By Erika I. Ritchie
The Orange County Register
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — A horse trapped 100 feet down a steep ravine at Caspers Wilderness Park was freed after seven hours by 16 firefighters late Saturday.
According to Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion, the horse was walked out at 7:35 p.m. and reunited with its owner.
At 12:37 p.m. firefighters received a call from a woman who was riding the horse. She told them she had been bucked off and that her horse had run away into heavy brush.
A helicopter was brought in and crews spotted the white horse in the ravine, in brush that was about shoulder-high.
Rescue equipment including Heavy Rescue 6 from Irvine and fire trucks from Mission Viejo and Buena Park were dispatched to the remote location, Concepcion said.
The helicopter was going to be used for a possible hoist.
But fire crews decided not to do the hoist. Instead 11 firefighters hiked in to clear the brush. Four more were flown in with chain saws to cut brush near the Oso Creek Trail and provide a path for the horse.
A veterinarian checked out the horse before it was reunited with its owner.
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