Harrowing pictures seem to show the moment a New York City carriage horse collapsed while carrying tourists through Central Park.
The photos of the incident, which allegedly happened last week, are being used by anti-carriage activists NYCLASS as part of a campaign to end what they claim is the 'cruelty to animals'.
Credit: NYCLASS
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However, the driver of the buggy claims that his horse tripped and wasn't injured in the fall.
The incident reportedly occurred around 10am local time, near the Tavern on the Green restaurant in the park. "Horses don't just collapse. Something happened - and the city should get to the bottom of it and make sure it never happens again," NYCLASS spokesman John Collins said.
"They should conduct an immediate investigation into the health and whereabouts of this horse, including allowing an independent vet to examine the animal."
"On February 21 we were notified by the NYPD that a carriage horse, Max, had tripped and fallen in Central Park," the department said in a statement.
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"The horse returned immediately to its stable and was examined by a private veterinarian who determined Max to be healthy."
Since then, New York's City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene claimed the 13-year-old horse was doing fine.
"On February 21 we were notified by the NYPD that a carriage horse, Max, had tripped and fallen in Central Park," the department said in a statement.
"The horse returned immediately to its stable and was examined by a private veterinarian who determined Max to be healthy."
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Driver Chris Amanus says the situation wasn't as dire as the photos make it appear to be, adding that the horse, named Max, had just got back to work after spending eight months at a farm upstate.
"He tripped. His foot got stuck on a little crack on the pavement. He went down," Emanus said, according to the New York Daily News. "That happens all the time with horses. With new shoes, sometimes they're not comfortable."
Featured Image Credit: NYCLASS