CHARLOTTE — A video circulating on social media shows a horse running loose and colliding with a car in uptown Charlotte after its rider fell off, an unusual scene that quickly drew attention online.
While the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said the horse is okay, two men were arrested for what happened afterward.
The collision happened on 7th Street, where witnesses recorded the horse galloping through traffic.
“Oh, that’s different, especially for downtown Charlotte,” said Jaqueria Lynch, who captured the video.
[ ALSO READ: Two horses die after trailer overturns in northwest Charlotte crash ]
Lynch said the rider began doing tricks before falling off, causing the horse to bolt.
“Whenever he started doing his tricks, that’s when I decided to record,” she said.
CMPD said the two men involved, brothers Deven and Desmon Moore, were not arrested for riding horses in uptown.
However, police confirmed that riding a horse on Charlotte streets is legal.
Instead, officers say the brothers were charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after an argument broke out following the collision.
The horse ran into a car, and police say the brothers then tussled with officers who responded.
Horse trainer Amanda Kidd, who works at Horse Shadow Run in Charlotte, said even well‑trained horses can get spooked in busy environments.
“I do believe that would not be a place that I would take a horse,” she said.
Kidd added that the rider’s fall likely startled the animal.
“When he fell, he could have hit that horse in the back or anything, but I think the impact of that probably made the horse run off.”
Lynch said she and her friend were relieved to see the horse get back up after the crash.
“The horse stood up as if nothing had happened; it really stood up like immediately after.” When asked if that made her feel better, she replied, “Yeah.”
Kidd said horses can react unpredictably in chaotic settings.
“Horses get spooked every day over little things. You never know, they are just like humans. You might be walking out of your hallway, and your family member is there, and you get spooked.”
Both brothers have since been released from jail. CMPD said the charges against them are relatively minor.