NYC Mayor Eric Adams Calls For Ban On Horse-Drawn Carriages

Mayor Eric Adams has signed an executive order to prepare New York City (NYC) for a ban on horse-drawn carriages, including potential replacement with electric alternatives.

Adams also called on the NYC Council to pass “Ryder’s Law,” which will actually begin the phase-out of horse-drawn carriages in the city. The law would ensure “humane” relocation of the industry’s horses – not to slaughter or other cab businesses – and administer a workforce development program for drivers.

In a statement, Adams said that after liaising with workers and community advocates, “it has become abundantly clear that these horse-drawn carriages no longer work for our city.” He noted that a “series of incidents” in recent years has prompted concerns about the safety of park users, carriage drivers, and the horses themselves.

Ryder’s Law is named after a carriage horse who collapsed at West 45th Street and 9th Avenue in Manhattan, just south-west of Central Park, in 2022. A video of the incident went viral, and a poll by Animal Defence Fund found that 71 percent of New Yorkers support a ban on horse and carriage rides. Ryder died two months later.

‘New Yorkers care deeply about animals’

The Mayor’s office also highlighted the collapse and death of a horse named Lady in Hell’s Kitchen last month, as well as several recent instances of runaway carriage horses endangering park-users and causing injuries. Adams’s executive order directs the NYPD to immediately take action against drivers who impede traffic and bike lanes, and Adams has said the industry will be wrapped up by spring 2026.

“This is not about eliminating this tradition,” continued Adams. “It’s about honoring our traditions in a way that aligns with who we are today. New Yorkers care deeply about animals, about fairness, and about doing what’s right.”

The need for an NYC ban on horse-drawn carriages

Photo shows a horse and carriage by Central Park in New York City — Adobe Stock There have been several incidents involving runaway horse-drawn carriages in NYC

As noted by PETA, many of the horses that pull carriages in NYC and other busy cities work long hours in extreme temperatures, typically surrounded by the unavoidable traffic, pollution, and loud noises of a modern urban area. Horses are social animals that naturally prefer to run in herds, and they may experience depression in the wrong environment.

ABC7 Eyewitness News reported that Councilmember Robert Holden, who sponsored Ryder’s Law, applauded the decision to spotlight the horse-drawn carriage industry by Adams. The City Council was already considering legislation, but the executive order will waive the “ageing period” and expedite its passage.

However, a City Council spokesperson said, “Mayor Adams politically using it for his reelection campaign is opportunistic and not helpful. […] This bill continues to go through the legislative process, which is deliberative and allows for thorough input from all stakeholders.” In the ongoing four-way race for NYC mayor, Adams, who is now running as an independent, is polling last as of September 10.

Forty-three percent of registered NYC voters support Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic mayoral primary in July, while 28 percent support the newly independent Andrew Cuomo. Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa currently has 10 percent, while the incumbent Mayor Adams is polling at 8 percent.