Severe winter conditions left the animals without access to food or water after they became stranded outside their normal range. Forest Service officials said many of the horses were emaciated and in poor condition.
Over the weekend, Forest Service crews rescued 24 horses from snowbound terrain. One horse later died from extreme emaciation, three were humanely euthanized due to critically poor body condition, and six others were found dead in the field from starvation and prolonged exposure.
The remaining 20 horses received emergency care to stabilize them before being transported to a temporary holding facility in Bishop. They were later moved to a better-equipped rehabilitation facility in the Modoc National Forest, where recovery is expected to take up to 10 months.
The horses are part of the Montgomery Pass herd and had moved well outside their typical range prior to the storm.
In a statement to KUNR, the agency said monitoring shows much of the Montgomery Pass herd has been outside its designated territory for some time. During a February 2024 census, 624 of the herd’s 699 horses were found off-territory. Officials said as the population has grown, horses have expanded into surrounding areas in search of forage and water, and this group was likely caught off-range when a sudden winter storm followed an earlier warm, dry period.
The Forest Service said the rescued horses are receiving care consistent with federal law and humane welfare standards. Officials said recovery will be closely monitored as the horses regain strength and stabilize.
To support rescue operations, the Forest Service temporarily closed the Bald Mountain area, it has since re-opened.
