Supporters of a carriage horse that collapsed and died in Hell's Kitchen held a rally Wednesday, making their voices heard across the street from the stable where the horse lived. 

The 15-year-old horse named Lady collapsed and died Tuesday at 51st Street and 11th Avenue. Stable workers and the NYPD were seen working to remove the horse's body from the road and place it into a trailer. 

The city's Department of Health regulates the horse carriage industry and is investigating Lady's death. A preliminary necropsy is expected later Wednesday. 

The carriage drivers' union says there is more to the story.   

Lady's death renews calls for Ryder's Law

The incident has reinvigorated advocates of what's called Ryder's Law, which is named after a horse that collapsed during a hot summer day back in 2022. Ryder died of cancer a couple months later following a medical retirement.

The horse's handler, Ian McKeever, was found not guilty in an animal abuse trial last month.

If passed, the law proposed in Ryder's honor would phase out horse-drawn carriages in the city slowly over time. Advocates say the industry is dangerous and inhumane toward the horses.

The co-sponsors of the proposed law wholeheartedly agree.

"How long will this continue? How long will these horses have to suffer? How long will the City Council just ignore Ryder's Law?" City Councilman Robert Holden said.

"Look at this photo and tell us if this is New York City in the 21st century, 2025. We have animals dying because they're being overworked in the heat, hot summer months," City Councilman Christopher Marte said.

Outside of the Hell's Kitchen horse stables, a woman laid on the ground and posed as a dead horse, covered in fake blood.

"This is how much they care about horses. They don't. They don't care about horses, or they wouldn't work them to death. They work the horses to death," Holden said.

The union says horses are required to pass annual vet checks and follow strict temperature guidelines, but critics say the enforcement is weak and outdated.

Advocates have called on Lynn Schulman, the chair of the New York City Health Committee, to hold a hearing on Ryder's Law and accused her Wednesday of stalling the process.

In response to the allegations, Schulman released a statement to CBS News New York that reads, in part, "I was disturbed and saddened to learn of the horse that died yesterday and am monitoring the investigation of this terrible death. With regard to Ryder's Law, there are many different stakeholders with strong opinions on both sides of the issue, and the bill is continuing to go through the legislative process."

"There's no horse abuse happening on the streets of New York"

Christina Hansen, who represents the carriage drivers in the city, said Lady had a physical in June when she first started in New York City and "no abnormalities were detected."

Hansen said Wednesday those looking to phase out the industry are missing the point altogether.

"I was shocked, I'm like, 'Oh no, what happened?' Then I thought, the animal rights people are going to love this," she said. "The fact that they would exploit the tragedy and have no compassion for the people that actually knew this horse, who drove this horse, who owned this horse, who took care of this horse 24 hours a day just shows you where their priorities are."

Hansen said she completely disagrees with advocates for Ryder's Law.

"There's no horse abuse happening on the streets of New York or here inside the walls of the West 52nd Street Stable," Hansen said.