Horse finds refuge in Bunnings after causing chaos on highway

Commuters worked together to catch the runaway animal during peak hour traffic in Queensland.

It was a rather interesting commute for these motorists on Monday morning when a busy motorway came to a standstill after a horse got loose and ran through peak-hour traffic.

It was just after 7am when surveyor Roland Mollison was traveling southbound on the M1 motorway near exit 28 in Logan, Queensland when he realised the start to his working week was about to be a little unusual.

"Traffic had slowed down and about ten cars ahead I just saw this horse's head flailing around... as I got closer there was a guy trying to control it. We were in the middle of a four lane highway," he recalled to Yahoo News.

The dashcam footage captures commuter Jacob Burns attempting to catch the horse on the motorway.
Commuter Jacob Burns attempted to catch the horse on the motorway in Logan, Queensland on Monday morning. Source: Supplied

Dashcam footage captured from the ute of another commuter, Jacob Burns, and shared with Yahoo shows the driver attempting to catch the horse in the midst of the busy traffic as others join the effort.

Mollison parked his car across two lanes and put on his vehicle's hazard lights in an attempt to aid Burns while others "whizzed" past. "People were trying to get past us, like up on the side of the road, getting really irate... I’m amazed no one was hurt," Mollison said.

Commuters used tie down strap from ute to create horse bridle

Burns fashioned a horse bridle out of a tie down strap to gain control of the horse, while Mollison and others assisted.

Left. three men stand by the horse at the side of the road. Right, Jacob leads the horse down the side of the motorway.
Commuters worked together to get the horse off the M1 motorway and out of harm's way. Source: Supplied

After successfully catching the runaway animal, Burns walked the horse along the motorway — with the others diving behind him — and they all sought refuge in a nearby Bunnings car park where workers provided a bucket full of water and a banana for the horse. Meanwhile one of the drivers went back to retrieve Burns' ute.

"[The horse] wasn't in great nick, he didn't have horseshoes on and had a few scars... but he was very gentle and nice. We all took selfies with him," Mollison said.

The horse drinks for a blue bucket in the Bunnings carpark as a worker watches on.
Workers at a nearby Bunnings offered the horse water and a banana. Source: Facebook
Left, Roland Mollison smiles beside the horse. Right, the horse stands beside a ute in the Bunnings carpark.
Roland Mollison snapped a selfie with the horse while waiting for the council. Source: Supplied

Council explain how horse got loose

Logan City Council arrived with a horse trailer and took him to a nearby pound while they searched for the owner.

"They're going to impound him, find the owners and inspect the property, make sure it's been treated well," Mollison said.

Logan City Council confirmed to Yahoo News on Tuesday that the owner has now been notified.

"The owner advised Council that the agistment paddock from which the horse escaped is not suitable for it to be returned there and she is looking for a new location to stable the horse," a spokesperson said.

Council confirmed the horse will remain in it's care until further notice.

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