Mayor Eric Adams scored a few campaign points with animal rights activists last week after announcing his support for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. A ban he seemed opposed to in 2021 when he ran for his first term as Mayor.
“New York City is a place where history and progress live side by side, but as long as I am mayor, we will always put public safety first. While horse-drawn carriages have long been an iconic fixture of Central Park, they are increasingly incompatible with the conditions of a modern, heavily-used urban green space,” said Adams in a statement. “A series of incidents over the last few years have raised concerns about the welfare of the horses, as well as the safety of pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and carriage operators themselves.”
Horse-drawn carriages have been a part of Central Park’s design and history since its conception, according to the Central Park Conservancy. The park opened to the public in 1859. Eight years later, elaborate carriage parades for the wealthy, as well as rides for middle-class New Yorkers and visitors, became a staple. Horse cars, which are large carriages pulled by a team of horses through the city’s streets, were also a large part of the transportation system in the city and Long Island at that time.
While the industry has tried to evolve with the times, at its core, an actual animal pulling a buggy is what draws in customers. TWU Local 100, the union that represents about 170 horse owners and drivers, would attest to giving the animals in their employ the utmost care.
However, in the past few years, there have been some wild incidents that have been cause for concern. Since 2022, two horses have died: Ryder, who collapsed at West 45th Street and 9th Avenue, and Lady, who fell on West 51st Street and 11th Avenue. There have also been instances where horses get spooked and bolt, oftentimes crashing into traffic, people, or other carriages.
The city council proposed Ryder’s Law, a bill that would phase out horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives, in 2022. It hasn’t passed into law just yet.
In the meantime, Adams already signed an executive order to “prepare” for the ban to be a law and create a process for the voluntary return of licenses from owners.
“To be clear, we will not abandon the drivers themselves, who are honest, hard-working New Yorkers,” said Adams in a statement. “I have directed our agencies to identify new employment opportunities for those in this industry and create a process for voluntary return of licenses. We are also open to exploring a new program for electric carriages so New Yorkers and visitors can continue to enjoy the majesty of Central Park.”
The TWU Local 100 had endorsed Adams in his 2021 run for Mayor. Despite promises of new employment opportunities, the union felt that Adams “sold his soul to real estate developers.” They claim that the animal rights group New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS), which championed Ryder’s Law, is “actually a front for real estate interests that want to develop the four horse stables on Manhattan’s West Side.”
“With his call to end the horse carriage industry, Mayor Adams has betrayed working-class New Yorkers, which is an absolute disgrace,” posted Local 100 President John V. Chiarello. “It’s disappointing to see Adams, who is polling dead last in the mayor’s race, now abandon hardworking people who make their living taking part in an age-old New York tradition.”
Meanwhile, NYCLASS lauded Adams for taking “lifesaving” measures to protect people and horses from the industry’s illegal and dangerous practices. The group called for New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and the council to pass the bill.
“For too long, New Yorkers have witnessed terrifying runaway horses, crashes in Central Park and into vehicles on traffic-clogged streets, human injuries and near fatalities, and horses collapsing and dying on our roads. This cruelty and danger must end,” said NYCLASS Executive Director Edita Birnkrant. “Now the City Council must do its part.”
Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa has been a diehard advocate for the horse-drawn carriage ban, and stood in solidarity with Adams in calling for an end to the industry. Interestingly enough, former Governor Andrew Cuomo also threw his support behind the ban.
“Horse-drawn carriage rides are part of the romantic image of this city, but in 2025 we must face the facts about how outdated, unsafe, and potentially inhumane the practice has become,” said Cuomo in a statement. “New York is the greatest city on earth, but its streets are no place for horses. Allowing horse-drawn carriages to continue to operate is not fair to these animals, and – as we’ve witnessed several times in recent months –– pose a danger to the public in the event they break free and bolt. As mayor, I would seek a full ban on horse-drawn carriages in this city. My opponents and I all have different visions for the future of New York City, but this is one issue where we are all in agreement: Let’s free the horses.”