It’s been eight months since Ryder the carriage horse collapsed on New York City streets and subsequently died of his injuries a few months later, but reports of other injured horses taking tourists on rides through Central Park keep coming in.
At an April 26 rally outside a horse stable on West 38th Street in Midtown Manhattan, long-time horse trainer Michael Petrelli, who is licensed by New York State and the United States Trotting Association, and animal rights activists from NYCLASS and PETA called for the immediate retirement of Lucky and Scott, two senior horses, who they say have been pulling carriages through Manhattan despite extensive injuries.
On April 4, Petrelli, who runs the YouTube channel “Harness Horses Uncovered,” claims he witnessed “Lucky” — a 22-year-old former harness racing horse who ran under “Brooklets Bojangle” — pulling a carriage while limping and in pain. He shared his concern with Lucky’s driver, who he alleges disregarded his horse’s distress and went on to pick up another fare.
Petrelli reported Lucky’s condition to the mayor’s office, and the horse was taken off the street for further examination. He and animal rights activists fear that Lucky didn’t receive proper veterinary care and worry that he might end up in a kill pen.
“It’s just about making money to them [the carriage industry], and the horses come last,” said Petrelli, adding that the horse carriage industry was offered $25,000 from Bottomline Concept CEO Josh Fox for Lucky so he could retire at a humane farm. “Lucky is not the only horse I’ve seen with visible injuries. There are over a dozen other horses I have seen on the streets that have untreated leg and hoof issues.”
Then, on April 15, Petrelli says he witnessed another carriage horse, 20-year-old Scott, in distress. Petrelli got a video of Scott as the horse was short-shuffling up front and appeared visibly sore.
The experienced horse trainer says he recognized that…
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