This month, the Inyo National Forest rescued 24 wild horses trapped in the snow, far from reliable forage and water, east of Highway 395 in the Bald Mountain area. The horses are from the Montgomery Pass herd. This herd has expanded in size and range well beyond the Montgomery Pass Wild Horse Territory 30 miles to the east along the California-Nevada border.
According to the Inyo, “Forest Service crews rescued 24 horses from snow-bound terrain using bait and water traps and transported them to a temporary holding facility in Bishop, California, for stabilization. One horse later died due to extreme emaciation, and three horses were humanely euthanized because of critically poor body condition. An additional six horses were found dead in the field as a result of starvation and prolonged exposure. Severe winter conditions left the horses with no access to food or water after they became stranded outside their normal range.”
Word of the starving stranded horses sparked local concern as people worked to notify the Inyo National Forest—the management authority for this herd under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act.
The number of wild horses has significantly grown in the Eastern Sierra over the last 12 years, and horses have pushed westward from their home territory into challenging, higher-elevation terrain. This is the second time in three years that deceased horses have been discovered after being trapped in deep snow and isolated from food and water: In March 2023 horses died along the shore of Mono Lake after record snowfall during the winter.
The Inyo further stated, “… staff provided emergency care to stabilize the surviving horses before transporting them [Wednesday] morning to a better-equipped facility on the Modoc National Forest, where they will receive continued care and rehabilitation. Recovery is expected to take up to 10 months.”
Top photo by Elin Ljung.