So, you've heard the joke. A horse walks into a bar and the barman asks, 'Why the long face?'
As with most jokes, it relies on the listener taking a small leap of imagination, because as we all know, horses don't walk into bars. Well, not usually.
Last week in a bar in Chantilly, north of Paris, customers were enjoying a refreshing beverage when a massive horse came barging in. Turns out the real life version of the joke is as follows: a horse walks into a bar and everyone runs for their life.
To be fair though, the horse doesn't exactly stroll in as though she's about to order a small house white. Instead the animal dashes in, bucking and kicking over chairs like she's ready for a full-on kick-off. Indeed, the racehorse in the bar is like a bull in a china shop.
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The horse's trainer, Jean-Marie Beguigne, said the filly had bolted from the Chantilly Racecourse, about one mile away, after her rider fell off.
Speaking to Ouest France newspaper, Mr Beguigne said: "Between the track and the stables, her rider fell off.
"The filly escaped by going on to the road, and crossing a roundabout before entering this bar. It is all quite exceptional."
Mr Beguigne added that the horse, who he did not name, 'showed no trauma or anxiety' and had a 'penchant for escape'.
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Nobody was hurt in the comical incident, which is made all the more peculiar because of the horse's choice of bar - a horse betting bar no less.
Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) bars are spread across the country and have screens and betting systems installed for those who fancy a flutter, although most punters seemed a little too close to the action for their liking on this occasion.
The owner of the Chantilly PMU bar, Stephane Jasmin, shared the CCTV footage on YouTube and said: "She pushed the door open, and raced straight for the betting corner.
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"Then the filly turned around, breaking a table and chairs. We've never seen anything like it."
Well we've all been there: you storm in with a gut feeling, you race straight over to the betting counter and put £20 on it, you immediately lose and turn around and break a few tables and chairs.
Anyway, it's good that we can now put to rest the myth of equine-bar-based-banter.
Next week: find out what really happens when a chicken crosses the road.
Featured Image Credit: YouTube / Stephane JasminTopics: Horse Racing, France