Carriage horse dies on NYC street in horrifying scene — nearly three years to the day distressed Ryder collapsed
Lady, a Central Park carriage horse, collapsed on a Hell's Kitchen street and was 'dead when she hit the ground' Tuesday — almost three years to the day since a horse named Ryder fell, and later had to be put down, sparking outrage across the city.
'I couldn't help but see its muscles jiggled, and its tongue was rolling around on the ground,' bystander Alex, 26, who was walking to get a smoothie when she saw a crowd gathering around the collapsed horse on 11th Avenue, told The Post.
5 Lady, a Central Park carriage horse, was 15 years old.
Obtained by the NY Post
'It looked completely dead, I mean, its eyes were open and unblinking the whole time.'
Lady, 15, was new to the city and had only done two rides this afternoon, according to Christina Hansen, a spokesperson for Big Apple horse carriage drivers.
'She was dead when she hit the ground,' said Hansen, who thinks Lady may have had an aneurysm or a heart attack.
5 Lady was seen down at the intersection of West 51st Street and 10th Avenue.
X/NYCLASS
At first, the driver attempted to revive Lady, and deli workers brought out buckets of water, said Bernadette Edwards, 38, who worked at the deli across the street.
By the time Alex walked down, other horse carriage drivers from the stables around the corner were trying to lug Lady's carcass into a trailer.
'I was just like watching (Lady's) mane dragging on the ground, and there were some fluids coming out of it onto the ramp into the trailer,' Alex said of the horrifying scene.
5 Hansen said that Lady 'was dead when she hit the ground.'
Obtained by the NY Post
'It felt like they were really desperate to remove it.'
Police arrived, and Lady was driven to the stables for carriage horses around the block. Her body will eventually be transported to Cornell University for a post-mortem exam.
'Horses are collapsing, suffering, and dying over and over again — and nothing changes,' said Edita Birnkrant, the executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets.
5 Lady's body will be transported to Cornell University for a post-mortem exam.
Obtained by the NY Post
5 The driver attempted to revive Lady at first.
X/NYCLASS
Hansen insisted that Lady was not overworked before her death. The horse was recently purchased from Pennsylvania and had passed her veterinary exam on June 12 with flying colours.
'We have some of the strictest carriage regulations in the country,' Hansen said. 'We're under constant scrutiny because we work in public, and now there are smartphones.'
Earlier this summer, carriage driver Ian McKeever was acquitted on charges of animal abuse in the death of his horse, Ryder, whose public collapse in Midtown triggered three years of controversy and a city council bill, Ryder's Law, which, if passed, would ban carriages in Central Park.
'By blocking Ryder's Law, (lawmakers) are protecting abusers and silencing the public demand for change,' Birnkrant said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Owner of boat where Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra died once sued for allegedly biting FDNY firefighter on 20th anniversary of 9/11
The owner of the Montauk-docked boat where designer Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra died was once sued for allegedly biting a retired FDNY firefighter on the 20th anniversary of 9/11 at a Manhattan concert. Former smoke-eater Michael Balfe, a Ground Zero first responder, claimed he was attacked by Christopher Durnan, 60, during a show at Webster Hall on Sept. 11, 2021, according to a civil suit he filed the following year. The lawsuit alleges Durnan 'bit and assaulted' Balfe in an unprovoked attack. Balfe 'sustained serious and permanent injuries, suffered, does suffer and will continue to suffer agony to body and mind,' the since-settled suit alleged. 3 Christopher Durnan, 60, the last person to see Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra alive was once sued for biting a 9/11 FDNY first responder in an unprovoked attack at Webster Hall. Obtained by the NY Post Durnan had rejected any wrongdoing, arguing Balfe initiated the fight and that his 'use of force was reasonable under the circumstances' according to court papers. Durnan was criminally charged after the incident with assault with intent to cause physical injury, recklessly cause physical injury, possession of a controlled substance, attempted assault in the third degree, and harassment, according to court records. He ultimately pled guilty to a disorderly conduct charge. The civil suit was settled in December 2023, records show. 3 Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, 33, died on Aug. 5 onboard boat The Ripple which is owned by Chris Durnan and docked at the Montauk Yacht Club on Aug. 5. Facebook / Martha Nolan 'Out of respect for the family of the woman who tragically passed away and Mr. Balfe's own family, Michael will not be making a comment on the prior case involving Christoher Durnan,' the former firefighter's lawyer, Darren Moore, told The Post. Moore emphasized that his client didn't pay any party when the lawsuit was settled. Durnan, an insurance mogul with a plush pad in Montauk and another home in Long Beach, owns the boat The Ripple, where Nolan-O'Slatarra was found dead on Aug. 5, according to the Suffolk County Police Department. A lawyer for Nolan-O'Slatarra's family revealed that homicide detectives are 'questioning' individuals in relation to the tragic death of the chic East End entrepreneur. 'They want more details,' Aidala told The Post. 'The circumstances surrounding this are far from typical.' 3 Records show Durnan owns both The Ripple and the boat next to it named Hell In A Bucket. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post 'They would like to know anyone who was with Martha that evening,' Aidala continued. 'Earlier that evening, at the time of the actual incident, we know one person who was there. Was anyone else around?' Durnan could not be reached for comment.
