A California scholar who conducted a study that found low stress levels in carriage horses presented his findings to New York City Council officials Wednesday.

Joe Bertone, who specializes in equine medicine at Western University of Health Sciences, made the presentation to Democratic City Councilman Rafael Espinal and representatives for several other members, including Dan Garodnick (D-Manhattan) and Carlos Menchaca (D-Brooklyn).

Espinal opposes the ban, while Garodnick says he is “undecided.” Menchaca did not respond to a call for comment.

Bertone’s study examined the horses’ cortisol levels, which can spike during stress, and found the horses were chilled out.

The Teamsters, which represents the carriage drivers, paid for Bertone’s visit. The horse carriage industry sponsored the study.

Edita Birnkrant of Friends of Animals, one of about 20 protesters who picketed the meeting Wednesday, disputed the study’s findings, saying that it was a “bogus study that the industry paid for.”

Edita Birnkrant of Friends of Animals, one of about 20 protesters who picketed the meeting Wednesday, disputed the study’s findings, saying that it was a “bogus study that the industry paid for.”

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