Horse Accident in Queens, NY
My New York friends let me know about a terrible accident tonight that happened in Queens, New York. A seven-year-old Quarter Horse named Romeo was killed when he was hit by a taxi cab. His rider, a 13-year-old boy is in serious condition.
There are several things that struck me about this story. I was shocked to hear about the death of a horse in the city. Most people don't think about riding in the city, but horses have a long history of living and working in cities. There are a variety of stables where people can ride in the New York Metro area, and if you have ever walked around Times Square or Central Park, you may have seen one of the many mounted policemen on patrol. There are many people who have strong feelings about horses living in the city. What are yours?
The story also led me to want to know more about the Federation of Black Cowboys. The particular stable where the boys were riding is owned by the Federation of Black Cowboys, whose mission is to promote the history, culture and legacy of black cowboys, particularly among inner-city youth. It was founded in 1994 by law enforcement officers and professionals. There have been numerous stories on this Federation and the positive impact that their programs with horses have had on urban kids and their city neighborhood.
You can read more about the horse accident and The Federation of Black Cowboys, and more about the Federation of Black Cowboys. In the meantime, today I am thinking about Romeo and hoping that Jerrod, who is recovering in an area hospital, will one day get the chance to ride again.
posted by Darley Newman @ 7:06 AM
2 Comments
2 Comments:
I saw this on the local news in New Jersey. It's such a sad thing because for people in urban areas, what other choice do we have? Many people in NYC don't have cars, and can't get to far away places with horseback riding.
I'm glad you posted about this. It's an important topic. I think I'll still ride in urban areas, but I think the problem in this case was with the taxi driver, not the horse and rider.
I didn't know about the rich history of riding in New York City. I think it should be continued, but that's just one opinion. One thing about people in the New York area - we adapt to everything. Horses and riders included. Just need more awareness, and your post helps.
Charlotte Herring, Hoboken, NJ
Some 45 years ago, I used to ride the Central Park bridle path out of Claremont Stables, which are still operating.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEFDB103AF937A15757C0A96E948260
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claremont_Stables
A couple of pictures http://www.wayward-volvo.org/drop/claremont.html
The horses were delightful - nicely trained, well taken care of but they certainly knew when their "hour" was up. They handled riding through traffic to the park as totally natural.
I would now never consider keeping a horse in a "standing" tie stall but at one time it was often the norm even in "non-urban" settings.
How our thoughts have changed.
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