Aug. 3 (UPI) — A horse that lost its rider during a high-altitude endurance race in California ended up being lifted back to safety by a helicopter.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Humane Emergency Animal Rescue Team said rescuers responded when a horse and rider became separated early on in the Tevis Cup 100-mile endurance ride
The rider was located uninjured, but search crews spent 2 hours in a fruitless search for the equine.
The Butte County Sheriff’s Office helicopter team finally located the horse in the Granite Chief Wilderness, in a difficult-to-reach area about 7,200 feet above sea level.
“Veterinary personnel and [North Valley Animal Disaster Group] technical rescue members were flown to the horse, where the animal was assessed, sedated and secured in a large animal lift for extraction,” the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said.
The horse was then airlifted by a helicopter to the French Meadows Reservoir, where another group of rescuers were waiting on the ground.
The horse was not injured and was able to stand up and walk into a trailer for its ride home.