Wild horses kept getting stuck in mud pit — so Arizona advocates took a stand
A herd of wild horses and newborn foals kept getting stuck in a dangerous mud pit in Arizona, so advocates took a stand.
A team of determined rescuers rescued a mare and her baby trapped in the mud on April 26, McClatchy News previously reported.
But the problem persisted. Another foal became trapped April 28 and then another mare was trapped April 29, according to Betty Nixon, a wild horse advocate who monitors the herd and posts updates on a Friends of the Heber Wild Horses Facebook page.
“IT HAPPENED AGAIN! Another foal stuck in this dangerous ‘mud pit’ yesterday!” Nixon said in a post on April 29. “This is happening because we are in drought conditions, and the forest service refuses to allow advocates and friends of our Heber wild horses to deliver water.”
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for information on May 2.
Nixon coordinated with the community of wild horse advocates to put pressure on the forest service — and it worked, according to a May 2 post on the Facebook page.
“You have made a difference!” Nixon said in the post. “That mud pit is the most immediate concern, as it is a life-or-death situation … The Forest Service is allowing us to put water troughs on the ‘safe’ end of the dirt tank where the ground is more stable, drawing the horses away from the area with the deep mud. We are truly grateful for this concession from the Forest Service.
“As long as there is water in the dirt tank, the horses will come there, so the water troughs will help draw them to the ‘safest’ spot for water. It’s not a guarantee, but it is helping as we have witnessed,” Nixon said. “We are not out of the woods on this, and danger still exists! Once all the water is out of the dirt tank, the troughs will be removed.”
Part of the problem is that the Arizona Department of Game & Fish is hauling water to areas where the horses can’t access it, Nixon said. She urged her followers to keep requesting permits from the forest service to allow volunteers to deliver water to an area where the horses will be able to access it.
Both mares and one of the foals they rescued are doing well, Nixon said. She hasn’t seen the foal she pulled from the mud on April 28 since then and said she would provide an update as soon as she sees the group the foal roams with.
Several people praised the community’s persistence in the comments.
“Heartfelt thanks to everyone that is helping with the water troughs,” someone said. “Happy there is some light at last and things are moving in a positive direction.”
