Evacuating horses proves difficult, too

Evacuating during a fire is difficult enough for humans. It can also be tough on horses.

Horse trainer Ray Spence, from Ramona, started hauling horses out that city last night at 11 p.m., and worked through the night, making three trips to the Del Mar Racetrack.

His last trip, going from Poway to De Mar, took 3 hours.

Some of the horses panicked.

"The get to kicking, and romping and stomping," Spence said. "Every time you stop they get to doing something stupid, but there's nothing you can do about it except pray they don't kick through the trailer."

Spence was insistent that it should be a law that people who own horses be required to have them trailer-trained. He said he had to leave several horses behind because they balked at getting into the trailer.

He believes the horses may have gotten to safety, being evacuated by someone else. "But it's dangerous" Spence said, of trying to get an agitated horse into a trailer. "It takes a lot of time and it slows everybody else down."

– Peter Rowe