A growing public interest in animal rights and welfare is persuading cities to protect working horses from inhumane treatment.
For millennia, horses have shaped human civilization. From the chariots of Ancient Egypt and Rome to the gilded ceremonial carriages of India and Japan, these gentle, easily trained animals symbolized power, artistry, and ingenuity. In cities from the grand boulevards of Paris to the bustling streets of New York, horse-drawn carriages long defined the urban landscape. Even after automobiles replaced them as practical transport, carriages endured as cultural artifacts, elegant reminders of a pre-mechanized era. By the early 20th century, they had shifted from necessity to novelty, offering tourists leisurely glimpses into history.
Today, this once-essential method of transport survives mainly as a nostalgic symbol—but beneath the rhythm of hooves lies a harsh reality: urban horses face relentless noise, traffic, hard pavement, and extreme weather. As public concern for animal welfare grows, cities worldwide are questioning whether this tradition remains justifiable.
Historic districts such as Berlin and parts of London continue to operate horse-drawn carriages under strict regulations that limit working hours, mandate rest periods, require veterinary oversight, and restrict operating areas. Other cities—including Montreal, Chicago, and San Antonio—have abolished or begun phasing them out, planning for electric carriages or other alternatives that preserve visual charm without the ethical cost. “There’s simply no way to operate horse-drawn carriages and have it be safe or humane for the horses. No amount of regulation can change that,” notes Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets (NYCLASS). While regulations vary across cities, horses face similar stressors navigating busy streets, noise, and harsh urban conditions.
A carriage gliding through Central Park or along the Seine conjures images of refinement, but the horses pulling them endure relentless strain. Veterinarian Holly Cheever notes that “the excessive pounding on the paved [city] surfaces makes the use of shoes indispensable, and many carriage horses do not receive the frequent maintenance needed to keep their feet sound and healthy.” She adds that these horses are “truly … living a nose-to-tailpipe existence.” Their continued use raises a moral question: how can cities honor cultural heritage without perpetuating harm?
Animal welfare organizations such as the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association (HSVMA) emphasize the physical and psychological toll of urban carriage work. Horses and mules are expected to labor in extreme heat and humidity, enduring long shifts on hard asphalt that exacerbate respiratory conditions and lameness. Many animals suffer chronic health problems caused or worsened by these working conditions. Urban climates compound the risks: asphalt retains heat, summers are growing hotter due to climate change, and air pollution worsens respiratory stress. These environmental factors make humane alternatives—such as electric replicas or restricted operating zones—more urgent.
Urban horses also face welfare deficiencies beyond physical strain. HSVMA notes that cramped stalls, minimal turnout, and limited social interaction deprive animals of essential care, including space to lie down, daily pasture access, and companionship with other horses. Combined with long working hours and exposure to traffic and noise, these conditions contribute to musculoskeletal strain, behavioral stress, chronic fatigue, and elevated injury risks for both animals and humans. As prey animals, horses can spook at sudden noises or traffic, underscoring the constant physical and psychological pressures of city life.
Recognizing these challenges, public perception and activism increasingly shape policy responses. Local NGOs, animal rights groups, and media coverage have driven reforms in places such as New York, Montreal, and Cartagena, while social media amplifies individual incidents—like horses collapsing or spooking—that pressure lawmakers. These campaigns illustrate how citizen engagement can drive policy change and the adoption of humane alternatives.
Municipalities have long struggled to reconcile nostalgia with compassion. Some have imposed work limits, mandatory rest breaks, and heat restrictions to reduce suffering. Others embrace innovation, introducing electric “horseless carriages” that replicate the traditional aesthetic without relying on animal labor. Innovation does not always require eliminating horses entirely: some cities experiment with hybrid solutions, limiting working hours, supplementing horse-drawn rides with mechanical assistance, or operating only during cooler seasons. Such approaches show that technological solutions can coexist with regulated horse labor, providing a transition period that respects both cultural heritage and animal welfare. “Many cities around the world have transitioned from using horse-drawn carriages to electric horseless carriages with great success,” notes Susan Wagner, president of Equine Advocates.
Latin America has emerged as a leader in transitioning away from horse-drawn carriages. In 2017, Guadalajara, the most populous city in the western Mexican state of Jalisco, became the world’s first city to transition from horse-drawn to electric carriages.” In December 2025, Cartagena, Colombia, phased out its iconic horse-drawn buggies in the city’s historic district, replacing them with a fleet of 62 electric carriages. City officials cited animal-welfare concerns, noting that urban traffic, heat, and hard pavement contributed to stress and injuries among the horses. While some carriage owners protested the loss of their livelihood and tradition, local authorities emphasized that electric vehicles preserve the historic charm for tourists without harming the animals. The fleet, powered by solar energy, illustrates how innovation can balance cultural heritage, tourism, and ethical treatment of working animals.
