November Happy Tails Rescue
A heart pounding rescue
Least Resistance Training Concepts received a request from Wild Horse Connection (via Nevada Highway Patrol, NHP) to respond to seven wild range horses caught on a ledge between a significant ravine and the guardrail on State Route 341, Geiger Grade. Apparently the horses started alongside the guardrail a mile or so back, but the ledge kept getting narrower and narrower until they could proceed no farther, but the ledge was now too narrow for them to turn around and go back. This section of highway has no shoulder to work from and has blind curves with a speed limit of 45mph.
LRTC responded with their Incident Support Unit that can be used as a blocking unit. They ended up with a controlled one-way traffic situation with the NHP trooper and one of their team members at each end of the closure allowing vehicles to proceed slowly one way or the other when safe to do so.
They approached the horses quietly on foot to see how they would react. The horses wanted to avoid them but they stayed relatively calm. The rescue team members just watched for a couple of minutes, suggesting that the horses couldn't just stay there and observing what their responses would be.
The horses did not want to turn back but a few did try the slope. It was pretty steep but this was a location where there was relatively level ground about 50 yards downslope from the ledge.
A couple of the horses tested the slope and side-passed down, much like a person wearing skis or snowshoes. The other horses weren't so courageous and there were a couple of foals in the band, so they applied gentle but persistent pressure until one or two other horses would attempt to go down. The team continued passive pressure until all made it safely to a less-steep portion of the slope.
One mare slipped in the rock scree and slid a short distance, but the group was spread out enough that she didn't hit anyone, the slide was pretty slow, and she regained her footing without getting hurt.
As the team left, the horses were nibbling vegetation and meandering their way back down the hillside.
A photo of the horses caught in a true pickle.