CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, his horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019

[Trudie]

There is no controversy, we must keep the facts as clear as possible... please don't bring a different ranch in to this thread. Nicola Lake is a Provincial Lake and there's never been any controversy that it's a public lake.

Yea the articles I read are a couple years old, one referred to Nicola Valley Lakes as Nicola Lake throwing the entire article out of context.

 

[SpanishMossAntiques]

My gosh, it is so easy to fall off a horse - even if you're an experienced rider. If you fall in a rocky area and hit your back or head on something really hard you could wind up paralyzed, severely injured and unable to perform self-rescue, or even dead.

 

[Trudie]

My gosh, it is so easy to fall off a horse - even if you're an experienced rider. If you fall in a rocky area and hit your back or head on something really hard you could wind up paralyzed, severely injured and unable to perform self-rescue, or even dead.

Just horrible to think of anyone lying in the elements, needing & hoping for help.
I hope his family get answers soon.

 

[moonriverfarm]

I have been riding all my life (I am 60). Fox hunted, showed in the hunters, worked cows and still trail ride and jump a little. My absolutely steady horse tripped at a gallop and sent me flying. I walked him back to the barn but don't remember it. I had about a 15 minute block. A concussion can happen to anyone and a fall can happen off any horse, even with a seasoned rider. One hit to the head can be life changing. Ben was riding on uneven, snow covered ground. The horse could have slipped, stepped in a hole or tripped. Occam's Razor.

 

[Trudie]

Are there independent searches still taking place in the area?

I can’t find news of any. Hopefully a few cowboys saddled up for a ride.

 

[jewelsmac]

I think there are people who do not realize some facts, yes facts, about this situation with Ben.

1) This is no small area with nice flat clear terrain to search. It is terrain that is difficult to search in the best of circumstances. -24C and snow cover is not the best of circumstances in any way! Not only can this terrain contribute to the circumstances of a missing person, it can make searching for them downright deadly, especially when coupled with below freezing temperatures.

2) Canadians typically do not bear a lot of animosity towards Americans. Americans are usually seen as allies, plus Canadians are some of the nicest people you will meet.

3) Ben is no stranger to the agriculture world, which is a small world no matter what country you are in. Many people know each other or know of each other. I would be fairly sure that Ben did not take this job blindly, and that he had a pretty good idea of who and where he was going to work.

4) Not everything is a conspiracy. Accidents and terrible things happen to people every single day.

5) LE is not required or obligated to put out any information about an ongoing investigation. And even when they do release information, you are only getting a small amount of what they have.

6) A fall from a horse can potentially be life ending in itself. A fall from a horse in temperatures below freezing in complicated terrain is even worse.

7) Occam’s Razor

This thread has frustrated me because there is a lot of information on it that is being put out in public that is anything but factual. We all know what is said about assumptions.

Nicola Ranch does not have a bad reputation anywhere. There have been no accusations of cooked books, vengeful former employees, or other issues in any sort of public domain. We have a local here who has had nothing negative to say about the ranch or the area. There may not be much information about Nicola Ranch because it is privately owned, just like my farm is.

Sometimes things just happen. People get hurt, or worse, in day to day life every day.

A good reminder to follow the facts. I will say that here, like most threads, folks are going to speculate. However, I don’t feel it’s ever with the intention to upset or injure. jmo

 

[jewelsmac]

Rescue teams stood down after combing backcountry for a week

CBC News · Posted: Feb 07, 2019 10:54 AM PT | Last Updated: an hour ago


Ben Tyner, 32, was last seen on Jan. 26 in Nicola, B.C., near Merritt in the province's southern Interior. Searchers suspended their efforts to find him on Sunday, but the B.C. RCMP's Major Crimes Unit has since been called in to investigate his disappearance. (Facebook)

Days after search and rescue crews suspended their hunt for a missing rancher near Merritt in B.C.'s southern Interior, the RCMP's Major Crimes Unit has been called in to investigate the disappearance.

