A Central Park carriage horse was spooked and bolted into busy Midtown Manhattan traffic last week, running through multiple lanes and colliding with about five vehicles before stopping. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the incident has reignited concerns from animal advocacy groups like NYCLASS, which criticize the practice of using horses in chaotic city environments and call for a full ban on carriage horses in New York City. The Transport Workers Union, representing carriage drivers, is reviewing potential penalties for the driver involved, who claims the horse was startled by a fast-moving Amazon delivery e-bike.

This episode adds to a series of similar incidents in recent years, prompting former Mayor Eric Adams to issue an executive order requiring city inspections of carriage horses to ensure their welfare, a mandate later revoked by current Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Despite rescinding Adams’ orders, Mamdani has expressed support for eventually removing horse carriages from Central Park, signaling ongoing debate over the future of this controversial industry in NYC.