End of the road for New York's horse-drawn carriages?

Taxi drivers watch as horse-drawn carriage driver Hansen rides her carriage through the borough of Manhattan in August. Photo: AFP

For some, the equine-driven rides around Central Park are part of the fabric of the Big Apple, like yellow taxis and Broadway shows.

But for others, the horses-for-hire are not in keeping with the ethos of a leading progressive city in 21st century America.