Central Park halted carriage rides after a runaway horse incident and the debate is growing

Central Park has halted carriage rides through the weekend after a runaway horse incident that killed an 18-year-old, Romanch Mahajan. The TWU Local 100 union said the safety stand-down would last through Sunday, with horses kept in exercise stables and drivers reviewing safety rules. On Monday, the union announced refresher trainings in the park, but no rides with passengers will occur. Mahajan’s death, reportedly the first in Central Park’s horse-drawn carriage era, follows eight horse-related incidents in the park over 13 months, prompting calls from animal advocates to suspend carriage operations. Rides currently cost about $72 for the first 20 minutes and could resume as early as Tuesday, pending safety improvements and policy decisions by industry and park officials.