Wild Horses Line Up To ‘Pay Their Respects’ After Mare Passes Away


Horses are some of the most majestic creatures to ever grace this planet. There is something about them that is simply spellbinding. If you have never had the chance to watch one of these animals galloping through the countryside, you are definitely missing out. A horse can also become domesticated. Their owners will typically train them to run races or compete in shows.

While the horse is often prized for their raw power or sheer beauty, they also happen to have a sizable amount of empathy. The video that you are about to see is a prime example of this. The horses you are going to meet have gathered at the Salt River. This is not a happy occasion. As you can see, the horses actually appear to be quite somber at this moment in time.

That is because they are currently in mourning. This is how they pay their respects to their fallen friend. The Salt River Wild Horse Management Group is responsible for caring for their horses. Clydette is one of their mares and she passed away under the most tragic circumstances. She was in the process of giving birth to a foal at the time.

Tootie the foal became wedged in her birthing canal for far too long. Septic shock set in and there was very little that they could do to save the horse. Once the other horses became aware of what was happening, the most amazing thing took place. The horses stopped what they were doing and came to nuzzle the mare during her final moments.

This is one of the most intelligent species on the planet. How else would they know that their loved one has passed on? Having the ability to mourn is what separates the horse from so many other animal species. We were touched by this gesture and the good people at Salt River Wild Horse Management Group were, too. This tragedy shows that every cloud has its own silver lining.

While no one ever wants to see their loved one pass away, there is a certain beauty in the scene that resulted from this untimely death. There is only so much that we can say about what took place, though. In order to truly appreciate it, you will need to sit down and watch it for yourself. Just make sure that you have your tissues handy!

Amazing recognition of death in wild horses:Sad, but beautiful. (*As always please like and share our page as we work hard towards the humane management of the Salt River wild horses) We did our very best today, to help a young wild mare who's baby had gotten stuck and died during delivery. Our experienced field team had jumped into action and our vet was getting there as fast as she could, but sadly the mare went into septic shock and passed, the baby had simply been stuck for too long. She was a beautiful dun mare, just 2 years old, her name was Clydette, daughter of Bonnie. But just as nature gave us heavy hearts and reminded us of how harsh it can be sometimes, it then immediately showed us how amazing it is also. So we'd like to concentrate on that, as it gave us all goosebumps. Right after we moved away from her body, we witnessed how her band came and nuzzled her, after which the roan, her lead stallion, cried out for her very loudly. Shortly after that, they moved away from her body but stayed close. Other bands heard that call and suddenly came out of nowhere and then knew exactly where the lifeless body lied, even while there were no other bands around when she passed. What happened next was amazing; the other bands stood in line taking turns saying their goodbye's. First one band, then another. Then the two lead stallions of those two bands got into a short power struggle. Then you can see how Clydette's lead stallion comes running back one last time letting out a short scream in a last effort to protect her, or perhaps to tell everyone that she was his. It takes a most highly intelligent species to understand and actually mourn death. We have seen bands mourn their losses before, but for other bands to come and mourn her death also was simply awe inspiring. These animals have evolved to have amazing survival skills and very close and protective family bonds. In this natural behavior, lies true scientific value. This video was taken after her own band (with the powerful roan) had already said their goodbyes and walked on. This is approximately 30 minutes after she had died. We invite everyone to draw their own conclusions. We thank all of the bystanders and public who were very considerate, helpful and respectful in particular the lady who called this in. Our number is (480)868-9301To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit our website: www.SRWHMG.orgRest in peace Clydette and little Tootie. (Baby was named by member Destini Rhone who lost her aunt Tootie on this same day, rest in peace aunt Tootie also.)

Posted by Salt River Wild Horse Management Group on Thursday, March 16, 2017


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