A horse pulling a buggy in New York collapsed and fell in the middle of the street on Wednesday (10th). People nearby recorded videos that were posted on social media.
Witnesses claimed they heard a noise and thought it was a car crash, but later realized what happened.
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The buggy driver was accused of whipping the animal after it was on the ground. In the end, the driver gave up and left the horse on the asphalt.
Police officers who arrived at the scene doused the horse with water and ice (the agents imagined the animal was suffering from the heat).
Ryder the horse got up on its own after a while. Police took him to a stable where he was seen eating until a vet came to examine him.
The cart drivers union stated that Ryder has a protozoal infection transmitted through skunk feces.
“The neurological effects of the disease caused the horse to stumble and fall when the driver tried to change lanes on the way home,” said Christina Hansen, a spokeswoman for the drivers’ union.
Animal rights activists have called for a ban on carriages and horses in New York. The city council is considering a project that could determine the ban.