Horse diving began in the 1880s, inspired by William “Doc” Carver after his horse jumped off a bridge into a river. The act became a spectacle, with horses leaping from platforms into water, mainly in places like Atlantic City. Though risky, riders were more often injured than the horses. By the 1970s, the practice declined due to growing animal rights concerns. A brief attempt to revive it in 2012 was shut down by welfare advocates. | History In Pictures