Liu Mingshun, in his 60s, recently stepped in to safely calm and secure a panicking horse amid heavy traffic in Yichang, Central China's Hubei province.

While out for a walk near the Wujiagang Yangtze River Bridge on Jan 31, he noticed a horse wandering alone on the road.

The horse was in a nervous state as it avoided oncoming cars. Some honked, while others slowed down so passengers could take pictures. It eventually reached the bridge's ramp, where passing vehicles needed to swerve to avoid an accident.

Liu chased the horse on foot at first, but couldn't keep up. Pivoting strategies, he rushed to a nearby parking lot, where his car was parked, and retrieved his car. With the additional horsepower, he was able to get close enough.

Drawing on his experience in raising horses, he spoke to the horse in soothing tones and was able to get close enough to touch the animal. He stroked its head and neck to calm it, then gently took hold of the reins. "You cannot chase a horse from behind, or you'll scare it," Liu said. "From its eyes, I could tell it just wanted to go home."

Later, he worked with traffic officers to hand the horse over to its owner.

Liu's hometown is in the suburbs of Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, which is famous for its grassland and horse-riding. He said he once raised a horse that looked very similar to the one on the bridge. "Before leaving, the horse glanced back at me twice," he said.

A traffic officer in Yichang noted the horse's owner is a social media influencer. On that day, the horse had broken free and run to the area along the riverside avenue.

Liu Xueru contributed to this story.

Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn