NYC’s leading mayoral candidates agree to a horse drawn on a horse that poses an outdated threat in one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations.
Central Park Carriage Hose Bolts Causing Chaos
After the horses in the carriage were scared, they galloped at Central Park, causing chaos in tourist areas.
NEW YORK – New York City mayoral candidates disagree very much. But the bitter enemies of the busy fields are united to ban iconic horse-drawn carriages in Central Park.
The carriage has long been scrutinized by critics for the inhumane treatment of horses and the issues of inhumane treatment and safety, especially when a 1,000-pound animal is frightened and charged. The mayor’s attempts to ban tourist attractions have been curtailed for years from opposition from unions representing the carriers and owners denying allegations of animal abuse.
Currently, all major candidates agree that horse-drawn carriages pose an outdated threat, one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world. Supporters will see new champions for their cause, anyone who will lead the nation’s biggest city after the general election on November 4th.
“While horse carriages have long been iconic equipment for Central Park, they are increasingly inconsistent with the conditions of modern, heavily used urban green spaces,” Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing a dimly lit prospect of reelection, said in a statement on September 17.
Adams recently supported a law restricting new licensing for horse-drawn carriages before banning them in 2026.
Some oppose Adams’ support for banning carriages
Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union, representing the transport owners and drivers, said Adams blinded them.
John Samuelsen, international chairman of the Transportation Union, calls Adams “Straight Judas Iscariot.” He called him “selling his soul” to developers who wanted to build a place where carriage stables sit on a major property on the west side of Manhattan.
Others, including New York City Council leadership, saw Adams’ support for the bill as opportunistic in his first four-year term for more than three years.
“The bill continues to go through a legislative process that is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders,” City Council spokesman Benjamin Vanestrada said in a statement.
“It’s time to really get this done,” says former mayor of Bill de Blasio.
Former mayor Bill de Blasio, who campaigned in 2013 on a promise to ban horse carriages, celebrated Adams’ announcement. “It’s time to really get this done,” de Blasio said on X on Wednesday, September 17th.
Democrat de Blasio supports Zoran Mamdani, a Democratic candidate and presumed frontrunner, according to polls.
Mamdani supported the ban earlier this year. He called his career “inhuman and unnecessary,” according to a survey of candidates obtained by USA Today.
Recently, after losing to Mamdani in the summer Democratic primary, Andrew Cuomo’s former government, which follows the polls, declared “free the horse.”
“The carriage rides depicted on horses are part of the city’s romantic image, but in 2025 we must face facts about how outdated, unsafe and potentially inhumane the customs have become,” he said in a statement on September 19.
The carriages in Central Park were “means of transportation.”
New York is in the background of the times compared to other world cities that banned carriages, said Edita Barunkrant, executive director of New Yorkers in Clean, Living and Safe Streets, a pro-protection organization.
Central Park was opened to the public in 1858 before the existence of cars and even subways. “There were no other means of transportation,” Birnkrant told USA Today. “In 2025, we don’t match Central Park and the city.”
Birnkrant pointed to a significant shift by the Central Park Conservancy, a nonprofit that manages green spaces, urging formal opposition to carriages in the park.
The ban is a matter of public health and safety for frequent visitors to Central Park at a record level, Elizabeth Smith, the sanctuary president and CEO, wrote in an August 12 letter to Mayor Adams and City Council Chairman Adrian Adams. “It’s time,” the letter says.
On Thursday, September 18th, Curtis Sliwa, a Republican candidate in a red beret who also runs on the independent line of “Protect Animals,” said there was news that all major candidates support the ban. Sliwa urged all major candidates to stand together along the city hall stairs and call for a ban.
Eduardo Quebus is based in New York City. Contact him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or by signalling emcuevas.01.
