Whoa!

Reader Steve McNally sent us pictures and an account of what must have been a wild West Side scene yesterday afternoon. A horse, still harnessed to its carriage got spooked on 7th Ave. around 56th St. and took off without its driver. The horse galloped south down the avenue with its driver chasing behind, yelling "Whoa! whoa!" but unable to catch his cab. Unfortunately, as the horse went headlong into the intersection at 54th St. it was hit by an SUV. The animal went down hard and its cab was knocked loose, spinning up onto the curb where it barely missed several pedestrians. The horse got up, but seemed dazed, and a few New Yorkers walked into the street and started directing traffic around the rubberneck-inducing scene. The FDNY eventually arrived to take control of the situation just as the horse began to get fed up with all the attention it was receiving from the crowd. It limped off across the street with its driver. More pictures after the jump.

(Pictures and account courtesy of Steve McNally)

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By Dave Hogarty in Arts & Entertainment on June 3, 2007 7:26 AM

Comments [rss]

jane

I feel worse for the horse-sometimes people put them down if they feel the injuries are sever enough...

Steve

> Which SUV was involved in this?

The explorer in the top pic

This isn't a matter of it being the suv driver's "fault," though: I'm pretty sure the horse went through a red light.

i actually feel pretty bad for the driver - not as bad as I do for the horse - but could you imagine plowing into a horse on 54th St?

It was a freak accident - I imagine they'll have a hard time with the insurance co and that they feel pretty terrible about the horse ...

Aaron

Which SUV was involved in this? The explorer (top pic) or the suburban (third pic)?

Yeah

another example of why SUVs should be banned.

Steve

If anyone has additional info on this - especially w/r/t the horse, the owner and the driver of the SUV - please post a comment.

stop it

another example of why horse drawn carriages should be banned.

typical rich people

SUVs are mowing down horses now?

angry

nowhere but straight while carrying asian tourists on your back

I suppose it would be happier if it were pulling white tourists. They are racist horses after all. Even if the white tourists weight twice as much.

Jen Chung

Yeah, this story makes me sad, too. But I love seeing horses trotting around. I wonder if horse-drawn carriages are as regulated the City Council wants/wanted pedicabs to be.