No, you weren’t imagining things on your commute that morning. Those were, in fact, two horses grazing near the off-ramp from northbound I-395 to Glebe Road.
It’s unclear why exactly the horses were there — some sort of accident or mechanical mishap involving the tow vehicle, perhaps — but those tending to the horses apparently decided that they needed to munch on some grass while waiting to continue on with their journey.
Finally, around 10:00 this morning, the horses loaded back into the trailer, following the arrival of an SUV. Minutes later, the SUV towed the trailer away and everything was back to normal.
Photo (right) courtesy Matt Coyne
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Must be something to do with the democratic primary. they’ve run out of BS and now are bringing in some HS.
I’m pretty 100% certain of this.
Its “HS” coming from out of your mouth with that comment. Stop drinking “tea”.
what?
make some sense, wouldya.
you make some sense tith that dumb comment. You called something HS and I’m calling your comment HS. Stop drinking the “tea”. That creates horse@#%t.
Awe. Horsey.
Cute
Some country idiot thought this was cool. If one of those horses jumped in the street and got killed I hoped he would had landed in jail. This was a stupid idea. We have enough problems to worry about to the expressways and this guys wants to add to it.
Great insightful comment to start the week Steve.
Yeah, I’ve seen the results of horses getting into a road before – accidents, major injury, and big-money lawsuits. Not the brightest idea on behalf of these hillbillies. I can’t imagine the horses are used to a lot of traffic.
Where else would the horses go while they try to change a flat tire? Should they’ve pushed the horses into the woods and down an emankment to keep them out of sight?
Or just leave them at the farm. But your idea isn’t bad. This should had never happened.
Oh my gosh, look outside of your isolated box once in a while.
Indeed. Seems too busy sneering about “hillbillies”, “Arkansas”, and “Kentucky”.
Horses should not be transported off of a farm at any time for any reason never ever ever. Says Steve85
Did any of my comments say ever ever ever. They can be transported around during the day down in countryville. Hell you probably can walk them around down in countryville. No need to use a trailer. Doesn’t make sense to travel them to an urban area. Most people around here don’t care about no horses.
Well, then, that’s soooo much better, steve.
I hope you never leave the city Steve. I honestly don’t know why city dwellers want you either. Most country people I’ve met have been some of the nicest people in the world, and I would guess they would probably not like you either.
Thanks, Overgrown Bush. You nailed it with a great big hammer!
News flash: 8 people died on highways in this area this weekend. None of the deaths were caused by horses.
Or they could just be prepared for this situation.
http://www.horsetraileraccessorystore.com/jacks.htm
Forty dollars versus a bunch of horses in the middle of the road. Hmm…
That’s correct CW.
But they didn’t just let the horses out to ramble about — at least in these photos, they were on a lead the whole time and under control. Seems like they were doing the best they could under the circumstances.
1000-pound horse “on a lead” being held by some guy constitutes “under control” while 6 lanes of traffic speed by? You’ve never seen a spooked horse then, have you?
How did a guy lead a team of horses down Route 50 a few months ago without causing havoc?
You have no idea what these horses are like and how the handler does with them. From the picture, the horses appear to be anything but spooked. It seems they are enjoying breakfast quite calmly actually. You seem more spooked by it all.
Actually, yes, and much bigger horses than these. Given that this little adventure went without incident, and the posture of the horses implies that they were fairly unconcerned about the traffic whizzing by, I’d guess that these horses have been around traffic and chaos before and the handlers knew what to expect. These are no high-strung racehorses — they appear to be something more like little carnival horses, and a patch of grass next to I-395 probably seems pretty peaceful compared to what they put up with most of the time.
Alright, looks like we’ve got a lot of monday-morning cowboys, but all I’m saying is that if the potential liability were mine, I’d rather be safe than sorry. Guess these guys really trusted their animals.
I think they stopped where they felt it was best. If they could have driven further on a flat without compromising getting stuck IN the traffic lanes, I’m sure they would have. But, they chose to pull off where they thought it was safe enough given the circumstances. I’m sure it is the best they could do and any of us in the same situation would only be able to use our best judgement as well.
Country idiot? Sounds like you’re using “country” as a pejorative. Shouldn’t judge people based on where they’re from and this could just as easily been a horse from a police force or one of the ‘burbs (can think of plenty of horse farms in Oakton, Lorton, etc.).
