Latest news with #horsecarriage
Al Arabiya
21-07-2025
- Al Arabiya
New york carriage driver acquitted of overworking horse that collapsed
A horse carriage driver was acquitted Monday of animal cruelty in a trial regarding the old-fashioned coaches that meander through New York's Central Park. A six-person jury found Ian McKeever not guilty of overworking a horse called Ryder, who collapsed en route back to his stable on an 84-degree Fahrenheit (29-degree Celsius) day in August 2022. The horse lay on an avenue near Times Square for nearly an hour as concerned bystanders gathered around, and police cooled him with a hose and ice. The animal ultimately got up to cheers. McKeever had pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge. His attorney, Raymond Loving, said the horse wasn't overtaxed and simply tripped while changing lanes on a Manhattan street. 'The verdict was very gratifying. This has been an ordeal for him,' Loving said by phone, adding that the evidence just didn't support the charge. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that prosecutors presented a thorough case based on the facts and evidence. Featured in countless movies and TV shows, New York's horse carriages are popular with visitors and people celebrating special occasions. But animal rights advocates have long tried to get the coaches banned, and the issue became a prominent, celebrity-studded local political debate for a time about a decade ago. Anti-coach activists question the horses' treatment and contend that Manhattan streets are no place for equines, pointing to some collisions and collapses over the years. Enthusiasts say the carriages are a time-honored tourist draw that employs several hundred drivers and creates a role for surplus farm and race horses that might otherwise be slaughtered. McKeever, an Irish immigrant, has been a carriage driver for decades. His brother owned Ryder. A horse-carriage-industry veterinarian, Dr. Camilo Sierra, told jurors he estimated Ryder's age at 28 to 30, eventually settling on 26 – the maximum age at which carriage-pullers can legally work. Police Sgt. Vincent Fontana testified that McKeever told him the horse was 13. Ryder was outside for over seven hours on Aug. 10, 2022, mostly in Central Park, taking passengers on two trips over the course of the day. Passerby Caroline Londahl-Smidt testified that she worried after noticing his prominent ribs and seeing him seem to struggle up a hill, with McKeever shaking the reins in an apparent effort to hurry the horse along. Prosecutor Sophie Robart argued that McKeever pushed Ryder beyond his limits until the horse's body gave out. After Ryder left the park and collapsed, bystander video published by the New York Post showed McKeever snapping the reins at him and telling him to get up. McKeever's lawyer maintained that Ryder wasn't overheated or mistreated and that the driver acted responsibly. McKeever, 56, testified that he strove to get the animal to stand because prolonged reclining can cause health problems for equines. Ryder's temperature was normal, and his breathing rate was slightly elevated when Fontana measured it after the horse had been hosed down for some time. Later that evening at the stable, Sierra found Ryder alert with normal vital signs, but he noted the underweight horse walked weakly. The veterinarian said he believed the animal had a neurological problem. Two months after the collapse, an ailing Ryder was euthanized. A necropsy showed he had bone cancer. Carriage drivers' union shop steward Christina Hansen said Monday that the union has since taken steps, including improving access to a horse hospital. 'Drivers enter this line of work because we love animals,' she said. Animal rights activists, meanwhile, continued to inveigh against the industry. Edita Birnkrant, who runs an anti-horse-carriage group called NYCLASS, called the verdict heartbreaking and renewed a call for the city to stop issuing new carriage driver licenses. Another Manhattan carriage driver was charged with animal cruelty in 2013 after authorities said he kept a horse working for days with an injured hoof. That driver pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a noncriminal violation, and was sentenced to community service, according to news reports. Court records of his case are sealed.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Video of runaway carriage horses in Central Park sparks renewed calls to shut down industry
There are renewed calls to shut down New York City's horse carriage industry after two horses were caught on video running loose in Central Park on Memorial Day. Supporters, however, argue there's a simple fix to stopping such incidents. Carriage driver injured trying to catch runaway horse Video taken Monday afternoon shows a runaway horse, named Shadow, pulling its carriage in Central Park without its driver, followed by a second runaway horse and carriage with a man chasing after it. The union that represents carriage horse drivers said Shadow's headpiece came off while he was eating. His driver, a 40-year industry veteran, attempted to put it back on, but the horse, which was new to the park, got away. A second driver ran to help, and that driver's horse followed Shadow, the union says. The second driver broke his wrist catching his horse and needed surgery. Video taken on May 26, 2025, shows a runaway horse, named Shadow, pulling its carriage in Central Park without its driver, followed by another runaway horse and carriage with a man chasing after it. NYCLASS Daouda Dapsota and Abdoul Aziz Gassambe were among the pedicab drivers parked near the Fifth Avenue entrance of the park who saw Shadow get loose. "It was crazy. A lot of people were screaming. People that were scared for their lives," Dapsota said. "When they were running, the driver followed him, tried to grab him, but he knocked the driver down," Gassambe said. "The driver fell down ... and then the horse keep going." Another pedicab driver who didn't want to be identified could be seen in another video escorting Shadow. He said he got hurt trying to stop the horse. "It was a crazy day for me because it was the second accident that almost happened to me, because a week ago, I also stopped the other horse who also run away," he said. The union said in that incident, which happened on May 18, the horse's bridle also came off while it was eating. Animal rights advocates call for end to NYC's horse carriage industry There's pending legislation to phase out the horse carriage industry in New York City. It's backed by the animal rights organization NYCLASS. "These kinds of terrifying, dangerous incidents will keep happening because horses are nervous prey animals. When they run, they run out of control," NYCLASS Executive Director Edita Birnkrant said. Long-time horse carriage driver Adrian Marrs argues the city can avoid these situations by adding posts so they can tether idle horses in place. "We would like to have more tie posts, and it would make -- obviously, it's a no-brainer -- it would make things a lot safer for the horses and the drivers and everybody," Marrs said. In a statement, the union said, in part, "Horses have been in Central Park for more than 160 years and are part of its history and charm. We're committed to safety and, again, urge the city to install hitching posts for our beautiful and iconic Central Park horses." The union said the horses were not hurt but were evaluated by a vet per its protocol. A City Hall spokesperson said in a statement, "Mayor Adams and our entire administration work every single day to keep New Yorkers safe. This incident is deeply concerning, and we are looking into it. We will review any proposed legislation."
