(NEW YORK CITY) — A video of a carriage horse collapsing in NYC is going viral on social platforms.
Bystanders captured the moment ‘Ryder’ dropped from exhaustion along 9th Avenue and 45th Street in Manhattan.
The driver of the carriage is shown continuing to whip and tug Ryder’s head, yelling, “Come on buddy! Get up! Get up!”
The video shows NYPD officers drenching the horse with cool water from a hose, attempting to revive it.
The carriage person watching as his horse is finally able to get up.
Horse carriages should be banned. Period. @georgehahn please help. pic.twitter.com/IsQrPm76CH— Cyn (@cyndilouya) August 10, 2022
Twitter users and animal rights activists expressed outrage and concern over the video:
“This horse needs IV fluids IMMEDIATELY and is getting no vet care for over one hour!”
“WHY would anyone think that working these horses in this heat is a good thing?”
Christina Hansen, a spokesperson for carriage drivers, told NBC that Ryder received a ‘preliminary diagnosis’ of EPM, an inflammatory infection.
“The neurological effects of the EPM caused the horse to stumble and fall,” said Hansen. “And once he was down, he had difficulty getting up again from the neurological symptoms of EPM.
Ryder was transported to a veterinary hospital and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Staff Writer, Julianna Caban, contributed to this story.