Judge Orders No Contact With Horses For 'Dreadhead Cowboy'

Chicago’s “Dreadhead Cowboy” is barred from contact with his horses, per judge’s orders.

Prosecutors filed a motion to amend Adam Hollingworth’s bail order, which Judge Michael McHale granted Wednesday (December 9). The order forces Hollingsworth, who is accused of animal cruelty and other charges, to give up his horses to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecutors clarified they didn’t aim to prevent Hollingsworth from owning the horses, but wanted to block him from having contact with them, according to WTTW.

The “Dreadhead Cowboy” pleaded not guilty to a felony animal abuse charge weeks ago, the station reported.

Hollingsworth’s charges stem from what Mayor Lori Lightfoot referred to as a “stunt.”

Hollingsworth, 33, rode one of his horses, NuNu, for several miles down the busy Dan Ryan Expressway during evening rush hour traffic on September 21, streaming a video on Facebook Live.

He did it to demonstrate that kids lives matter.

“Until kids lives matter, until we understand kids lives matter, nothing else matter,” he said on Facebook Live, taking off onto the highway with supporters on motorcycles.

Hollingsworth was charged with reckless conduct, disobeying a police officer, criminal trespass to state supported property, obstruction of traffic by a person, and pedestrian on a controlled access highway, according to Illinois State Police.

“After Hollingsworth was placed under arrest, Troopers were attempting to safely secure the horse and observed several injuries on the horse,” the ISP stated in a press release at the time. “The horse was bleeding from the left hoof, the right hoof was injured, and the right side of the horse’s body had sores from the saddle.”

Another man, Darron Luster, 55, attempted to control the horse despite being asked by officers to leave the horse alone. Luster was charged with obstructing and resisting arrest.

NuNu was in critical condition following the freeway ride.

“The horse was temporarily quartered with Animal Care and Control,” the ISP press release stated on September 22. “Animal Care and Control Officials performed an intake and assessment of the horse and documented injuries. At this time, the horse was transferred to an animal rescue facility for further medical evaluation."

Still, in the days after the alleged “stunt,” Hollingsworth expressed that he had no regrets.

“Would I do it again? Yes I’d do it again,” he said. “I’ve been in jail, I had a background, I’m not perfect…That was something worth going to jail for.”

Hollingsworth is slated to appear in court again January 14.

Photo: Illinois State Police, Getty Images