This past weekend, a dramatic rescue unfolded in Heber-Overgaard, Arizona, when a wild mare and her foal became trapped in a mud pit. Local volunteers were alerted to the emergency by a photographer visiting to take pictures of the area’s famous wild horses. Members of the group Friends of the Heber Wild Horses had been monitoring the area and quickly got to work to coordinate the rescue effort after the distress call came in.
More than a half dozen volunteers, including a neighbor with a UTV and tow ropes, spent over an hour carefully freeing the exhausted mare. The foal had already been rescued and anxiously called to her mother from the bank. One volunteer braved the mud multiple times to adjust the ropes, eventually helping the team reposition the rope safely around the mare for a more secure pull.
They were eventually able to pull the mare free. She then rejoined her foal and they both walked back into the forest. Friends of the Heber Wild Horses later praised the rescuers on social media, thanking them for their teamwork and saying how deeply grateful they are for the rescuers’ hard work and dedication.