Wilson questions drivers on spooking and unattended horse procedures
Wilson asks about procedures when horses are left for photographs and how often horses spook. Hansen says the law requires horses to be attended or tethered, spooking is very rare, and the cause of Romanch's incident is still under investigation.
Thank you.
I have a question about procedures while in the park.
We heard from testimony earlier, and I guess this is for the drivers.
We heard testimony earlier that it is very common for drivers to leave the carriage for, I think it was said, for photographs, that that's advertised, that there's sections in the park where they're often left.
I'm just curious your response to that.
And if that is, if it is routine in perhaps a way that, you know, to step away in a practical way of managing the carriages and the business in the park.
So I've worked as a commercial carriage driver for 20 years, and there's different rules and regulations in different cities.
So here in New York, the law is that the horse must be attended or tethered at all times.
So when we can, we tie our horses to the lampposts and infrastructure.
attended, you know, we have people that are right there.
When this accident took place, my understanding from the people that are investigating it still, it is still an ongoing investigation into this accident as to what spooked the horse.
My understanding is that the driver, as he was getting on the carriage, had the lines in his hand.
When I worked in Philadelphia, the law was not attended or tethered.
It was that you could not ever tether and that you had to maintain control of your horse's head, which was actually defined.
So, you know, we've been a very, very safe industry.
You can look at our guys doing this business back for decades and decades and decades when we're out on Central Park South.
And basically, one of the things that the health department did not mention in their discussion of our training process is that we have an apprenticeship.
We learn from other carriage drivers like how it's done and that is what you know This is how our business has been you know safe and handed down from generations to generations to generations
Given that we don't know what spooked the horse and given that there is like a completely
new thing in Central Park with all these electric vehicles whining and screaming and going on at high rates of speed, you know, we have had to then change what we do because the park is different.
And so, you know, I have been out there every single day literally reminding people to hold their horses and to change the way that they are used to attending their horses and being nearby.
Adita was up here testifying earlier about unattended horses.
She has come by taking pictures, and a lot of times she's taking pictures of her horses, and the driver steps out of frame because, A, she's trying to take a picture of the horse, not of us, and, B, people don't want to be in her social media.
How often is a horse spooked?
Very, very rarely.
You know, horses are creatures of habit.
They don't spook because they're prey animals.
So, you know, a horse's main concern in life
Life is not to be eaten by a mountain lion.
And, you know, you can't spook at everything that moves.
I mean, spooking is a defense fact.
It doesn't run away.
So it happens very rarely because our horses get used to what they experience in the city.
And the taxis and the buses and the construction equipment, all that might as well be rocks and trees and shrubs.
It's just a part of their environment so they can be on the lookout of mountain lions.
I guess what I'm struggling with is, like, we don't know what...
Spooks them.
No matter what, you know, what is the step we can take to stop that?
Council member, you have to wrap it up.
So that's kind of what I'm, you know, we have a sentient animal that we don't believe.
We do, and because they're creatures of habit, as Dr.
Cook said, and we are with them all the time, we know them.
Like, my horse Sherman doesn't like off-leash dogs.
Particularly medium-sized light-colored ones.
Like, he notices them.
He was obviously chased before I bought him when he was on some Amish farm up in the Finger Lakes.
He doesn't like little wheelie things.
You know, some horses don't like garbage trucks, and some walk right past them.
It's not that we don't know, but in this particular instance, in this particular accident, we have no idea.
But that's what's unusual about it because as horse people, we can't, you know, this one is a stumper for us.
So that's why it's still under investigation.
And, you know, so, I mean, we are horse people all the time.
Ask the mounted cops what spooks their horses.
You know, they know their horses just as well as we know ours.
All right, thank you.
I want to thank this panel.
Really appreciate you.
Madam Chair.
Madam Chair, I think I have something to add to Carl Wilson's question, and I think we'll...
No, listen, you had your time, and...
No, I just think it would be a help...
I'm just telling you, this panel's dismissed.
I'm just trying to answer his question.
All right, I'll answer it.
You can answer it with him.
He's right next to you.
Thank you all very much.
For the next panel, we're going to do a hybrid.
There's a doctor who was supposed to be on earlier.
We had some technical issues, so we're going to see if he's still available.
Dr.
Craig.
Shh.
Stuff.
Dr.
Craig Kulikowski.