{"id":4459,"date":"2025-10-20T16:24:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-20T20:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/?p=4459"},"modified":"2025-10-25T07:50:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T11:50:53","slug":"horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/eternal\/horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings-4459","title":{"rendered":"Horse breeding in Brooklyn \u2014 stables better than human dwellings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Horse breeding in Brooklyn have evolved from utilitarian transportation in the 19th century to a modern recreational and specialized activity, a transition marked by the decline of horse-drawn transportation and the growth of urban equestrian programs and indoor arena offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Historically, horses were important as a means of transportation and a labor force in Brooklyn, but as the city modernized, <a href=\"https:\/\/montreal1.one\/uk\/eternal\/konyarstvo-u-kvebeczi-vid-konej-zi-stajni-lyudovyka-xiv-do-nynishnoyi-kanadskoyi-porody-7038\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">horses<\/a> were gradually phased out of everyday infrastructure, and equestrian sports became a specialized form of leisure and competition. Today, the development of horse breeding is focused on new, city-friendly models, such as educational programs, therapeutic horseback riding, and potential indoor arenas that would bring horses back to the city for recreational activities. For more information, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/uk\">brooklyn1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a31391d8bd58\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a31391d8bd58\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/eternal\/horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings-4459\/#The_first_official_mentions_of_horses\" >The first official mentions of horses<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/eternal\/horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings-4459\/#Horse-drawn_vehicles\" >Horse-drawn vehicles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/eternal\/horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings-4459\/#Brooklyn_Stables\" >Brooklyn Stables<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/eternal\/horse-breeding-in-brooklyn-stables-better-than-human-dwellings-4459\/#Horses_in_modern_Brooklyn\" >Horses in modern Brooklyn<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_first_official_mentions_of_horses\"><\/span>The first official mentions of horses<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"888\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48-300x167.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48-768x426.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48-1536x852.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48-696x386.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-48-1068x593.jpeg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Horses arrived in Brooklyn with the first European colonial settlers and over the next three centuries served as transportation, construction, law enforcement, firefighting, street sweeping, ambulance service, and the city mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to related professions and businesses, such as saddlers, blacksmiths, carriage and harness makers, feed suppliers, stable workers, auction houses, and more, the city was full of horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It all started when the Dutch brought horses to New Amsterdam to carry heavy loads and work in mills and sawmills. Later, after the English conquest of these territories, English settlers imported horses for racing. Shortly after their arrival, horses began to appear in official records, most often as the subject of various regulations and taxation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, an entry from the Common Council Minutes of October 15, 1670, contains a typical quote. It is ordered that any and all persons who shall ship from this place any horses, mares, or geldings to Virginia, Maryland, or any other distant plantations, shall pay for each animal one shilling in silver. Or two guilders in wampum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Later records document rules about where and how horses could be bought and sold, watered and fed. And, of course, a whole bunch of rules were written to regulate horse racing. Most often, they were about preventing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Horse-drawn_vehicles\"><\/span>Horse-drawn vehicles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"802\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49-300x150.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49-768x385.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49-1536x770.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49-696x349.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-49-1068x535.jpeg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the main industry where horses were used until the nineteenth century was transportation and passenger transportation. The first horse-drawn omnibus in the country ran along Broadway from Prince to 14th Street starting in 1832. Horse-drawn passenger vehicles continued to run on city streets until 1918.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Starting in the 1860s, fire departments began using horses to transport fire equipment. Similarly, the Department of Street Cleaning and the Department of Public Charities and Hospitals harnessed horses to their equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The number of plans that were associated with the features of Central Park that were specifically dedicated to horses only once again confirms the importance of these animals for leisure as well. Unfortunately, such a frequent use of horses in Brooklyn also had some negative consequences. A significant number of charges of animal cruelty offenses have been filed in police and magistrate courts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many cases, charges were brought by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. A branch of this organization was even founded in New York, which was the first in the United States. It was created, like its British counterpart, the organization monitored the condition of horses for carriages in the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But by the early 20th century, the number of horses in the city began to decline. Engineering inventions, in the form of motorized vehicles such as cars and trucks, gradually reduced Brooklyn&#8217;s dependence on horsepower. Between 1910 and 1920, the number of horses in the city decreased from 128 thousand to 56 thousand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Brooklyn_Stables\"><\/span>Brooklyn Stables<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"823\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50-300x154.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50-768x395.