Horse killed, passengers injured after carriage crash

CHESTERTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Sleigh rides are a hallmark of the holidays, but one turned tragic when a horse-drawn carriage crashed in Chestertown. The manager of the company that operates the rides spoke with NEWS10 to clarify the details of that accident. 

The Warren County Sheriff says it was New Year's Eve when a Circle B Ranch carriage, pulled by Jethro the horse, was hit by an SUV on Atateka Drive at 3:25 pm. 

Ranch manager Malcolm Laustrup showed NEWS10 cameras the marks on the road where the crash happened.

The collision occurred after the man driving the SUV was driving over a hill. The carriage was a total loss. Its male operator, the man and woman riding in the carriage, and the SUV driver, were all hospitalized and expected to recover. The 12-year-old horse, however, had to be euthanized.

“We had a lot of people reach out to us with their sympathies about Jethro passing” Laustrup lamented. “All our staff is very upset with his loss," he added.

While Laustrup says that horse rides are major income for the ranch, he also says safety comes first. 

“When we take the horses out on the road, we make sure there's proper lighting on the horse-drawn vehicle," said the ranch manager. “We want everyone to be safe when they come here... have an enjoyable time” he added.

Laustrup also wants to remind drivers to exercise caution when seeing a carriage on the road.“We ask that if you see a horse, a horse and carriage out on the road, that you slow down, give them proper space when you're passing,” he said.

For Laustrup the death of a horse is not just losing income but losing one of their own.“The horses we treat like family here. We’re here every day with them, we get to know their personalities. We become very close to them" the ranch mager said.

Circle B remains closed until snowfall. The damaged sleigh will not be able to be replaced for the rest of the season.