Horse lost in Freetown State Forest - Please Help

[Rescue efforts]

NEMBA members, we are asking for your assistance during any rides you have planned or may be planning in the Freetown State Forest. Your bikes provide silent means of moving through the forest. A local resident fell off while riding her horse, 15.3 hand Arabian brown gelding (boy), wearing western saddle and bridle, two weeks ago down at the Quantapoag end of Freetown. We are desperately trying to locate this horse. He had a history of abuse for a number of years before he was rescued and reabilitated but we believe he has reverted back to a solitary survival mode. We have had a sighting a little over a week ago and fresh signs of a horse "eating the wrong things". State mounted police were out Sunday and other groups have been out there searching every day but we do not have any recent sightings. Feeding stations with hay and water have been set up to try to encourage him to come in to locations but we desperately need everyone to help. If you see anything unusual, a glimpse of him, a discarded saddle, hear a whinny, please contact the police, fire dept or Deb LaPlante immediately. If you observe the crows, vultures feeding or an odor signaling the worse, please let us know as well. Stop and call fire or police so your GPS location can be registered. We have trackers and horse handlers that will get to the location as soon as possible. He may not be approachable and may need medical attention as soon as possible. ...He is much beloved. Thank you! Fire and police (508-763-4017) Mr and Mrs LaPlante 774-888-8376

[Rescue efforts]

If anyone has any other message boards that they belong to that you believe are actively ride in the Freetown forest, we would appreciate it if you could cut and paste our information on our behalf. Thank you to each and everyone of you that have read this! Your bikes can cover much more territory then we can on foot and we have professional trackers waiting for a location. Its amazing all the different kinds of good people that have come forward to donate their time. The practice search drills have been great preparation for future searches for people and already provided information needed to improve the mapping of this great expanse of forest.

[FriedRys]

Posted to both BustedSpoke.com and RideMonkey.com, good luck getting him back and let us know how things turn out.

[Rescue efforts]

Thankyou, we also have notified local airports and several pilots have pledged if they are over that area to take a look at any areas that might be able to see through the leaf cover.

[ridefaster]

I put it on the MA forum on mtbr.com.

[Rescue efforts]

Thank you everyone, this beautiful forest is so big with so many trails and tough terrain - every set of eyes if even a few more is great. You guys can cover a whole lot more ground then we can on foot.

[9.8m/s/s]

Posted it over on Crankfire yesterday. Best of luck to all involved.

[Rescue efforts]

Hi, several youths saw Charlz late on Friday and his location is closer to home. However all the horse traffic and the owner riding the horse's best friend coming in from different directions as well as on trails he doesn't know we believe from the advice of professional trackers is confusing him as to how to get home. We were wondering if there are any mountain bikers that would be willing to do an early morning ride in this east freetown section of the forest to help us find his new location??? That way we can bring in "Gloria" and his owner from his home and try and created the path he is looking for. My e-mail is syokina@msn.com, we can give you directions.

[Chris_T]

Posted over to ragemtb.com/forums as well. Good luck and hope there is a happy outcome.

[SteveC]

I'd give it a try, if there's anyone here who knows the park that I could teamup with.
Earlier the better.......
SC