Tourist demand remains a major driver of carriage operations. Cities that retain carriages often rely on revenue from sightseeing rides, creating an economic incentive to maintain a practice opposed by many residents and animal-welfare advocates. This tension between commerce and ethics complicates reform efforts: heritage and revenue appeal to visitors, while the welfare of the animals carrying them is often compromised.
The modern carriage industry typically relies on large draft breeds such as Belgians, Percherons, and Dutch drafts—animals bred for strength, endurance, and composure. Yet even the most stalwart horses are ill-suited to environments dominated by steel, glass, and asphalt. When bans are not possible, cities can protect working horses through enforceable regulations—covering limits on working hours, mandatory rest breaks, and veterinary care—as seen in New York City’s urban carriage laws. Drivers face equally complex challenges, navigating traffic while safeguarding passengers and horses. Ownership structures and systemic pressures—economic, regulatory, and spatial—can undermine even the most conscientious care.
New York City illustrates the complex balance between historical tradition, human livelihoods, and animal welfare. The carriage industry has operated in the city for more than a century, transitioning from a necessity for urban transport to a tourist attraction that highlights both cultural charm and ethical dilemmas. By the mid-20th century, the city formalized the trade through a limited medallion system, establishing one of the world’s most extensively regulated carriage operations.
As of 2025, roughly 200 licensed carriage horses and about 170 licensed drivers work out of three Manhattan stables. Oversight is divided among multiple agencies: the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene monitors animal welfare, the Department of Consumer and Worker Protections manages licensing, and the NYPD Mounted Unit enforces street safety. Despite these regulations, working horses continue to face extreme stress, occasionally collapsing or spooking into traffic, underscoring the limits of oversight without strict enforcement.
In 2022, a widely circulated video showed a carriage horse named Ryder collapsing from exhaustion in Manhattan. The incident prompted the introduction of Ryder’s Law, which sought to end unsafe working conditions and replace horse-drawn carriages with electric vehicles. The bill ultimately failed to pass in November 2025, despite broad public support: a 2022 survey found that 71 percent of New Yorkers favored banning horse-drawn carriages. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expressed support for their removal, and the Central Park Conservancy, which manages the park, has raised concerns about the carriages’ impact on public safety and infrastructure.
The debate over horse-drawn carriages in New York is emblematic of a broader question facing cities worldwide: how can urban areas balance heritage and tourism with contemporary values of animal welfare and public safety? Experts and advocates argue that integrating humane alternatives, such as electric carriages, can preserve cultural charm while safeguarding both animals and humans, illustrating a model for sustainable urban tradition.
Cities have begun exploring more humane models of transition. Some have opted for phased retirements, gradually reducing the number of active medallions while helping drivers transition to alternative employment. Others have confined carriages to designated parks or pedestrian areas, balancing tourism with safety and animal welfare. A few have pioneered retraining programs, preparing drivers for roles in electric transport or broader hospitality sectors. These policies demonstrate that ethical reform requires empathy for both species: the horses who labor and the humans whose livelihoods depend upon them.
Globally, responses vary. Montreal, Salt Lake City, and Chicago have banned carriage operations entirely, citing animal welfare and public safety. Berlin and London have retained horse-drawn carriages under strict oversight: Berlin limits work during high temperatures and requires daily rest and free movement for horses, while London’s carriages operate under local hackney carriage licenses that mandate veterinary inspections and compliance with welfare standards.
Other cities, such as Guadalajara and Cartagena, have embraced innovation, deploying electric replicas that preserve the sensory appeal of a carriage ride without relying on live horses. Each approach reflects a distinct combination of cultural identity, economic priorities, and political will. Some communities view carriages as living heritage, preserving a tangible connection to the past, while others prioritize ethical progress and public safety. This negotiation between nostalgia and contemporary values underscores the broader challenge cities face: honoring history without compromising moral responsibility. Yet they all signal a growing consensus that compassion and progress should increasingly guide urban tradition.
The horse-drawn carriage endures as a symbol of continuity—a tangible link between the human past and the mechanized present. It recalls an era when cities moved to the rhythm of hooves, and when power and grace coexisted in motion. Yet sentiment alone cannot justify suffering. In an age of technological abundance, using animals for leisure now demands moral scrutiny.
The path forward lies in synthesizing regulation tempered by empathy and innovation rooted in respect. Cities that embrace humane alternatives demonstrate that heritage can evolve rather than vanish. The echo of hooves on cobblestone may eventually fade, but what endures—craftsmanship, connection, compassion—reflects the best of human civilization. To honor the past is not to replicate it, but to carry its wisdom forward.
We’re building a guide for everyday life, where experts will educate you about our world.
