Working Horses

Working Horses

WORKING HORSES takes a look at three different groups of people who spend their lives working for and around horses: farmers, working folk, and animal rights activists. The three worlds eventually collide in New York City as the city considers a ban on the local horse carriage trade.

The story follows:

Pamela & Paul – run a 21st century horse powered farm and rescue sanctuary in Palmer, Massachusetts called “Blue Star Equiculture,” where able bodied horses are trained to work around the farm, plowing and harvesting fields, moving feed, etc. The couple have a complex working and spiritual connection to the horses.

Tex, the second largest horse in the world, is Blue Star’s latest challenge. Coming to the farm from an abused background, Tex is often skittish and ill-mannered. Pamela and Paul work to rehabilitate Tex, and are the last hope for an unmanageable horse.

Since the farm takes in retired carriage horses, Blue Star becomes tangled up in the contentious ban situation over a hundred and fifty miles away in New York.

Roberto – a veteran animal rights activist who believes it is inhumane to keep the horses working in Central Park. Roberto is trying hard to leave his day job as an accounting consultant to make animal activism his full time job.

Luiz – originally from Brazil, he began driving horse carriages full time after dropping out of the FIT photography program. Luiz has been making a living with horses for over twenty years, and enjoys his professional relationship with the three horses he works with.

The drama plays out as New York's Mayor comes closer to imposing the horse carriage ban, which will significantly affect all the character's lives.