New York Post
10 hours ago
- New York Post
ICE to rollout bold, new cars emblazoned with agency's name, logo
This will blow ICE's cover. Immigration agents who have long gone undercover to make arrests across the country will soon be rolling in vehicles boldly emblazoned with the agency's logo — leaving agents furious and scared for their lives. The new fleet will be dark blue with 'ICE' plastered in giant, yellow letters across the side, along with the phrase 'defend the homeland' in all-caps, a photo obtained by The Post shows. Advertisement The vehicles are expected to be rolled out in Washington, DC, imminently, sources said. They will then be gradually deployed across the country. 3 New ICE vehicle's are marked with the words 'Defend the Homeland.' Obtained by NY Post 'Obviously, we're going to need additional vehicles as we build out our workforce, so there'll be some marked vehicles from here in DC and around the country,' an ICE insider told The Post. Advertisement But agents — who are dealing with a 1,000% increase in assaults by illegal immigrants and anti-ICE activists — say they're concerned this will further expose them to dangerous threats. 'It's like having a bullseye,' said one ICE source. 'This will only raise officer-involved incidents in the streets because people will target the vehicles,' said another agency source, adding that agitators have already successfully 'impeded operations.' The sources described scary incidents where activists have slashed tires and hurled projectiles at their cars. Advertisement 3 ICE agents detain a man in Chicago. The Washington Post via Getty Images Agents already wear masks to shield their identities and dress in street clothes while making arrests — a practice that has come under scrutiny as the Trump administration ramps up its mass deportation effort. 'They won't let us do our jobs,' a source explained of the anti-ICE agitators. DHS didn't immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. Advertisement 3 ICE agents make arrests outside New York City court rooms. Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/Shutterstock It is not clear how many vehicles ICE will deploy nationwide or how much the new fleet will cost. It is also unclear who greenlit the bold, new cars. The fleet will be used in arrest operations but will not be utilized in undercover surveillance missions that are often conducted before an illegal immigrant target is collared, an ICE insider said. The imminent rollout of the new SUVs in DC comes as President Trump seized control of the city's police department in an effort to crack down on crime in the nation's capital. 'We are here with a large presence in DC following the president's announcement on Monday… we have additional officers and teams here in DC for the foreseeable future. You will be seeing a larger presence around the city as we make DC safe again,' said an ICE insider. On Wednesday night, immigration agents with the agency set up a checkpoint on 14th Street in Northwest DC that quickly drew a crowd of unruly protesters. 'Why are you here? You are trying to arrest innocent people? What's your purpose? What's your goal? What's the motive? Why won't you show your face? Do you look yourself in the mirror and think 'I did a good job today?'' one protester was heard yelling at officers, according to Fox News. Some of the demonstrators were also heard encouraging drivers to 'turn left' to avoid the checkpoint altogether, the outlet reported.
New York Post
3 days ago
- New York Post
NYC Midtown shooter Shane Tamura had 2 ‘unresolved' background checks in Nevada prior to deadly rampage: report
The 27-year-old maniac who killed four people at a Midtown Manhattan office tower had two outstanding 'unresolved' background checks that the Nevada Point of Contact Firearms Program never settled, officials said. Gunman Shane Tamura stormed into the 44-story office building in Midtown Manhattan on July 28 and sprayed more than 50 rounds between the lobby and the 33rd floor. During the rampage, Tamura gunned down a Blackstone executive, an NYPD officer, and a security guard in the lobby. On the 33rd floor, he killed the youngest victim, a 27-year-old Cornell graduate, before turning the gun on himself. Advertisement 3 Gunman Shane Tamura killed four people at a Midtown Manhattan office tower. Obtained by the NY Post The assault rifle he used during the shooting was purchased from his boss at the Horseshoe Las Vegas casino, who completed the sale under the supervision of a gun store in October 2024. That same month, the Nevada Point of Contact Firearms Program determined its background check on Tamura was 'unresolved' — a gray area between approval and outright denial that left a loophole for the would-be mass shooter to keep the firearm. Advertisement A previous background check run by the same program in March 2022 was also 'unresolved,' according to records obtained by 8 News Now. Per federal law, 'unresolved' background checks can permit a purchased firearm to be transferred after three days at the discretion of the license holder. The program is also supposed to conduct research for 90 days in an attempt to reach a firm decision. In both cases, no actual decision was reached for Tamura, who already had a detailed history of rocky mental health issues, including suicidal ideation, psychiatric holds and arrests ahead of both checks. 3 The assault rifle he used during the shooting was purchased from his boss at the Horseshoe Las Vegas casino, who completed the sale under the supervision of a gun store in October 2024. Obtained by the NY Post Advertisement 3 Tamura stormed into the 44-story office building in Midtown Manhattan on July 28 and sprayed more than 50 rounds between the lobby and the 33rd floor. Obtained by NY Post A printout of his 2024 background check obtained by the outlet only included a 2023 trespassing arrest — with no mention of his prior mental health incidents. Roughly 3% of all background checks are marked as 'unresolved,' according to department data. Tamura is believed to have been targeting the NFL headquarters housed in the Midtown tower as he pointed blame at football, claiming he had degenerative brain disease in a note found in his pocket at the grisly scene. Advertisement The Post reached out to the Nevada State Police Records, Communications and Compliance Division, which oversees the Point of Contact Firearms Program, for clarity.
