Text by Stephen Harmon and Carol Tannenhauser. Photographs by Stephen Harmon
I have loved photographing the horses and their carriages and their drivers with their top hats.
When I started, I did not view them as political, rather as one of NYC’s most enduring visual icons.
Over the decades that changed as groups and individuals grew increasingly intent on banning the horse-drawn carriages from the city, opposed by the Transport Workers Union International, “which advocates for hundreds of carriage drivers who make a living shuttling tourists on buggies around the park,” Politico said. “The first serious effort to outlaw the city’s carriage industry came in 2010,” during the Bloomberg administration. Mayors Bill de Blasio and Eric Adams also tried to ban the horse-drawn carriages, but failed.
Now, Mayor Zohran Mamdani appears to have succeeded, announcing on Tuesday that “he will back a bill that would make it illegal to operate a horse-drawn carriage in the city, starting in June 2028,” Politico first reported. It is called “Romanch’s Law,” after the 18-year-old Indian tourist who was killed in a tragic horse-and-carriage accident this past summer.
With the mayor’s support, Council Speaker Julie Menin has scheduled a full Council vote on the bill for Oct. 22. “The legislation has already secured formal support from more than half of the Council’s 51 members, meaning it’s on a glidepath to becoming law,” Politico said.
I’m glad to share these soon-to-be historic photos.
Steve
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What a shame The carriages are a part of the city. I bet if they did a study there were more accidents than carriage accidents why don’t they get rid of them instead of the horses. It is impossible to cross a street in Ny with out taking your life in your hands. It is much safer to take a carriage ride.
The horses deserve a better life. Apparently you haven’t seen how they are out there in 90 degree weather pulling heavy new Yorkers or tourist who think its ok. Lets give them a resting place in a sanctuary.
Unfortunately the reality is a horse without a job is usually a horse sent to a kill pen in Mexico. It isn’t simple to find some place to retire a horse, much less afford it. People forget that – these horses may solicit empathy but those that know horses, see horses that are well cared for and loved. Taking care of horses on a daily basis is not a Disney movie – it takes dedication, care, money and love. Perhaps the city could create a fund for the long term cafe of these horses, though it would easily be 7 figures….
A lot of sanctuaries have said they will take the horses. The problem is they are owned by the drivers (or carriage owners) so it’s up to them…my guess is yes they’d rather get some money to send them to slaughter than send them to a sanctuary for free. The law forbids it but despite it being illegal under Trumps administration wild mustangs are being rounded up and sold to slaughter 🙁
That is so annoying. They would not have any life at all, if they did not have a useful purpose. The only reason they were born is because they could be used to pull a carriage. These are not wild horses, which are not even native to this continent.
Pulling carriages is fine if they are healthy and it is being done with the horses wellfare in mind. But the NYC carriage drivers by and large did not treat horses well. Being locked up in a windowless cell with no turnout is not how horses should live. Having bits in their mouths and fully tacked up when they’re not even actually working all day was also cruel.
That’s only your point of view. Most people don’t feel that way.
Look at the homeless
They deserve better too.
Horses work, they don’t just eat grass
The problem was that they were never eating grass! In countries like Sweden and Finland horses have to have access to pasture at least 3 hours every day. These horse got maybe a few weeks of pasture in the summer and none the rest of the year.
Have you looked into where those resting places might be? I suspect it will be a crematorium. There aren’t that many horse rescues and it’s not like people can adopt them and keep them in their apartments. I know someone who breeds horses; he said the horses he’s seen look well cared for and that this particular breed was bred to work.
I strongly suspect most of the activists on this point are oblivious to what might happen to the horses as long as they don’t see them in Central Park. They’ll just assume they’re leading lives of leisure with nice farm families who keep them as treasured pets.
This is inaccurate. There are four horse farm in the U.S. that cater specifically to retired carriage horses. (I have personally spoken with the owner of the one in Upstate NY.) NONE of them send the horses to slaughter. The horses are used for light work, tourist riding and equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), which is very popular. The horses have room to roam, are treated well, and can walk (and run!) on earth and grass and not concrete.
Your fears are unfounded.
Yeah but they can’t force the owners of the carriage horses to send them to a retirement farm 🙁 Look at what’s going on with the mustang round ups today – I don’t have a good feeling although I do hope most will do the right thing for their horses….
no, actually when stress tests a done, those horses prefer thwir urban environment. Walking all day is the healtiest horse job
Can these 4 farms accept 45 horses each so the 180 carriage horses all have somewhere to go?
