On one of the hottest days of the year in New York City, a driver of the famous horse-driven carriages near Central Park was seen whipping his horse, after it collapsed from heat exhaustion.

The horse and carriage were near 9th Avenue and West 45th Street during rush hour, when the horse’s knees buckled and it fell to the ground. The driver struck the horse and pulled forcefully on the reins, ordering it to get up. 

The incident caused a scene, as the heat, traffic and bustling city pedestrians added to the chaos of the hot, steaming NYC rush hour.

“Get up! Get up! Get up! C’mon, get up,” the frustrated driver shouted as the carriage backed up traffic on the busy street.

Witnesses were shocked and disturbed by the flogging.

“Stop slapping him,” onlookers were heard shouting. 

In a tear-jerking move, the exhausted horse turned on his side and put his head on the street. A pedestrian helped the driver move the carriage. 

Police officers came to help and after dousing the horse with water, managed to get him on his feet. It took over an hour.

“I saw the horse collapse. He obviously was malnourished, dehydrated, hungry. The guy started whipping his horse and telling him to get back up instead of giving him water,” an Uber Eats driver, Kelvin Gonzalez, 25, told The New York Post.

Gonzalez said the horse tried to get up about ten times unsuccessfully. He said the police gave the horse a shot of adrenalin. 

In the pathetic scene, the horse was desperately licking water off the ground.

Another witness said the horse was bleeding from the knee.

A bystander, who knew something about horses, convinced the driver to take off the bridle so it would be easier for the horse to drink the water. 

“How many more incidents like this do we need? This is clearly animal abuse and it must be stopped,” said New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets Executive Director Edita Birnkrant in a statement.

The New York City Council has been considering a proposal to get rid of the horse-drawn carriages, a well-known and popular tourist attraction, and replace them with electronic vehicles. 

Nathan Semmel, 52, an advocate for Voters for Animal Rights said, “It’s time that we replace horses with modern technology. The city can provide better benefits to the drivers and protect the horses. These horses have been suffering for years. There is nothing romantic about seeing a horse fighting for his life laying on the ground.”

This is not the first time a horse has been seen collapsing on the NYC streets. They’ve also been running into cars. Many feel the use of horses is inhumane and outdated. If the new measure is passed, drivers of the carriages would be able to get licenses for electric carriages and would be paid union wages. The drivers are members of the Transport Workers Union. 

The president of Transport Workers Union Local 100, Tony Utano, said the horse was sick according to a veterinarian, possibly with a neurological disease. He supported the carriage driver and said people shouldn’t make assumptions about their treatment of the horses. “We thank everyone for their concern about Ryder, one of the beloved Central Park carriage horses.”

“This is another example why people shouldn’t rush to judgment about our horses or the blue-collar men and women who choose to work with them and care for them,” Utano added.

Mayor Eric Adams has said he doesn’t support the carriage ban, known to attract tourists to Central Park and the famous hotel and shop-lined streets around the park.