Horses Still On The Loose In Will County After Escaping

UPDATE: As of late Wednesday, five horses have been captured, with three still loose.

PEOTONE, IL — Two local rescue groups are working together to capture several horses still on the loose days after a group escaped a pen at an area barn.

The horses—said to have been transported from out of state for sale—were first spotted near I-57, by Monee Reservoir on Saturday. They've since scattered, drawing a flurry of attention from residents and others wishing to help. Crews from Illinois Horse Rescue of Will County as well as HHH Ranch have been working to corral the yearlings—meaning a horse between 1 and 2 years old—for days, with assistance from the Will County Sheriff's Office.

Christine Doran, of HHH Ranch, said the horses fled after either jumping or busting through a pen at the farm.

As of early Wednesday, four have reportedly been captured, with four still sought, as confirmed with the horses' owner Wednesday. HHH Ranch was in contact with the owner as of Wednesday morning. One of the four captured was caught nearly immediately after fleeing, the owner said.

Confusion has swirled surrounding the number of horses that got loose, the owner's involvement, and the agencies leading the search efforts. The first known image of the horses shows seven in the group. That image is included with this article.

In an effort to clarify and streamline information, Illinois Horse Rescue and HHH Ranch on Wednesday provided an update for those following the plight to bring the horses to safety.

"Illinois Horse Rescue of Will County is actively involved," the group shared on social media. "Our dedicated team has already spent nearly 30 hours in the field—Saturday night, Easter Sunday, Monday, and 10 hours just yesterday—working hard to help these horses."

IHRWC is also working with Doran at HHH Ranch, they said, adding that Doran is in contact with the Will County Sheriff's Office. Doran has been designated as the go-to contact for sightings, they said, and she can be reached at (708)689-9889. It's encouraged to text first, before calling.

Though others might be well-intentioned, both rescues urge that efforts to capture the horses should be left to them. The horses, they said, are in flight mode and will flee from abrupt or hurried movements, loud noises and unfamiliar sights.

"... they are wild, untamed, and very fast!" IHRWC said. "Catching them takes patience, skill, and teamwork."

Additionally, if someone has independently caught a horse, they are encouraged to contact IHRWC and/or HHH Ranch. Names will remain confidential.

"We simply don’t want to waste valuable time searching for horses that are already safe," IHRWC said.

Once captured, horses are placed on a mandatory 7-day hold. At IHRWC, each horse is then quarantined for 30 days and undergoes a vet evaluation, before being listed for adoption or placed in training. At HHH, horses are placed in a vet-recommended 10-day quarantine if healthy. If ill, they are quarantined until well.

"We are overwhelmed right now," IHRWC said. "Please be patient as we work through phone calls, emails, and messages. We’ll respond as soon as we can."

The rescues declined to note the color coats of the horses still loose, stressing that if a loose horse is seen, it should be called in—regardless of if it's believed to be one of this group of missing horses. Exact locations of sightings will not be provided on social media, the rescues said, to discourage outsiders from attempting to play a part in the captures.

Text and call in any sightings to Christine Doran of HHH Ranch, at (708)689-9889.

*Editor’s Note: Updated to reflect numbers as relayed to Patch at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday.