Another Horse Drawn Carriage Flips In Central Park, Renewing Calls To End NYC’s Cruel Carriage Industry

Another frightening horse drawn carriage accident unfolded in New York City yesterday after a horse reportedly became spooked near the entrance to Central Park, causing a carriage to overturn, once again raising serious concerns about the dangers horses face while being forced to navigate the chaos of Manhattan traffic.

According to reports, the incident occurred near the Seventh Avenue entrance to Central Park at West 59th Street after a horse named Troy allegedly became startled and collided with another carriage pulled by a horse named Otis. The collision reportedly caused one of the carriages to flip over. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, and the carriage driver was transported to a local hospital in stable condition after sustaining injuries. Authorities stated that the horses did not suffer any reported injuries.

Videos and photos circulating online showed the overturned carriage surrounded by shocked bystanders as emergency personnel worked to secure the area. The disturbing incident quickly reignited outrage from animal advocates who have long warned that horses and crowded New York City streets are an extremely dangerous combination.

For years, advocates have argued that forcing horses to pull heavy carriages through congested traffic, blaring sirens, construction noise, extreme weather, and unpredictable city conditions places these animals under enormous physical and psychological stress. Horses can easily become frightened in hectic environments, creating potentially dangerous situations for both the animals and the public.

Sadly, this latest incident is far from isolated. Over the years, multiple carriage horses have collapsed, bolted through traffic, or been involved in frightening accidents throughout the city, fueling ongoing calls to finally shut down New York City’s controversial horse carriage industry once and for all.

The latest crash is also renewing attention around Ryder’s Law, legislation named after Ryder, a carriage horse who collapsed on a busy Manhattan street in 2022 during extreme summer heat. Disturbing footage of Ryder struggling to get back up sparked outrage around the world and intensified calls to end horse drawn carriages in New York City. Ryder was sadly later euthanized after reportedly being diagnosed with cancer.

Ryder’s Law was introduced to phase out horse drawn carriage licenses, transition drivers to electric carriages, and provide retirement protections for horses currently used in the industry. Although the legislation failed to advance through committee in late 2025, animal welfare organizations continue urging lawmakers to revive and pass the bill following repeated carriage horse accidents and ongoing safety concerns throughout Manhattan.

“Today, both a heat advisory and air quality alert were in effect, yet these horses were still being forced to work in dangerous Midtown traffic. These crashes keep happening because horses are skittish prey animals who do not belong in chaotic city streets.

“Seventy-eight percent of polled New York voters support passing Ryder’s Law, alongside NYC Mayor, the Central Park Conservancy, horse experts, and most animal welfare groups.

“NYCLASS is urgently calling on Speaker Julie Menin, the New York City Council, and Lynn Schulman to act now before the next tragedy occurs,” stated Edita Birnkrant, Executive Director, NYCLASS.

TAKE ACTION: Contact New York City lawmakers and demand they immediately reintroduce and fast track Ryder’s Law before another horse carriage accident leads to devastating consequences for both horses and humans alike HERE!

While supporters of the carriage industry continue defending the practice as a New York City tradition, critics argue that tradition should never come before animal welfare and public safety.

WAN will continue following this developing story and provide updates as more information becomes available.