Show horse shows moxie
Bennington finds his way to safety amidst the flames.
Carol Searles was getting groceries down in Bishop when the Round Fire started. With communications down, she rushed home to help her husband, Mike, pack up their two horses, wild geese, dog, and cat in order to evacuate. She was stopped by the roadblock at the turnoff to Swall Meadows but without giving up she drove around to the top of the community only to be stopped again. “I tried to get in for four hours and finally I got past it with the help of one compassionate professional,” Carol said. Despite one agency being “quite aggressive” and “not helpful” she said the majority of law enforcement personnel she encountered “were amazing.”
When Carol finally arrived, Bennington a prized show-horse refused to get into the horse trailer. “He was manhandled by people not familiar with horses … and was scared” Carol said.
After trying everything they could, Mike began walking Bennington down Swall Meadows Road while Carol followed in the truck with three wild geese, their dog and cat, pulling the horse trailer with their mare in it. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” Carol said. “By that time the fire was raging and we led him through the fire all the way to Paradise.”
About a quarter mile from the Paradise Fire Station, as Carol and Mike were completely surrounded by flames and had to let Bennington loose. Mike took off the lead rope, threw a blanket over him, jumped in the truck with Carol and drove through the flames as their mare whinnied at Bennington from the trailer. “It was heartbreaking,” Carol said.
Bennington made his way to the Paradise Fire Station, where he walked right in amongst all the equipment. Via police scanners, Mike and Carol were notified, and Carol was escorted back up to the station, where she hooked Bennington up to his lead line and walked him down to the trailer on Lower Rock Creek Road. She was followed by a patrol car to light the way since it was well after dark by this time. When they arrived at the trailer, Bennington promptly walked right in.
All in all, Carol said they walked Bennington eight miles through downed power lines, exploding propane tanks, and “thousands of cinders flying through the air.” Carol said Bennington walked down the road with his head up, ears alert, and tail swinging back and forth. Carol came out with singe marks on her face, neck and ears. “It was terrifying. But we had no choice. [The horses] are my children,” she said. Both horses have been at Millpond Equestrian Center since 2 a.m. Saturday morning. The Searles property was relatively undamaged.
Carol was grateful to the law enforcement officers who worked with her, saying they were “conscientiousness and helpful” in what “was the most horrific experience.” However, she cited a variety of other Counties in California who have equine evacuation units as part of their emergency services operations in order to help move horses and large livestock in the event of fire or other natural disasters. “What has to change is the protocol in place for horses so this doesn’t happen again,” she said.
