Indiana Horse’s Great Escape Ends With an Unexpected Police Escort

Loose Horse Along Indiana Road Has Happy Ending Thanks to South Bend Officer

My dad accidentally hit a horse on the road once. Coincidentally, it was the first day he'd ever worn a seat belt in his whole life. He said the horse just appeared out of nowhere and, well, neither the horse nor the car made it. Thankfully, he did.

Now that I'm a horse owner, one of my biggest fears is my horses getting loose and heading for the road. My dude Houdini's his way out of his stall some nights, but thankfully all he's ever done is stick around the barn and pester other horses and eat snacks.

So when I saw this story, I held my breath until the video was over.

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South Bend Officer Walks Escaped Horse Home

A bay horse was happily eating grass along Nimtz Parkway in South Bend, Indiana. He had escaped from a nearby farm. Officer Joe Mitchell from the South Bend PD arrived on the scene, secured a halter, and decided to walk the horse home.

The good-natured equine decided his adventure was officially over and let Officer Mitchell lead him all the way back.

Who says city cops can't get a little country sometimes? It turns out Officer Joe Mitchell was the perfect patrolman to respond to a loose horse near Nimtz Parkway this week.

Horse Owners Loved This Indiana Rescue

The video is adorable, but if you're a horse owner, the comments might be even better. They prove horse people have a very specific sense of humor.

One of my favorites came from Daniel Kassner, who joked, "Now, did the horse learn anything from its ride along with the officer?" You have to wonder if the horse got a stern lecture about staying inside the fence. I know I would.

Belle Thacker had a different takeaway. She wrote, "If he is not married, he needs to add this video to his dating profile." Judging by the replies, she wasn't the only one impressed by an officer who can confidently catch and lead a loose horse.

Horse people immediately spotted something that everyone else probably missed. Tana Marie commented, "That officer put on a rope halter... he ain't new to this." If you've spent any time around horses, you could tell he looked comfortable from the start. Rope halters don't have traditional buckles to secure them. You have to tie a special knot, and most folks don't even know how to put on a traditional halter, so the rope halter was at an expert level. Kaley Miller admitted, "Ol' son clearly knew what he was doing. I panicked for a second when it was a rope halter."

Staci Karcher Allgood noticed the same thing, writing, "I could tell he's a horse person by the 'tschk, tschk, tschk.'" Horse owners know exactly what she's talking about. It's practically a second language at the barn.

Nicole Caputo loved one specific moment, saying, "This is awesome, good work! It's the 'come with daddy' for me." We all got a little hot under the collar.

Kristine Werner reminded everyone that escaped horses are almost a rite of passage. She wrote, "What horse owner hasn't done this at least once? I once used a belt, and one time a bra..." If you've ever improvised a lead rope in a pinch, that comment probably hit a little too close to home. Every horse owner knows that tiny moment of anxiety, followed by relief when you realize the horse is cooperating.

It's safe to say this horse picked the right officer to run into. And thankfully, this little roadside adventure ended with everyone making it home safely.

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