South Florida Mustangs
"Rescue Rangers"

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The following stories are real... The names have NOT been changed...
we help and brag ... it's what we do!!!
:):):)

Please note that these are definitely not the only Rescue Ranger adventures, just the ones I received... If you have one you would like added please feel free to contact me.

Sunday, June 27th, 2004

As you may know, Pam and Dale Byrd were moving and several club members were assisting with the move (you gotta love this club!!). Club members Ed Parks and Virginia Malkemes had just left Pam and Dale's when they turned off of West Bound Okeechobee Blvd onto South Bound "D" Road at approximately 11:00 a.m.. Ed and Virginia observed steam coming from the canal and quickly realized that a vehicle had apparently gone off of the road and flipped over into the canal. The vehicle was upside down and only the wheels were visible. Ed dialed "911" on his cellular and then called some other Mustang Club members who he knew had been behind him on Okeechobee Blvd. Club members Ron McLaughlin, Tim Patient and Brett Byrd arrived on the scene just as the Fire Department and Police were arriving. There was one individual in the water and he was proclaiming in broken English that there was another person missing. Ed and Ron jumped into the canal to search for the missing person as Virginia, Tim and Brett assisted with traffic control and searched the bank for the missing person. Ed and Ron could not locate the missing person in the water and the Police and Fire personnel elected that it would be best to hook a chain to the vehicle and try to flip it over. A passerby with a Heavy Duty 4 Wheel Drive Pick-Up truck volunteered to use his vehicle as a winch and they hooked a chain to the left front suspension of the car in the canal and had the Pick-Up truck back up until the car flipped over. Just after flipping the vehicle over, Ed and Ron and the Firemen were checking inside the vehicle when the missing person was found along the bank. Paramedics immediately established that both persons who had been in the vehicle were breathing and apparently would survive. Both individuals were treated at the scene and then transported by ambulance. Although exhausted and muddy, Ed and Ron were no worse for the wear. Brett will certainly have quite a story to tell when he returns to school in the Fall and he is asked what he did over his summer vacation. Nice job by our Mustang Club "Rescue Rangers". It should be noted that there is no rest for the weary. After the rescue, it was back to Pam and Dale's to load more furniture and complete the move.

Saturday, April 17, 2004

About 8:30 pm I got a call from Terry who was down in the Keys with her husband... apparently a stallion in Loxahatchee that Terry had been working with, adopted in February, had broken out of his pen to get to a paddock full of mares and 2 mini stallions. The owner was scared to death and didn't know what to do as the stallion was at war with the other stallions and after the mares... (guess he is still a little wild) ha-ha "Mustang Club to the rescue!!!!!"
By the time Frank & I got there, Michelle Pecen had it all in hand. She separated the stallion from the mares with the help of Jessica and her Aunt who is visiting from out of town. The only dilemma we had now was how to separate him from 2 PMU horses in a acre paddock and get him into a small pen in the center of the paddock.... alone!
Ever round penned a horse in an acre paddock? (we came close to calling all of you for help) We got our exercise... Michelle had the noise maker, Frank, Jessica, me, the Aunt and the owner took the job of penning him into the ring... when that didn't work, we tried other tactics. We finally got the perfect plan and after a very short time, got him safely into the small pen.
I have to tell you, it was so cool to actually work together toward a common goal and have it work... Chasing didn't work, but with slow body language and a human pen surrounding him, Frank almost touched him, he then moved just right and the stallion walked into the ring with another horse. The stallion is safe and so are the mares and minis.

I don't recall the date but....

Somewhere around 2 years ago Candie got a call from Officer John Howley with the PBSO Mounted Unit, looking for some help with a situation he had on the Bee Line. Apparently a couple of cows had gotten out of a trailer and were loose in the highway. The sheriff's department's horses had not worked cows before. Officer Howley knew that we had so he asked for our help. Candie, Teresa, Brandy & Michelle Berk (the only riders in our club not busy that day) loaded up and met him on the bee line by Dyer Park. We mounted up and took off looking for the cows. After cantering all over the park, one was found by the lake in the park. By the time we got there, the cow had swam over to an island in the middle of the lake. John was riding Cassie's horse Sky. She didn't hesitate to jump in the water and swim John over to the island. He looked as if he needed a hand so Michele "Berk" jumped in to help. Scared, the cow swam to the opposite bank. Meanwhile Candie, Terry and Brandy cantered around to the other side where they helped hold the cow until he was captured by Cowboy (Mark). Yeeeee Haaawwww Terry let the owner of the cows borrow her trailer and with her assistance she brought them back to his property. (Meanwhile "Berk" was in the bathroom OOOHHH LA LA being rinsed off by a firefighter to get all the contaminated water off.) We all went home feeling like it was a job well done :)

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