Possibly. And if they cannot, there are additional horse farms throughout the country. I was only noting the four I am aware of.
Anon, you’re forgetting the smaller, less known private horse/animal sanctuaries who shelter these poor animals. Not to mention individuals who have farms where they can provide a home, as well. I’d bet there are people inquiring right now how to adopt one of these horses.
Banning horse-drawn carriages from NYC for the dangers they present is exactly like banning cars (or bicycles) because they can kill people—insane. I will miss contact with horses, our work and civilizing companions, in NYC.
Banning this is for the welfare of the horses- not you.
You do understand that horses have been doing this for quite a long time and in much greater numbers, right? This isn’t a new form of horse torture invented by NY just to satisfy tourist demands for Instagram pics.
That statement could apply to a variety of dangerous, unsafe, and cruel practices that, over the years, our society has eliminated. Carriage-driven horses in NYC has become one of those practices. The increased and often erratic car, truck, and bike traffic/noise, alone, is a threat to the horses(and riders.) And then there’s the sweltering heat and humidity those horses must endure on top of that during the summer. Just because it’s always been done, doesn’t mean it should continue.
Doesn’t make it right.
Its sad that so many people think it’s ok to allow these horses to continue to be mistreated. NY has alot of beauty try going to a horse ranch there you can see them in all their splendor.
Or like forbidding people to own dogs because there are some dogs bite people and some people don’t take good care of their dogs. I think this is a tragedy for the city. It’s the bikes that terrify me.
Look both ways when crossing the street, and you will never have to fear a bike. You got this! I believe in you to be brave!
I’m not sure what you mean by “contact with the horses. I’ve lived in New York City for over 40 years and never once had contact with horses in Central Park ! They have blinders on are not in good moods, which horses are in other environments and they have the men in charge of them who are usually grumpy and only out to make money! I seen this for my entire time in New York city so I’m not sure what you are talking about-I have had contact with horses in other environments where the horses are treated better and more in their habitat which is not 57th St.!
1 death in 160 years. E-bikes have killed more people in Central Park that that.
ICE has killed more
That is inaccurate. The H&C industry was only “formalized” in 1981. And even though H&Cs have been around since the mid to late 1800s, we have NO idea how many people and horses were injured or killed as a result of accidents, etc. during the first 100 years. It could be quiet a few.
Mid to late 1800? How do you think people got around before then? Carriage rides for tourism in Central Park presumably started when the park was built, but carriages have been around since the domestication of horses and the invention of the wheel!
As I said, the H&C industry AS WE KNOW IT was formalized in 1981. And the Park was built in the mid-1800s, which I also noted. I was addressing the former commenter’s comment about “1 death in 160 years,” which is, at best, speculative and, at worst, hopelessly inaccurate, since it is a certainty that people and horses were injured and/or died in the 100+ years between the building of the Park and the formalization of the industry.
Your history is wrong. We’re horse-drawbn cabs – says so right on the plate. Hack carriage service has been licensed and regulated by the city since 1692. Our rates, including for scenic tours, have been set by the city since AT LEAST 1813. We started operating in Central Park the day it opened in December 1858, already having Cab Stand 16 designated a few years lrior on 59th St. Our current medallions were created in 1937 with the Haas Act, when La Guardia issued the 13,000 original $10 cab licenses, which could be either motorized or horse drawn. (Taxis and carriages formally split at the end of WWII, in terms of overseeing departments and rates.)
The 1981 Rental Horse Licensing and Protection Law was the first ordinance to specifically regulate horses used for public hire, above and beyond general animal welfare laws.
And yes, we DO know what happened with horse drawn cabs in Central Park before 1981, because NEWSPAPERS. Carriage accidents and bicycle accidents were WELL reported in publications like the New York Times (and bicycles have been killing people on the East Drive since they first arrived in the park in the 1870s).
“Cabs?” I don’t think so, no matter what the license says. Cabs get to go wherever they want. You are confined to the Park. You are NOT a cab. Sorry.
Are you concerned with how many horses have dropped dead.
They have named it “Romanch’s Law”. It is about the person who was killed.
True. But before the young man was killed, it was called Ryder’s Law, named after a horse that died.
