Man charged with DUI for allegedly riding horse while drunk

A man in California has been saddled with a DUI charge after going on a boozy horseback-riding excursion, police said.

Officer Kody Brackett, with the California Highway Patrol – Merced, was on duty when he spotted “a horseback rider carrying an open container of alcohol,” the agency said in a Facebook post Sunday.

The officer approached the equestrian to investigate and quickly concluded that the rider “was impaired by alcohol,” leading to his arrest on a count of DUI, according to CHP Merced.

“It’s worth noting that, according to California Vehicle Code 21050, the rules of the road apply to those operating animals on the highway,” law enforcement officials pointed out.

In what CHP Merced described as “a display of true compassion,” Officer Brackett ensured the horse’s safe return to its home.

The agency released a photo of the cop posing happily with the handsome bay horse standing next to his parked patrol car.

CHP Merced said the incident should serve as a reminder “that impaired riding, even on a horse, poses risks to both the rider and others on the road.”

The rider of the horse has not been publicly identified.

The Post reached out to CHP Thursday seeking further comment on the arrest.