Pedestrians Panic as Escaped Horse Runs Through New York Traffic
Yet another horse who is forced to pull carriages through chaotic New York City streets has run amok, creating panic among pedestrians and drivers.
Numerous stunned onlookers filmed the horse—named Goldie—as she ran for roughly 11 blocks before being captured.
Pedestrians feared that she would run them down on the sidewalk, and one man, Angel Diaz, actually put himself in harm’s way by trying to corral her.
“You know, they just want to be free,” he said. “I don’t think they’re being treated right.”
Brooke Fedigan posted footage of Goldie galloping down a busy New York street. Fedigan and her husband were driving behind Goldie, who cut their car off. Fedigan said that they almost hit her.
Horses continue to escape, collapse, or die on city streets.
Goldie was fortunate to escape any serious injury, but many times, horses are wounded or killed in this industry. Just a few months ago, another horse was found collapsed in Central Park. We’ve seen everything from pools of blood left by a horse forced to pull a carriage while injured to a runaway horse who drowned in an icy river while attached to a sinking vehicle. Horse-drawn carriages are simply accidents waiting to happen.
Many accidents, injuries, and even deaths—involving both horses and humans—have occurred after the animals became spooked in traffic. In a split second, a horse can go from appearing half-asleep to crashing blindly through busy streets.
Former carriage driver Angie Pheiffer said, “Anything can spook a horse because a horse has black-and-white vision and can only see two-dimensionally. To a horse, a manhole can look like a bottomless pit.”
On top of accidents, the industry has been under fire for violation after violation. Drivers have been caught working horses in 90-degree weather despite a mandatory heat suspension, drinking on duty, and forcing a horse to work for four days with a serious leg injury.
Don’t Get Taken for a Ride
Horse-drawn carriages are hazards on 21st century streets. No amount of regulation can protect the public from the danger caused by horses who become frightened and bolt. Let’s work together to ban these cruel relicts of the past.
