Fentress Search Continues For Two Horses Lost In Big Fork Area

The search continues for horses belonging to a Fentress County resident lost inside the the Big South Fork River Recreation area.

Owner Emily Woodruff said all the leads have resulted in dead ends. She said she is now keeping an eye on auctions to see if the horses show up there. The horses are both Gelding Tennessee Walking Horses, who ran after being chased by a swarm of bees

“Just praying that we get a lead that amounts to something,” Woodruff said. “We’ve had people call and try to extort us for money, and it’s just been very disheartening to get a tidbit of a fact and then it turn out to be nothing.”

Woodruff said volunteers searched the park extensively, even using thermal imaging. Woodruff said both horses were fully tacked with saddles on the last time they were seen. Woodruff said any citizen with a potential lead can contact her at (931) 619-9254.

“Facebook has been a huge help,” Woodruff said. “We listed them on a stolen horse website, they’ve shared it, I’ve had calls from New Hampshire and Texas just in the last 24 hours. So I think the words definitely out there if somebody’s got them to turn them in.”

Woodruff said that she and her family are tired after the long search, but they are not going to give up.

“Both have been professionally trained for years, but as far as living outdoors 24/7, both of them have been kept in a stall,” Woodruff said. “So I’m sure they’re probably okay but you just don’t ever know.”

Woodruff said efforts to find the horses have included bringing out a tracker who’s been assisting in the search for about a week. Woodruff said last Friday there was even a helicopter brought out to fly overhead and use thermal imaging, though her request for drones was denied.