Traction History: Non-Skid Over-Shoes Were the Humane Society's Gift to the Horses of New York City

"Here come the hoof boot angels." That's what the people of New York might have said back in 1919, and for many years after that, when they saw Harry Moran  from the Humane Society or Mrs. James Speyer from the Women's League for Animals coming down the street. He had a bag full of canvas winter hoof boots for horses with him; they were called simply "non-skids". She would have boots made of carpet, or chain treads that clipped over a horse's hooves.

Both organizations gave safety hoof gear away for free to drivers and helped put them on over the horses' calked shoes. And then they went on to the next street to help more horses get through the a slippery, snowy winter on the streets of New York.

Central Park Loses a Solid Citizen: Carriage Horse Dies

Juliet, one of the carriage horses at the southern end of Central Park in Manhattan, died early Friday morning in her stall on the third floor of a stable in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. To my surprise, and appreciation, the New York Times has published a combination news story and obituary of one of New York's beloved and controversial (depending on your politics) four-footed citizens. Click here to read the story on NYtimes.com. (But please come back to the HoofBlog.)

In the past, we have written articles about carriage horses slipping on the pavement and, in 2004, about a carriage horse in New York that was electrocuted through its steel horseshoes.

Thanks to the Ritz Carlton for coming to the horse's rescue with what was probably a very expensive rug. There's something tragically poetic about this story.

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