As Hell's Kitchen reels from the shock of another horse-drawn carriage tragedy with Lady's sudden death, Queens Councilmember Robert Holden pushes for a ban on the controversial industry, citing the dire need for New York City to discard what he calls "a barbaric, outdated industry." In support of the proposed Ryder's Law, which is geared towards a citywide ban starting from 2026 and seeks to pivot carriage drivers to new jobs, Holden highlighted that "another horse is dead because our leaders refuse to appeal to their conscience and end this barbaric industry once and for all," as Gothamist reported.
Named after Ryder, a carriage horse that suffered a similar fate in 2022, Ryder's Law is a legislative proposal with 19 sponsors that to this date has not been moved forward for hearing; despite Holden's, animal rights groups', and a predicated majority of New Yorkers' agreement on discontinuing the practice—Lady's untimely demise has spotlighted the issue anew, energizing protests and demands for a legislative response. As ABC 7 New York reported, protesters have gathered outside the stable home to about 90 Central Park horses to advocate for change insisting that cities like Chicago, Montreal, and London have set an example by moving past horse-drawn carriages.
In a display of solidarity spanning diverse political beliefs, Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa joined the protest asserting, "We are all here from different political backgrounds, republicans, democrats, and Independents," and emphasized the unifying concern for "protecting God's beautiful creatures," as he shared with ABC 7 New York. Juror Tracy Winston who served on the case acquitting the driver of Ryder's death expressed regret at the trial's conclusion, stating, "What I know now, I didn't get that information during the trial," and further emphasized her intention to "right this ship."
Meanwhile, carriage driver and union spokesperson Christina Hansen counters the critique by highlighting the historical and aesthetic value that horses bring to Central Park stating "Horses beautify Central Park, it was designed to be seen that way, we're a great tourist attraction, we're great with families, and we keep that connection between the city and nature," however, she acknowledges the gravity of the incident, and the devastation felt by Lady's owner; the cause of death is being probed by Cornell University and the city's department of health, with a preliminary report pending, as per ABC 7 New York.
