Equine Advocates

06/12/2026

Hooray! Philadelphia passed a ban on Carriage Horses. Will NYC finally do the same?

Congratulations to Philadelphia City Council member and sponsor Mark Squilla, and to Council members who listened to their constituents, for passing a bill yesterday prohibiting the use of horse-drawn carriages. Humane organizations, including Carriage Horse Freedom and Revolution Philadelphia, local activists and advocates, and the people of that great city, who worked hard to get this passed, must be commended for staying on this issue and never giving up.

The spotlight now shifts to New York City, a close neighbor to Philly, which experienced yet another deadly incident in Central Park a few days ago when a carriage horse collapsed and died in front of horrified parkgoers. NYC residents now have the same opportunity to put an end to this cruel, inhumane, and anachronistic business by putting pressure on the Mamdani Administration and the NYC Council to finally do the right thing. They must swiftly pass Ryder’s Law, which would end the urban carriage horse trade in the city.

What You Can Do

Please read and familiarize yourself with Ryder’s Law if you have not already done so: https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=8067835&GUID=53C552B4-4BC2-41DA-A14A-560E74E7F3E1&Options=&Search=

If you live in NYC and/or have family and friends who do, please contact and urge these members to support passing Ryder’s Law:

• NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani: https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/contact-the-mayor

• NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin: (212) 860-1950, [email protected], [email protected]

• Your New York City Council Member: https://council.nyc.gov/districts/

Philadelphia just made history for horses. Other crowded U.S. cities that still have horse-drawn carriages, especially New York City, need to follow suit!

Photo of Mark, a rescued Philadelphia Carriage Horse now living at Equine Advocates, by Jim Craner

06/10/2026

Another NYC Carriage Horse has collapsed and died in Central Park! When will enough finally be enough?

While numerous progressive cities around the world have banned the use of horse-drawn carriages, New York City stubbornly remains in the Dark Ages. Yesterday, yet another carriage horse has died and the same old tired arguments to keep this miserable business going are being repeated ad nauseam like a broken record.

We support the passage of Ryder's Law that would finally ban the use of horse-drawn carriages in New York City. We hope that NYC residents will take the time today to flood their respective City Council Members, as well as NYC Council Speaker Julie Menin, with calls and emails calling for the passage of this important law.

A rally will be taking place today at noon on the steps of City Hall in support of Ryder's Law!

As the late great Mahatma Gandhi said in one of his most famous quotes, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." As a nation, we are failing on many fronts when it comes to treating animals humanely in a disgraceful trend that has worsened considerably in recent years. New York City now has an opportunity to begin reversing that horrific trend by passing Ryder's Law this year.

Please click on the image below to watch yesterday's ABC news report detailing this tragic incident.

A carriage horse died inside Central Park on Tuesday, NYPD confirmed.

06/08/2026

✅ Sunny skies
✅ Smiling faces
✅ Giving equines pets and love

All boxes were checked off during our Public Open Day this weekend! Thank you to everyone who visited our sanctuary to spend time with our rescued and retired equines and learn about what we do. We can't wait to see you again in July!

Missed the Open Day? Check out the full 2026 schedule for future dates: https://www.equineadvocates.org/public-open-days-2026/

06/05/2026

“Meet a Rescued Equine a Day” until our next Public Open Day of 2026 – Saturday, June 6th, 11 AM - 4 PM

Blue is a Pony born on April 21, 2004. He had been used as a Camp Horse in Vermont, but the camp owner decided to get rid of him because he was not a good candidate for being ridden “English.” Instead of trying to find him a safe and kind home, that callous owner dumped him at a slaughter auction in Agawam, Massachusetts. Blue was rescued from that auction in 2017. He arrived at our sanctuary on April 24, 2025.

As summer approaches, we know many kids are getting ready to enjoy long, sunny days at riding camps. The sad truth is that some seasonal riding camps lease their horses from killer buyers and horse dealers, and eventually return the animals to them when summer ends. Parents must research riding camps before sending their children to one where the animals are leased or treated inhumanely. There are good camps that keep their horses and retire them, and families need to take the time to find them.

