Opinion: Stop our political blindness on inhumane horse-drawn carriages

Over the past two decades, major cities around the world – including Beijing, New Delhi, Paris and London – have taken horse-drawn carriages off of their chaotic urban streets.

Motivated by concerns about public safety and animal cruelty, many U.S. cities – including right-leaning Palm Beach, Florida, and Biloxi, Mississippi – have done the same.

How, then, has New York City, the most congested city in the country and one that prides itself on its progressive values, allowed this inhumane and unsafe industry to continue to operate? And why are our elected officials ignoring the 71% of voters who, according to a 2022 poll, oppose the horse-drawn carriage trade?

Forcing horses to pound the pavement with heavy carriages in Midtown, where they compete with motor vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians, is inhumane, as is subjecting them to extreme weather conditions, unrelenting car exhaust during their commute and cumbersome equipment. Depriving these herd animals of a pasture where they can interact physically with other horses, graze and move around freely adds insult to injury. 

In addition to being cruel, the operation of horse-drawn carriages in New York City is unsafe. During a one-week period in late May, three horses spooked and bolted in Central Park, injuring at least four people, including a pedicab driver who corralled two of them. Had pedestrians not leapt out of the way, the horses could have trampled them. 

Incidents like these, which have occurred many times over the last few years, should come as no surprise. Horses are prey animals. While the blinders that curb their vision block some stimuli, they aren’t foolproof. Any unfamiliar object or sound can spook them, and no amount of regulation can prevent it. Our elected officials know that the horse-drawn carriages pose a threat to public safety. Their decision to turn a blind eye is a dereliction of duty. 

The use of horse-drawn carriages as a tourist concession in Central Park might have passed as acceptable in the early 20th century, when the city was less crowded and before we knew as much as we do now about animal sentience, but these antiquated contraptions have no place in a civilized city today.

In 2013, the animal rights group NYCLASS thought it made history when mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio, who ran on a pledge to ban horse-drawn carriages, beat the early front-runner in the race, Christine Quinn. Because Quinn was a supporter of the horse-drawn carriage trade and blocked several animal protection bills when she served as City Council speaker, NYCLASS ran a provocative “Anybody but Quinn” campaign that contributed to de Blasio’s victory.

While serving as mayor, de Blasio failed to deliver on his campaign promise. It was a crushing setback, but NYCLASS has continued to keep the plight of the carriage horses in the public spotlight in the 12 years since.

During the 2025 mayoral campaign, however, the issue has received little attention. With nine candidates competing in the Democratic primary, which takes place in just three weeks, one of them would be wise to take the reins on this issue, given how important it is to animal lovers who vote.

Curtis Sliwa, the only candidate running on the Republican ticket and a long-time advocate for animals, has stated unequivocally that he supports a ban. Many animal lovers have taken note. But we urge a Democrat to jump in now and lead on this issue in the next few weeks. Many animal rights advocates will assuredly factor this issue into their decision-making process. 

Since 2007, several bills to ban horse-drawn carriages have died in the City Council due to political expedience. Ryder’s Law, the current bill, is stalled because the majority of City Council members fear retaliation by the powerful Transport Workers Union. TWU Local 100 claims to represent both the carriage medallion owners and the carriage drivers that work for them, though the drivers themselves are independent contractors who appear to have no collective bargaining agreement or union benefits.

Much of the blame for the City Council’s failure to pass horse-drawn carriage bills over the years can be assigned to City Council speakers who have stonewalled this important issue by blocking them. Current City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who is also a 2025 mayoral candidate, has not even allowed a public hearing, much less a vote, on the current bill. 

Despite the political risks, 17 current City Council members have done the right thing by signing onto Ryder’s Law. Among its most outspoken supporters are Council Members Robert Holden, who introduced the legislation, and Erik Bottcher, whose West Side district is home to the stables and the streets on which the horses travel to and from Central Park.

These 17 City Council members should not be the exception. Given how inhumane, unsafe and archaic the horse-drawn carriage industry is, all of our lawmakers should support Ryder’s Law and encourage TWU President John Samuelsen to lobby for a real transit issue that could benefit actual members of his union. 

If you’ve ever observed or interacted with well-cared for horses outside of New York, you know that they belong on a pasture, not on city streets, and that they can bring us joy without hauling us around in a carriage.

Our elected officials and all candidates running for office need to know that many New Yorkers are saddened when they see dispirited horses in Midtown and believe that these gentle giants should be treated as companions, not commodities.

It’s time for our leaders to listen to the wise words of Mahatma Gandhi and lead with compassion. These majestic horses and their dedicated advocates in New York City deserve nothing less.