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Central Park Conservancy backs NYC horse carriage ban, citing safety and damage
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Aug 12, 2025
Modified Aug 12, 2025
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Aug 12, 2025
Modified Aug 12, 2025
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The Central Park Conservancy has come out against horse-drawn carriages for the first time, calling them unsafe, damaging to Central Park’s roads and incompatible with its growing crowds.
The nonprofit is throwing its support behind a stalled City Council bill to ban the industry.
The endorsement comes a week after a horse named Lady collapsed and died in Hell’s Kitchen, reigniting debate over the carriage trade's future. Animal rights groups said the incident underscores the need for Ryder’s Law, which would phase out carriage horses by 2026 and help drivers transition to other jobs.
The bill has 19 sponsors but has not had a hearing since it was introduced last year.
In a letter to Mayor Eric Adams and Council Speaker Adrienne Adams on Tuesday, Conservancy President Betsy Smith said recent runaway horse incidents, road damage and sanitation violations have made the carriages “no longer compatible with the realities of a modern, heavily used, and shared public space.”
The group cited two incidents in May in which horses bolted from their handlers and ran loose in the park, with one injuring a pedicab driver. It also cited what it described as manure left behind on park drives and instances of carriages illegally lining up near Columbus Circle.
“We welcome feedback from the Central Park Conservancy and all stakeholders on this bill that continues to go through the Council's legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough public input," City Council spokesperson Benjamin Fang-Estrada said in an email.
The Conservancy also said the heavy carriages and steel horseshoes are degrading newly repaved roads within months.
“We believe it's time to turn the page, as most major cities already have," Smith said in a statement shared with Gothamist.
Allie Taylor, president of Voters For Animal Rights, welcomed the news.
"For nearly a decade, we’ve urged them to take a stand for the horses who endure this outdated and inhumane practice," Taylor said in a statement. "Their support now marks an important step toward a kinder future for these animals, and we’re thankful they’re adding their voice to the movement to end this cruelty once and for all."
A spokesperson for the mayor's office said Adams was saddened by last week’s incident and that City Hall is exploring ways to prevent similar tragedies and ensure the safety of parks, animals and all New Yorkers.
He also said City Hall officials would be meeting with industry representatives and advocates to discuss next steps.
The union representing carriage drivers condemned the Conservancy’s stance.
“The corporate aristocrats at the Central Park Conservancy are now outrageously supporting a measure that would throw about 200 blue-collar workers in the carriage-horse tourism industry out of work,” Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen said in a statement.
He also criticized the group’s redesign of park drives and said it failed to consult the union before issuing its statement.
This story has been updated with additional comment.
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new york city
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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