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HomeHorse ShowsTitle: Community Comes Together to Rescue Mare and Foal from Mudhole in...

Title: Community Comes Together to Rescue Mare and Foal from Mudhole in Arizona

PHOENIX (KPNX/CNN/CNN Newsource/WKRC) — Dramatic video shows a horse struggling to escape a mudhole after the mare and her foal became stuck.

A dramatic rescue unfolded Sunday in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest near Phoenix, Arizona when a group of seven strangers came together to save a mare and her foal trapped in a mudhole.

The incident was captured on camera. Betty Nixon, a wild horse advocate, described the situation as dire.

"Got a red alert mare is drowning in the mud," she told KPNX.

The group, including Nixon, acted swiftly to free the animals.

"He just stripped down and went into the mud up to his knees to always put the rope around the horse," Nixon told the outlet, recounting the efforts to save the mare and her foal. While the foal was freed quickly, it took over an hour to rescue the mare.

"Our goal was just to get her hopefully close enough to the edge out of the deep mud where she could get her footing and get up," Nixon explained when speaking to KPNX.

Eventually, they managed to move a log and pull the horse to safety. "We got her out and that was the great thing," she told the station.

The rescue took place near a dirt water tank, a crucial water source for the Heber wild horses and other wildlife. Nixon noted the challenges posed by the dry conditions.

"We didn’t have a lot of rain last year, we had almost nothing in the way of snow or moisture this year. We had a little bit, but not hardly enough to keep the dirt water tanks full," she told KPNX.

Nixon has been monitoring the area, concerned about the potential dangers for wildlife. "When the water tanks go dry, they do get very, very muddy and it’s a very dangerous situation for all of the wildlife in the forest," she said when speaking to the station.

Despite the ordeal, Nixon expressed relief that the mare and her foal had a happy ending. "They’re exhausted, bedraggled, but they’re doing okay," she told the outlet.

Reflecting on the experience, Nixon shared a sentiment from one of the rescuers when speaking to KPNX: "One of the people in the group had said you know we came together as neighbors, but left as friends and I thought that was very appropriate."

The entire rescue can be viewed on the "Friends of the Wild Heber Horse" Facebook page.

Title: Community Comes Together to Rescue Mare and Foal from Mudhole in Arizona PHOENIX (KPNX/CNN/CNN Newsource/WKRC) — Dramatic video shows a horse struggling to escape a mudhole after the mare and her foal became stuck. A dramatic rescue unfolded Sunday in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest near Phoenix, Arizona when a group of seven strangers came together to save a mare and her foal trapped in a mudhole. The incident was captured on camera. Betty Nixon, a wild horse advocate, described the situation as dire. "Got a red alert mare is drowning in the mud," she told KPNX. The group, including Nixon, acted swiftly to free the animals. "He just stripped down and went into the mud up to his knees to always put the rope around the horse," Nixon told the outlet, recounting the efforts to save the mare and her foal. While the foal was freed quickly, it took over an hour to rescue the mare. "Our goal was just to get her hopefully close enough to the edge out of the deep mud where she could get her footing and get up," Nixon explained when speaking to KPNX. Eventually, they managed to move a log and pull the horse to safety. "We got her out and that was the great thing," she told the station. The rescue took place near a dirt water tank, a crucial water source for the Heber wild horses and other wildlife. Nixon noted the challenges posed by the dry conditions. "We didn’t have a lot of rain last year, we had almost nothing in the way of snow or moisture this year. We had a little bit, but not hardly enough to keep the dirt water tanks full," she told KPNX. Nixon has been monitoring the area, concerned about the potential dangers for wildlife. "When the water tanks go dry, they do get very, very muddy and it’s a very dangerous situation for all of the wildlife in the forest," she said when speaking to the station. Despite the ordeal, Nixon expressed relief that the mare and her foal had a happy ending. "They’re exhausted, bedraggled, but they’re doing okay," she told the outlet. Reflecting on the experience, Nixon shared a sentiment from one of the rescuers when speaking to KPNX: "One of the people in the group had said you know we came together as neighbors, but left as friends and I thought that was very appropriate." The entire rescue can be viewed on the "Friends of the Wild Heber Horse" Facebook page.

A dramatic rescue unfolded in the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest near Phoenix, Arizona, when a group of seven strangers banded together to save a mare and her foal trapped in a mudhole. Wild horse advocate Betty Nixon described the situation as critical, emphasizing the urgency of the rescue. While the foal was freed quickly, it took over an hour to extract the mare, requiring the group to move a log and pull her to safety.

