A horse died Sunday night while pulling a cart through Tucson's Winterhaven Festival of Lights.
Details were sketchy, but one witnesses said the horse appeared to have been spooked by a large group of runners just before it collapsed. However, Raúl Morales, who owns Tucson Carriage Company, said he doubted that explanation and that the horse likely died of a heart attack.
No one was injured.
Morales, who hired the driver, said the horse, Jesse, had several years of experience around crowds and pulling carts carrying people. He said Jesse was half of a cart-pulling duo. His partner, James, was not injured in the incident. About 10 people were in the wagon at the time.
The horse died near North Forgeus Avenue and East Windsor Street about 6:30 p.m. With help from Tucson police, the horse was removed by about 7 p.m.
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Dr. Sheldon Marks, a witness, said a large group of runners ran toward the horses, spooking Jesse just before the horse collapsed. "The horses were doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing," he said. "It was the runners acting inappropriately that caused this whole thing."
Attempts to reach the organizers of the run were unsuccessful.
The Winterhaven festival has been a tradition in Tucson since 1949. The neighborhood is bounded by East Prince Road on the north, East Fort Lowell Road on the south, North Tucson Boulevard on the west and North Country Club Road on the east.
Winterhaven festival of lights
When: Through Dec. 28, from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Getting around: Visitors can walk all nights, with drive-through nights Tuesday, Thursday and Dec. 27.
For more information, go to www.winterhavenfestival.org.
