Horse-drawn carriages have been a Central Park staple since the 19th century, first as a luxury and later for touristic leisure. However, even with the carriages’ longstanding history, they have been a point of contention for decades.
Most recently, the Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that cares for the park, has expressed its support for a pending City Council bill that would eliminate horse carriages in the city, otherwise known as Ryder’s Law.
The conservancy is not alone: 71% of New Yorkers supported the ban of carriages in 2022. If passed, this bill would prohibit horse-drawn carriages from operating, beginning June 1, 2026. A proposed alternative is to replace the horse-drawn carriages with electric alternatives.
In a letter written from the conservancy to the mayor and Council speaker, Betsy Smith, the conservancy’s president made it the clear that “[the conservancy does] not take this position lightly, but with visitation to the park growing to record levels, [they] feel strongly that banning horse carriages has become a matter of public health and safety for park visitors.”
In a separate statement, as reported by The New York Times, Smith said “this practice is no longer compatible with the realities of a modern, heavily used and shared public space…We believe it’s time to turn the page, as most major cities already have.”
As of September 17th, 2025, Mayor Eric Adams echoed his intention to end horse-drawn carriages in Central Park by urging the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law.
In his support, he also signed Executive Order 56 as a means to prepare for the cessation of horse-drawn carriages. This includes identifying new employment opportunities for those in the affected industry, setting up a process for voluntary return of licenses, and strengthening oversight and enforcement within the industry until the bill has passed.
Moreover, Mayor Adams sent a letter of necessity that gives City Council the authority to pass a bill expeditiously by eliminating the aging period.
Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement:
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.
He referenced a series of recent incidents that led to the concern for the horses’ welfare, amongst the safety of pedestrians, carriage drivers and cyclists. These incidents include a carriage horse, named Ryder, who fell and collapsed in 2022 before dying two months later, another carriage horse, named Lady, who collapsed and died just last month, and injuries to a driver and pedestrians from runaway carriage horses.
“New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right. The Adams administration hears those concerns loud and clear, and we’re taking action, but we need the Council to meet us at the table,” voiced Mayor Adams. For now, the exact date for voting on Ryder’s Law remains uncertain.