Learn more about how to choose the right camp that keeps your family and horses safe: https://www.equineadvocates.org/the-issues/camp-horses/

Photo by Susan Skinner

06/04/2026

“Meet a Rescued Equine a Day” until our next Public Open Day of 2026 – Saturday, June 6th, 11 AM - 4 PM

Meet Angie, a Draft Cross born on this day in 2004. She’s the offspring of former PMU (Pregnant Mares’ Urine) mare Barbra, who Equine Advocates rescued in 2004 in Canada, along with 45 other slaughter-bound PMU mares. Angie was born in the U.S. and had been adopted out for several years, but came back to us in August 2011. Barbra sadly passed away in 2017. Angie now spends her days with other mares in a large pasture we call “Glamour Girls.” Happy Birthday, Angie!

Photo by Jules Appleby

06/03/2026

“Meet a Rescued Equine a Day” until our next Public Open Day of 2026 – Saturday, June 6th, 11 AM - 4 PM

Babe, born around 1991, is a former Work Mule from western Pennsylvania. She and her sister Belle were involved in an accident while pulling a plow, and Belle was injured. Both were about to be sold at a slaughter auction when Equine Advocates came to their rescue and purchased them in 2001. Sadly, Belle passed away in 2021. Babe spends her days with Henry, another rescued mule, in an area of the sanctuary we call “Comedy Central.”

06/02/2026

“Meet a Rescued Equine a Day” until our next Public Open Day of 2026 – Saturday, June 6th, 11 AM - 4 PM

Meet Willie! Born in 2019, he's the youngest and the smallest of the four Wild Burros who arrived at our sanctuary last June. Willie was captured on January 14, 2024, by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) during its largest roundup that year in the Black Mountain Herd Management Area (HMA) in Arizona. The Cattoor Livestock Roundup Company was paid more than $371,000 to round up the Burros and transport them to a government holding facility. Cattoor has been contracted by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service to round up Wild Equines since 1975 at the cost of tens of millions of dollars to the American taxpayer. While the company claims its methods are “humane,” media reports have exposed the inhumane tactics used by Cattoor to round up Wild Equines, citing documented incidents of abuse and cruel treatment. This includes long, intense chases of these animals with helicopters during oppressive and torrid heat, often resulting in severe exhaustion and sometimes death, as well as numerous other reports of neglect and cruelty. Willie serves as one of our ambassadors to help educate the public about why these roundups should end, and why we should allow Wild Horses and Burros to roam wild and free on America’s Public Lands.

06/01/2026

“Meet a Rescued Equine a Day” until our next Public Open Day of 2026 – Saturday, June 6th, 11 AM - 4 PM

Here's a 2-for-1 🐴 Meet Suzie and Lily! On June 1, 2004, newborn foals Suzie and Lily were the first equines to arrive at our sanctuary, along with their mothers, rescued Canadian PMU (Pregnant Mares’ Urine) mares Bernadette and Jill. Sadly, Bernadette and Jill passed away in 2018, but their daughters still live together in a pasture we named “Girls Just Want To Have Fun.”

Lily and Suzie are symbols of how far we’ve come since Susan Wagner founded Equine Advocates in 1996. See them in person and learn more about our organization this Saturday!

View full Open Day details: https://www.equineadvocates.org/public-open-days-2026/

Photo by Dana Goedewaagen

05/30/2026

Why did Connor win an award?

Because he was OUTSTANDING in his field 😄

We joke, but Connor does deserve to be recognized! This handsome gelding is the son of PMU (Pregnant Mares’ Urine) mare Annie. He and his mother had been adopted out, but both came back to us in 2008. Connor is one of our kindest horses here, and he enjoys spending his days with fellow PMU offspring Jeffrey Mac. Annie lives with her friends in another pasture at the sanctuary.

Meet Connor, Annie, and all their friends at our Public Open Day next weekend!

📅 Date: Saturday, June 6th

⏱ Time: 11 AM - 4 PM

📍 Location: 3212 State Route 66, Valatie, NY

Visit our website for more details: https://www.equineadvocates.org/public-open-days-2026/

05/29/2026

We were hoping Daffodil would come out and join us in the sunshine. But Daffodil will do what she wants. And we love that for her 💕 At Equine Advocates, our rescued & retired horses are not worked, ridden, or forced to do anything they don't want. They get to be themselves in a place of comfort, safety & with lots of yummy hay!