Ben Tyner, 32, was reported missing after loggers found his riderless horse, still wearing its saddle, just north of Merritt on Jan. 28.

Local RCMP and a dozen search teams combed the snowy backcountry about 80 kilometres south of Kamloops for a week amid temperatures as low as –20 C, but suspended the effort on Sunday because of the extreme weather.

On Wednesday, the B.C. RCMP announced its Major Crimes Unit had been dispatched. A statement said there's no evidence to suggest foul play, but that the force wanted to cover all its bases.

Ben Tyner's horse was found riderless, but wearing a saddle near Merritt, B.C., on Jan. 28. (Facebook)

Tyner, who's from Wyoming, works at a cattle ranch in nearby Nicola, B.C., and was last seen there on Jan. 26.

Anyone with information on Tyner's whereabouts is asked to contact Merritt RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

 

[Trudie]

A good reminder to follow the facts. I will say that here, like most threads, folks are going to speculate. However, I don’t feel it’s ever with the intention to upset or injure. jmo

Wish we had a few new facts.
Nothing since the announcement of the Major Crimes Unit joint the investigation. I’m so glad they’re involved, the more bases covered, the better.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

Thought occurred is weather related ... around the same time he went missing we’d had some very gusty winds; could he have been off of his horse and a tree came down on him?
Edit: I Looked up history and it was Sunday Jan 26 afternoon, between 2 to 6 pm that it’s recorded at 28kph. That’s a drastic change compared to the typical range and near my home there are large pine branches now laying on the ground and I can see snags in some trees ...


Once, while I was out riding I came across a yearling and this was how it died.

 

[zecats]

Rescue teams stood down after combing backcountry for a week

CBC News · Posted: Feb 07, 2019 10:54 AM PT | Last Updated: an hour ago


Ben Tyner, 32, was last seen on Jan. 26 in Nicola, B.C., near Merritt in the province's southern Interior. Searchers suspended their efforts to find him on Sunday, but the B.C. RCMP's Major Crimes Unit has since been called in to investigate his disappearance. (Facebook)

Days after search and rescue crews suspended their hunt for a missing rancher near Merritt in B.C.'s southern Interior, the RCMP's Major Crimes Unit has been called in to investigate the disappearance.

Ben Tyner, 32, was reported missing after loggers found his riderless horse, still wearing its saddle, just north of Merritt on Jan. 28.

Local RCMP and a dozen search teams combed the snowy backcountry about 80 kilometres south of Kamloops for a week amid temperatures as low as –20 C, but suspended the effort on Sunday because of the extreme weather.

On Wednesday, the B.C. RCMP announced its Major Crimes Unit had been dispatched. A statement said there's no evidence to suggest foul play, but that the force wanted to cover all its bases.

Ben Tyner's horse was found riderless, but wearing a saddle near Merritt, B.C., on Jan. 28. (Facebook)

Tyner, who's from Wyoming, works at a cattle ranch in nearby Nicola, B.C., and was last seen there on Jan. 26.

Anyone with information on Tyner's whereabouts is asked to contact Merritt RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

BBM This is giving info that he was last seen there (at the ranch). Not sure if we're back to the 2pm sighting or later in the evening as updated. But the where is now mentioned. Sunday is still most likely the day he went off on his solo ride. JMO

Will RCMP's Major Crimes Unit investigate this sighting? Time and place? I wonder what there is to actually look at "to cover all its bases?" Ruling out foul play seems to be on the agenda.

 

[Equestrian]

Sorry, I cannot find the article but I have confirmed that the rein was BT's, I have it from two reliable sources, both actively involved with the search that a piece of his broken rein was found "Based on location of horse and broken rein was coming from south"....
~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly, I too feel like it's likely a recovery situation now.

It's been --24C for days and no-one has found any evidence of fire or otherwise. I hear there have been people out looking at night time; the first days they also used heat seeking devices, along with many dogs and drones and no signs even with 150 people on the ground.

