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Oct 17, 2007 9:06 am US/Eastern
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Controversy Stirs Over Home For Arabbers' Horses
by Mike Schuh
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
It has been two months since the city condemned the stable used by horsedrawn fruit and vegetable cars. Those vendors, called arabbers, now have their horses in temporary quarters in a tent in the Pimlico parking lot. But controversy has risen about which horses are going to be moved to permanent stables.
Mike Schuh reports of the 51 horses removed from dilapidated stables, only a half dozen were actively being used as arabber ponies. The rest are either retired or are pets.
Now, the horse owners are being told only horses used to pull vending carts or carriages are going to be welcome at the new stables being built.
In early August, they were moved out of their home in Northwest Baltimore. Those stables on Retreat Street were a fire trap--structurally deficient and obsolete. The 51 horses landed temporarily at the Bowie Training Center, then at Pimlico Race Track.
"The mayor has made it clear to us, that we need to protect these horses and protect their trade, so that's what we're are going to do," said Deputy Housing Commissioner Reggie Scribner.
But the plan doesn't include any horses, which don't have a valid arabber license.
When they left their original stable, there was no mention of segregating the horses as to whether they are working, retired or pets. The city says the new site won't have grazing or exercise yards, so it's not humane for the older horses to live there.
"When we were removed from Retreat Street, they said they'd take care of everybody. No horse left behind," said horse owner Dotsy Jones.
The city still expects to break ground on the new stables west of the B&O Railroad Museum within 60 days. In the city code, there is a section allowing for a horse owner to ask for an exemption to their rules.
The city meets with arabbers each Wednesday to discuss progress in getting the new stables built.
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