A Burbank police officer took what authorities called a “wild ride” early Tuesday morning when he mounted and rode an escaped horse in the Rancho neighborhood.
Officers responded to a call about a loose horse in the area of Riverside Drive and Mariposa Street about 12:30 a.m., according to Burbank police Sgt. Brent Fekety.
A woman reported that she saw a horse running frantically down the street with a saddle, but no bit or rider. It is not clear how the horse got loose or whether its rider was thrown off. But the woman reported to police that she believed someone had fallen off and was hurt.
Police found the horse, named Oreo, grazing on grass in front of a home. Officer Nicholas Moreno, who grew up with horses and is a skilled horseback rider, calmly approached and mounted the horse, Fekety said.
Video showed Moreno riding Oreo back to its owner, who was found at the Mariposa Bridge near Valley Heart Drive, police said.
According to Fekety, Oreo became “spooked” during a ride with its owner and ran away. But the two were happily reunited, he said.
This story originally appeared on LA Times
