So I’m driving home tonight, 8:30ish, and about to push the button to open the garage door when I notice something LARGE out of the corner of my eye. We’re on the side of a mountain and have a couple herds of deer that tromp through the neighborhood every single night (especially with all the snow). But this was different.
I slowed down to get a better look to find a friggin’ HORSE wandering through the street. Another car pulled up near him and that got him into a semi-trot. The other car wasn’t willing to get out and catch him so I pulled over and left my car to spend the next 35 minutes harnessing a loose horse in my non-tractioned snow boots (little street sledding ala horse). I called my Bishop (he has horses and lives around the corner) and explained to his wife the situation hoping her husband would have a solution to the loose horse problem. Luckily he, Eddie, had a tag attached to his halter and I called the number.
“Hello?”
Yes, hi. I believe I’ve caught your horse Eddie in my neighborhood.
“What? Oh no, did he get out again?”
Again? Great. So she tells me it’s her mothers and she’s calling her to let her know. Meanwhile the horse is getting antsy and doesn’t want to stand in one spot waiting for his owner to show up so I figure I’ll walk him up and down the streets in my slippery snow boots. He’s minding me pretty well but I wonder if a leash or rope would help. I call my neighbor, Patti, and say, “Hey, Patti, I caught a horse and am outside your house and could use a leash or something to hold onto him.” She says she’ll be right out the garage door. The door opens and it’s her daughter… “What?! It’s a HORSE!” Um, yeah, that’s what I SAID.
Just then the Bishop shows up in his truck with a lead and snaps it on. There’s about 10 people outside now watching the whole fiasco and coming over to pet Eddie. I explain that I’ve reached the owners and they should show up soon. Having spent all that time with Eddie, I kinda want to keep him (I caught him after all) but everyone reminds me that I don’t have a fenced yard and that’d be a problem (yeah, kinda like the one we’re having right now?). Finally the owners daughter shows up with her husband (apparently her mom, the owner, was already asleep and didn’t answer her phone). They thank all of us and go on their merry way with Eddie following.
So for 35 minutes I had a horse.
P.S. If you wonder why I went through the trouble (of getting my dry clean only jacket all horsified); this area has a lot of deer that jump onto the road and get slaughtered (sounds brutal, but that’s what happens and we get to look at the residuals for a couple weeks until the crews come clean them up). All I could think of was this horse getting hit or causing someone else to swerve and have an accident. Wasn’t sure what I was going to DO with the horse once I caught him but I knew it’d be an adventure either way.
Q: You ever catch a random loose horse? I can’t be the only one.
{ 16 comments }
“We could get some sticks and a rope”, you said when you were about 6 and asked for a horse. You probably had in mind to create a corral in our tiny backyard with said materials. I am so glad you got to have a horse even if it was only for 35 minutes!PS I’m missing communication with you.
Lucky Duck. I always wanted a horse. (Except my horse will be named Misty of Chincoteague 2.) I have it all planned out.
Yup, I’ve caught a horse. Cows are harder, on account of their being given leather for brains.
Ummm…. no- rescues a turtle once, but just moved him to the side of the road!
Holy cow – I bet you are the only one! I’ve rescued a turtle, too – I thought I’d be the only one to have done that, but I guess not.
I only wish someone had captured on video you and your horse sliding around on your non-tractioned boots (OK, so he wasn’t sliding around on your boots). I think you should build a fence and get you a horse for real.Yes, I have caught horses before. But they were usually our own horses. My dad picked up a couple of Quarter Horses who loved to jump fences. Sometimes I miss having horses. But not as much as I miss having a dog.
you could have given him to me!yep…believe it or not, you’re not alone…i have caught a loose, random horse before.i love horsies!
Was his name Mr. Ed?
I vaguely remember the “sticks & rope” story – man was I cute!His tag said “Eddie” and he was a young dude – soft too.
I have caught TWO !!!!!!!!!Great story…
I would love to have seen that!Does catching my husbands horses count?They usually only get out when he is out of town, I am kinda scared of them…and they know it, I think.You should keep a bucket of grain on your front porch for future such occasions.
I caught a husband once, and last week I caught a spider.
I caught a horny toad in my backyard once.BTW: I love no word verification
I totally want a horse, but probably not one named Eddy. I’d want one named “trigger” or “lucky”.
Send in a letter for Valentines day!
You write very well.
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