We've all seen so many westerns that we could easily see horses as motorcycles that never broke down. You hop on, steer them toward where you want to go, hit the gas and take off. In real life, they're not always that predictable. When the Conde Cavaliers opened the Mardi Gras season for downtown Mobile Friday night, a horse carrying a Marshal reportedly fell to the ground during the procession. Video shared on Facebook shows a handler getting the horse back up with the rider aboard to continue the ride. As you can expect, social media lit up. Much of the criticism was aimed at the size of the rider. AL.com's Greg Garrison reports that the Conde Cavaliers issued a statement to address the concerns, saying that the issue was not that there was a hoss on the horse. “Though his costume makes him appear large, the Marshal involved in the incident was below the size limits established by the stable. Measurements for all Marshals were submitted prior to the parade and horses were assigned by their staff.” The statement also said the horses are leased from a stable that provided trainers for the parade, and that the organization isn't aware of any medical conditions regarding the animals. It continued: "As explained by the trainer, the horse is healthy but became anxious due to the crowd noise and it laid down." Regardless, Mardi Gras 2024 is now underway in its birthplace. Laissez les bons temps rouler, Alabama. | 