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Traffic Jam Because of a Horse?

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Magdalena Dokic BK 3126272

 It's not every day I get stuck in traffic behind a horse.  Oh, living in the Miami Redlands, I see horses being transported all the time.  And I usually see local horse owners taking them out for leisurely rides.  But today I saw something different.

I was driving on SW 200th Street when I saw a horse galloping like a bat out of you-know-where towards 200th street.  I knew that if I didn't slow down he and my vehicle might actually have a sudden and, more than likely, injuring collision. 

As he reached the street he barely slowed and turned onto the street and in front of my car.  He didn't even signal.  That told me he's a Miami native ;-)  My daughter and I were very interested in seeing where he was going.  He continued galloping at about 25 miles per hour with us right behind him. 

The cars started to accumulate behind us.  SW 200th Street has a speed limit of 45 mph in that area but I can tell you most folks do 60.  To the state troopers it's like shooting fish in a barrel when they hang out on that street and give out speeding tickets.  They can reach their monthly quota in one day, I bet.  But now everyone had to slow down to 25 or less based on the horse's whim.  Plus the horse had the oncoming traffic to deal with as well.

Thankfully most folks were pretty patient and everyone was slowing down to look at this spectacular creature running free in the middle of traffic.  Whheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  I kept thinking I had to do something and asked my daughter for permission to stop.  I was taking her to school, you see, to look at the posted results and find out if she had made it onto the cheerleading squad.  We mustn't be late!  It might rain or something and the ink could run and render the results illegible and she might have to wait until Monday to find out if she'd made it.  Horrors!  She begrudgingly agreed that she could spare 5 minutes.

Broker Maggie and Little One to the rescue!  The horse had now decided that a side road looked more interesting and turned down that way (again, without using the turn signal).  We had travelled about half a mile from were we saw the horse get onto the street and I had not seen any vehicles come in off that road.  I checked traffic and made a u-turn.  As I passed a few cars that had gathered I asked one man getting out if that was his horse.  He told me it wasn't and I told him I knew where he'd come from and I would go alert the owner. 

The horse was oblivious to all this hoopla and was now quietly and calmly getting farther and farther away from us and the civilization to be found on the state road.  I took off to find the owner, the whole time hoping I would be successful.  I'd heard stories of horses getting stolen in the Miami Redlands and I certainly didn't want this poor fella to be one of the statistics. 

As I reached the road from whence he'd come I turned and saw a truck careening down the dirt road towards us.  I honked frantically at him and he finally stopped.  It turned out he was indeed the owner and I told him exactly where he could find him.  As soon as you pass the train tracks make a right and follow the road.  No, no, the horse isn't on the train tracks, he's on the next road that runs beside them and gaining distance every minute.  He thanked me and off he sped!

As we got back on course and headed to school Little One commented "that was fun."  "Yes Little One.  Living the Redlands often is."

Posted by

Maggie Dokic - Broker/Owner - Special Miami Homes

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Comments (21)

Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Woo-Hoo, Broker Maggie Horse Wrangler!!  What a story!!  You had me laughing out loud at several points!  (I was worried for the horse, too -- pavement and horseshoes do NOT mix!  No tread.)  That is an unusual sight and a story well told!

But I'm still left in suspense -- did Little One make the team?!?!  <Fingers crossed and eyes scrunched, waiting for good news!!>

May 19, 2007 10:59 PM
Lysa Napolitano
Daytona Beach, FL

Maggie The Horse Rescuer! What a fantastic story! Thanks for taking the time to find the owner Maggie and Cheerleader Daughter, you made my day!

Ok, make it better, did she make the squad Maggie?

 

May 19, 2007 11:43 PM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Jeff - I'm sorry to have concerned you!  The horse was fine and I'm sure the owner is securing the gates a little better from now on.  But now that you mention that I can see how this story could have had a not-so-happy ending.  We have quite an equestrian community here in the Redland.  Did you give it up altogether?

Sarah and Lysa - YES!  She made the squad.  Even though she's been cheering for years they make them try out each year anew.  She always gets nervous.  Now she's looking forward to getting tagged.  At least I think that's what they call it.  My girls get upset with me because I don't remember all the lingo.  I just pay, show up and scream really loud!  Tagging, if that's what it's called, is when they show up in class and present them with a paper megaphone to wear all day as a symbol of their making the squad.  Of course the girls love all the attention.  This year we had our first boy try out and he made it.  We're a co-ed squad now!  Woooooo hoooooooo!!

May 20, 2007 12:20 AM
Boomer Jack Boardman & Carl McIntyre, the Codgers
Noted Curmudgeons - Saint Paul, MN

Ladieees and Gentlemen of Active Rain! It gives us grrrreat pleasure to presentactive rain|active codgers, your active fans ©2007 Codger Images to you: Maaagie Dokic, the now renowned BUCKAROOO-BROKER OF MIAMI REDLANDS!!!

Jay

May 20, 2007 12:33 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

MAggie - yep, gave it up when I went off to college. BUt my daughters both ended up spending about 5 years riding (we even had our own horses) while they we in Jr. and Sr. HS.

Glad to hear YOUR daughter made the squad. She must have been thrilled!

Jeff

May 20, 2007 12:36 AM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Jay - you are so funny!  You made me chuckle.  Am I a double B now?  Buckaroo Broker ... he he he.  Can we come up with another 2 B's so I can compete with Blog Boy Broker Bryant?

