Earlier this month, a 15-year-old horse named Lady collapsed and died on a Manhattan street after working a carriage ride – just two months after becoming a NYC carriage horse – reigniting calls to ban the practice.
The incident, which happened in sweltering heat, occurred shortly after another carriage horse, Ryder, collapsed in 2022, leading to a failed animal abuse trial and increased support for Ryder’s Law, a bill that would phase out horse-drawn carriages in NYC slowly, over time. If passed, the law would prohibit new licenses, phase out existing carriages, and transition the industry to electric vehicles, with a target start date of June 1, 2026.
Organizations like the Central Park Conservancy – who is calling for a ban on the practice for the first time – NYCLASS, Animal Defenders International and PETA all support passage of the bill, stating that the practice is inhumane and outdated. Conservancy President and CEO Elizabeth W. Smith wrote to Mayor Eric Adams and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to voice concerns about the treatment of the horses, as well as the safety of pedestrians. “We do not take this position lightly, but with visitation to the park growing to record levels, we feel strongly that banning horse carriages has become a matter of public health and safety for Park visitors,” Smith wrote.
The union says horses are required to pass annual vet checks and follow strict temperature guidelines, but critics say the enforcement is weak and outdated. Christina Hansen, who represents the carriage drivers in the city, said Lady had a physical in June when she first started in New York City and “no abnormalities were detected.” Hansen said she completely disagrees with advocates for Ryder’s Law. “There’s no horse abuse happening on the streets of New York or here inside the walls of the West 52nd Street Stable,” Hansen said.
Advocates have called on Lynn Schulman, the chair of the New York City Health Committee, to hold a hearing on Ryder’s Law and accused her Wednesday of stalling the process. In response to the allegations, Schulman released a statement to CBS News New York that reads, in part, “I was disturbed and saddened to learn of the horse that died yesterday and am monitoring the investigation of this terrible death. With regard to Ryder’s Law, there are many different stakeholders with strong opinions on both sides of the issue, and the bill is continuing to go through the legislative process.”
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