2 more people have been killed on the drives in the last two weeks. One by a cyclist another by an off leash dog.
Where are the ban bills for dogs and bikes?
I am concerned with humans. The eBikes have injured and killed many humans. Why are our elected officials doing nothing to prevent that?
I think Uber and other delivery services are spending lots of lobbying money to prevent regulation of e-bikes.
Doesn’t mean it’s ok to continue to torture these horses. The people on E bikes decided to ride it. The horses had no choice.
You’re deflecting from the fact off the comment… e bike batteries end up in ladfills and cause fires and contamination. Sound like a deflection??? Exactly..
The horses are not being tortured.
And when did you have a conversation with one of them? Maybe they’d like to be interviewed by WSR.
This woman didn’t decide to ride an eBike. She decided to go to a run in thr park n the pedestrian lane. Amd her life will never be the same and the eBike rider faced no consequences either legal or financial.
https://www.westsiderag.com/2026/07/15/woman-remains-in-coma-after-being-struck-by-e-bike-in-central-park-she-didnt-see-him-coming
June 2028 is WAY too long but finally some progress!! Mayor Mamdani succeeds after 16 years of previous mayors failures. Like I said, he keeps racking up the wins!
…along with the City Council.
Your tone in praising Mamdani sounds a lot of the hero worship MAGA people throw towards Trump. It is kind of scary.
Mamdani has done some good things and some not-so-good things. Anyone who thinks he is 100% in either camp is irrational. Personally, I think the bad far outweigh the good, but I will acknowledge there has been some good.
Let me be clear, I am not 100% a fan of any politician and in particular I think the mayors rent freeze and grocery store initiatives are misguided. However, he has been pretty strong on new housing & transportation issues which imo are two of the biggest issues facing NYC. Banning horse carriages is the cherry on top.
So while not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, our mayor is doing a pretty dang good job especially relative to our recent slate of candidates & it should be acknowledged.
It’s the City Council that made it happen….not the Mayor.
If he thought the horses were in unsafe circumstances and he had any influence over the process, he would have made it effective immediately and not 1.5 years from now.
Could we PLEASE stop with the exculpation of this mayor? It has happened this quickly because of the precedents set previously. It was already mostly out. He killed it.
Eric Adams tried to push it through right before he left but was blocked by Adrienne Adams. Menin only brought it up because of the teenager that died, and on the first hearing Mamdani said he would not back it because protecting 60 union jobs was more important than making sure animals aren’t abused (even though the vast majority of actually NYCers have supported a ban for a while). Not sure why he’s suddenly made a turnaround, maybe the MTA promised them some cushy job where they do nothing and make $200K in overtime.
How was it already mostly out? Prior mayors have promised this but were always beaten by the entrenched union interests. Striking the final blow is important.
Certain folks on here love to attribute everything that goes wrong to the mayor so when the causality is clear (as it is here) he deserves the credit when things go right.
prvious mayors failed to ruin these jobs because it is a legal business and the law should protect these horses jobs, not fold to lies.
Nope. Bloomberg promised to end the industry – until the union and the H&C lobby put $100,000 into his (illegal) third term re-election campaign. And DeBlasio promised to end the practice – until the H&C lobby put $70,000 into HIS re-election campaign. Adams was the only one who actually tried to end the practice – but he was stymied by the Council, which refused to pass Ryder’s Law. (Had they done so, Romanch would still be alive.)
Now the Council and the Mayor are on the same page. So Mamdani DOES get credit alongside the Couincil.
The mayor did it because it’s easier than addressing a real problem – out-of-control bikes. They pose a real danger.
The two are not mutually exclusive; i.e., it is not “either/or.” Both can and should be addresssed.
Easier? The last three mayors all promised and failed to do something about this. This mayor succeeded. ebikes not relevant to the question of is it better to have tourist trap horse carriage rides in central park but last I checked, at least the ebikes don’t spread excrement all over the park.
Don’t like how they are tourist traps but the fact that the Central Park Conservancy refuses to do anything about e-bikes but does something about this makes me sympathize with them.
Yes, easier. The ground was prepped for it by the previous mayors. Mamdani capitalized on that and the death of poor Romanch.
I can’t understand the Mamdani followers, it is a cult.
