Found Deceased MT - Meghan Rouns, 27, horseback riding, horse found, phone found in saddlebag, McMaster Hills Rec Area, NE of Helena, 4 Oct 2024 *Active Search*

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whitelilac said:
"...Rouns may have fallen due to strong winds reported in the area on October 4."
strong winds? this is new.
trying to picture how a strong wind could precipitate a fall.
They both fell in the water, from the shore possibly, as opposed to being in the water on purpose to cool off?
Click to expand...
A large branch falling could have spooked the horse.
 
Snoopster said:
Nothing much new here. It's from late yesterday. A couple of small tidbits...

The Sheriff said that it's possible that she is in the river....not necessarily, but possible.

Her snapchat image was of her with the river in the background.

Her family, including her husband and father, and friends were gathered in the parking lot near the command center. Her father was the family spokesperson.

There was no comment about who found the horse or specifically where. It was just stated that it was found "early Saturday".
Click to expand...
Sorry to quote my own post, but it's too late to edit it.
I forgot to include one other minor point mentioned in the article. It said that she didn't normally ride alone, but she did on Friday. :(
 
That AllTrails route shows a lot of track in the water. Maybe she came off and the horse just wandered around in shallow water before getting back out?

1728341203403.png


Missing Susan said:
If the track is accurate, it's amazing what detail there is. This path in green displays a horseman's "discussion" with a horse not wanting to go forward to an obstacle, like a riverbank:

View attachment 536217

The pair wasn't blown into the river if you asked me. The horse was asked repeatedly until it responded by stepping or leaping in. The leap could have unseated RM and things snowballed from there?

This is the exact pattern a novice horse will take when introducing it to a ditch crossing or water obstacle.
Click to expand...
 
marloweclover said:
Around here -- adjacent state -- our lakes and rivers aren't at the same size all year, pretty dramatically. Snowmelt season vs. end of summer. Right now, I could be roaming the shoreline of the river, perfectly dry, and on All Trails I'd look like I was so far out I had to be kayaking or swimming. Same spot in May, I'd be in over my head. I don't know if that's the case there, but it's possible on the app. I'm sure the locals there can tell the difference from the map though.
Click to expand...
You just put my thoughts into words as I was wondering how much drought or flooding can affect the accuracy of where water really is.
 
This from the link Missing woman's phone & horse found - cops reveal she sent photo after vanishing

"Lewis and County Sheriff Leo Dutton told The U.S. Sun a search crew located Rouns' horse up the hill from Hauser Lake on Saturday.

Rouns' cell phone and a tracker were also uncovered in a saddle bag."

Search crew found the horse.
The first we've read about a tracker. Unfortunate that it wasn't on her person.

""
 
Horses don't really like swimming and most don't do it voluntarily. The horse's saddle was on which tells me she wasn't trying to swim in deep water anyway....she wouldn't want to drench her saddle...and she would have a bathing suit with her....it's just not that common to swim with a horse and highly unlikely. I think she was wading around in circles ...not over horse's legs.... until something happened and the horse bounded out without her. Maybe something spooky blew into the water, maybe water touched its belly, etc.
 
Her cellphone and tracker were found in the horse's pack. So, she had put her phone in the bag, I can easily understand this. But it surprises me that she also took off her tracker and put that away.

I often may put my phone in my bag, so it doesn't distract me. But my Fitbit alerts me if I get a call or text.
 
mickey2942 said:
Her cellphone and tracker were found in the horse's pack. So, she had put her phone in the bag, I can easily understand this. But it surprises me that she also took off her tracker and put that away.

I often may put my phone in my bag, so it doesn't distract me. But my Fitbit alerts me if I get a call or text.
Click to expand...
I think am thinking her "tracker" is an apple airtag - AirTag

It's so small she could have put it in her pants pocket, boots, sports bra, anywhere actually. We put ours in our luggage when we travel.
 
Missing Susan said:
If the track is accurate, it's amazing what detail there is. This path in green displays a horseman's "discussion" with a horse not wanting to go forward to an obstacle, like a riverbank:

View attachment 536217

The pair wasn't blown into the river if you asked me. The horse was asked repeatedly until it responded by stepping or leaping in. The leap could have unseated RM and things snowballed from there?

This is the exact pattern a novice horse will take when introducing it to a ditch crossing or water obstacle.
Click to expand...
I was thinking this EXACT same thing...
 
Sharing this MSM report from KTVH (NBC) which includes a new detail I've not seen previously reported. This states that her hat was also discovered along the shoreline. (bbm)

"The focus of the search is at the Hauser Lake shoreline along a 500-yard stretch between where Rouns' horse Betty and her hat were discovered."

www.ktvh.com

The search continues for Meghan Rouns Northeast of Helena

On Monday, searchers brought in specialized dogs from Gallatin County to try and locate Meghan Rouns by scent.
www.ktvh.com www.ktvh.com
 

Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office​

I am with Meghan’s husband and family now. We are concentrating our search on a section of the Missouri River. Please stay clear of the search area, this includes the water search area. If people try to get there, they will endanger our SCUBA divers. Please do not interfere with the search.

The search continues and we work to rule out areas of high probability. Thank you to the citizens who have given their time on foot, horses and other volunteer services.

Sheriff/Coroner Leo C. Dutton
All reactions:
790790

​

 
KentuckyFilly79 said:
Things that spook a horse: Things that move & things that don't move
Click to expand...
Mine get spooked on slightly windy days in their pasture, that they live in. At 50 there are days I step outside and say “not today” based on the breeze. I don’t bounce any more.

Unfortunately I think this is a recovery situation. I suspect something happened at the waters edge or slightly in the water. A slip, trip, some sort of spook and she went in and the horse went out.

One of the last times I fell off, I did lots of circles trying to get control before going off outside the circle. Had a thorny branch my mare picked up in her tail that started poking her back legs. She panicked and I ended up with broken ribs.

The circles look like an attempt to get control to me.
IMOO.
 
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