{"id":107679,"date":"2026-01-21T20:59:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T20:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/107679\/"},"modified":"2026-01-21T20:59:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T20:59:10","slug":"horseback-riding-coming-back-to-central-park-even-as-activists-work-to-get-carriage-rides-banned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/107679\/","title":{"rendered":"Horseback riding coming back to Central Park \u2014 even as activists work to get carriage rides banned"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new company is bringing horseback riding back to Central Park for the first time in nearly two decades \u2014 even as pressure mounts from activists to ban carriage rides<\/a> in the greenspace because they say it\u2019s cruel to the beasts.<\/p>\n

Miller\u2019s Horse Co. has been teasing on social media its plans to usher in even more horses into the tourist area hub, but advocates worry the new adventure would just be another abuse for Manhattan equines to endure.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeep horses out of Manhattan,\u201d one worried user said online.<\/p>\n

Miller\u2019s Horse Company is bringing horseback riding back to Central Park. Matthew McDermott<\/p>\n

\u201cThis isn\u2019t about horses being \u2018bad in the city.\u2019 It\u2019s about the city being the wrong place for horses. No amount of experience or intention can make an environment like that predictable or fair to them,\u201d another user wrote, adding: \u201cjust because we can do something doesn\u2019t mean we should.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miller\u2019s declined to share any plans with The Post on how it will keep its herd safe<\/a>, or any details about the project, but emphasized on social media that \u201chorse welfare is our first priority.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new project is being done in conjunction with Manhattan Saddlery, the city\u2019s only tack shop and formerly known as Miller Harness Company.<\/p>\n

It marks the first time routine guided tours will be conducted in Central Park since the Claremont Riding Academy closed in 2007 after 115 years in the game.<\/p>\n

Miller\u2019s Horse Company took two horses from City Island Stables on a test ride earlier this month. Miller’s Horse Company \/ Instagram<\/p>\n

Riders have been allowed to bring their own horses along the Bridle Path in the years since.<\/p>\n

\u201cCentral Park, from the saddle. Coming soon,\u201d the new company\u2019s Instagram bio states.<\/a><\/p>\n

Although Manhattan Saddlery has been largely mum about its plans, it revealed some clues online<\/a> \u2014 including plans to open bookings in mid-March.<\/p>\n

The horses will be trailered from an unspecified private barn in an outer borough, \u201cwhere turnout, routine care, and rest are part of daily life,\u201d Miller\u2019s said. It\u2019s not clear which Big Apple stable will supply the horses, but beauties from the Bronx\u2019s City Island Stables were used to conduct a trial run earlier this month.<\/p>\n

The iconic Bridle Path has historically been the site of many kinds of mounted activities. Bettmann Archive<\/p>\n

Claremont Riding Academy closed in 2007 after running horseback riding out of Central Park for 115 years. Getty Images<\/p>\n

The horses\u2019 commute to Central Park is \u201cabout 30 minutes,\u201d and the company emphasized that the stallions will be ushered into the park via an air-ride horse van rather than the bumpier traditional truck and trailer set.<\/p>\n

All rides along the Birdle Path will be guided and will consist of just three people at a time: two riders and a Miller\u2019s equestrian.<\/p>\n

The company is not permitted by the city Parks Department. <\/p>\n

Riding horses by law work slightly fewer hours with more breaks in the Big Apple compared to their carriage-pulling counterparts.<\/a><\/p>\n

Carriage horses work 9 hours per day compared to riding horses\u2019 8-hour workday, and are only entitled to a 15-minute rest every two hours. Riding horses get the 15 minute break after an hour of work, according to city law.<\/a><\/p>\n

Calls have been mounting to ban carriage horse rides in Manhattan. Stephen Yang for the New York Post<\/p>\n

Both are restricted from work if temperatures exceed 90 degrees or drop below 18 degrees. <\/p>\n

The riding horses will get two full days off work every week and will get daily grooming, as well as regular dental exams and veterinary care<\/a>, Miller\u2019s said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBehind the scenes, we also limit how much each horse works, rotate thoughtfully, and adjust plans based on footing, weather, and how each horse is feeling that day. If a horse needs rest, they get it,\u201d the company wrote on social media. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what responsible riding and horsemanship in an urban environment requires. And it\u2019s the standard we hold ourselves to.\u201d<\/p>\n

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