A cult???? Because someone supports a mayor whom you don’t like? I support the mayor. I don’t support elimination of the carriage horses. If the horses are being mistreated (which I don’t see evidence of, though I haven’t looked), the industry should be regulated better, not eliminated.
Several horses have been suffered/died, and a person has died, but you’re main concern is excrement? I’ve seen this posted more times than I’ve actually seen horse poop. 👀
Now do e-bikes!
Does anyone remember the beautiful old Currier and Ives pronts— New York City when horse-drawn carriages decorated every scene? Sigh. How l will miss them! Now all is turning robotic and we humans are ourselves becoming more and more like machines. Very sad…
Have you ever seen the photo of a NYC street in the 19th century literally a foot deep in horse poop? Currier and Ives prints are lovely, and cars and trucks create their own very serious problems, but relying on horses for transportation in crowded cities wasn’t all a delight!
Ebikes are better than either of those, but their riders must be controlled just as the drivers of cars are largely controlled.
These are beautiful. Thanks for sharing
The death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan was heartbreaking. His family deserves compassion, and the City must investigate thoroughly and address any safety deficiencies. But one tragedy does not, by itself, justify abolishing an entire industry.
Since the carriage controversy began, New Yorkers have witnessed other serious and fatal transportation incidents, including an e-bike striking a woman in Central Park, a cyclist collision that killed father of two Richard O’Brien, and several fatal crashes involving bicycles, e-bikes, and motor vehicles.
Each death deserves investigation and prevention measures. The City Council has considered 23 proposals addressing micromobility safety. Why shouldn’t horse-drawn carriages receive the same opportunity for meaningful safety reform?
Improve training, equipment, hitching practices, emergency procedures, inspections, and enforcement. If independent review establishes that the risks cannot adequately be addressed, consider that evidence before deciding the industry’s fate.
Animal welfare concerns deserve serious consideration, as do public safety and the livelihoods of working New Yorkers. Preserve what can be preserved by addressing risks responsibly.
Public safety requires consistent, evidence-based decisions: investigate, improve, and enforce—and prohibit only when evidence shows regulation cannot adequately address the risk.
This little speech ignores the fact that the horses are miserable. And it also ignores the fact that the push for the ban began long, long, long before Romanch Mahajan was killed. The bill is named for him, but don’t use that as a lever to tilt your argument about how banning horses is a bad idea, an overreaction.
This is not to say that the ebike problem in the city isn’t horrendous. Something needs to be done. Living on the upper west side has become terrifying because of the bikes.
But the carriage ban and e-bikes are two separate issues.
I agree that the campaign to ban horse-drawn carriages predates Romanch Mahajan’s tragic death, and I am not suggesting otherwise. Nor am I equating horses, bicycles, and e-bikes as modes of transportation. I raised other transportation incidents to question the consistency of the City’s approach to public safety—not to conflate separate issues.
You state that the horses are miserable. What professionally conducted investigation, veterinary data, or documented evidence supports that blanket assertion? I take animal welfare seriously. But an emotional conviction, however sincerely held, is not a substitute for evidence.
The question is whether documented problems can be addressed through stronger safeguards, inspections, and enforcement, or whether the evidence establishes that a ban is necessary. That distinction matters. If we are debating public policy, shouldn’t we examine the evidence before deciding the outcome?
What evidence do you have that they are miserable?
Hmmm let’s go with what I’ve seen just occasionally strolling past over the last year:
– An emaciated, sick horse in the middle of a snowtorm. Told the driver the horse definitely looked too sick to work, they put a blanket over him, then yelled obscenities at me.
– A lame horse trotting with 5 tourists in the carriage. Driver ignored my request they stop working a clearly lame horse.
– A horse tied up and left attached to a carriage. If you are a horse person you will know that tieing up a horse and leaving it is a no-no, but not even using a quick release knot is endangering both the horse and everyone around.
If you decide to get on a horse and carriege ride deal with the consequences. The horses arw scared and mistreated. Im sad for the horse.
Have you actually ever been on horse and carriage? Do you actually know anything about horses?
you nailed it, the arguement is human feelings not real facts
You’re ridiculous. Do you have an investment in the “electric cars” they want to bring into the park instead of the wonderful horse and buggies????
I’m fine with this.
I think your pictures are great and in the past, it has been kind of a New
York City image and thing to do, but I do believe right now it’s time to relogate that to the past. There is no way that it is a good environment for horses. It’s dangerous and it’s overpriced… Something from the last century to look back on.
