A search and rescue team in California’s Point Reyes National Seashore undertook a challenging seven-hour operation to rescue a 20-year-old Arabian horse that had fallen about 30 feet down a steep ravine along the Coast Trail. While the rider escaped unharmed, the horse became stuck in a narrow, densely vegetated area and was unable to regain its footing. Rescuers first attempted a forward assist by pulling the horse with straps, but due to exhaustion, they had to deploy a low-angle rope rescue squad to rig a pulley system and haul the animal up the ravine on a rescue sled.

The complex rescue involved 15 to 20 people and was aided by prior large-animal technical-rescue training held at the park. Despite the difficulty and unpredictability of working with a large animal, the team successfully freed the horse, which was uninjured and able to walk back to the trailhead. Such full-scale animal rescues are rare in the park, highlighting the specialized skills and teamwork required to safely manage these situations.