Free the Horses
The WHO's first real-world campaign: end horse-drawn carriages in Central Park and transition to electric alternatives. No horse loses its life. No worker loses their job.
The Problem
Every day in New York City, horses are forced to haul heavy carriages through some of the most congested streets in the country. They breathe car exhaust for hours, pound pavement in extreme heat and cold, and are denied everything natural to them — pasture, open movement, herd life.
They're prey animals. When they spook — and they do, regularly — it is not only horses who get hurt. On May 18, 2026, two horse-drawn carriages collided in Central Park near West 59th Street; one carriage overturned and the driver was hospitalized. The horses were reported uninjured that day — luck, not safety. It happened during a heat advisory, while advocates again called for the City Council to pass Ryder's Law. New York Times coverage.
In May 2025, three horses bolted in Central Park in a single week, injuring at least four people. No amount of regulation can prevent a startle response.
A 2022 poll found 71% of NYC voters oppose horse-drawn carriages. Major cities worldwide — Beijing, Paris, London, New Delhi — have already banned them. Even Palm Beach and Biloxi have moved on. New York is behind.
In memory
Horses who have died or been injured in recent years working NYC's carriage trade:
The Plan
For the horses: sanctuary retirement
- •Every retired horse goes to an accredited sanctuary — no auctions, no resale.
- •The WHO fundraises to cover transport, intake, and the first year of care.
- •Partnerships with established organizations like Catskill Animal Sanctuary and Equine Advocates.
- •Every real retired horse gets a named tribute horse in the WHO digital sanctuary — keeping their story alive.
- •Transparent public tracking: where each horse is, how they're doing, with regular updates.
For the workers: electric carriages
- •Same routes through Central Park. Same scenic experience for tourists. Same tips for drivers — including the largely immigrant workforce that depends on this work today.
- •Existing carriage medallion holders convert to electric permits at no cost.
- •Funded training program on EV operation — short and practical, these are experienced drivers.
- •Vehicle subsidies so the switch costs workers nothing.
- •Vintage-style electric carriages preserve the classic aesthetic without the animal.
For the city: a smooth transition
- •18–24 month wind-down period. No cliff — horse licenses sunset gradually while electric permits ramp up.
- •Tourists still get the carriage ride. It just doesn't require a living animal to suffer.
- •Quieter, zero-emission vehicles improve the park experience for everyone.
Where Things Stand
Ryder's Law(Intro 967), named after a carriage horse that collapsed and died in Hell's Kitchen in 2022, would phase out horse carriage licenses and replace them with electric alternatives. After the May 2026 collision, the Central Park Conservancy and advocacy groups again called for the Council to reintroduce and pass the bill. It was voted down by the City Council Health Committee in November 2025 (4–1, with 2 abstentions) after being forced to a vote through a procedural maneuver.
Former Mayor Adams signed Executive Order 56in September 2025, strengthening oversight and preparing for an eventual ban. The current mayor has taken a cautious “deeper study” position.
17 Council members co-sponsored the bill. The Central Park Conservancy has come out against the carriages — a significant shift. Advocacy groups including NYCLASS, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and PETA continue to push for reintroduction.
The bill will be reintroduced. When it is, the WHO will be ready to support it — with funds, with platform, and with a credible plan for both the horses and the workers.
Common Questions
“Aren't the horses well cared for? They get vet checks and mandatory rest.”
Regulated cruelty is still cruelty. No amount of regulation changes the core problem: prey animals hauling weight through Midtown traffic, deprived of pasture, herd life, and natural movement. The mandatory rest is downtime at upstate rotation farms — not retirement.
“These horses would be sent to slaughter without this industry.”
If the best defense is "we're better than a slaughterhouse," the bar is underground. Ryder's Law includes mandatory sanctuary retirement — no horse goes to auction. Multiple rescue organizations have pledged capacity, and the WHO is fundraising to cover placement costs.
“Horse carriages are a historic part of Central Park.”
Central Park was designed in 1858 when horses were the primary mode of transportation. The city has changed. History evolves. We can honor the aesthetic with electric carriages that look classic but don't require a living animal to suffer for a tourist photo.
“What about the 300+ jobs?”
The drivers' union is right that these jobs matter — they're an important source of work for an overwhelmingly immigrant workforce. That's why the WHO supports transitioning those same drivers to electric carriages: same routes, same tips, same scenic experience, without a prey animal — or the person behind it — in harm's way. Funded training and vehicle subsidies so the switch costs workers nothing.
“Isn't this really a real estate land grab for the stable property?”
The WHO has zero real estate interest. We want the horses freed, not the stables sold. If the stables can be repurposed as electric carriage depots or community space, great.
“The horses seem calm and content.”
Learned helplessness looks like calm. These are herd animals denied everything natural to them — open grazing, free movement, bonding with other horses. Not visibly suffering is not the same as thriving.
“Won't the horses just end up at another job somewhere else?”
Ryder's Law includes provisions requiring horses be retired to sanctuaries, not resold for commercial work. The WHO will track and publicly report on every retired horse — where they are, how they're doing, with regular photo updates.
What the WHO Is Doing
The World Horse Organization exists because horses deserve freedom. That mission doesn't stop at the digital sanctuary. Here's how we're contributing to the real-world fight:
- NowThis page. Raising awareness and making the case publicly.
- NowPartnering with NYCLASS and other advocacy organizations.
- SoonIn-game credit purchases fund the WHO mission. Profits from microtransactions go directly to the cause.
- SoonA public running total of funds raised, displayed right here.
- LaterTribute horses in the game for every real horse retired from Central Park service.
Horses belong on pastures, not pavement.
Join the WHO. Play the game. Every credit purchased helps fund real-world sanctuary placement for Central Park's carriage horses.
Join the World Horse Organization