Why? It IS relegated to the past
I also hope the city helps the guys fin new jobs and safe homes for the horses
It’s not overpriced when lots of people are willing to pay it. How much do you think it cost to maintain a horse and carriage?
That sounds like another good point against the trade.
What will happen o the horses? I hope they will find a good home and not be butchered….
I agree with them trying to make sure they don’t go to slaughter, but a better run carriage business should have been allowed as their next gig. I don’t think carriages are bad as a concept, especially for the draft breeds, it was just the particular blend of NYC not being at all horse-friendly in these times and the drivers not knowing much about equine welfare/safety that was the problem IMO.
There are several sanctuaries that have expressed interested in taking some but I doubt any can handle all the horses, and plus they are privately owned so I’m not sure the owners will want to give them up without getting some kind of money in return.
They will 100% be sold at auction for meat. Maybe a few will go a sanctuary but the vast majority will not. The same people that refer to their dogs as their fur babies are the same people that think these horses are going to go frolic in a field somewhere upstate. They are working animals and now they won’t have a job. And it’s incredibly expensive to house, feed, and care for a horse so it can stand in a field.
While I don’t disagree that it may have been time for this industry to be phased out, let’s not kid ourselves that these horses are going off to a better life somewhere. Not to mention all of the people that will be unemployed when it ends.
Many will be used as therapy and draft “workers” upstate.
Hopefully they will go to a sanctuary.
scamuaries mostly
If you oppose the carriage rides, are you going to pay for them to stay in a sanctuary? I hope so.
Hopefully??????
Pretty sure most of them will be euthanized (it’s not like people can just adopt them and keep them in their home or backyard and there aren’t that many horse shelters). But the animal lovers who’ve been screaming about this for the last 10 years don’t actually give a damn what happens to the horses. If they don’t see the horses, they don’t exist. If I see the same people who’ve been screeching about the carriage horses making active efforts to find homes for the horses. I’ll eat my words. But unfortunately, I doubt I’ll need to.
There are at least four horse farms in the U.S., including one in Upstate NY, that cater specifically to retired carriage horses. They do NOT euthanize or send the horses to slaughter. The horses are used for light work, tourist riding and equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), which is very popular.
The horses are treated well, have room to roam, and get to walk (and run!) on earth and grass and not concrete.
Exactly. Since, per the bill, the horses cannot be sold or transferred to another horse-drawn carriage business, they will be humanely euthanized. But then PETA is all for euthanizing dogs and cats (their “shelters” have the highest kill ratios). So it’s all good. Euthanasia is “humane disposition”/sarc
Question is what “humane disposition” will be afforded to the unemployed humans?
“The transfer of 160 horses to safe environments is not an obstacle to passing Intro. 943. It is a promise that the animal welfare community is fully prepared — and thrilled — to deliver on.”
https://www.nydailynews.com/2026/08/13/nyc-carriage-horses-will-have-safe-homes/
That article loses all credibility with this sentence.
“These battered, often elderly horses cannot safely navigate their way through streets and pathways swirling with 42 million visitors a year, chaotically and noisily moving on foot or in pedicabs, scooters, taxis, cars and trucks”
Some of them are real estate shills!
It’s about time.
Okay, I’m going to say it. I think this is a shame. If it were me I would keep the carriages and enforce regulations to ensure the horses are well cared for. The cyclists are like a million times more dangerous to others– I’d ban ebikes and enforce rules on cyclists.
For what it’s worth, I’m politically on the left and I care a lot about animal rights. But someone I know breeds horses and he said the horses he sees in the park look well cared for, and that this particular kind of horse is bred to work. I have a feeling many of these carriage horses will end up euthanized because no one will have the wherewithal to take care of them if they aren’t aren’t bringing in income.
Beautiful captures!
Sad for us humans but, to be honest, better for the horses. It can’t be a very nice life for them.
To be euthanized is better?
Sometimes it is.
Sure, totally understand and somewhat agree. However, where do all these horses go? Listening to some advocates it appears they imagine imaginary farms upstate will open up their paddocks, and these poor creatures will be able to live out their golden years roaming free and be well taken care of until they die from natural causes. I doubt that very much.
How do they’ live out their golden years’ now? On 57th street?! That to you in 2026 seems like a good life for a horse??
