A Life Spared

Gayle: November 6, 2020. The dreaded message lands in my inbox like an ugly, malevolent blob of alien sludge from a bad horror film. A concerned and conscientious citizen, a trusted and devoted volunteer rider in our annual Big Summit Wild Horse census – not an alien – had just apprised me of her sighting of an injured wild horse.

We often receive such notifications, either of a dead horse or one who needs immediate intervention. When the information is definitive, we contact the Forest Service directly and within minutes of receipt. More often, however, as the reporting party elects to contact us instead of the Forest Service, there is often some degree of missing detail; the precise location; the time (or year...) of death; the extent of injury; the prognosis of survival in the context of euthanasia. When key aspects of the report are missing or unclear, we mobilize instantly, or in this case the following morning, to confirm location, assess the situation accurately, and document any evidence which could be lost before the Forest Service is able to respond.

The receipt of such reports places us in the precarious position of the keeper of knowledge, from which there is no running for cover. For the horses’ sake, we are committed to an urgent response which engages our highest level of expertise, so we can then contact appropriate Forest Service staff with our best evaluation of the situation. We don’t ask for this role, and we don’t particularly want it, but neither can we reject it.

November 7, 2020. It was too late in the day to drive to the Ochocos the previous afternoon. I tried to rein in my God-given predisposition for imagining the worst, considering predators and the arrival of a winter bent on making up for a protracted summer. Of course, I failed at this, with a sense of glowering doom as we encountered new snow accumulations and the reality of a mountain winter. But Carol’s perennially positive nature diluted me just enough that we were able to locate and evaluate the horse with objectivity. After doing so, we drove to a spot where cell reception was likely, and I informed the Forest Service District Ranger of the situation. Surely the Forest Service dreads such calls and texts as much as we do; once you possess the knowledge, you own the responsibility.

Carol: There is no greater example of what human beings can accomplish as when they come together for the common goal of saving a life. This young filly needed the best of humanity and that was what she was gifted. Through that critical initial report, to the subsequent evaluation followed by instant connectivity to the Forest Service District Ranger, a life was saved just in the nick of time. The best of humanity, valuing life and working towards the common goal of helping a vulnerable wild young horse in need.

Gayle: The Forest Service was able to pen the filly and transport her to Carol’s growing refuge for mostly- Ochoco wild horses. At the time, the injury appeared to be similar to others we have observed in this herd; a weakness in bone structure, manifesting most often in the lower hind legs, which results in a tendency toward fetlock joint fractures. At the herd level, we do not have a clear picture of whether this anomaly is a function of genetics, environment, the particular terrain compounding an underlying condition, or a combination of these and other factors. We have collected examples through diagnostic imaging and necropsy sampling, and we hope to one day conduct analysis which could mitigate or eliminate these occurrences.

Observations, over the course of decades, have shown a commonality among injured horses to the extent that the trend is established and worth studying. However, the vast majority of Ochoco horses are heavy-boned and as sturdy physically as they are in their opinions about everything. Their mental stamina is generally more than matched by their ability to back it up with tireless energy and unequaled capacity to challenge mountain slopes and the precarious shale pathways of lesser species. Some of our Ochoco alumni bear responsibility for packing supplies to Cascade elevations where only smokejumpers can go. My Fargo, at 22, left other trail horses in the dust. These horses are tough, un-bustable. We therefore hold out hope that this filly has only incurred a recoverable injury, destined to join the lineup of legendary mountain-climbing personalities from our Ochoco Wild Herd.

For now, one individual, who for days had been existing in a tiny universe of fear, pain, and aloneness, is about to limp through a portal to safety, relief from pain, and the companionship of a new family of kindred wild spirits.

Carol: November 10, 2020. A new life with hope and a promise of help. This young injured filly arrived safely to her new home within a family of dedicated humans and curious critters. There were elements that felt like home; other Ochoco horses, a robust Buck chasing two prospects and even cows grazing in a nearby pasture. During her time alone in those last days in the forest, cows had been her primary neighbors, so this element in her new life must have felt familiar. Although everything must have been scary, this little girl stood quietly observing... and when her new human came close for the first time, she tried her best to process what was happening.

Ochoco horses have been exposed to humans; the Ochoco National Forest draws many visitors every year and the horses have come to know that they are not alone in the forest. Besides a variety of wildlife, they share the land with visiting humans and have learned to navigate their presence with amazing adaptability. This little filly was no exception and now that previous exposure would have to guide her into understanding.

Everyone needs a name and this yet-to-be-named filly became “Rosie” that day. A promise was made that Rosie would be protected, cared for and loved for the rest of her life. Two days after arriving into this new world, an important part of that promise came to pass when Rosie met her new veterinarian; a trusted and beloved man who had done his best to save two previous injured fillies from the Ochocos. Four humans went into the pen that day to assess her, and despite being completely wild, Rosie remained calm and allowed these humans close proximity and the ability to form initial impressions. Somehow, it seemed as if she knew that they were trying to help.

So many people were praying, caring about and holding this little girl close to their hearts. With trepidation, everyone anxiously awaited the word on how badly she was injured. Hope. We had to faithfully focus on hope. “Cautious optimism” were the words spoken by her veterinarian. It turned out that Rosie’s leg pain was a result of a hip injury and after watching her walk, the veterinarian felt like that indicated something positive. There was swelling in her hip and that would need time and opportunity to resolve. Her treatment plan would be rest and a course of Bute (a fun thing to think about giving a wild horse!) and then there could be reassessment if improvement wasn’t as hoped for. So, at the close of her second full day in the human world, Rosie had met the best of the best... and there was indeed hope.