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The three-week-old foal struggled hard against the current to keep up abreast his mom and family herd that were making the perilous journey across the Red Deer River. The water was running high and icy-cold the rapids merciless battered against the tiny horse. The foal being too young and weak was unable to keep swimming against the onslaught of the white water and drifted away from his herd and down steam. Somehow he managed to climb out of the river onto dry land, but his herd was no longer in sight. The foal whinnied for his mare but could hear nothing but the roar of the river. Exhausted the young horse laid down on his rock covered island and went to sleep.

On the morning of May 31, 2007 an oil field work driving beside the river on Coal Camp Road happened to glance down onto the river and spotted a small animal lying on a desolate gravel shoal. The man pulled over and watched the foal for a while and when he realized it was alive, decided to call Bob Henderson, President of the Wild Horses of Alberta Society. WHOAS had rescued a few wild horses in the past so the fellow decided to ask if they could try to help this one too, although it would be far from easy. Bob Henderson received a call from the oil field worker and from several other people about the marooned foal. Bob was unable to personally look for the foal immediately and therefore asked a few WHOAS members to search for the young horse. After hours of exploring the area the members were unsuccessful in locating the foal. Several hours later, another call came in from the same oil field worker who gave Bob detailed instructions as to where to find the colt. Bob grabbed a foal halter, lead shank and lariat from home and drove out West in his small car to look for of the infant horse.

Looking down a fifty-foot cliff just East of the Red Deer River Ranger’s Station, Bob spotted a small tan colored speck lying motionlessly. He was afraid that it was dead, but scrambled down the steep pitch anyways, and began to yell and toss pebbles in the horse’s direction. With all the commotion the colt got on his feet, stretched and looked at Bob. Relieved to see the foal alive, Bob knew he had to try to save him, and quickly, as he knew the ailing colt wouldn’t make it through the night. He drove to nearby Sunset Outfitters and asked for help in rescuing the cast-away foal. Doug Doshewnek saddled up his gelding named Bay, loaded him in the trailer and recruited his friend Bill Cox for the rescue effort. They followed behind Bob with their truck and stock trailer to a site where the possibility was that the river could be forded on horseback. Then Doug rode off on Bay across the first fast moving large channel of water. As the pair approached the island the foal stirred, got to his feet and faced them.

Doug tossed a lasso around the colt’s neck so the foal wouldn’t panic and jump back into the water, then he quickly slipped a halter on the young horse’s head and towed the balking colt behind him on a lead across the first water hazard. Like a puppy on a leash for the first time, the colt struggled and dug in his feet, trying hard not follow behind. They made it safely across to another small island, however, a bigger challenge lie ahead of them in the form of a deeper and faster moving part of the river about 20 meters wide. The men knew that it was too dangerous to lead the foal behind the gelding in that deep water as he could get tangled up and endanger all their lives. Hence Bob and Bill tied together all the lariats and ropes they could find, including another halter that made it just long enough to reach the other side. The colt’s lead shank was then tied to the make-shift tow rope and he was pushed into the water by Doug. Bob and Bill were on the other side, running as fast as they could facing Coal Camp Road, with the rope over their shoulders pulling the foal straight across the water. Constable Chad Pushie’ of the Sundre RCMP arrived at this time and grabbed a hold of the rope as well and the three men towed the foal across the water in less than a minute. As the colt approached shore Bob jumped into the freezing, murky rapids and carried the tiny horse onto solid ground. The little fellow was not impressed with his rescue, so he pinned his ears back and tried to look as ferocious as possible, all eighty pounds of fury. Constable Pushie’ tried to lead the colt to the stock trailer but the colt dug his feet in, refusing to budge.

In the meantime Doug and Bay crossed the river and got swept downstream about 30 feet. Bay tried to scramble up the side of the bank but it gave way, so Doug dove over top of the horse’s head and onto the shore. Bay having been freed of the weight of a rider was then able to find an easier part of the bank to climb ashore.

Fortunately, the men and horses survived the ordeal without injury. The colt was taken directly to Sunset Guiding and Outfitting, a year round resort, and has since been adopted by Doug. The foal appears to be making a recovery in spite of nearly drowning, as well as having numerous puncture wounds from a smaller predator such as a coyote.

He has caught onto being bottle-fed and with less fight, but plenty of attitude. Once his health has been restored you can visit the colt, aptly named River, at his new home which is located South-West of Mountain-Aire Lodge on Coal Camp Road West of Sundre.

Thank you to Kathy Blain and the Didsbury Search and Rescue Team that came looking for the stranded foal as well.

Submitted By Doreen Henderson

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