A horse that pulls coffins and brides was on a Florida road. Then the harness broke
A work horse was injured Saturday afternoon after a traffic crash on a busy road in Lee County, Florida.
According to a Facebook release from the sheriff’s office, a call came in about one falling out of a trailer on Palm Beach Boulevard near Interstate 75 in Fort Myers.
Deputies arrived to assess the horse’s injuries. An investigation revealed that a harness broke during transport, causing the animal to tumble onto the cement.
The owner was “cooperative,” and advised he would seek a better way for the animal to be transported, according to the sheriff’s office.
The 2,000 pound white horse, named Alexander the Great, according to local station NBC 2, suffered “a small scrape” and is receiving follow-up treatment from a veterinarian.
Alexander is reportedly a draft horse used to pull coffins (as well as brides) for a horse drawn carriage company called Elite Celebrations.
The Lee sheriff’s office says that “the safety of animals is a top priority” for the agency, and authorities will follow up with the owner and vet to determine if the incident was a case of neglect or cruelty.
Witness Robert Brindley told the local TV station that seeing the horse in the road was an unusual sight.
“I think that’s pretty intense,” he said. “That usually doesn’t happen around here. There might be cows that get out of the fence, but that typically doesn’t happen.”
This story was originally published April 17, 2023 at 11:11 AM.
