars. The minimum requirements for insurance coverages are also very modest:

$25,000 for bodily injury of any one person resulting from any one accident

$50,000 for bodily injury of two or more persons resulting from any one accident

$50,000 for death of any one person resulting from any one accident

$100,000 for death of two or more persons resulting from any one accident

$10,000 for destruction of property resulting from any one accident

These are not high liability coverages by any stretch of the imagination. Coverage for only $50,000 for the death of one person is ridiculously low.   By comparison,  I have an all-perils liability policy for $5 million,  at a cost of about $200 per year in premiums.  God help any carriage owner who has the misfortune of being the cause of serious injury or death of a young, professional, high income earner in a carriage accident,  someone who has a young family or years of income earning potential curtailed by a disabling injury…..

Despite having insurance,  this carriage driver might have been worried about an insurance claim, since he apparently left the scene of an accident without providing details of his insurance coverage to the other parties in the vehicle:

From the same source, we also get an idea of the various permit fees required, which again, will not bring the total expenses anywhere near $25,000. Carriage Operators of North America – CONA also has sourced out several equine insurance providers that can cover mortality, business insurance, life insurance, excess coverages, and insurance against crime. Again, most business people pay for these (with the possible exception of equine mortality) off their pre-tax income, so the carriage trade is not really any different from most other sole-proprietor businesses or partnerships (but apparently would like most people to think their expenses are greater than other comparable businesses).

Other incidental permit fees may be referenced by viewing the  List of Permit Fees.

• $100: License Fee for applicants who file for a new Horse Drawn Cab Owner License from April 1 of years that end in an even number to September 30 of years that end in an even number.
• $75: License Fee for applicants who file for a new Horse Drawn Cab Owner License from October 1 of years that end in an even number to March 31 of years that end in an odd number.
• $50: License Fee for applicants who file for a Horse Drawn Cab Owner License from April 1 of years that end in an odd number to September 30 of years that end in an odd number.
• $25: License Fee for applicants who file for a new Horse Drawn Cab Owner License from October 1 of years that end in an odd number to March 31 of years that end in an even number.
• 2.49% of credit card payment amount: Non-Refundable Convenience Fee for paying with a credit card
• $100: License Renewal Fee

From the carriage supporter’s basic estimate, we can see that, per horse, basic housing and feed for a horse would be anywhere from $4,740 – $7,740, or possibly more. Neither figures are out-of-line with what horse owners pay to board their personal horses.

Some carriage operators have benefited by subsidized rents as well. In 2001, the City of New York leased a stable on W. 45^th St. to a carriage operator and his partner charging him a rent of only $5,000 a month while a comparable stable could easily have brought the City $60,000 a month.   Even if you consider that the city played a role in displacing the original tenants of this stable, this is a very advantageous cost savings for the carriage operators, but not so much for the City.

“Central Park as a rare car free oasis….”

I wonder what tourist brochures the author is looking at? Cars are allowed in Central Park at certain times. I daresay this writer hasn’t been to New York City (the hue and cry of the carriage supporters, many of whom haven’t been there either). Not only is the park not vehicle-free, the route to and from the stables is teeming with cars, taxis, snow removal vehicles, buses, and emergency vehicles.

“Despite AR rhetoric to the contrary, these owners love their horses and dread the thought of surrendering them to a city-appointed agency for adoption. “

There is no requirement to surrender any horses to anyone. I may be wrong but I’ve never heard of a “city-appointed agency” that has been established for surrendered carriage horses. Making it so that you cannot operate a carriage in NYC is not seizing your property.  The Bill does not require that horses be sold or donated, but the Bill does define the circumstances under which sale or disposal or the horse shall be deemed humane.  While it does attempt to control what happens to the horses IF they are sold, it does not compel  them to be sold.  And since one supporter’s comment included here asserts that the carriage operators have farms, one can only wonder, if true, why they would need to rehome any horse anywhere else?

“New Yorkers, long accustomed to the horses, are horrified by the possibility of losing their only direct contact with this beloved species. “

INS? Immigration and Naturalization Service? Probably not a good idea to display too much braggadoccio about the IRS and the INS as it relates to the carriage trade. Source – https://www.youtube.com/user/StopLiesSeeTruth/discussion

Perhaps, or perhaps not. Don’t forget that, for more than a year, until a week to 10 days before the mayoral primary, the same Quinnipiac polling had a certain former City Council speaker as a “sure thing.”