The rescue highlighted the challenges posed by dry conditions in the area, which have led to dangerously muddy situations for wildlife. Nixon noted that the lack of rain and snow has resulted in dry water tanks, increasing the risk for animals in the forest. She has been monitoring the area closely, concerned about the potential dangers for wildlife.

Despite the ordeal, Nixon expressed relief that both the mare and her foal were safe, albeit exhausted. Reflecting on the experience, she shared that the rescuers formed a bond during the event, stating, “We came together as neighbors, but left as friends.” The entire rescue was documented and can be viewed on the “Friends of the Wild Heber Horse” Facebook page.

Source:
local12.com
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Title: Ensuring Safety at the 151st Kentucky Derby: The Impact of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act

WASHINGTON — We are days away from the 151st running of the Kentucky Derby. Behind the scenes, many will work to ensure the horses and jockeys have a safe race.

What You Need To Know

In 2020, Congress passed the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act, creating an independent organization called HISA. A report released last month shows racetracks under HISA rules saw the lowest horse fatality rates since 2009. Some of the requirements under HISA include expanded veterinary protocols, pre-race inspections, racetrack surface monitoring, and uniform medication oversight.

It’s overseen by the Federal Trade Commission and launched a racetrack safety program in 2022 and an anti-doping program a year later. As horses and jockeys prepare for the Derby on Saturday, HISA said thanks in part to consistent, nationwide rules, Thoroughbred racing has never been safer.

HISA’s annual report released last month shows that last year, the 47 racetracks under HISA’s rules saw the lowest number of horse deaths—a rate of 0.9 per 1,000 starts—since recording first began in 2009. That reflects a 27% decrease from the year before and a drop of 35% since the last full year before the organization implemented its racetrack safety program.

Some requirements include expanded veterinary protocols, pre-race inspections, racetrack surface monitoring, and uniform medication oversight. Since last year’s Kentucky Derby, HISA has rolled out a mental health and wellness program for jockeys and a platform for veterinarians to get a holistic view of a horse’s health and performance.

“HISA has made significant progress in advancing its mandate across racetrack safety, technological innovation, uniform medication control, and equine welfare,” HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus said in a statement. “HISA pursued these initiatives with input and support from the many racing stakeholders who are the backbone of the sport, and their collective efforts have led to meaningful improvements in our safety metrics.”

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Title: Ocala’s World Equestrian Center Moves Toward Serving Alcohol with New Legislation

Ocala’s World Equestrian Center provides horse lovers with one of the premier show and sport facilities in the nation. Soon, it could also serve booze.

The House approved legislation that would authorize a special beverage license for Marion County. That means an exception to the state’s beverage laws and the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s enforcement.

“Marion County stands as an equestrian sport epicenter, celebrated worldwide for top-tier training facilities, renowned thoroughbred farms and vibrant equestrian culture,” wrote Rep. Ryan Chamberlin in an explanation of the legislation.

“Florida law has many complicated licensing frameworks, and currently, the World Equestrian Center faces challenges in meeting the expectations of (its) patrons due to existing restrictions under the Beverage Law. HB 4067 seeks to address these challenges by offering a narrowly tailored solution that aligns with the unique needs of this equestrian sport facility while ensuring compliance with the law.”

The exception in the law certainly drew the attention of the liquor industry.

Scott Dick, a lobbyist for the Florida Independent Spirits Association, paid close attention to the bill, which, as filed, initially would have allowed the sale of liquor for consumption off-premises.

“Our concern with the legislation was it would have been the first time ever that a quota liquor license would be issued under a special act, and that would allow them to operate like an ABC or a smaller liquor store,” Dick said.

“The average price of a liquor license in Marion County is anywhere from $250,000 to $300,000, and we have problems with the state gifting one entity a license that our people have paid thousands of dollars for. It was a fairness issue.”

From there, the legislation passed by a 92-16 vote last week.

Before the bill was brought to the House floor for final approval, Dick negotiated a compromise. He removed the provision for off-site consumption, allowing the venue to continue serving drinks on-site through a pop-up bar. As a result, the Association withdrew its opposition.

A representative for the World Equestrian Center declined to comment on the legislation, which still must win approval from the Senate.

The venue, one of two facilities operated by the World Equestrian Center, features multiple fields and an indoor village square setting — a setup that benefits vendors during events. It hosts such significant shows as the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup, Longines League of Nations and Championship Show 2024, and last year made Time’s list of the World’s Greatest Places.

Another of the venue fans is Dick, who attended horse shows there in the past. The prestige and broader benefit to Ocala’s tourist economy played a role in the deal, but Dick didn’t want this becoming a model for random venues across the state.

“When we start creating special liquor licenses for one entity, and it’s not for a community,” Dick said, “we have problems with that.”

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