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50-1536x790.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50-696x358.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-50-1068x549.jpeg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>On the third floor, rooms were created for coachmen, footmen, the head of the stable, and grooms. They were luxuriously furnished, and many people in Brooklyn, even with a good salary, would have considered themselves lucky to have such a house. The entrance to the living quarters was arranged separately. This was important, given the odor that could enter the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A special mention should be made of the wealthy people of Brooklyn, who had to keep horses not only as a matter of necessity, but also to confirm their privileged status. For such people, with their mansions in the wealthy enclaves of the Heights, Hill, Slope, and St. Marks, carriage barns and stables for horses and carriages were still a must.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many horse enthusiasts in Brooklyn had stables that rivaled the homes in which they lived in terms of convenience and often cost. Indeed, some of these stables could have been mistaken for fashionable private residences if not for the large double gates in front and the corrugated sidewalks leading off the street.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many wealthy men in Brooklyn kept show or thoroughbred horses in the city, which could be harnessed to fancy carriages or carriages and strolled along roads like Eastern Parkway or Ocean Avenue. They could also visit Prospect Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, many people kept so-called stagecoach horses for more everyday use. Despite the fact that the private carriage was already an urban means of transportation of yesterday. There is information about a Mr. E. T. Bedford of 181 Clinton Avenue in Clinton Hill. Both his home and his stable, which faced Waverly Avenue, are now gone. They have been replaced by the Clinton Avenue Cooperatives, which were built in the 1940s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They were designed by the famous architect Montrose W. Morris. He was one of Charles Pratt&#8217;s oil partners, and of course, he had a lot of money. The facade of his stable was 50 feet wide, and it was located in a three-story building with a mansard roof. On the ground floor, there were stalls for six stagecoach horses, four show horses, and a wagon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The floor of the stables was concrete &#8211; an artificial stone, carved in squares so that the horses would not slip on a smooth surface. In the center was a large ventilation shaft that provided the stable with clean air and ventilation from early morning to late night. In addition, the floor had an inclined angle to the center, where a grate was installed through which horse sewage was washed into the sewer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A part of the stable was reserved for carriages, which made it seem cramped, even though it was large. Upstairs, on the first floor, there was an ordinary harness, and repairs were carried out here, if necessary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Horses_in_modern_Brooklyn\"><\/span>Horses in modern Brooklyn<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"969\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51-300x182.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51-768x465.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51-1536x930.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51-696x422.jpeg 696w, https:\/\/cdn.brooklyn1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/46\/2025\/10\/image-51-1068x647.jpeg 1068w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The building of that stable is located at 11 Ocean Parkway and still stands, converted into a warehouse. But nearby is the Kensington Equestrian Center, the only stable operating in the Prospect Park area that still occupies a dedicated building. Old Belgian blocks can be seen under the pavement on the street. The small arena inside is used for lessons, although most training takes place in Prospect Park. At the rear is an open area for educational programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.nyc\/blog\/2023\/10\/20\/horsepower-the-city-and-the-horse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.archives.nyc\/blog\/2023\/10\/20\/horsepower-the-city-and-the-horse<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brownstoner.com\/history\/walkabout-a-stable-existence\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.brownstoner.com\/history\/walkabout-a-stable-existence\/<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.untappedcities.com\/inside-kensington-horse-stables-last-remnants-of-early-20th-century-riding-academy-in-brooklyn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">https:\/\/www.untappedcities.com\/inside-kensington-horse-stables-last-remnants-of-early-20th-century-riding-academy-in-brooklyn\/<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Horse breeding in Brooklyn have evolved from utilitarian transportation in the 19th century to a modern recreational and specialized activity, a transition marked by the decline of horse-drawn transportation and the growth of urban equestrian programs and indoor arena offerings. Historically, horses were important as a means of transportation and a labor force in Brooklyn, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":326,"featured_media":4460,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1164],"tags":[2922,3052,3050,3053,3041,3045,3040,3044,3043,3046,3048,3051,3049,3042,3047],"moimportance":[78,81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[83],"class_list":{"0":"post-4459","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-brooklyn","9":"tag-development-of-horse-breeding-in-brooklyn","10":"tag-draft-horses","11":"tag-equestrian-sports","12":"tag-foals","13":"tag-horse-breeders","14":"tag-horse-breeding","15":"tag-horse-breeds","16":"tag-horses","17":"tag-horses-in-the-city","18":"tag-horses-in-the-police-force","19":"tag-racehorses","20":"tag-riding-horses","21":"tag-stables","22":"tag-thoroughbred-horses","23":"moimportance-golovna-novina","24":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","25":"motype-eternal","26":"moformat-vlasna"},"modified_by":"Borys Liakhu","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/326"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4459"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4511,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4459\/revisions\/4511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4460"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4459"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=4459"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=4459"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brooklyn1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=4459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}