Four of Five Horses Stolen From the SAU Campus Stables are Returned Home
Wednesday November 2, 2011 is a night that the Southern Arkansas University will not forget. From the Muleriders’ stables, five horses, tack, and a trailer were stolen. Among the horses were a young grey mare, a buckskin mare, a black gelding, a sorrel gelding, and a solid black mare. These horses belonged to students involved in the school’s rodeo team. After the horses were found missing, one owner was offering a five thousand dollar reward for anyone who could return the horses back to their rightful home.
Almost a week after searching for the horses and trailer, horse owners caught news that 3 of the saddles and almost all of the tack were found. Whoever had stolen the items had screwed leather strips across the saddles where the names of the real owners were engraved. Still the search continued for the five horses. Days of desperate searching and investigating started leaving everyone with less and less hope for these helpless animals.
On November 15th Ashley Mills and SAU Rodeo Coach Rusty Hayes brought horses to the same location where the tack and trailer had been located. The horses brought along with Hayes helped find the missing horses. The horses brought with nickered, and amazingly got a nicker back. Mills and Hayes followed where the noise came from. They then stumbled across the SAU student owned horses. They had been tied to some pine trees, and deserted.
The horses had been spray painted by whoever stole them. They also were clearly not in good health. The horses were very dehydrated and malnourished.
Upon return home to the SAU stables the students were overjoyed. However they were still upset and concerned with the horses’ health. “It depends on what your definition of ‘bad’ is. I was heartbroken when I saw them,” Dickinson said. “I would rather have had my horse running loose through the woods than tied up to a pine tree.” Another owner Ty Lester stated “ You could count every rib in her body.”
Though the students are very thankful to have their horses back they are concerned of the still missing horse. The 15 year old sorrel gelding named “Credit Card” has still not been found. Everyone is still praying and searching for the safe return of the horse, Credit Card.
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