Same. I knew of one horse rescue upstate and it folded. These horses are not show horses so they won’t be used for that. It’s not cheap to keep a horse and is going to be a lot of them suddenly out of a job.
If you want to make NY City safer why not ban all CARS! There’s more than 1 death annually from those!
Albania did that. Look at Albania now.
The horses thank you.
As charming as it might be to see these horse-drawn carriages, they are in no way healthy and humane for the horse. They commute more than two miles round trip from their stables in midtown through city traffic which has to be very stressful and unhealthy for them. If they were housed in the park that would at least be an improvement. But the bottom line is that they are not a necessary part of city life and should not be subjected to this stressful life only to serve as quaint and charming entertainment for humans tourists.
While you might find it an iconic NY activity these poor horses are suffering. They are in traffic in the heat and barely get a break. Saying that the owners are making a living doing this is crazy. Let them reinvent themselves like many people have had to do over the years with job loss. Give these poor animals a break and send them to a sanctuary.
You want NY go take pictures of the statue of liberty!!!
I think if a city outlows a profession, they should also help pay for Jon retraining. That is really hard to do, and some people can’t do it. I am fine with getting rid of the carriages, but I also think it is important to help with training.
There’s no sanctuary. There’s no farm.
That is inaccurate. There are four horse farms in the U.S. that cater specifically to retired carriage horses. NONE of them sends the animals to slaughter. They are used for light work, tourist riding and equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), which is very popular. The horses aer treated well, have room to roam, and can walk (and run!) on earh and grass and not concrete.
Your fears are unfounded.
Are you paying for all the NY horses to go there? That doesn’t come cheap.
Prove that these sanctuaries will take all the horses.
I don’t have to “prove” anything to you. When you do as much research as I have on this issue, and specificaly re active horse farms (the owners of one of which I have personally spoken with), then you can challenge me with a “prove it” comment.
Name some horse sanctuaries that will be able to take all of these horses.
There are four in the U.S. that cater specifically to retired carriage horses. See my comment above.
Ridiculous.
If you look at what is really behind the push to ban the horses, it is real estate money that is paying for it. Hudson Yards made the far west side very attractive. A number of stables are in that area. It is a land grab. If memory serves, the Council Speaker’s husband is in the real estate world.
The idea of electric cars put forth by the DiBlasio administration would mean more obstacles on the drive. The horses are well taken care of, it is a very regulated industry. Like someone pointed out – 1 death in 160 years. How many deaths and injuries just this year due to ebikes and off leash dogs?
A good solution to the carnage of late in the park would to reinstitute the ban on ebikes going over 15 miles per hour. A “deliverista”, which must mean “uninsured narcissist”, going the wrong way hit a woman and put her into a coma – as reported on these very pages. I bike the loop on a fairly regular basis and since the lifting of the speed limit it has been the wild west in Central Park. The drive has become an ebike superhighway. Of course it did not help that the Conservancy removed all but 4 of the traffic lights. I have seen more accidents than I have ever seen in the park lately. Not one involves a horse and carriage.
Enforcing other rules like dogs off leashes, speeding ebikes and maybe just common sense things like don’t take a selfie while riding, don’t turn without looking (the pedicabs are the worst offenders) and my favorite – stopping in the middle of the roadway. Also, vehicles of any type – parks department, Conservancy or pedicabs should not stand on the south side of a crosswalk on the east side or north side of a crosswalk on the west side because a cyclists view of the crosswalk is blocked.
Pedestrians walking in the bike lines should be ticketed. I would be rightfully ticketed for biking on a pedestrian path – why should not a pedestrian walking where I am told to be? They put themselves, and more importantly me, in danger.
As someone pointed out, the horses are bred to pull. That is what they do. Taking away their purpose seems cruel unto itself. Adding something along the lines of a larger pedicab in the park seems irresponsible.
Interesting because I walk through Central Park every single working day. My observations are quite different:
1 – Most e-bikers I see are slow and careful. Tourists on Citibikes are generally very careful (even when they do not have a clue what they are doing);
2 – The biggest thread to pedestrians is road bikers trying to build their personal record on Strava. They go 25-30mph and they do not yield or stop at crosswalks. They also “set the tone” for other road users (see 3 below). If you have a group of people going at 30mph with no regard for rules, others tend to follow. I am a strong advocate for traffic calming solutions (speed bumps);
3 – Mopeds and motorcycles are the second biggest problem.