That aside, it appears that in the two photos that the horses were on a lead and being held by people, so it’s not like they set them loose in the grass. They look like they were under control and it was probably the responsible thing to do if their trailer needed a tire changed.
Hey Country TMP around here you won’t see police escorts on horses anywhere near an expressway. I guess you’re maybe from Arkansas or Kentucky. Also if there are horeses at the locations that you named; they wouldn’t be anywhere near the expressways. A picture is catpured at that moment. We wouldn’t know if everything was under control unless we were there. The responsible thing to do is leave the horses @ the farm and this wouldn’t be a potential dangerous situation.
Steve, they were in a trailer. You will definitely see police horses on highways in trailers around here.
We don’t agree on much, normal, but I do agree with you on your comment. I’ve also seen police horses in trailers on all different roads around here, highways and other roads.
Probably the people who say they don’t see them just never noticed them before. They will now.
Brialliant! Not!
If you are worried about hazardous situations on the highways, a horse trailer is the LEAST of your worries. What about 20-ton dump trucks? God forbid they get into an accident and fall over on a Prius. Tanker trucks carry all sorts of hazardous materials through the area. Come to think of it, the rails passing right through our area carry all sorts of hazardous substances in their rail cars. Gasp! A horse is NOTHING to be worried about.
Yes!
Hey Overgrown Bush put your think tank on and think about what you said. The last time I checked horses don’t know how to manuever on an expressway. I also belive there is a sign that says no animals allowed on the expressways. The people who carry hazardous materials know how to drive on an expressway. This is not dairyland keep the animals off the expressways. We don’t know what there thinking.
Where have you seen a sign that restricts the transportation of an animal on an expressway?
Steve, there is no law against transporting animals on an expressway. I was clearly not talking about ILLEGAL items being transported. If I were, I would have cited the thugs running drugs and guns up and down the east coast, and the bank robbers headed into Arlington.
The horses didn’t seem to need to know how to maneuver on the expressway, now did they? They were in a trailer, being towed by a human who presumably has a legal drivers license. When the trailer got a flat, a human led them to a small grassy area off of the paved highway to have some breakfast. It doesn’t seem the horses had to think too much about the traffic, now did they?
Really, steve? We have to explain to you that the sign means you can’t ride or lead an animal ON the expressway, not that you can’t carry it in a trailer or put it in the grass while you change a tire?
It’s amazing the contempt that “city folk” have for anything that’s from outside of their high-rise, high-density, Starbucks on every corner world. No, I’m not from Arkansas or Kentucky, not that there is anything wrong with that. There are horses all around this area, even in DC. How do you think they get the Metro Police horses around when they need them for patrols or crowd control? Assuming that they should stay on the farm is arrogant and short-sighted. We live along a major transportation corridor and to think that horses and livestock don’t need to be transported through the area is ridiculous.
TMP, you hit the nail on the head. I suppose I should get offended since my father’s side of the family were from West Virginia, Appalachian Ohio, and North Carolina. After all, they were just “dumb hillbillies”, right? Amazing how the “tolerance” and “sensitivity” folks have none at all for “hillbillies”.
Why do people like you feel compelled to claim that anyone who expresses an intolerant comment must be someone who normally preaches tolerance and sensitivity?
Because….”people like me” (whatever the heck you mean by that) thank you for using such a term) observe too often that most people in this area indicate they are tolerant and sensitive to others and proud of it. Seems however, the term “hillbilly” can be used with clear contempt by the commenter and not a word is said. If a similar contemptuous remark was made about another group of people, the protests would be quick and clear.
I posted agreement with you on a different comment you made above because I felt you were right. I regret now that I did so.
I’m guessing he used the term “people like you” because you were the one who said what he was referring to…?
“most people in this area” is WAAAY too general, dude. You can’t just decide that anyone who you’re talking to holds the same view.
Don’t forget about overweight people. People piled on to the “oreo stand” woman with glee in Morning Notes.
Steve95 – did you get enough sleep last night? Your arguments are especially silly this morning.
Hey pikershorts its steve85. i guess you didnt get enough sleep
Sorry, it was a typo. Not a smattering of discombobulated thoughts and irrational arguments about people from Kentucky and not transporting horses out of “dairyland”
Eat my shorts “pikershorts”.
You didn’t respond to what I said. You just said something dumb.
i think the city idiots were the real problem. maintain speed. don’t gawk.
