Liam Neeson has decided to take on Alec Baldwin. And that is easily the scariest idea I can possibly imagine. Neeson strikes me as someone who is generally thoughtful and calm, and probably still rational and un-scary even is his more fiery moments. Alec Baldwin – whom I love as an actor – can be loud and insulting and sort of frightening when he gets all worked up about something. And in this case, the something both men are passionate about is horses.
Baldwin has been campaigning with PETA to rid Central Park of the horse drawn carriage. Neeson wants to keep them, and the two men may very well go head-to-head in front of New York’s legislation hearing on the matter.
LIAM Neeson might be going head to head with Alec Baldwin over Manhattan’s horse carriage industry. The Irish-born actor wrote a letter to the City Council in response to the proposed bill to ban the buggy business, according to the Irish Echo.
“As a horse lover and rider, I am deeply disturbed by the unnecessary and misguided political and extreme rhetoric against the horse-drawn carriage industry,” the letter stated. “As a proud New York resident, I have personally enjoyed the beauty of Central Park on a daily basis for many years, and these horses are an undeniable integral part of that experience.”
Neeson may have to face off with the “30 Rock” star at the legislation hearing on Jan. 30. Baldwin, who believes the horses are suffering, once compared the “tradition” of horse drawn carriages to the “tradition” of drug dealers and public intoxication. The vegetarian has been an avid protester against the use of the four-legged creatures.
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This is one of those issues where I really do understand both sides. It’s hard to know exactly how well – or how poorly – the carriage horses are treated. PETA can be very extreme, to the point that many have accused them of drastically exaggerating and misrepresenting their claims. And there are few things I find as charming as the clip clopping of hooves through the park.
Really what it should come down to is an independent investigation into the horses’ living conditions by the city, not what two actors have to say about the issue. Though I do relish the thought of the possibly obscenity-laced tirade Alec Baldwin may go into, which would probably do more harm than good.
Here’s Liam Neeson at the ‘Taken / 96 Hours’ photocall at the Regent Hotel in Berlin on January 8th. Images thanks to WENN.
I don’t know where they live in the city, but I do know that there is one company that has the horses go out to a farm every few weeks and live there as opposed to living in the city.
All of the horses I’ve ever seen seem really well taken care of. Their coats are shiny and their manes well brushed. They don;t have gunk in their eyes and their hooves aren’t broken or excessively dirty.
I went on a carriage ride with my family once with a horse named George who responded to his name and enjoyed a pet from us before we left him. That particular company doesn’t allow their horses to do more than one carriage ride in a certain time span…I forget what it is. Maybe I just got lucky and saw the best one. I dunno. I think PETA overdoes it when they are trying to help. If the horses were really being mistreated, I don’t think New Yorkers would stand for it.
Gotta take anything PETA does or says with a pinch of salt. I could imagine a face off with Alec yelling and Liam calmly talking to him like a 5 year old. Unless there’s proof of abuse the horses deserve to work.
While I like the romantic notion of horse drawn carriages, I can’t help but feel that with the advent of cars, electricity and computers the old fashioned notion of forcing an animal into labor is a bit outdated.
Why should a horse spend its life doing work for us, when it would much rather live a life according to its own desires? How about a human-powered bicycle pedaled carriage instead? At least that person is choosing to do that out of their own free will.
Interesting point, however horses have become almost solely reliant on humans for food, regardless of whether they’re stabled or left out to pasture, so it’s difficult to ascertain what is truely their “wants”.
Rickshaws are also an excellent way of getting to see a city, and although less romantic, they’re still quite fun. Ironically,the rickshaws would probably be less regulated and the humans powering them being more exploited than the horses.
That being said, I’m with The Big Fella on this one.
“Why should a horse spend its life doing work for us, when it would much rather live a life according to its own desires?”
I’m sure that’s a question that’s crossed the mind of many an employee. Most people can’t live their life that way, nevermind a horse.
Anyway, we’re not talking wild mustangs here, the domesticated horse needs and enjoys work. They enjoy their purpose when well treated and appreciated for the work they do.
I wonder if PETA will go after Budweiser for their horses? If I was going to be a horse, I’d want to be a Budweiser horse. They are extremely well taken care of and they get to go on kick ass vacations to really cool Horse farms for months at a time and then retire to the Horses Valhalla. Either that or I’m coming back as my dog.
the horses here in NYC arent’ allowed in the park.. they pick the passengers up on the perimeter of the park and they are forced to breathe in exhaust fumes from cars/taxis. not so charming. And, I have actually gone to meetings about this and the thing that really made up my mind is that the horses do not have stalls big enough to lie down in -therefore they never truly got to rest .. And these stalls are on in Hells Kitchen — the horses here are not turned out to pasture and most of them are acquired at auctions ( they were auctioned off to begin with many times because they are no longer in tip top shape i.e. lame).. I just think it is not good for them in any way.
I heart Liam Neeson.
PETA and Baldwin are equally ridiculous.
Baldwin is an ass and if any one knows about public intoxication it is him!
Horses were bron to run, they need to work to keep their health. Peta needs to go away because they lie like a rug and exagerate everything. I saw them take after a neighbor who has horses and used them for teaching children how to ride. Those horses were very well taken care of. Of course my neighbors won and Peta had to go find another victim.
