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‘Truly a miracle’: Pregnant horse involved in crash on Interstate 70 nursed back to health in Summit County

The Summit Valley Horse Center cared for the 17-year-old pregnant mare for 2 days after the crash

A Summit Fire & EMS responder helps Desarie, a 17-year-old pregnant mare, after a crash on Interstate 70 on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. Desarie is reportedly recovering well after the crash and is expected to give birth in March.
Summit Valley Horse Center/Courtesy photo

Hotchkiss resident Dan Bolton was exiting the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels on Interstate 70 west on Dec. 6 with a horse and trailer in tow, when he said his truck’s steering module malfunctioned.

Bolton said he lost control of the vehicle, unable to steer it away from a nearby semitrailer, resulting in a crash that disconnected the horse trailer from the truck. He said he, his wife and the horse were lucky to survive the crash.

“My wife said, ‘That semi is getting closer and closer,'” Bolton recalled. “I said, ‘I know but I can’t steer away from it.'”



The crash occurred a little after 5:15 p.m., when the Bolton’s truck crossed over the center lane and struck the driver’s side of the semitrailer, according to Colorado State Patrol. After crossing in front of the semitrailer, the truck reportedly went off the right shoulder into a snow embankment, lost the horse trailer and rolled once before coming to a rest.

Bolton said the horse trailer flipped over and spun “a whole 360” before coming to a rest. He was uninjured but his wife suffered serious injuries and was rushed to the hospital. The semitrailor driver was reportedly uninjured in the crash.



“As tragic as it was, we have to thank our lucky stars that it wasn’t a 40 car pile up, or something like that,” Bolton said. “Animal control came and got my horse and hauled it to Summit County. Everybody just was wonderful. The state patrol. The highway department. Everybody did a great job. The ambulance. The hospital. We couldn’t have asked for better care.”

Summit County Animal Control officers stand alongside Desarie, a 17-year-old pregnant mare, who was involved in a crash on Interstate 70 on Dec. 6. Desarie spent two days recovering at the Summit Valley Horse Center north of Frisco.
Summit Valley Horse Center/Courtesy photo

When Summit County Animal Control responded to the scene of the crash, they found the horse in “pretty rough condition,” with lacerations on her body, legs and face. But Desarie, a 17-year-old pregnant mare who Bolton said has birthed world-champion halters, let EMS personnel who arrived on scene tend to her injuries.

Somehow, Animal Control officers were able to get the horse – Desarie, a 17-year-old pregnant mare who Bolton said has birthed world-champion halter horses – out of the crushed horse trailer and into the Animal Control trailer.

Animal Control then called Summit Valley Horse Center executive director Lizzie Kanetsky. The nonprofit horse center north of Silverthorne rehabilitates horses, including abandoned or abused horses, and trains people of all backgrounds to interact with horses.

Kanetsky said that the horse center quickly prepared a stall with heated water and hay, anticipating the arrival of the injured horse. When Animal Control arrived, Desarie unloaded willingly despite her injuries and began to immediately eat and drink.

Kanetsky checked on the horse several times throughout the night. When staff arrived the next day, they found that Desarie was still stable and standing. They reexamined the horse’s injuries and reapplied bandages where needed.

“She was super, super sweet,” Kanetsky said. “Especially after everything she had been through, this horse was just absolutely the nicest horse to be around, letting people she didn’t know handle her.”

Desarie eats from a bucket at the Summit Valley Horse Center north of Silverthorne after being involved in a crash on Interstate 70 on Dec. 6. The horse is now home recovering from her injuries.
Summit Valley Horse Center/Courtesy photo

At the horse center, Desarie struck up a friendship with another horse, Billy Bob, who would eat his grain next to her and “nicker back and forth,” Kanetsky said. “It was very cute to watch,” she said.

When Bolton came to pick up Desarie two days after the crash, “It was so cute,” Kanetsky said. “She heard his voice and her ears pricked up and she was whinnying because she was so excited to see him.”

Desarie is now home, where she has been recovering from a fractured eye socket and nose as well as multiple lacerations, Bolton said. Despite being almost nine months pregnant at the time of the crash, he said she did not lose the foal and is expected to give birth in March.

“Lizzie and her crew just did an unbelievable job with the horse,” Bolton said. “It’s truly a miracle that she’s alive and still with foal.”


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