Watch CBS News

Wild Carriage Ride For Passengers After Horse Is Spooked

Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

DALLAS (CBS 11 NEWS) – What was supposed to be a pleasant horse-drawn carriage ride through Highland Park became a terrifying ordeal for the horse and the people onboard.

According to witnesses, it was around 8:30 Sunday night when the horse became spooked. A passing bus ran over a manhole and created a loud boom noise.

The horse, which was traveling down the 4200 block of Oak Lawn Avenue, then galloped frantically, full-speed ahead, with the carriage and passengers in tow.

The animal crossed into the parking area of The Shops at Highland Park and finally slammed head-on with a corner sidewalk and light post. The impact split the carriage's front end and sent the passengers flying through the air and onto the pavement.

Carriage Ax 1

Holli Barrett of Grand Prairie was one of the riders and described the event as terrifying. "I was scared to death. I kind of went into survival mode," she said. "I grabbed the side rail and I was grabbing the back rail, and at one time me and my husband thought 'maybe we should just bail out,' but there were cars everywhere."

Barrett says the horse-drawn carriage ride has been a holiday tradition in her family for 13 years.
After Sunday's wreck she said, "I don't think I'll ever get on another one again. Not anymore."

The horse was reportedly found a few blocks away and is said to be doing fine.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Latest News:

Top Trending:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.