By Jon Johnson
CENTRAL – A high-priced horse was injured Monday morning when it ran into a fence and was stuck after reportedly being spooked by low-flying hot-air balloons from the annual Gila Valley Balloon Extravaganza.
The event brings about 20 pilots to fly hot-air balloons around the Gila Valley on consecutive mornings from Dec. 29, 2024, to Jan. 1, 2025. The group also holds a candle glow event at Home Depot and offers tethered rides to children this year. According to its website, the “Soaring over the Gila Valley” event attracts over 100 crew members from Utah, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona.
According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, a deputy was dispatched at about 9 a.m. on Monday to a residence off North Cemetery Road due to the horse incident. Upon arrival, the investigating deputy observed the injured horse having cuts on his legs and a small cut to the animal’s left eye.
The horse owner said nobody saw what spooked the horse, which was already in the fence when they became aware of it. However, he attributed it to the balloons immediately in the area. Two fence bars had to be cut off before the animal was freed.
The deputy reported that several people advised the balloons were flying low over residential areas, causing dogs to bark. The balloons were also seen landing in Central.
According to the deputy, the horse owner’s son had spoken to someone at the balloon festival the previous day and advised they were spooking animals in the Central area.
The horse owner advised that his horse was worth $50,000. However, a veterinarian who had taken a balloon ride the previous day was at the scene. After applying a temporary bandage, the veterinarian estimated the cost of giving the horse medical care to be roughly $3,000.
The incident was documented as a civil matter.
