07/02/2026
The Aspen Acres fire south west of Pueblo went from 2,500 acres to nearly 25,000 in 6 hours TODAY. Don't ever assume you have "time"!
10 Rules to Live by in Evacuations with Horses
By: Colorado Horse Rescue Network
1. TEACH YOUR HORSE TO LOAD (and tie)! And I mean immediately step into a trailer. If your horse doesn't want to load try to find an experienced Horse person to assist. This isn't time to bait in with grain or treats. Do whatever is necessary to get them in.
2. Take at least one bale of hay and a BUCKET, you never know where your horse is going to end up or what supplies they will have.
3. No matter what, if you take your horses or not, MAKE SURE you take your proof of ownership/BRAND INSPECTIONS! This will help you prove the horses are yours later on! (Photos work in non brand inspection areas!)
4. If you CANNOT TAKE your horse, TURN THEM LOOSE! They have great survival instincts, it's better than dying in a locked barn.
5. IF YOU TURN THEM LOOSE, write your phone number on them in some way! Spray paint/shoe polish, whatever you can find. The bigger the better. DO NOT WRITE ON HOOVES. It's rarely readable after a horse walks through grass or brush. Don't use anything that can snag or get caught. Tags/tape around a braid in the mane work if you have a gentle horse. If you have a hard to catch horse go for a large phone number.
6. If you turn them loose TAKE THEIR HALTERS OFF! Imagine all the debris, fences, trees and brush your horse is going to encounter!
7. If you turn them loose, LOCK THEM OUT OF THEIR BARN/PEN/STALL/YARD. They WILL go back! This will be hard for you to do, but a horse with access to it's barn/stall pen will often go there for security when they're afraid.
8. If you take your horse to an evacuation center, it is still a good idea to have your horse marked in some way. Sometimes evacuation centers have to evacuate!
9. If your horse is in a large pasture area, cut the fence in corners and leave gates open! When horses can't find their way in smoke/debris they will follow fence lines.
10. In many places there are Community Animal Response Teams, Animal Control or a Sheriff's Mounted Posse to assist with evacuation. You should know this info BEFORE fires come. In Colorado we also have www.HorseAlert.org. The best option is always your own trailer, but if you don't have one find out who can help you!
Photo Credit: Pueblo County Sheriff's Office
