Carlos A. Foster; Cowboy Taught Urban Youths

Carlos A. Foster, 76, a cowboy who taught riding to urban children in New York and championed the role of blacks in the development of the Old West. Foster, a tall man who regularly wore cowboy attire and a Stetson hat, founded the Urban Western Riding Program at a Bronx stable to teach riding to children and provide an alternative to the dangers of drugs. He often brought black cowboys like himself to ride in parades and exhibitions, believing that few people were aware of the contributions blacks made in building the Old West. Raised on a Cuban cattle ranch, Foster rode on the Mexican rodeo circuit. He worked as a janitor when he moved to the United States in 1960, then took a job at the drug rehabilitation center Horizon House. He later served for 10 years as director of community relations for the New York City Drug Addiction Services Agency. On Dec. 12 of heart failure.