Coming to theatres today, Friday, May 11 and to VOD this coming Tuesday, May 15:
THE LAST HORSEMEN OF NEW YORK
Director:
Mary Haverstick
Premiere:
Theatrical release (May 2018)
About:
NYC’s horse-drawn carriage workers defend their livelihood.
New York City’s horse-drawn carriages have been the subject of intense debate for several years. While many view them as a quaint, old-fashioned throwback catering to tourists around Central Park, opponents have claimed that the industry is inhumane to horses, subjecting them to cruel treatment and exposure to inhospitable conditions. Fighting for their profession are the carriage drivers, men and women who deny the allegations of mistreatment to their animals, and argue that there are more powerful interests behind the controversy, as shown in Haverstick’s project, one decidedly sympathetic to the latter. The carriage drivers and their allies instead allege that real estate developers with an interest in the property currently housing the horse stables are influencing political will against the profession. While believable, this thesis is unfortunately undercut by the inclusion of defensive and at times suspect arguments, and by largely sidestepping legitimate concerns about the welfare of the animals.
what (not) to doc 
The welfare of carriage horses has been heavily covered by the NYC media (the New York Times, the Daily News and the Post’s editorial boards all agree that based on their visits to the stables, interviews with veterinarians and examination of the evidence fron regulatory bodies that the horses are well cared for). The welfare of the horses has been attested to by the AVMA, AAEP and NYSVMS, and confirmed by the cortisol study by Western University. It’s settled science (plus the filmmakers did a 10 minute film about the welfare issue in 2014). What’s more interesting are the people, the politics and democracy for sale to the highest bidder, who can manipulate otherwise well-meaning but misinformed “supporters” into shrieking in the streets.