Hansom Cab Accident on Ninth Avenue

Yesterday evening, a hansom cab's horse crashed into a station wagon on Ninth Avenue and 50th Street. It seems the horse may have skidded on the wet road, and the accident threw the driver from the cab; the station wagon's two passengers were also injured. The AP described the scene:

[T]the horse was wrapped around the station wagon, its rear legs on top of it and its head on the ground. The windshield of the car was smashed, and the four-wheel carriage was mangled.

The horse, which remarkably appeared to escape injury, later stood at the scene before being driven away while bucking and kicking in a police wagon.

Witnesses say the horse had been galloping on Ninth Avenue, which is far faster than their usual trot. The three victims were taken to area hospitals.

WhatISee passed by the accident scene and took the photograph above.

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By Jen Chung in News on January 3, 2006 8:48 AM

Comments [rss]

Sara

I am bummed about this horse being euthanized and the whole accident altogether. I actually signed on here because I wanted to find out exactly what did happen to the horse. I saw it on tv and he was beautiful. Spotted paint draft. I was hoping he was ok as I was hoping to contact his owner. I agree as a horseperson it is unfair to have horses in that city and I wanted to buy this poor soul and relocate him here to Arizona to live in the desert and away from the crowds. I am so saddened.

Sooz

If you want to know why they euthanize horses after an episode like this, go rent "Seabiscuit." A horse is a quadriped whose bulk of weight is above his/her legs. These legs are tremendously fragile given the work they have to perform in keeping the animal upright. Apparently this poor creature broke his leg. A horse that cannot stand is doomed. Anything can freak a horse: a motorcycle backfiring, a baby's shriek, a slammed trash can...You try looking out at the world from two directions with a big nose to separate those perceptions and then tell me if sudden movements wouldn't freak you out. I DARE anyone else to make a joke out of this. What happened last night to that carriage horse (and his critically injured driver) is so tremendously sad that it has had bummed me out all day. Any horse that lives in this city instead of the country lives at our behest and for our pleasure and service. I am not sure that I will look at all those "picturesque" riders around Central Park ever the same way again.

kendra

I wish they'd stop using horses and transom cabs in the city, for the safety of everyone involved. As a former horseback rider, I can tell you horses are skittish animals to begin with. I'm surprised there aren't more accidents as it is. And while it would make sense to confine them to Central Park, the location of their stables in the West 50s and the necessary walk/trot/gallop (!) back there just doesn't work.

Brightliner

Soooooo, tell me again how the hansom drivers kept demanding city regulations for pedicabs because they're dangerous? Somehow, I can't imagine a pedicab driver getting spooked and pedaling like a bat out of hell. They also don't leave "presents" on the road. Usually.

99

It's not unusual to see horses galloping (though I suspect it was more of a trot) along 9th. Most of the stables are in the West 50s, and they were probably on the way back for the night.

Either a result of the drivers (it that what one properly calls them) wanting to get off work as quickly as possible, or because it's particularly dangerous (most people don't expect to see the horses on 9th), they tend to move far more quickly than you see them around the park.

Meredith

It's my understanding that horses are not hardy animals when it comes to breaking bones, and are often euthanized when they do so severely. I don't believe it has anything to do with the harm it inadvertently caused to humans.

k

oops - didn't mean to imply the carraige driver=drunk zoo spectator but did mean to imply that horses+carraiges+city streets=bad idea/accident waiting to happen

k

i always thought they were sort of quaint, but sketchy, horses clomping around in traffic. why not confine them to central park?

so, what's the rational for putting the horse to sleep? someone please explain. is that like shooting a lion at the zoo after some drunk jumps in the enclosure and gets gnawed to death?

Superinducer

I wish they would get rid of those horse and carriages. Horses aren't meant to be trekking stupid tourists around busy city streets like that. Every time I see those horses, they look so bedraggled and mangy.

Sternel

My family and I won tickets to Radio City's Christmas show back in November. Leaving after the performance, I was nearly trampled by a hansom horse as I crossed 50th Street. The driver seemed to not notice the throngs of people in the intersection and just blazed through, and seemed suprised when people started yelling, which of course scared the horse and made it rear up. Nothing like seeing that in an intersection full of tourists.

Those things are a menace. At least taxis have brakes.

smitty

Yeah, the horse was euthanized. Really, NYC is not the place for horse-drawn carriages.

Soho

The horse didn't gallop away for long, they put him to sleep. Driver in critical condition. Two car passengers with minor injuries. NY1 Story: http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=1&aid=56032