Ryder, the frail carriage horse who collapsed over the summer and became a symbol of animal abuse when a video of him sprawled on the ground and being whipped by his carriage driver emerged, has died, an animal rights group announced Monday.

Video of Ryder being flogged went viral and became a rallying cry to ban the horse carriage industry.

“We are devastated to learn that Ryder has died. His horrific collapse, after years of abuse, inspired tens of thousands of people from across the globe to stand up to carriage horse industry cruelty,” said Edita Birnkrant, executive director of New Yorkers for Clean, Livable, and Safe Streets.

“But make no mistake: this tragedy was not caused by an act of God — Ryder’s death was the result of savage cruelty and greed. To make a profit, the horse carriage industry would have literally worked Ryder to death if it weren’t for viral videos and the people who exposed their endless lies and cover ups. Their mistreatment of Ryder is the reason he is dead two months later.”

A bill has been introduced in the City Council to outlaw the horse carriage industry and there have been proposals for electric carriages to replace them.. 

Ryder fell to his knees in rush-hour traffic around 5 p.m. Aug. 10 on Ninth Avenue near the intersection of West 45th Street.

Cellphone video captured driver Ian McKeever hitting the bay gelding with the reins and repeatedly ordering, “Get up!” — only to have Ryder keel over on his side during the ordeal in Hell’s Kitchen.

After cops arrived, they repeatedly doused Ryder with cold water until the horse was able to stand up and be driven away in an NYPD Mounted Unit truck about 45 minutes later.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he was investigating Ryder’s case for potential animal cruelty charges.

McKeever told cops that Ryder was 13 years old and had just finished a 7 1/2-hour shift, but a veterinary exam “determined that the horse was 28-30 years old rather than the aforementioned 13 years old,” according to an NYPD unusual-occurrence report.

The initial diagnosis was that Ryder “was malnourished, underweight and suffers from the equine neurological disorder EPM (Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis),” according to the report.

The city Health Department recently charged McKeever’s brother and fellow carriage owner Colm McKeever for allegedly falsifying the horse’s veterinary records with forged documents that changed Ryder’s age from 26 to 13 years old.

Ryder’s corpse has been transferred to Cornell Equine Hospital for a necropsy to determine the cause of death. 

Ryder was sent to retirement at an upstate farm following his collapse and suspected abuse.

Caroline Smidt

Robert Miller

“While at Cornell, Ryder was diagnosed with a variety of serious medical conditions that ultimately required him to be humanely euthanized,” the Equine Rescue Resource Inc., the Sanctuary at Maple Hill Farms Inc. and the Unbridled Heroes Project said in a joint statement.

“While Ryder is no longer with us, we find some comfort in knowing that Ryder’s new owner provided him the best possible care, utmost attention and long‐needed love that he so deserved. Ryder’s new owners and many others involved are devastated by his loss.

“We urge all those who have been inspired by Ryder to continue your efforts in assuring the health, safety and humane treatment of all animals.”

The union representing horse carriage drivers — Transport Workers Union Local 100 — has proposed a plan to bolster horse safety following Ryder’s death.

“Ryder was the nicest, sweetest horse,” said carriage driver and union representative Christina Hansen.

“We are very saddened to learn of Ryder’s passing … Thanks to him, we have initiated new veterinary and safety protocols and made significant steps towards the union’s HEART platform. Ryder has positively impacted carriage horse welfare and brought our carriage community together. Our condolences to all of his connections and everyone who knew him, even for a moment,” TWU Local 100 said in its statement.