THE NYC CARRIAGE HORSE ISSUE and CENTRAL PARK

Like a Bad Penny - it keeps on popping up

THE HISTORY

In 2006, I started the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages – the first Ban campaign in NYC. (The website is not updated.) This was an issue that had gotten into my heart years before, and when Spotty was killed on January 2^nd after spooking, bolting, and crashing into a car at 9^th Avenue and 50^th Street, I vowed – it was a ban or nothing. Horse-drawn carriages do not belong on the crowded streets of NYC. I was willing to put in the necessary time.

In 2007, former Council Member Tony Avella agreed to introduce the first-ever ban bill. After the death of Spotty, he offered to introduce a bill that would keep the carriages in Central Park. We refused. It was a ban or nothing. A year later, he agreed. Christine Quinn, the speaker at the time, would not let it move forward. Sound familiar? (Speaker Adrienne Adams, present day) But we persevered.

This was an ad we ran in the subway station

Fast forward to 2013, mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio promised to ban horse-drawn carriages on Day 1 – many of us believed him – we should have known better. He got a lot of mileage out of that, but he turned out to be a fraud and a sellout to the unions.

In 2016, his administration introduced a bad bill that called for relocating the horses permanently to Central Park and building stables. And many groups, some of whom knew little about this issue but had some power, supported it.

When something like this happens, one questions the intelligence of those in power. Did these politicians think they were going to pull the wool over the eyes of people who should have known better? Yes – this is what they were banking on. This bill was supported by NYCLASS, PETA, HSUS, the Mayor’s Alliance, and Last Chance for Animals. Sellouts. It was not supported by the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages, Friends of Animals, Equine Advocates, and, oddly enough, the president of Last Chance for Animals, Chris DeRose. The head of the Transportation Committee, Ydanis Rodriguez, did a terrible job holding the hearing, giving those who supported the bill three minutes for testimony and others, i.e., me, only one minute. And “entertaining” a Native American, from the rodeo business, who was on the side of the carriage drivers, giving him endless time. Rodriguez is now the Commissioner of the Department of Transportation.

This was the brilliant de Blasio’s bill. Click Here. It called for providing for 75 carriage horses.

If such a bill had passed, it could have entrenched the trade for generations to come. But fortunately for those of us who opposed it, the owners pulled out of the deal at the last minute because the bill would have reduced the number of horses and their income. The bill fell apart.

I have written about this many times, including before the bill was introduced in 2016. I had an op-ed in the NY Daily News (not to be located online) that addressed how much land such an endeavor would take – land that belonged to people, not a private industry. In 2022, I wrote another piece on my blog. The dumb idea continues. My blog addresses all the issues, including the fact that horses need one acre per horse for turnout; pristine pasture is impossible in Central Park.

CARRIAGE HORSE STABLES IN CENTRAL PARK ARE A BAD IDEA and A DIVERSION

PRESENT DAY

So now, one of the groups in NYC that gets involved in legislation and endorsements has decided to promote putting the horses in the park -- again. They have no understanding of the requirements such a project would take. No understanding that Central Park is landmarked – both the park and the beautiful historic buildings. No understanding of the special needs for horses, horse carriages, storage facilities, showering facilities, properly sized stalls, etc. etc. etc.

In 2019, Voters for Animal Rights endorsed those running for NYC Council - Justin Brannon, Lynn Schulman, and Julie Menin, to name a few. According to their questionnaire, these candidates all promised to back a future bill that would ban horse-drawn carriages. Yet when Council Member Robert Holden introduced a ban bill in 2022, they refused to sign on. At that point, they had all gotten the endorsements of the Transit Workers Union (TWU), the union that “represents” the carriage drivers. In case anyone still does not know, the carriage trade is made up of owners and drivers – they do not work for the City of NY, which does have real union representation for various jobs. The TWU (for an unknown reason) represents the carriage drivers, but it is not a real union shop, and there are no benefits – i.e. medical, vacation, pension, etc. Simply put, it is not a “good union job” as some council members have described it.

At the next council election, VFAR continued to endorse these Council Members, even though they had not kept their promise. This is one reason we, as a 501-c-4, do not officially endorse because there is so much dishonesty in politics. Many Council Members will sell their soul to get an endorsement, particularly from powerful unions.

