Wild horse dehydrated, euthanized after stuck in dried creek

EMERY — A wild mare was euthanized by the Bureau of Land Management Tuesday after she was seen struggling due to dehydration in Muddy Creek, which was dried out.

The Wild Beauty Foundation, an organization “dedicated to protecting the wild horses, wolves, and wildlife of our lifetime,” called on the Bureau of Land Management to address the crisis in the Muddy Creek Herd Management Area, according to a press release.

The organization said the horse was stuck approximately 15 miles south of Emery, Utah.

A video was posted to YouTube, of the mare lying in the muddy creek while two foals stayed with her. Jennifer Howe, a local photographer, posted images of the incident on Facebook.

Howe said she alerted the BLM of the situation and requested an emergency water delivery.

“I was witnessing a tragedy unfold right before my eyes and desperately sought help,” Howe said.

Howe reported that the small herd of one mare and two fouls attempted to drink water from a ‘mire-filled sink’ on the range. She said the mare broke through the top layer of dried mud and became ‘hopelessly submerged, too weak to free herself.’

One foal eventually became stuck in the mud, according to Howe.

The BLM reported that staff rescued the foal from the same pond, cleaned it off, gave it water, and held it on-site for approximately three hours until it could be transported.

The foal was taken to a wild horse facility, where it was kept overnight and the next day, by a veterinarian.

“Despite efforts to re-hydrate and care for the foal, the animal was humanely euthanized this afternoon as an act of mercy due to lingering dehydration and its inability to recover from the incident,” BLM said in a release.

The BLM said in a statement that the Bureau is “closely monitoring the Muddy Creek Wild Horse Herd Management Area due to drying ponds.”

“The Bureau possesses both the capabilities and the manpower to deliver water immediately to wild horses in emergencies, especially during severe droughts or when natural water sources dry up,” Ashley Avis, founder of the Wild Beauty Foundation, said.

Howe said the issue is not ‘nature taking its course,’ but the ‘consequence of climate change.’

The BLMS’s statement said that ponds in the area, near McKay Flat, typically dry up unless replenished by rain.

“While not currently trucking in water, if the situation arises where animals need water to survive, the BLM will take action,” the BLM said. “We remain committed to the health and safety of the wild horse population and other wildlife in the Muddy Creek HMA. Our efforts are focused on monitoring and providing necessary aid to ensure their well-being.”

The Bureau said a second foal was also seen at the mud hole, and was last seen leaving the location with a bachelor stallion. BLM reported staff saw no horses at the mud hole site as of Aug. 6.