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Central Park Carriage Overturns, Injuring Driver as Police Investigate

The crash has revived calls to ban horse-drawn carriages under Ryder’s Law.

Overview

  • A horse-drawn carriage tipped onto its side near West 59th Street in Central Park after Monday's scare, sending the 44-year-old coachman to a hospital in stable condition.
  • The NYPD said the carriages were parked one behind the other when the second horse, Troy, reared at an abrupt movement and knocked the first carriage over.
  • Police reported no passengers on either carriage and no injured horses, and they said the crash remains under investigation.
  • The Central Park Conservancy and animal-rights groups urged the City Council to pass Ryder’s Law, which would phase out carriage rides or replace them with electric vehicles.
  • The drivers’ union opposed a ban and disputed the cause, saying the horses reacted after the two carriages crossed wheels, as the broader fight continues after recent collapses and a January runaway and after a 2024 ban bill stalled in committee in November.