Adams backs NYC horse carriage ban but critics call it a reelection ploy

NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Eric Adams is backing a plan to phase out horse-drawn carriages in Central Park, but the move has ignited intense backlash from labor leaders and industry advocates who accuse him of playing politics and betraying blue-collar workers.

"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," Adams said. 

Horse carriage union accuses Adams of betrayal

The Transport Workers Union of America, which represents carriage drivers, blasted the mayor in sharp terms.

"Eric Adams is a straight-up Judas Iscariot who has sold his soul to real estate developers," Transport Workers Union International President John Samuelsen said, calling the move a betrayal.

Samuelson argues developers have long targeted the West Side stables in hopes of replacing them with luxury buildings. "Adams is probably trying to line up a job because he doesn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of being reelected. He can’t even beat that clown in a beret, Curtis Sliwa. He’s behind Sliwa in the polls. Pathetic."

NYC Ryder's Law

What they're saying:

Adams is calling on the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, legislation that would phase out horse-drawn carriages and replace them with electric alternatives. The measure has stalled in the Council for more than a year.

Pete Donohue, Senior Director of Communications for the union, said the mayor has "betrayed" commitments he made to TWU Local 100, noting Adams once voiced support for carriage drivers and acknowledged that the horses are well cared for. "Now, in an affordability crisis, he wants to throw 170 blue-collar carriage drivers out of work. Shame on him," Samuelsen added.

PETA responds

In a statement from PETA Director Ashley Byrne, the group doubled down on the push to get rid of the carriages.

"The only people fighting for this dying industry are the horse-drawn carriage operators trying to make a buck off broken horses’ backs. Today, Mayor Adams heeded the cries from his constituency, the Central Park Conservancy, and every animal welfare group by calling for a ban on horse-drawn carriages. Now it’s time for Speaker Adrienne Adams to stop blocking this ban and get dangerous and cruel horse-drawn carriages off of New York City’s streets," Byrne said.

"Ryder’s Law, named after a horse who collapsed on New York City streets and later died, would replace horse-drawn carriages with eco-friendly electric vehicles. The proposal came after video footage of Ryder lying on Ninth Avenue went viral, and reports that his driver slapped him, whipped him, and screamed at him to get up sparked outrage."

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa says he supports the move, "today, for once, I agree with the mayor. I have long supported Council Member Robert Holden’s Ryder’s Law because it is past time to end the cruel and barbaric horse-carriage industry and move to humane alternatives. My wife Nancy and I stand ready to help in any way possible to get this finally done. City Council should bring Ryder’s Law to a vote immediately."

At the same time, the mayor signed Executive Order 56, which lays the groundwork for phasing out the industry. It directs city agencies to strengthen oversight, create a process for voluntary license returns, and help drivers transition into new employment opportunities.

Critics call bluff on Adams

The other side:

The City Council, however, is accusing dams of politicizing the issue.

"The Council appreciates that this is a difficult and emotional issue for many New Yorkers, which has persisted for decades. Mayor Adams politically using it for his reelection campaign is opportunistic and not helpful. Mayor Adams and Randy Mastro have no credibility in the legislative process after the Council was forced to override their vetoes of grocery delivery worker and street vendor bills that their administration had supported. This bill continues to go through the legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders."

The backstory:

The move comes after a series of high-profile incidents that reignited concerns over animal welfare and public safety. 

In Aug. 2022, a horse named Ryder collapsed in Midtown and later died, sparking outrage and renewed calls for reform. 

A poll taken afterward found that 71 percent of New Yorkers supported banning carriage rides. 

More recently, in August, a horse named Lady collapsed and died on a Manhattan street. 

That same summer, another horse, Bambi, bolted through Central Park without a driver, frightening visitors and injuring passengers who jumped from the speeding carriage. 

Earlier in the year, a separate case involving runaway horses left a driver with a broken wrist and injured others.

Why are there horses in NYC? 

Horse-drawn carriages have been part of New York life since the 1830s, when city ordinances required horses as a quieter and cleaner alternative to engines. Central Park’s design even included paths for horse traffic, and today the carriages are marketed as a romantic nod to the city’s past.

But animal advocates and many New Yorkers have long said that the practice is outdated and dangerous.

What's next:

Whether the City Council acts quickly on Ryder’s Law remains uncertain. 

With both political and labor groups framing the mayor’s push as opportunistic, Adams’ effort to ban horse-drawn carriages now doubles as a test of whether reform or reelection strategy drives the debate.

Pets and Animals