On my way to my job this morning (walking), on 46th and 10th Avenue, I saw a carriage horse go down. I have no idea how it happened. All of a sudden, this beautiful horse was on his side, very upset. The driver was very quick, jumping off the carriage and getting the horse back up on his feet.
The driver then walked the horse a few yards over to the side of the street and very carefully ran his hands over the horse, all the time talking calmly to him to calm him down. No one interfered, because the horse was so agitated we all just felt the driver should handle it.....which he did beautifully. And then he got back in the driver's seat and they went off. But he sure wanted to make sure that horse was okay, which made me feel better.
I hate the idea of horses pulling carriages through the busy streets of NYC. It might have been picturesque and romantic and nice in the mid-20th century, but not on these busy streets in the 21st century. Anything could have happened today, but, thanks to the good handling of the driver, tragedy was averted.
The driver then walked the horse a few yards over to the side of the street and very carefully ran his hands over the horse, all the time talking calmly to him to calm him down. No one interfered, because the horse was so agitated we all just felt the driver should handle it.....which he did beautifully. And then he got back in the driver's seat and they went off. But he sure wanted to make sure that horse was okay, which made me feel better.
I hate the idea of horses pulling carriages through the busy streets of NYC. It might have been picturesque and romantic and nice in the mid-20th century, but not on these busy streets in the 21st century. Anything could have happened today, but, thanks to the good handling of the driver, tragedy was averted.