Oklahoma Rescue Saves 6 Horses After Drug Bust

Six horses were stuck on the side of Interstate 40 in Oklahoma after police discovered they were unknowingly traveling with 350 pounds of cocaine hidden in their trailer. When the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics needed help late at night, one local rescue said yes without hesitation.

In May, agents stopped a horse trailer on I-40 and found bags of cocaine worth about $4.3 million. The horses inside had nothing to do with the crime, but suddenly they had nowhere to go.

"This being late at night, you don't have a lot of options," said Mark Woodward, a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. After one phone call to Blaze's Tribute Equine Rescue in Harrah, Oklahoma, help was on the way.

Natalee Cross, founder of the rescue, never expected that midnight call. "That's not a normal phone call that I have received," she said, laughing about the unusual request.

Cross and her team immediately hooked up their trailer and drove out to collect the six confused horses. She treated the situation like any other rescue, focusing on what the animals needed rather than the drama surrounding them.

The Bright Side

Once the horses arrived safely at the rescue, Cross discovered something special about their past. Most had microchips, and others had lip tattoos identifying them as former racehorses who once competed on tracks across the country.

These horses, who started their lives as athletes, are now getting a second chance at peace. After finishing their quarantine period, they'll join the rescue's herd in the pasture and simply get to be horses for a while.

Cross says the animals are doing well and adjusting to their unexpected new home. The rescue will care for them for the next few months while authorities continue investigating where the drugs came from and where they were headed.

Meanwhile, six horses who were caught up in something they never asked for are now safe, cared for, and heading toward brighter days in Oklahoma pastures.