Video and social updates posted by the Santa Fe Police Department show officers on bikes shepherding the horse into a confined space where the lassoing took place. Officers then handed the animal to the cowboy, who walked it to safety. The department said the horse was unharmed.
After the animal was secured, officers made sure it had water before it was returned to the beginning of the Desfile de la Gente parade, the Facebook post said. The department mounted the response quickly, using motorcycles to keep pace with the horse and bring it under control without reported injury.
The incident delayed the immediate plans for the parade route until officials and handlers could stabilize the animal and move it back to the start point. Police described the sequence of events in their social media update rather than issuing separate written statements.
The episode highlights how local law enforcement and mounted-event handlers can work together to resolve an animal escape with minimal harm. The Santa Fe Police Department provided the account of the capture and the subsequent steps taken to care for and return the horse to the parade location.
