Gothamist: Claremont Academy to Ride Off Into the Sunset

some dude

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 16:48:19 -0500

I think it's a bit selfish to make these horses live in dank urban stalls so they can be ridden in traffic and breathe automobile exhaust...simply for the convenience of (mostly) wealthy New Yorkers don't have to go out to the country to ride their horses. Don't you think it will be better for the horses when they can be let loose in a corral or a pasture? I understand the historical significance of Claremont, but this isn't the 19th century, ya know.

Catherine

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 09:48:27 -0500

"Elitist place"? Excuse me? I am a librarian for NYPL-- if you saw my paystub, you could *hardly* call me "elitist"-- and I rode there for years. If you love something, you find a way to do it. I have had to cut a lot of corners in order to ride, but I did it. Many of Claremont's customers were working and middle-class individuals. Horses don't care what's in your wallet. Additionally, the clients *DID* try to pool their resources and buy the site. One gentleman, a businessman who has been riding their for over 50 years offered $10.2 MILLION and was still outbid by developers.

howard

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 08:17:10 -0500

i live across the street from the stable and yes it will be missed.my question since the stable was really an elitist place,why didnt the clientle get together and buy the site and keep it running.

Kimberly

Sat, 28 Apr 2007 15:40:52 -0500

I have grown up with horses and have never been to New York but I have alway dreamed of visiting and seeing the park on horseback. This is horrible and an absolutaly rediculous reason for shutting down the stable and I second that about the police horses.

DaveH

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:32:29 -0500

[7] I'm guessing you got caught up in the sometimes minutes-long time delay between comments being posted and then actually shown on the site. I believe your positive and constructive criticism re: the closing are the ones posted at [6], and thank you for them. [5] I've never ridden a horse from Claremont, or any horse for that matter, but can imagine how upsetting this is going to be to a lot of people who derive a great deal of satisfaction in dealing with horses. I certainly hope some organization will be able to step in and purchase the property for continued use as a working stable. I certainly don't want to be a locus of organization regarding this issue, but if someone formed a group working to forestall the closing of Claremont, I would be sure to forward any emails received here to that person, or append this post to include his or her contact information. My email is daveh[at]gothamist.com

Randall Croes

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 22:15:30 -0500

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY COMMENTS? I had positive and constructive criticism about what happened with the closing of Claremont, from the point of view of a tourist that loves New York. What happenend to it? I think it helps the cause if you know that the repercussions of the closing of Claremont hurts many of us that do not live in New York. Randall Croes Thank you

Randall

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 21:54:31 -0500

PEOPLE ON THE BRIDDLE PATH, NOT A GOOD EXCUSE FOR CLOSING! I am an avid tourist that comes all the way from the Caribbean to visit New York and spend some good bucks over here during thanksgiving weekend and in the winter coming back from skying up north. My ride last year was the ride of a lifetime and I was preparing to bring along a few other friends to enjoy the unbelievable experience of riding in the park! I suppose the money talks and everything else walks? I agree with the previous comments that the excuse of having people walking on the briddle path is a louse reason for closing. I had a great ride and the kids love the horses. I even had to stop a few times for people to take pictures with me and the horse! Please, somebody out there make a good offer to buy the building! Maybe donate it to the city and keep this valuable asset alive as a foundation!

Laura

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 19:04:51 -0500

I couldn't believe this myself. I have been riding at Claremont since the age of 8 and now I am 15 going on 16. I have come to love these horses and know all about them. Who else will know the great talent Confetti has in unzippering jackets? What happens to the kids who signed up for camp? Why does this have to happen and why now? Claremont is what makes NYC unique. I hope somebody can stop this from happening. I know that plenty of people are trying to. So it would be great if you could gather as many people as possible by posting your email addresses.

ann

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:29:33 -0500

aren't the park's auxiliary corps' Clydesdales kept in that stable? where are they going to go? they've got to be my favorite volunteer organization in the city.

Tim N.

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 07:18:46 -0500

Um, probably more than a bit older... and a far as financial stuff goes? Debt, dude, debt... and anywho, I sort of like the horse, um, accoutremon. But a fair point. I suppose I am addressing myself to a class of people who seem to be all appetitie and no taste, and we all know you don't need money to be like that.

La Leone

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 17:48:46 -0500

Tim N., I totally agree w/everything you said. Especially the fact that "you have to wonder how much more of the great city's soul is going to fall to the wrecker's ball." Well said. However, I find it wierd that you throw around the word "yupster" when your daughter rides horses in Central Park twice a week. I dunno, I mean wouldn't you be in a similar financial bracket to them, but just a bit older? I don't see much of a difference. Sorry, I'm just sayin'.

Tim N.

Tue, 24 Apr 2007 16:23:24 -0500

Novograd's full of crap... or in this case manure, I guess. My daughter rides up there every week and not once have I heard the park riders complain about pedestrians on the bridle path. The occasional mountain biker, maybe, but certainly not enough to impede business. As a matter of fact, with the nicer weather folks seemed to be coming out of the woodwork to take the horses out into the park. On the other hand, there had been at least two rumors a year that Mr. N. was going to sell to developers... figures have been in the range of $10 million... and so I guess he finally decided to take one. It's funny, but for a small stable the horses were all very healthy and very well cared-for, they were truly loved. Hopefully they will all be sent off to good homes. I'm sure the newly-arrived yupsters who live up there will be happy to be rid of the horse poop and stable smell (of course, they did buy a place on a block with a stable, but I digress...) but this is actually very, very sad. There is (was?) a decent-sized riding community in the city that was based out of Claremont, both adults and younger girls, and they've all grown very attached to the horses and their teachers, and that's what makes this particularly heartbreaking for them. As for the rest of us, when the economy and the real estate market of this city can't support a place like Claremont, which in addition to being so beloved was also a boon for tourists (and we all know how important they are), then you have to wonder how much more of the great city's soul is going to fall to the wrecker's ball. As the Daily News said this morning, call it progress, call it sad.