Jeff - I think that's such a regal sport.  I was always impressed by people who can ride.  That's not something I was ever able to do.  Thanks for the words about Little One.  She's such a stinker that when she was walking back to the car she walked real slowly looking down at the ground.  She's a good actress and I was becoming concerned that she hadn't made the squad.  She was only trying to fool me and burst out laughing when she got closer.  She loves playing tricks on Mommy.

May 20, 2007 12:36 AM
Bryant Tutas
Tutas Towne Realty, Inc and Garden Views Realty, LLC - Winter Garden, FL
Selling Florida one home at a time
Giggy up Broker Maggie!!! That was a good read. happy all turned out well. I likes horseys:)
May 20, 2007 01:21 AM
Danny Smith
DISCOVER TEXAS HOMES - Round Rock, TX

MAGGIE! YeeHaw! Are you sure you were not driving down a street in Texas? How about Maggie the Blogging Buckaroo Broker?  Congrats to the little Cheerleader!

May 20, 2007 01:22 AM
Sarah Cooper
Real Estate Shows - Hurricane, WV

Congratulations, Little One!!!!

Yaaaaaayy!!!!!

May 20, 2007 02:01 AM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
Miami... the land of endless opportunity and constant surprises... horses in the road... and I bet most people think all there is is cranes and condos.  Nice story Maggie.
May 20, 2007 02:10 AM
Matthew J Blum - (retired from the business)
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Maggie did you see animal planet filming it?  Thats my sons favorite Miami animal police. :-)
May 20, 2007 03:50 AM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Broker Bryant - I am too.  I was feeling a little protective of that horse when I saw the man get out of his car.  I don't know what I was thinking but the New Yorker in me always has her antenna up!  All's well that ends well. =)

Danny - I like that!  You've got me up to 3 B's now.  Wait!  I think I can come up with a 4th.  Bouncing Blogging Buckaroo Broker.  Oh crud, this is a Localism post.  Now my consumer will find out that I'm a real person who enjoys a little sillyness amongst her friends.  hee hee  =)

Sarah- thanks!  I'll tell her.  She loves reading about herself.  I think Carly Simon's song, You're So Vain, suits her to a T.  She'll enjoy all the attention.

Beth - I love your sense of humor.  But I think I told you that already.  In the better known areas of Miami that is all you see, plus the occasional iguanas.  My little slice of Miami suffers not from the usual ailments =)  The pace is a little slower here (except of course on the state roads, where, as I've said, most of the rascals are speeding.)

Matthew - now that would have been something!  I bet getting those great shots on Animal Planet requires a lot of patience.

May 20, 2007 03:53 AM
"The Lovely Wife" The One And Only TLW.
President-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc. - Kissimmee, FL

Broker Maggie...

Hi ho Silver and away...Hmmm. I may be giving away my age with that remark. SVW.

Great post. I really enjoyed finding something to read that was NOT about Real Estate and AR. How bad is that anyway? LOL.

TLW...ROAR!

May 20, 2007 11:39 AM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast

Billie, do NOT even go there with the age remark.  You see, I remember that show clearly!  LOL  I'm glad you were able to get away from the real estate posts.  We're multi-faceted around here and eager to please =)

I think I got Elderberry in honor of you! 

May 20, 2007 01:40 PM
Lucky Lang
Premiere Plus Realty Marco Island - Marco Island, FL
Marco Island & Naples Florida Real Estate

Maggie,

Too bad you didn't have a bucket of oats to woo him in.  Then you could've ridden him back home!

Some horses can be very stubborn when they get free "Reign". :)

Lucky :)

May 20, 2007 02:00 PM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
Lucky - you must be confusing me with the other Blogging Buckaroo Broker Maggie...the one with guts!  lol If I had the bucket of oats I would have led him home though =)  I remember riding as a young child.  I never did get over the feeling that horses were waaaaaay too high for me to feel comfortable on.
May 20, 2007 02:15 PM
Janie Coffey
First Coast Sotheby’s International Realty - Ponte Vedra, FL
Uniting Extraordinary Homes w/ Extraordinary Lives

oh Maggie!  Thank goodness you helped rescue him, I read your post with beating heart, afraid of the outcome.  I stop constantly to help animals (including horses, goats and cows) find their way home.  I am sure that man is STILL thanking you in his heart.  Hopefully all was well with the cheerleading results!  Thank you good Samaritan!

 

May 20, 2007 03:48 PM
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
Janie - as you well know, living out here we both have farm animal stories to tell!  lol  The sweetest one was when we had a pony show up on our lawn one day.  The girls thought it was Christmas and that they were entitled to keep him.  We found the owner.  It turned out he had bought the pony for his little boy who has leukemia and the pony had gotten out.  I'm glad the pony stopped at our place and didn't keep going down to the "busy traffic" street.  Gotta love it here!  And Yes!  Little One made the squad.  Thanks.  =)
May 20, 2007 10:02 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous
Maggie - I am glad you found the owner, the poor horse must have been stressed out.  My craziest traffic jam was when a plane landed on the highway.
May 22, 2007 02:56 PM
#20
Maggie Dokic /Indialantic | 321-252-8696
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
That must have been some traffic jam!  And quite a few stories to tell later, I bet.  Thanks for stopping by and commenting.  You didn't leave your name so I can't thank you by name, but I appreciate your visit.  =)
May 22, 2007 09:20 PM