'No horsing around when it comes to safety': Uber bans rider for delivering food on horse in Sydney

This man was just horsing around - quite literally - when Uber Eats banned him from the application.

The delivery rider, 23-year-old Stanley Chen, was captured in a viral video of him riding a black horse while making a food delivery in Sydney.

The six-second video, uploaded by TikTok user Jessielouiset on April 10, has since garnered over 280,000 likes and more than 2.8 million views.

In the video, Chen, dressed in full Uber Eats attire, can be seen riding a horse towards a pedestrian crossing before nonchalantly travelling across the road.

Onlookers smile and stare on as he does, with some even having double-takes, laughing.

@jessielouiset Today in Paddington #ubereats #viral #horse #paddignton #sydney #food #delivery #funny ♬ original sound - Mads

Following this, however, Chen's Uber Eats account received a temporary ban, according to a video he uploaded to TikTok last week.

"We've recently received some concerning feedback from one of your orders that you may have been delivering orders on animal," the message to Chen read. "Your access to the app has been temporarily blocked while we review this matter."

Responding to queries by 7News Adelaide, an Uber spokesperson also said: "There's no horsing around when it comes to safety on our platform.

"We hold them to a higher safety standard here, so we'll continue to investigate this matter."

7News Adelaide also reported that Chen, a YouTuber, has never worked for Uber and has also never ridden a horse.

He had obtained his mount from a friend who had "a bit of free time and a horse", he told the Australian media outlet.

In response to Uber's ban, Chen jokingly referred to his horse as a "queen" in the video, appealing to viewers to provide feedback to Uber Eats, seeking a ban lift.

"If you want to see me and Laylani (the horse in the video) do more Uber delivery orders, go message Uber and tell them to revoke the ban," he told viewers.

@stanym22 #stitch with @jessielouiset Cant believe uber banned me #justiceforlaylani ♬ original sound - stanley chen

Chen's account was later reinstated, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP) on Thursday.

Since his ban, however, Chen has also posted a video on TikTok of him in Uber uniform and on a different ride - a penny-farthing.

While it remains unclear if Chen will take to the streets again with his trusty steed Laylani, netizens have been enraptured by the thought of having food delivered via horseback.

"You know what? Valid. These petrol prices and cost of living crisis really do be like that," a user commented on Jessielouiset's video.

"How do I get my Uber Eats delivered by Uber horse?" A user also questioned.

Another said: "Coolest Uber I have ever seen, who cares if the food is cold when it gets there, all that matters is how it got there. Love it."

@stanym22

5 star delivery

♬ original sound - stanley chen

ALSO READ: No petrol? No problem. Man in India rides horse to deliver food

khooyihang@asiaone.com