Trapped Horse Airlifted From Lake Skinner Hillside

TEMECULA, CA — Riverside County Firefighters rescued an injured horse that spent a perilous 48 hours trapped on the side of a steep hillside in a remote area of Lake Skinner.

In the waning hours of the afternoon Friday, the horse was airlifted to safety in a joint operation by firefighters and the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

Both the horse and its owner suffered injuries Wednesday when the rider was tossed from her horse, which spooked and ended up trapped on a steep hillside littered with boulders, according to John Welsh, Senior Public Information Specialist for Riverside County Animal Services.

“We couldn’t actually perform the airlift on Wednesday because the conditions were too dangerous,” Welsh said.

Hampered by the powerful Santa Ana windstorm, the Riverside County Fire Department treated the rider for her injuries. The horse was examined and treated by an equine veterinarian.

The horse’s rider opted to stay overnight with her horse despite overnight lows in the 40s, according to Welsh. The remote area is home to mountain lions and coyotes, and the owner didn’t want to leave her injured horse alone in the elements, he said.

The fire and sheriff's department along with county animal services and volunteers with the Norco Animal Rescue Team used an Anderson sling to hoist the horse out of the canyon.

“These are very delicate procedures, particularly in a tight space,” said Welsh.