Horses on the Roads

In February, members of the rescue team responded to a few instances of horses on roadways. Moving horses from roadways, especially busy ones, needs to be done in a safe manner - safe for the responders, safe for drivers and bystanders, and most importantly safe for the horses. Low energy and situational awareness are critical (no running at them with lunge whips or chasing them with vehicles which can cause them to startle into traffic!). Sometimes the assistance of law enforcement is required to keep drivers safe. Luckily, these instances were resolved quickly and safely by trained volunteers.

If you are interested in volunteering with LRTC’s rescue team, check out this link for upcoming trainings. http://www.whmentors.org/training/tlar_2020.html Courses for 2020 are listed along with the prerequisite online classes. Due to high demand, a third 2020 set of courses has been added, including an Emergency Horse & Livestock Handling Course in Steamboat Valley/South Reno. 

Jimmy dean in a pickle

The story of this 7-month-old colt, named Jimmy Dean, started with a call that his family band had gone down to water and headed back to the hills, but Jimmy Dean found himself on the other side of the fencing. Stuck and panicking to get back with his mom, he tried to jump the fence, and got caught on the barbed wire. With help from Wild Horse Connection (WHC) volunteers, the wires were cut and he was released and joined back up with his family. 

However, within a day or two, Range Manager Corenna Vance received another call on Jimmy Dean. He was once again stuck behind that same fenceline while his band was going up over the hillside and almost out of sight. Corenna called the TLAR rescue team, updated them on the situation and then headed out to help. When everyone arrived, the band was seen headed high up over the hills on the next ridge. Rescuers were told mama and Jimmy Dean had cried for each other, but each time she tried to come back the band stallion came back for her. Corenna and volunteers quickly grabbed some hay in hopes that it would keep the the horses from moving on any further. The rescue team assembled and headed down into the six-foot-high sage brush to try to move Jimmy Dean to the cut opening they had cut in the fence or a to gate that had been opened. At times, the colt’s ears and a flash of blaze could be seen above or through the sagebrush, but tracking this guy through the brush wasn’t easy!  Each time he was moved to the fenceline, he would get scared and head back into the sagebrush. He had memorized that the cut area of the fence was bad news and he didn’t know the gate as a way through.

As the team regrouped, volunteers cut another opening in the fence and baited all three openings with hay. As the sun was setting, we could still see in the far distance his family in the far distance grazing at the top of the back hill and a final attempt to get him out was made. He found the new opening and he was through! Plan A had been to corral the colt, load him in a trailer and take him as close to the band as they could get. But Jimmy Dean went straight for Plan B - he was going straight back to his family and no one was going to stop him! Everyone immediately jumped into action as this smart little colt knew the way back to his family was across the road and up the hills. Rescuers took off on foot and in vehicles to get traffic stopped so he could cross safely. He raced across and headed up the hills. Corenna and the photographers headed up to see if he had made it back to his family. They saw him heading in the direction the band was last seen but no sign of the band and as darkness settled in, they lost sight of the colt. They went out the next morning, that afternoon, and later in the day but still no sign of Jimmy Dean or the band. Knowing how smart these mustangs are, they had faith that Jimmy Dean had found his family, but they weren’t going to rest easily until they knew for sure. The next day a WHC volunteer headed out to look and found two bands high on the hillside. As she got closer, she was able to see Jimmy Dean and sent a photo for confirmation. He was back with his band and doing well!

WHC is raising funds to help more horses like Jimmy Dean. To donate, check out their Facebook Fundraiser.