Anyone who wants to join in the search for Little Red, the injured chestnut horse missing in Bago forest near Wauchope, is asked to come to Pine Hut Road from 9.30am on today.
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His plight has touched people’s hearts across the Hastings and beyond, with riders and drivers coming the forest where he disappeared.
A Facebook page has been set up called Help Find Little Red.
Late on Thursday afternoon, people searching Bago Forest for the injured horse found fresh hoof prints.
Little Red is an 11-year-old chestnut horse, who was wearing a saddle and bridle when he went missing on Sunday.
He and his owner, Maureen Feltham from Grafton, were taking part in the Bago Endurance charity event for Riding for the Disabled, when he hurt himself.
Maureen choked back tears as she described how conditions were slippery, and he fell on a bridge at Milligans Road near Herons Creek, and came down.
“I think he cut his back leg. He didn’t bolt. He just trotted away to the crest of the hill, and nobody has seen him since Sunday.”
Searchers have been looking for him since then, and riders, drivers and walkers came together on Thursday morning to comb the forest together.
Robert Pike of Riding for the Disabled said on Thursday at 4.45pm that fresh hoof prints had been found.
Little Red has distinctive shoes on, and searchers are 99% sure that it’s him.
“There are three people on horseback here, and half a dozen others are searching in the bush,” he said.
One volunteer stayed overnight in the forest with his horse, and the search resumes on Friday morning at 9.30am.
Maureen said she’s amazed by how kind people have been.
“Everyone has been so helpful, in particular the locals, and the horse-riding community. I can’t believe the help they’ve given us.”
Volunteers are providing free tea and coffee and food at Hastings Pony Club in Wauchope sale yards.
Kristy Cordell from Wauchope says conditions are tough, but they’re determined.
“All of us want to help, because we love horses, and we would like to think that if one of our horses was hurt and lost, people would come out and look for it.”
On Thursday, Beatrice Osborne drove from Taree with her horse, Skeeta, to help the search, even though she would be working night shift in a hospital later. . “I read about it on Facebook and I just had to come,” she said.