Morning commutes are hard enough without unexpected obstacles, but try telling that to a horse in Marysville, Washington named Jag. Seeing a horse on the road isn't a big deal if you're in Amish country and the horse is pulling a buggy, or even if you're on a quiet back road and the horse has a saddle and a rider. But when you see a horse trotting down a busy road all by itself, you're bound to pay attention.
It was around 8:30 in the morning when calls first came in about an unusual snarl in the Sunday traffic. People spotted the spirited horse trotting up Smokey Point Boulevard, and it looked like he didn't have a care in the world. In fact, it looked like Jag had somewhere to be, and he knew exactly where he was going.
Someone decided to take a trot up Smokey Point Blvd in the north end of town. The horse has been corralled in Arlington with the assistance of the Arlington Police. If anyone knows where this horse calls home, please let us know. pic.twitter.com/bRMPEu3F5L
— Marysville Police (@MarysvilleWAPD) October 25, 2020
But even with Jag's don't-mind-me attitude, it was clear the adventurous horse was indeed lost. There were no witnesses to say where exactly Jag came from, and the farther down the road he got, the more danger he put himself in. He didn't seem to mind the commotion caused by his fellow travelers, but a single spook could have been disastrous. Officials needed to get Jag off the road, and they needed to do it before a confused motorist caused an accident.
Marysville Police tracked the wayward horse into nearby Arlington. With help from the Arlington Police Department, officers were eventually able to corral Jag away from traffic. Thankfully, he was unharmed.
Jag's capture put an end to his morning jaunt, but police still faced the challenge of what to do with him. With no reports of a missing horse, they did what any 21st century police department would do—they turned to social media.
Jag the horse is on his way back to his Marysville home! The owners were remodeling Jag’s stall and he was able to escape. Thanks to everyone that spread this story on social media so the owners knew we had Jag.
— Marysville Police (@MarysvilleWAPD) October 26, 2020
Marysville Police tweeted about the lost horse hoping someone would give them a lead. After the post was liked and shared by people in the community, the department's social media strategy eventually paid off. Jag's owners realized what had happened, and they contacted the department ready to claim their mischievous horse. It turns out that they had been remodeling Jag's stall, and the personable horse decided to go on his own adventure when their backs were turned.
While Jag's escape could have ended a lot differently, police officers and community members came together to get him back where he belongs.