Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Carriage Horse That Died Had Painful Stomach Ulcer, Cracked Tooth
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 1, 2011
Modified Nov 1, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 1, 2011
Modified Nov 1, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The results of a preliminary necropsy on a carriage horse named Charlie who collapsed and died in Midtown last Sunday show, "Charlie was not a healthy horse." According to the ASPCA, who performed the necropsy at Cornell, Charlie's cause of death is still uncertain, but he "was likely suffering from pain due to pronounced chronic ulceration of the stomach and a fractured tooth." Dr. Pamela Corey of the ASPCA says in a release, "We are very concerned that Charlie was forced to work in spite of painful maladies."
While the horse's past is still unknown, he had only been working as a carriage horse for a few weeks. Corey notes that many carriage horses come from "unmechanized farms where they are not treated with 21st century medications" and have to be treated for maladies before working. It may have been difficult for the carriage operator to tell if the horse was injured because "draft horses are by nature a stoic breed, not displaying signs of pain until they are very severe."
Last week, Mayor Bloomberg said at a press conference that the carriage horses "probably wouldn't be alive if they didn't have a job," and that the carriage horse industry is "part of New York's heritage...that tourists love." Mary Culpepper of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages disputes this. "We are baffled as to why Bloomberg caters to this small, cash-only industry from which the city derives not a penny of direct revenue…For the city to protect this inherently inhumane, dangerous, and outdated industry is both misguided and embarrassing."
State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal called for an investigation to determine whether there was criminal neglect in Charlie's case. "He should not have been on the road, dragging a carriage behind him. He should have been convalescing under proper veterinary care," she said in a release. "Someone clearly dropped the ball here, and I intend to figure out who it was."
Tagged
animal cruelty
aspca
carriage horse industry
carriage horses
horses
linda rosenthal
mayor bloomberg
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Mamdani names re-entry specialist as chair of Rikers oversight board
Christopher Watler will help the department that a federal monitor says remains in crisis.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 6, 2026 at 3:52 p.m. ET
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
News
NYC weighs expanding upstate reservoir following drought
The Delaware River Basin Commission is evaluating options to increase water storage, including expanding a reservoir in New York City.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Legionella found in Staten Island building's water system after 2 positive cases
By
Catalina Gonella
Legal 'loophole' helps NY Gov. Kathy Hochul, Bruce Blakeman raise millions
By
Jon Campbell
Police identify 2 men wanted for stabbing an off-duty NYPD officer
By
Ben Feuerherd
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .