Betrayed horse-drawn carriage drivers fear homelessness as NYC moves to ban industry

They’re being sent out to pasture.Central Park’s horse-drawn carriage drivers said they feel “betrayed” and forgotten Wednesday after Mayor Zohran Mamdani and City Council Speaker Julie Menin struck a deal to ban the centuries-old practice.Some of the concerned small business owners said they fear they could end up homeless as the agreed-upon bill doesn’t clearly lay out what will happen to the 200-strong workforce or their herd of horses.“I feel pretty betrayed.We were told the bill would get amended to actually do something for us drivers and horses.

It was not,” Jill Adamski, 39, told The Post as she worked with her horse, Scout.“I’m concerned.I don’t know how I will possibly earn enough money to care for my horses.

I developed a bond with them, so they don’t want to be separated from me.”Adamski, who has worked in the industry for a decade, has invested “thousands” into her dream career, and fears she won’t be able to line up another equine gig — or a job in general.“I have no idea how I’m gonna really live.

I’m assuming I’m just going to live out of savings for a little bit, and eventually, probably be homeless, but I don’t really have a plan.”Adamski is among the roughly 200 carriage drivers, owners and stable workers facing unemployment should the legislation — dubbed Romanch’s Law, after the teen tourist who died in a fall from a carriage over the summer — pass next week, as Menin declared Tuesday.The bill would make horse-drawn carriages illegal to operate in the five boroughs beginning June 2028.Animal advocates have long pushed to end the practice, and the proposal picked up steam in the council following the June death of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan.The legislation — which Menin said she expected the 51-member council to pass with a veto-proof majority next week — includes vague language about sending the 160 carriage horses to rescue farms and sanctuaries.The bill states the city must create a w...