Don’t get in the way!
On a Sunday evening, a horse unexpectedly took off around Central Park, leading to a chaotic scene captured in a shocking video. The horse, breaking free from its driver, jumped over a wire fence and disappeared into the park’s greenery.
This runaway horse, connected to a white carriage with a purple interior, sprinted about half a mile from a nearby tavern to a dairy shop around 6 PM. Videos circulated on social media, shared by the Animal Advocacy Group Nyclass.
One witness, named Haley, described a frightening moment when she and a friend were nearly trampled. “We were walking on the sidewalk when we heard screams and the sound of hooves,” she recounted. “It was terrifying.”
Haley said they quickly turned around just in time to see the horse charging toward them from a distance.
“We scrambled to get out of the way. As it rushed past us, we were just over the wire fence separating the sidewalk from the trees,” she added. Pedestrians were warned by cyclists nearby as the horse sped by.
“About a minute later, there were more screams, and people were directing others on where the horse had gone. I spotted someone in the carriage, likely the driver,” she noted.
Christina Hansen, an official from the Carriage Horse Union, told the Post that there were no injuries or damage reported. She mentioned there’s currently “no indication” of negligence from the driver.
It appears the horse’s reins had come undone, allowing it to run off, and it wasn’t secured at the hitching post due to a lack of nearby supervision.
During a previous incident, a driver was able to catch a runaway horse near Sixth Avenue using headgear after the animal was found tethered securely to another carriage.
Hansen stated that the union is investigating and plans to improve driver training regarding safety protocols. She also expressed the need for more secure hitching posts for safely parking the animals.
Haley mentioned that she would now be more attentive of her surroundings during her walks in Central Park.
“I can’t help but wonder what could have happened if I hadn’t heard the horse. It’s scary to think about pedestrians and runners who might have been caught off guard by headphones,” she reflected. “I’ve always loved running in Central Park, but this was one of the most terrifying experiences I’ve had, and certainly makes me think twice.”
