Horse Rescued After Fall Into 400-Ft.-Deep Canyon

Bruised and cut but suffering no serious injuries, a horse was rescued today from the bottom of a Griffith Park canyon where it had been forced to remain overnight after tumbling down a 400-foot canyon embankment.

The white gelding did not spend the night alone, however. Its owner and three others stayed with the trapped animal in an effort to keep coyotes away.

“It was cold and there were coyotes around,” said Kitty Pickert, 18, who owns the horse. “Basically the horse was OK. He was chomping on leaves.”

A woman who was preparing to buy Jordan, the 11-year-old white Arabian, said she was walking the horse along the Mulholland trail about 3 p.m. Monday when the animal spooked, bucked and fell into Brush Canyon.

“I tried to hang on, but he was dragging me,” said Nancy Rice, who was planning to buy the horse. Park rangers and conservationists began the rescue Monday afternoon but gave up about 10 p.m.

This morning, rescuers were able to coax Jordan about halfway up the slope when the horse suddenly turned and ran back down the hill. David Feliz said the horse appeared to be spooked by all the television cameras and reporters assembled to record the rescue.

Later, however, workers widened a trail cut through the thick vegetation and walked Jordan to safety.

Feliz said horses have to be rescued in Griffith Park about four times each year. “This one turned out good,” he said. “All of them don’t turn out so good. . . . Sometimes the animals have to be destroyed.”

Pickert said this was not the first time that Jordan had found himself in such a predicament. The horse has tumbled over an embankment at least once before but escaped serious injury, she said.

Rice, whose desire to buy Jordan led to the accident, said she still wants to go ahead with the purchase. “He just needs a little work.”