I understand people not wanting people to wear fur, but it is really no ones buisiness what another person wears. Just like hunting, if people do not kill deer for food and hide they will starve to death from over population and if you have ever been starved you would know it is a lot more painful than being shot.
pulling a bunch of fat-assed tourists through heavy traffic, breathing exhuast, in all kinds of weather doesn’t seem like something that a horse should be doing. occasionally horses do collapse in the summer and some have died. i think i can walk through central park, thanks.
“Why should a horse spend its life doing work for us, when it would much rather live a life according to its own desires?”
How exactly do you envision a horse “living according to its own desires”? Turning them loose in a big magical field that would appear…where? Some kind of unused state park that was completely free of predators or other ungulates (so they wouldn’t be subject to the kind of diseases that deer die horribly of, for example)? A kindly old man’s empty field? Should, instead, these horses go to people who have the time, money, and dedication to respond only to the horse’s whim, rather than imposing any sort of structure or regulation? As situation where, if the horse is frightened by a thunderclap and wants to bolt into a nearby farm, or onto the expressway, humans won’t step in to stop him because it’s his/her desire?
Horses are domesticated animals who were bred to work alongside humans; their natures are fundamentally altered to suit this fact.
While I would never advocate abusing the horses, and I agree that regulation and spot-checks should be required, it’s a bit quixotic to think you can just turn domesticated animals loose into some kind of happyland life.
Wow – I really appreciate some of the reasonable, thoughtful, knowledgeable, non-knee jerk responses here.
I have been in the NYC carriage biz for 27 years.
The welfare of the horses is what the decent-minded, casual observer is truly interested in, and for good reason. The horse-drawn carriages are a New York City icon; they are ambassadors to our visitors, and the horses themselves are working animals that are entitled to proper care and good handling.
Fortunately, our record reflects exactly that. Our horses lead exceedingly reasonable and content lives. They each receive a superior, formulated diet, occupy roomy box stalls, receive vet & farrier care, and are groomed and bathed regularly. This amounts to food, shelter, and medical care – which many CHILDREN in this city do not have. Beyond these basics, they are loved by their owners/drivers; they receive affection, treats, and human interaction everyday. Every stable has a sprinkler system in case of fire, and every stable has 24/7 stablemen. We are overseen by 5 city agencies, and not one WEEK goes by (and sometimes, day) that our horses are not checked by the ASPCA or the Dept of Health. (Let’s see CPS match that record)
The horses receive rotation turnout several times a year on farms in both Upstate NY and PA.
When the time comes, we retire them to loving, forever homes; some of the owners retire them themselves on privately owned land. I personally have retired 3 horses, one of which is still living the life of Riley after being retired 6 years ago in South Jersey at a bank president’s home.
And Audrey? Of COURSE we are allowed through the Park! The Park was BUILT for carriages, we have been in it since it was unveiled 1858.
As for Alec Baldwin – we have been battling this bloviating hypocrite for 20 years. he knows nothing about horses.(BTW, he claims he’s PETA & a vegetarian, yet eats meat all the time, FWIW)
Liam Neeson has been in all of our stables many times, and is a horseman. I’ll take his endorsement over Alec’s objections anyday.
Kate – “Occasionally horses collapse in summer and some do die”?? That is an outright lie.
Audrey – EVERY SINGLE CARRIAGE HORSE in NYC has a roomy box stall. And they go to pasture several times a year.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.
michaleenfly,
you’re dead wrong. .i witnessed interviews with vets who investigated conditions of these horses as part of the ASPCA…the horse stalls are in poorly ventilated urban buildings and are so small that they could barely even sit…their water is from communal “basins” throughout the city shared by other animals–a vets nightmare regarding the spread of disease. their food is dumped on them on the pavement while working and is frequently infested with pigeon droppings. i saw footage of this–pics don’t lie…but you are entitled to your opinion.
Actually, Vic, youve been misled yet again. Why dont you look at the videos on youtube channel stopliesseetruth. There you will see out state of the art stable with roomy box stalls, the buckets we use to carry our horses food, the ventilations systems in place, the fire protections systems in palce, the vets that have testified for the aspca that we have never had a violation …..go ahead. LOOK at them. There you will find the truth no the PETA propagnada youve unfortuanately taken to.
http://www.youtube.com/user/StopLiesSeeTruth
The one time my family took a carriage ride in NYC we didn’t realize that the time we spent petting the horse was included in the amount of time we had bought. Also, we had barely gone anywhere before the time was over and the driver asked for more money to go on a longer ride. With children in the carriage I didn’t say no although I knew we were being scammed. I believe it cost about $45 dollars for a trip from the edge of the park to Tavern on the Green. Scamming drivers aside, how many horses have to work in hot NYC summers?
Please go to my youtube channal and see the box stalls for yourselves
Stopliesseetruth
or google
stopliesseetruth
Gotta love horses
What is this obsession with crapping all over PETA? It’s become a major cliche, and I just don’t get it. I get that they use “crazy” tactics, but that’s to bring attention to the work they do in the name of kindness and compassion. There’s no such thing as too extreme when it comes to compassion, and there’s no reason to pick and choose what’s a “more important” cause. I love (like, LOOOVE) Liam Neeson, but between the horse-drawn carriage issue and the wolf-meat issue, I think maybe he’s gonna have to drop to the bottom of my Top Five Hottest Men on Earth list. Yup, all the way down to #5.