A horse fell out of a trailer Monday night onto the northbound Interstate 684 (I-684) service road at exit 6 in Katonah, and was dead minutes later, police say.
At about 9 p.m., State Troopers responded to a call from a witness who saw the horse tumble out of the back of trailer, said Paul Sansone, a Troop K State Police officer.
The witness told police that the horse appeared to try and regain its footing but fell out and tumbled onto the side of the road. The driver of the car pulling the trailer was unaware that the horse had fallen and continued to drive on I-684 north. A second witness followed the car, which had Vermont plates, and flagged the driver down.
The horse was dead upon police arrival at the scene, Sansone said. The animal appeared to have died either upon impact or shortly after the accident. Sansone described the horse as smallish, with a dark coat and light-colored mane, unlike a large racing or thoroughbread horse.
It was not clear how the trailer's latch became loose and opened up on the highway.
Sansone said the driver and owner of the horse were not local to the area. They were en route to stables in Vermont when the accident happened. After exiting the highway and looping back to where the accident happened, the owner became emotional upon seeing his horse, according to Sansone.
The owner requested that the state Department of Transportation dispose of the animal.
Bedford Police assisted at the scene. There were no road closures due to the accident, which was cleared by 10 p.m.
