POST & COURIER
By Dave Munday
Another carriage animal fell down on a Charleston street Thursday morning.
Photos of the mule lying on its side were quickly posted on Facebook.
The 8-year-old Matilda, who was hooked up to another mule pulling 16 passengers, tripped and fell at Queen and East Bay streets about 10 a.m., according to Phil Bailey, a spokesperson for Palmetto Carriage Works.
The mule stayed down as trained until her tack was removed, and she was back on her feet in 7 minutes and returned to the stable, Bailey said. There was no sign of injuries other than a minor scratch, but she would remain at the barn until a vet checks her out, he said.
“Sometimes horses and mules can trip just like you or I,” Palmetto Carriage Works General Manager Tommy Doyle said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “We are taking all proper precautions and making sure Matilda is thoroughly looked over by a licensed vet. We expect that she will receive a clean bill of health.”
Dan Riccio, the city’s livability and tourism director, said his investigation had found nothing to the contrary.
In an April 19 incident, a Charleston Carriage Works horse named Big John pulling about a dozen passengers tripped and fell at Meeting and Hasell streets.
Also, on Jan. 17, a Palmetto Carriage Works horse named Trump stumbled near King and South Battery streets while pulling the driver, a tour guide and 13 passengers.
In both cases, the carriage company owners said the animals were healthy and not tired and simply tripped, and city officials found no evidence to the contrary.