Horses got loose in a Racine County subdivision, but were lured back home with carrots, grain

By Rachel Kubik

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    CALEDONIA, Wisconsin (The Journal Times) — A pair of steeds were caught horsing around Friday morning.

The Caledonia Police Department received a call about horses on the loose at about 8:15 a.m. Friday. Officers found the two fugitives in the 10500 block of Prairie Crossing Drive. It was discovered they broke down a fence in the 3000 block of Highway H to escape.

Caledonia residents Michelle Luczak and Dina Parker helped round up the horses. They were returned to their home within an hour from when the CPD first received the call.

Oscar Guereca, who owns a farm, was identified as the owner and was given a verbal warning for animals at large.

Lt. Gary Larsen, public information officer with the CPD, said the agency will give out tickets for animals at large in repeat cases.

Walking back Larsen said the agency gets complaints about livestock on the loose including horses, llamas and cattle from time to time.

“It’s not frequently, but it’s a number of times a year,” Larsen said. “Most of the time people do very well keeping their animals where they’re supposed to be.”

Luczak, who helped bring the horses back to their home, said she was alerted to the incident because her son lives in the Prairie Crossing subdivision and sent her a photo of the animals, happily grazing in a field.

She called the police and offered her assistance. Luczak works at the Caledonia Conservancy and has owned horses for 14 years at her farm along Seven Mile Road.

The CPD took Luczak up on her offer. She appointed her friend Dina Parker to help.

“She was the first person I thought of,” Luczak said. “She’s got the experience.”

Parker only had a dog leash on hand, but it ended up being useful in holding and guiding one of the horses. The other horse was skittish; luckily, a bucket full of grain provided by the CPD and carrots provided by neighbors convinced the horses that the officers, Luczak and Parker were not to be feared.

Both horses walked with the group back to their home about 5 to 7 blocks away, Luczak said.

Luczak said the officers were “really good” with the horses and “professional … they did well.”

Parker fixed the wire fence in hopes of containing the horses a bit better.

Larsen said citizens should monitor fencing materials, especially that which is getting old.

“They should make sure they’re taking care of their property so something like this doesn’t happen,” Larsen said, noting loose animals could congregate on roads and could be “very dangerous.”

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