Press Release
NEW YORK, NY (June 10, 2026)—Following the collapse and death of a carriage horse on the evening of June 9, 2026, a spokesperson for the Central Park Conservancy issued the following statement:
“The Central Park Conservancy has long believed that horse carriages pose a public safety risk in the increasingly crowded Park. In the past year, New Yorkers have witnessed at least seven separate incidents in which horses became spooked and either broke free—posing danger to passengers, park-goers, and others—or caused injury to their drivers, or, now, collapsed and died on Central Park’s Drives. It’s time to end this practice. You cannot watch these videos or read these stories and believe that New York City government should allow this practice to continue. Let's pass Ryder's Law and join the rest of the world in banning horse carriages from our busy urban streetscape."
In the last 13 months, there have been seven horse-related incidents in Central Park:
- June 9, 2026—A horse collapses near 72nd Street & West Drive. Seconds later, the horse passes away. Two tourists were in the carriage when the horse collapsed, and dozens of parkgoers witnessed its tragic death. Watch here.
- May 19, 2026—A horse is spooked near Seventh Avenue and 59th Street and hit another carriage, causing it to tip over. One driver was taken to a local hospital in a neck brace. Watch here.
- January 8, 2026—A horse named Destiny ran into oncoming traffic through the four-way intersection of Sixth Avenue and West 59th Street. Police said four to five cars were hit; the carriage struck a cab with enough force to tear its bumper off, and a Parks Department vehicle suffered damage. Watch here.
- September 4, 2025—Two visiting tourists were forced to jump from a speeding horse-drawn carriage after the animal bolted from its two drivers along the East Drive, careening across a landscape and taking out a metal sign before finally coming to rest near Bethesda Terrace. Watch here.
- May 26, 2025—Two horse-drawn carriages bolt through Central Park near the 60th Street & East Drive. Both carriage operators sustained injuries while attempting to regain control of the horses. The second driver broke his wrist catching his horse and needed surgery. Watch here.
- May 18, 2025—A driver was hurt after two horse-drawn carriages collided in Central Park at the 7th Avenue hack line, causing the carriage to overturn and briefly trapping the driver, who was taken to a hospital by ambulance. Watch here.
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About the Central Park Conservancy
The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization that manages Central Park and is responsible for raising the Park's annual operating budget. The Conservancy’s staff of 400 is responsible for all aspects of the Park’s stewardship, from day-to-day maintenance and operations to continued restoration and rebuilding projects. Additionally, the Conservancy operates the Park’s visitor centers, provides public programs, and serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world. For more information, please visit centralparknyc.org.
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