It’s Not Meant For That Kind Of Horsepower: Maine State Police Rescue Horse From Highway

Maine's law enforcement officers really never know what kind of call they'll be dispatched to, and I'm betting the State Troopers who showed up for their shift Tuesday evening didn't think they'd be going on a wild horse chase down the highway in the wee hours of the morning. But that's exactly what they did.

As most Mainers know, large animals in the roadway pose a hazard, especially when it's dark outside. We know to keep an eye out for moose and deer, but a horse?

That's what folks started to call and report to dispatchers at the Bangor Regional Communications Center early Wednesday morning.

Read More: Guess Which Exotic Animals You Can and Can't Own in Maine

From the descriptions they were getting, a horse was wandering about the breakdown lane, heading north on I-95 around 3 AM, near mile marker 145. According to witnesses, it then crossed through the median, reversing its direction and heading south, towards Burnham. We're told that's where Maine State Troopers eventually caught up with the animal, and with some Yankee ingenuity, channeled their inner cowboys, and led it away from the roadway to safety.

"Using a rope, Troopers were able to safely secure the horse and tie it to the push bumper of a cruiser. Although frightened, the horse was not injured. The owner, who lives nearby on Snake Root Road in Pittsfield, quickly arrived on the scene. It appears the horse had wandered off during the night without the owner’s knowledge."

With the help of Local Animal Control Officer Russell Craft, along with Troopers Andrew Peterson and Dan Muuray, Specialist Hailey Fleming, and several members of the public who had stopped to assist, the horse was removed from harm's way, loaded onto a trailer, and taken home.

And that's the story...straight from the horse's mouth!