What many people thought was a joke from New Orleans or an old clip from somewhere else has now been confirmed. Abbeville Police Chief Mike Hardy told News 15 that the viral video showing riders on horseback trotting through the aisles of the Abbeville Walmart is very real, and it happened in Vermilion Parish.
The clip, originally shared by Philip Hanks and widely reposted across Facebook, shows at least a few horses being ridden inside the store while shoppers look on.
Abbeville Police say Walmart plans to press charges
Chief Hardy says investigators believe the stunt was connected to a nearby trail ride that spilled off the street and straight into the big-box retailer. By the time officers arrived, the riders and their horses were already gone, but police are now working to identify everyone involved. Walmart has indicated it plans to press charges, and Abbeville officers are reviewing video and social media to track down the culprits.
Online, some questioned why it took officers so long to respond in a town as small as Abbeville, while others argued that if people can bring dogs into stores, they do not see the problem with horses. Several commenters also pointed out a similar incident in Baker where riders were arrested after doing the same thing inside a Walmart.
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‘Just kids having fun’ or dangerous stunt?
Reaction across Acadiana has been split. A loud group of commenters brushed it off as harmless, calling it “just people having innocent fun” and joking about “emotional support horses,” “cleanup on aisle 13” and even quoting “Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses.”…