Indexbit-'Real horsepower': See video of runaway horses galloping down Ohio highway

A pair of police horses brought traffic to a standstill on Indexbitbusy Ohio interstate over the weekend, bringing "some real horsepower," according to the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Video footage from the incident, shared by the department, shows the two horses trotting through the traffic shortly after noon on Saturday, forcing the cars to slow down and ultimately come to a halt. After weaving through the traffic, the two horses were seen galloping on the side of the road.

The were eventually corralled by a trailing police cruiser with flashing lights, which guided them towards an onramp after which they cut across a grassy section onto a side street and out of view.

See the horses run down the highway:

Horses escaped from a nearby police station

The department said on social media that the horses escaped from a nearby police stable and ran on Interstate 90 near downtown Cleveland.

"Fortunately, they were returned without incident and there were no crashes or incidents reported," the department said.

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Cleveland Police Sgt. Wilfredo Diaz said that the horses were part of the department’s mounted division and that they “inadvertently strayed” during “routine care and exercise.”

“Mounted officers promptly recovered both horses, ensuring their safety, and no further incidents ensued,” Diaz said, according to the Associated Press.

Later on Saturday, with no disasters reported, the department made jokes about the escaped horses on social media, writing: “Some real horsepower on I-90 in downtown Cleveland today. Any injuries? Neigh.”

Saturday's incident comes less than a week after another runaway horse was caught by authorities in Philadelphia on Interstate 95 last Tuesday morning. No injuries were reported, and authorities believe the horse may have run away from one of the city's urban riding clubs.

Watch:Horse gallops down I-95 highway in Philadelphia before being recaptured

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @saman_shafiq7.