An OTBKB tipster just wrote to say that there’s a chance that the Kensington Stables may be closed down by the Department of Health due to new regulations.

It seems that the Department of Health has created new rental horse codes that will require 5 week furloughs; 8 x 8 box stalls for horses and ponies; and will require that a $35,000 sprinkler sysytem be installed by next year.

The owner cannot afford these changes and he thinks some of them are ” just plain wrong for the horses!” he wrote on the Kensington Stables’  Facebook page.

There was a hearing on February 3 at the DOH, which was attended by City Councilmember Brad Lander, representatives of the Prospect Park Alliance and approximately 50 staff and friends of the Kensington Stable.

According to the OTBKB tipster, the pending new health regulations are meant for the carriage horses, which is something fairly new offered by the stables. However, these regulations will be very bad for the stable as well.

Kensington Stables, located near the southwest corner of the park, offers a variety of equestrian activities and services, including lessons, guided trail rides, and pony rides.

The barn was built in 1930 at 57 Caton Place as the last extension of the riding academy at 11 Ocean Parkway,w hich was built in 1917. The first extension was torn down to make the foot bridge over Ocean Parkway. The original riding academy closed in 1937 and is now a warehouse.

The stable has exclusive use of The Shoe in Prospect Park for lessons. The Shoe is accessible from the Park’s bridle path, which runs from Park Circle to the southwest corner of the Long Meadow.