New York, NY – A new poll of NYC voters shows strong support for continuing horse-carriage rides in Central Park – with 70% of those surveyed saying the horses “add beauty and charm” to the park.
Slingshot Strategies conducted a survey of 738 New Yorker’s who visit Central Park at least once a month. The Transport Workers Union commissioned the poll. The results include:
• 60%of those surveyed oppose banning carriage horses while just 34%support it.
• 60% say carriage rides are part of a timeless tradition that should be preserved, compared to 30% who say they no longer belong in the park.
• 70% of park-goers believe that horses “add beauty and charm” to the park for both New Yorkers and tourists, while only 23% disagree.
• 65% believe carriage horses are important to preserving Central Park’s character and history.
“There is resounding public support for keeping the carriage horses in Central Park,” Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen said. “This poll sends a clear message that New Yorker’s aren’t buying the politicized anti-horse rhetoric. The carriage horses are part of the soul of Central Park — a living, breathing tradition that brings beauty, history, and heart to this city. People don’t want that erased. They want it protected.”
The poll was conducted from September 29 to October 5, 2025.
The poll comes one month after an AMNY online survey where 77% of respondents said horse carriages should not be banned, while just 23% said they should.
Critics trying to ban carriage horses have spent millions of dollars on a campaign that falsely depicts carriage drivers as animal abusers. They have cherry-pick incidents to create controversy and demonize workers.
“NYCLASS, which was founded by real estate developers, has led this deceitful charge,” Samuelsen said. “Developers want to eliminate the horse carriages to free up their valuable West Side stables for development. This fight isn’t about animal welfare. It’s about real estate, big money, and greed.”