4 – Horse manure and urine is a hazard for all park users. Horses may be beautiful but they belong in farms and green pastures.
The “oh, it’s all about real estate” claim is a thoroughly and utterly debunked canard used by the union and the pro-H&C lobby to maintain an unnecessary and harmful anachronism that allowed more hores to die or get injured, and allowed a tourist to die. Had this practice ended when it should have – YEARS ago – Romanch Mahajan would still be alive.
While the stables will certainly become valuable real estate, their ultimate disposition is very much up in the air – especially with this mayor. Unlike other mayors, I doubt he is simply going to let some huge developer come in and build massive amounts of luxury housing.
Besides, keep in mind that the five properties on which the stables sit are all designated “historic” by the LPC, so there will be HUGE hoops for potential developers to jump through before they can build.
100+ years of tradition done for because of a bunch of left wing performance artists in office.
Your cynicism is noted.
The horses make the park smell like horse poop for New Yorkers who go to the park for fresh air so that a handful of tourists can have an overpriced selfie. Nobody who lives here rides these things.
No- we are tired of watching horses dropping dead! So shallow!
Don’t forget the real estate moguls, ….. how about the corporations that want old time “electric” cars to invest in? Probably the same people that bring you skinny glass skyscrapers.
Tradition? It’s exclusively an activity for tourists that covers the park in horse crap. Just because you’ve been doing something for years doesn’t mean its a good idea…
I used to work next to the stables on 52nd and 11th Ave. These horses do not belong inside a city like NYC.
What a loss for our park
This is completely mindless. The net result will be that there will be fewer horses in the world, and even fewer in the city. Children will not see, encounter, or understand horses, unless they are well off enough to go to specialized riding camps. The “advocates” are blinded by a few accidents to the overall reality of the useful custom of the central park carriages, not to mention the economic impact on the rather marginal population of drivers and stable workers.
Huh? Fewer horses? No, they will simply be relocated from a city – where they don’t belong anyway – to a more appropriate environment. And children can learn about and understand horses even without seeing them. But if they DO want to see them, then the horses should be seen in a far more “natural” environment than pulling a carriage through Central Park.
They will not be relocated. But if it makes you feel better to believe that, go for it.
I hope these beautiful animals will be treated with dignity and kindness. I would hate to see them killed because they are no longer “convenient”. They have suffered enough.
Mr. Mayor please see they are treated humanely.
Horse-drawn carriages belong in the history books, not on busy city streets. Horses are sensitive animals who can easily become frightened by blaring horns, traffic, and other sudden noises. Forcing them to pull heavy carriages through exhaust fumes, pounding pavement, and extreme weather puts their health and lives at risk. These animals deserve to graze, roam, and socialize with other horses, not spend their days hauling tourists around for entertainment. Cities can preserve their charm without exploiting animals. It’s time to retire horse-drawn carriages for good and give the horses a chance to enjoy the peaceful lives they deserve.
They should get rid of the pedicabs too. They blare music at top volume and I have seen them aim for people’s feet when they don’t want a ride.
Ah, another destruction of what was once a wonderful New York City…..And an industry! The city is losing the very uniqueness that made NYC what it was. Even Broadway shows are so out-priced and boring for most NYC-loving people. So many of the wonderful small businesses gone, The iconic Plaza being once-again renovated, Broadway lit up with giant sized nothings…….and now this, a NYC tradition for over a century. Europe knows how to do it. They rebuild in the old tradition…..and that’s what visitors want. And they flock!
Hi, Carol. It’s a trade, not an industry per se; horse-carriage supporters can make it sound much more legitimate than it is. Being one of the 62 (?) members of this small offshoot of the TWU doesn’t make one ethical, either. I agree with you that the supertalls are pointless, anti-New York real-estate grabs (if that is what you are saying).
Sure, get rid of the horse-drawn carriages. But e-bikes, e-scooters and other e-WMDs? God forbid.
They all aim for your feet if you’re not on their side.
The Council is working on reining in the e-bike/bike mess as well. The two issues (H&Cs, bikes) are not mutually exclusive; it does not need to be “either/or.”
They aren’t really doing anything but trying to “manage” the problem rather than fix it.
What exactly are they working on? Source?