The “right” of the carriage horse operators to use any city streets is one that can be revoked. The carriage owners and drivers, who enjoy one of the last cash businesses in the city, need to wake up and smell the road apples.  Stop lies,  see truth indeed…

“It is the certainty that they possess the truth that makes men cruel.” ― Anatole France

 

 

Canada’s National Equestrian Federation Continues to Support Slaughter With Invalidated GAO Data

Written by :  Heather Clemenceau

Last month, Equine Canada, the comprehensive national governing body for equestrianism, replied to a direct question from Alex Atamanenko on Bill C-571, who asked for confirmation on their stance on the new horse slaughter Bill C-571. Quite frankly, their explanation for not supporting the Bill does not pass the smell test.

They sent this letter to MPs which included a justification for horse slaughter, based on the GAO report on horse slaughter – Horse Welfare – Action Needed to Address Unintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter. Yet curiously, they did not post or promote this now thoroughly debunked GAO report anywhere else that I can see – not on Facebook or on their website. So why did they only include reference to the GAO report in the letter sent to MPs? Is it because they expected that the horse people who read their Facebook page and website would already know that it had been debunked by John Holland of the Equine Welfare Alliance? Were they attempting to be duplicitous by doing so? Please take the time to watch John Holland’s in-depth explanation of the machinations behind the official GAO report:

Even though evidence of this debunking has been sent to Equine Canada not only by horse advocates but also in a letter written by MP Alex Atamanenko himself, they will likely never retract the reference or their support for the slaughter industry. Read the text under their banner ad on Facebook – it says, we are “…the industry sector leader and as such is recognized and supported by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.” They snuck this in after the usual self-promotion about horse sport in Canada.

The justification for horse slaughter using a debunked report is the latest in a laundry list of problems with EC, which includes their inability to retain their leadership or tackle the traceability issue no matter how many people make up their various committees. How many established organizations hire a CEO on a 1 year term anyway? By the time you send a communication to either an Equine Canada President or CEO/CFO, either or both of them have been replaced/left/terminated and there is no continuity carried forward with the next warm body occupying the position. Maybe they should host a reality show, “Who Wants To Be Our Next CEO?”   I’m not surprised (or disappointed) that the traceability/CanEQUID project seems to be floundering either – is it because the Board of Directors cannot commit to moving forward on it, or are they dysfunctional?

Well this was never really a Kijiji ad, but it might as well have been! And although this parody was written a while ago, true to form, Mr. Gallagher is gone, and now replaced by Al Patterson. This parody is almost a real-life representation of Poe’s Law; an observation that is difficult, if not impossible to distinguish between parody and reality, since both seem equally insane. Originally published In Horse Canada – http://www.horse-canada.com/straight-up/attention-ceos-ec-wants-you/

Just under 900,000 people in Canada are active in the horse industry – more of them adults (59 percent) than children (41 percent). If you’re a competitor, you can’t compete nationally without buying a membership in EC, in your provincial association, with a national sport licence for you, a national passport and annual sport licence for your horse, etc . A few already very wealthy elite riders will get their very expensive training and some of their very expensive

If you take the time to write to the Board of Directors for Equine Canada,  you may get a polite response,  no response at all,  or something like the above remark.  Board members should always provide respectful responses to letters, even if they don’t agree with the subject matter.  Would you want to belong to a federation with a board member who blows you off like this?

travel costs covered through the lobbying efforts and direct grants available via EC, while the para-equestrians get considerably less. However, the vast majority of horse owners are not professional equestrians and therefore underrepresented by Equine Canada. What has EC done to promote Canada’s Trail Riding and Equestrian Tourism? I think trail riders in particular are unimpressed with EC, as they feel that the only benefit Equine Canada could have offered them was the trail system they were supposed to be putting together…but thus far have not. Non-competitors probably outnumber competitors by orders of magnitude. Who does the EC really represent except elite athletes and Agri-Food Canada?

Anti-slaughter advocates need to take a stand by purchasing an Equine Canada membership for $10 and then attending the AGM, challenging them to adopt a non-slaughter position and to promote horse sport for all equestrians. Equine Canada’s mandate SHOULD be to promote horse sport. Full stop. They were never meant to be dabbling around in the bowels of slaughter and using themselves as a cover for Agriculture Canada’s sordid meat business. Will there ever be an end to the conflict of interest of created by Equine Canada’s mandate to promote horse sport and their entanglement with Agriculture Canada’s horse slaughter enterprise?