New Yorkers who love their monthly trips to Central Park have said they want the iconic horse‑drawn carriages to stay, a fresh poll shows. The industry‑funded study found 57 % of respondents want the carriages to keep running, while only 37 % support banning them.
The poll, run by Slingshot Strategies for the Transport Workers Union, surveyed 738 city residents from September 29 to October 5 and carries a margin of error of ±4.4 %. Interviewers first asked visitors if they view the rides as a treasured tradition or an old‑fashioned, unsafe practice, then presented the union’s claim that the horses receive regular vet care, rest periods, and that the industry supports well‑paid union jobs. After hearing that Mayor Eric Adams recently signed an executive order to prepare for a phase‑out of the horse‑carriage industry, respondents were asked again whether they would support a ban.
When giving the city council a chance to legislate, 60 % of participants opposed a ban, and only 24 % said they were in favor. These figures outnumber those from an earlier 2022 animal‑rights survey that claimed 71 % of voters wanted the carriages gone.
What is driving the debate? The new legislation, “Ryder’s Law,” would see the industry phased out by June 1 , 2026 after a horse collapsed in Manhattan three years ago, sparking an animal‑rights outcry. Supporters argue the wars in the city’s stables are no longer useful, while critics see the rides as a living piece of New York’s heritage — a live‑action version of the park’s historic design by Frederick Law Olmsted.
In addition to the ban question, the poll asked if the rides add beauty and charm to Central Park. Seventy‑percent of respondents agreed. Another 66 % said that ending the carriages would strip the park of its iconic character.
The union’s president, John Samuelsen, said the results “send a clear message that New Yorkers aren’t buying the politicized anti‑horse rhetoric. The carriage horses are part of the soul of Central Park.”
The data show a clear split: while a majority of park visitors want to preserve their historic rides, a significant minority would welcome the industry’s end. For city officials, the public’s skepticism toward the ban underscores the complexity of balancing historic tradition with modern concerns over animal welfare, road safety and real‑estate development.
Source: New York Post
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