It is a interstate highway, not a street, btw.
i bet if some woman was going into labor you’d be equally compassionate.
These guys are actually reporting that it was a flat tire, rather than guessing about the cause.
http://dcist.com/2011/08/horsing_around.php
if that is the case, there is NO WAY to change a tire while the horses were in the trailer. and it is probably also too heavy to drive.
not a good combo. glad all are safe.
A horse trailer has a flat tire, takes the horses out, changes it, and moves on.
Arlingtonians freak out!
Go buy more skinny lattes, people, that will calm your frazzled nerves.
No VDOT funds for mowing, so might as well let the horses munch while the tire gets fixed.
It may be that the area is intentionally not mowed. Lots of areas are for the express purpose of providing habitat and curbing runoff.
I can honestly say I’ve never seen a horse trailer on 395. Wonder where they were going?
There’s that horse place up in rock creek park that seems to draw a pretty good crowd during the weekends.
I saw them on my way in this morning, and seeing the horses made a horrible commute up 395 a pleasant one…
When I drove past, the horse-wagon was by-itself (no car/suv/truck in front of it), and the horses were being tended to by a woman (must be one hell of a woman to control two horses!).
+1. It put a smile on my face. Maybe b/c of the juxtaposition of the horses having some snacks by the side of 395.
were they looking for the Wal-Mart?
If people didnt slow down to a crawl to pass by this sight and check it out then this wouldnt even be a story. The horses were fine, they werent calm when people were going pass at 40 miles per hour. I am sure at 55 or 60 there would be no difference. Do not try to tell me a horse can determine hes okay with the situation at 40 and then will freak out at 60. It is the nosy driver that must slow down to catch a sight on the side of the road that caused the back up and extra traffic and the story.
Also, I would have to guess that the guys and gals driving the truck know these horses more than any of the million newly self proclaimed horse experts on ArlNow. If they were not worried about the situation then all us bystanders around this blog should stop being so spooked
We were laughing at all the spooked drivers as they drove by us. Now we’re reading this blog and laughing at all the sheltered city-dweller Starbucks-sipping Arlingtonians freaking out. We’re just horses eating grass, get over it.
I agree, Court Horse.
I am pretty sure nobody would complain if Steve85 was banned from this site.
But he’s on his way to meme status
That’s f’d up. Just bc I don’t agree with everybody here and I express my own opinion what’s the problem with that. I’m not going to suck up to everybody opinion. I have the right to voice my own. Pedant go and watch Wheel of Fortune if you have a problem with my comments.
i think it is good to disagree. but gosh steve85 some of your stuff today has been pretty useless banter, even by ARLNOW standards.
I didn’t know that arlnow had standards no direspect. I see everybody post things that they feel that applies to the topics. What’s so different about mines. I understand what you mean Charlie but just respect that if I feel different about somebody comment I’m going to post my opinion.
Mines opinions are different about somebody comment
steve85, i’m not commenting on your content. i’m commenting on the way you have been talking today. are you ok? seems a little bad even for you.
as for arlnow, they have done a great job of allowing a wide range of views and at times they do limit people and it is probably a good thing
I am ok Charlie. It seems like everything I say people have a negative perception about it. I personally don’t believe that the horses shouldn’t have been on the expressway.
Your double negative is confusing.
Yes it isn’t.
With thanks to Waylon Jennings about “country idiot hillbillies” and Arkansas and Kentucky:
Just THE good ol’ boys
Never meaning no harm
Beats all you never saw, geting in trouble with the law
Since the day they was born
Straightenin’ the curves
Flattenin’ the hills
Someday the mountain might do’em
But the law never will
Making their way, the only way they know how
That’s just a little bit more than the law will allow
Chorus.
I’m a good ol’ boy
You know my mama loved me
But she don’t understand they keep a showin my HANDS
And not my face on TV
Just good ol’ boys,
Wouldn’t change if they could,
Fightin’ the system like a true modern day Robin Hood.
YeeeeeHawwwwww!!!!!
LOL! That was one of my favorite shows! I like how they used to outsmart Boss Hogg and Roscoe Peeeee Coltrane! You know how “people like me” are!
“Daisy Dukes”. Enough said!
Ironically, the “Hazzard Homecoming” took place this weekend in Sperryville. http://www.cootersplace.com/hazzard-homecoming
Damn, look at all the General Lee cars.