It now becomes more essential to regulate the Pedicabs in Central Park and reduce the hawking of the Pedicabs rides. Entering Central Park from Columbus Circle is not pleasant and the Pedicabs that sit throughout the Park are in violation of the Park’s Pedicabs rules.
Since the H&C industry was “formalized” in 1981, one human (a passenger) has died, ~30 horses have died, several drivers have been injured, and many horses have been injured. Those numbers alone should have been enough to shut this unnecessary anachronism down long ago.
I don’t know why it’s going to take nearly two years to do so, but I’m glad it is finally happening. And I’m glad that the new Council bill has several important features to help the drivers; while many of those features had been verbally promised since at least the DeBlasio Administration, they were never codified into the prior bills, so the union was deadset against them. And while the union will almost certainly still complain and fight the ban, it really has no reason left to do so, since the drivers are well taken care of in the bill.
Bravo to everyone who made this possible. It is long overdue, and it will be nice when the horses are taken to horse farms where they will have room to roam, walk (and run!) on earth instead of concrete, and be doing light work, or used for tourist riding or equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP), which is very popular. And all four of the horse farms in the U.S. that cater to retired carriage horses do this; they do NOT (and will be not be allowed to, per the bill) send horses to slaughter.
Excellent analysis and explication, Ian.
Thank God!!!!!
If everyone commenting would take time to read the proposed regulations, they’d see that there are provisions to prevent slaughter of the horses, a well as proposals to buy the medallions of drivers who have sunk their life savings into this business.
This has been a long time coming. No one looking at these photos of horses strapped with heavy leather, wearing blinders and pulling hundreds of pound of weight can tell me that’s a good life. I don’t care if they “were bred for this” or “love to work.” They deserve better than walking on asphalt in a chaotic city for the pleasure of a few tourists.
Hopefully they ban cyclists – and Lycra! – next. They’re the real nuisance.
It’s about time dangerous situations poor treatment of the animals and hazardous to traffic. It’s gone on the long because of the Irish have dominated it.
San Francisco almost lost an iconic tourist attraction in the early 80s: the historic cable cars. Banning the horse-drawn carriages in New York instead of reforming the industry is short-sighted. New Yorkers who care about their heritage should follow the example of the “Save the Cable Cars” campaign and get their mayor on board.
Horse carriages are WHOSE heritage?? The white Victorian upper and leisure classes from 1880? Furthermore, cable cars (machines) are not analogous to horse carriages.
Trying to ban the ban the cable cars was a dumb move. But the situation isn’t comparable. Cable cars aren’t sentient beings and don’t suffer the way animals do.
I wouldn’t mind them if they were confined to Central Park, but seeing them in mid-town at 5:30 on a Friday night is insane.
Idiots
Once again deliberate ignorance gets to destroy another animal human industry. So sad the park designed and built for for horses will be banning them.
In the 1800s NYC streetlamps were lit by professional lamplighters before electric lights became widespread. Times change, New York adapts, leave the horse carriages in the past.
This is utterly disgusting. All the attacks on carriage horses are baseless.
The “attacks” are not directed against the horses. Will you miss the horse droppings covering the south loop of the park? Why have the carriage industry not clean up the roads covered in manure.
Good. Enough suffering.
Wow! I voted for deBlasio solely because he made a campaign pledgle to ban the horses. Mamdami is the man.
it’s wild that some people are legitimately Mad about banning this antiquated practice of blatant horse abuse in the year 2026 of our lord. get over it!
Can’t we keep the horses and carriages in a section assigned for those who still wish to keep the nostalgia!@ so many other cities have done so!
We can respect the loss of the previous accident and try to learn from its unfortunate mistake..in all respect..
Bye bye, horses. Looking forward to not eating the horse poop that dries and flies in the air. It will also be wonderful to not have to inhale the scent of the pee — so disgusting. I’m not concerned about cruelty to the horses — I’m concerned about cruelty to ME and my lungs and gut!
These carriages are so New York why stop them, some changes are not for the better, this is one of them!!!!!!
I don’t think “New York” really exists anymore.
The irony
Yt people care more about horses than the homeless or struggling humans who get treated by them poorly on a daily basis. You make them stand at work with barely any breaks, pay them cheaply, provide trash health/dental benefits and laughed at their struggles for success.
The urbanists that support this are getting away with this due to animal welfare and these horses being tourists traps but they hate unions, especially transit unions.