Recently, Voters for Animal Rights (VFAR) sent their “New York City Candidate Endorsement Questionnaire 2025” to candidates running for office. This is from the questionnaire:

12) Protecting carriage horses by moving their stables, tour area, and grazing area into Central Park

Background: Advocates have long called out the poor working and living conditions for horses used for NYC carriage rides. Despite common belief, the horses do not live in Central Park; they are forced to travel through NYC traffic to get to and from Central Park. Despite improvements implemented over the years, the horses are often made to work long days - sometimes in extreme weather conditions, and they can go weeks without any opportunity for daily turnout. Over the course of the past three decades, there have been countless incidents and accidents involving New York City carriage horses. In August 2022, the world watched in horror when Ryder the horse collapsed in Hell's Kitchen and was beaten by his owner. Many horses have died on the streets of NYC or been sent or sold to slaughter once they are unable to continue working.

Yes, I pledge to support this initiative.

No, I do not pledge to support this initiative.

If you answered "no" above, we invite you to use the space below to share your concerns about the legislation.

Your answer

WHY? THIS IS ABSURD AND THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER

1. Parkland and the process of alienation

In New York State, parkland alienation is the process where a municipality seeks to transfer parkland to another use of ownership. This would be a transfer to a private business, such as the carriage horse trade.

The NYS legislature, through a specific parkland alienation bill, would be required to pass it in both the Senate and the Assembly. It then must be approved by the Governor.

The reason for this procedure is that parkland is considered to be held in trust for the public and has special protections. The alienation process ensures that any transfer or change of use is carefully considered and authorized by the State.

2. Landmarked

Central Park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. This includes the horse stables, which were built in 1885.

In 1974, the Landmarks Preservation Commission followed suit.

A landmark designation for Central Park and its buildings means that it has been officially recognized for its special historical, cultural, and architectural significance. It also means that alterations and demolitions would probably not be approved and end up in court.

All this for a cruel and unsafe tiny highly controversial business with 68 owners, where 71% of New Yorkers want to see them gone. Protected by the powerful Transit Workers Union.

This is from the Transit Workers Union

“Explore a new stable. The city should explore building an equestrian facility in Central Park without taking land used by the public for recreation. If such a stable that could accommodate the entire existing carriage industry of 68 small businesses were feasible, this would eliminate the need for carriage horses to commute through traffic.

One possible location: a city-owned building by the 86th St. Transverse that is used now as a sign manufacturing shop. This was previously suggested as an appropriate site for a stable by former Mayor Bill de Blasio, and many City Council members supported the concept. It is located next to the Central Park Police Precinct, which used to be a horse stable.”

What audacity of the Union and carriage drivers to expect that City taxpayers would agree to pay for building a stable anywhere – it is a private business. What chutzpah!

SOME NUMBERS TO PONDER (reality vs fantasy)

• · The landmarked horse stalls within Central Park are about 50 Sq. Ft. each. The present regulation for carriage horses calls for 60 Sq. ft – 6’ x 10’. Experts recommend a 144 sq. ft. or 12’ x 12” stall for a standard bred horse – but 196 sq. ft. or 14’ x 14’ for a draft horse, of which there are many in the trade.

• There are only 27 stalls in the existing Central Park stables. There are about 180 carriage horses in NYC.

• The existing stable building in Central Park is 3,564.08 sq. ft. The square footage for the existing carriage horse stables in Manhattan is: Clinton Park Stable – 34,823; West Side Livery – 9,600; Byrnes Brothers – 7,000 or a total of 51,423.

It's just not going to happen, and it is up to those of us who care to show how ridiculous it is – that they probably know it and are pulling the wool over the eyes of ignorant people who might think it is a good idea.

They offer these “solutions” without showing any understanding of how much space is needed; that it would take a lot away from Central Park, which is meant for the people; the impossibility of public grazing, which could be subject to vandalism; that it would end up in the courts for years.

With all due respect to these horses, the existing horse stables on 37th, 38th, and 52nd streets smell badly, and the odor permeates the street. It is from horse manure and urine, and inadequate upkeep. People enjoying a day in the park do not want to smell this.

The park is for people. This is what they don't want to talk about.

We offered the drivers the possibility of changing over to electric carriages after our trip to Guadalajara to see their horseless e-carriages. They refused. Like spoiled children, they want what they want. No compromise.

Let’s end this cruel, exploitative, and unsafe business now. It’s way past time. The carriage trade and unions have a hold over politicians that must be broken.