Maybe he's left to start a new life? ( I just read a story about a man from Surrey, BC -- Walter Simek that went missing for well over a year: on purpose).

Maybe not enough eyes looking up ... all so focussed on finding tracks on the ground and maybe he's up a tree? Could have stood on his horse and hopped up, wouldn't even need to leave a footprint if he shinnied up a tree.

If it's foul-play I think it would be something personal-domestic ... there hasn't been talk of this sort but I imagine a decent, fit looking, 32 year old cowboy with a decent career must turn a few eyes? And so, what if he was doing some dating (and wouldn't a guy at that age be looking for a partner?) and he met the wrong girl? Or a nice girl with a jealous X? Or a jilted lover from his past?

My last more happy, hopeful thought is that he bumped his head, stumbled to the highway (not sure which one!) and hitched a ride and he's going to be spotted in Vancouver or Calgary at a soup kitchen or some backwater ranch.

I have been sick about the whole thing; suppose because it's literally close to home ... I used to go out riding on my own frequently; wouldn't always say where I was going and a few times got myself into situations where I knew that it could have been much worse. Even out hiking, same thing...didn't always use to look up, carry bear-bangers and have my knife handy. Close to home also due to the fact that I have many friends and family members that have or do cowboy and there are so many former ranch employees and other locals out there looking ... because it could be anyone and it's easy to place ourselves' in these sickening situations. His family and friends ... I cannot even imagine their pain.

Did Ben have a knife on him and in his saddlebags? I guess he didn't have a gun because there's been no suggestions that he may have a self-inflicted wound, either.

There's a large lake right there barely a minute from the ranch, Nicola Lake .... foul play could put him there, tack up his horse and trailer it away from BT?

But one always has hope that there may be a happy ending. After all, miracles do happen.

In regards to speculation of whether or not BT carried a knife or gun, an immediate member of his family stated he typically rides out with a knife, lighter, & rifle with him.
Most of us who head out on long rides are mindful that our saddle bags could become separated from us and carry these items accordingly.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

In regards to speculation of whether or not BT carried a knife or gun, an immediate member of his family stated he typically rides out with a knife, lighter, & rifle with him.
Most of us who head out on long rides are mindful that our saddle bags could become separated from us and carry these items accordingly.

That’s interesting .... on the local pages and the Missing BT fb group this hasn’t been published, officially or otherwise.

They have said they don’t know whether he had a lighter and no mentions of empty, full or missing saddlebags or scabbard.

Yes, most of us would at least have a knife in bags and I carry a smaller one on me.

Not all the working cowboys take a rife out with them whenever they go out riding....at least not here.

 

[soap mama]

I think there are people who do not realize some facts, yes facts, about this situation with Ben.

1) This is no small area with nice flat clear terrain to search. It is terrain that is difficult to search in the best of circumstances. -24C and snow cover is not the best of circumstances in any way! Not only can this terrain contribute to the circumstances of a missing person, it can make searching for them downright deadly, especially when coupled with below freezing temperatures.

2) Canadians typically do not bear a lot of animosity towards Americans. Americans are usually seen as allies, plus Canadians are some of the nicest people you will meet.

3) Ben is no stranger to the agriculture world, which is a small world no matter what country you are in. Many people know each other or know of each other. I would be fairly sure that Ben did not take this job blindly, and that he had a pretty good idea of who and where he was going to work.

4) Not everything is a conspiracy. Accidents and terrible things happen to people every single day.

5) LE is not required or obligated to put out any information about an ongoing investigation. And even when they do release information, you are only getting a small amount of what they have.

6) A fall from a horse can potentially be life ending in itself. A fall from a horse in temperatures below freezing in complicated terrain is even worse.

7) Occam’s Razor

This thread has frustrated me because there is a lot of information on it that is being put out in public that is anything but factual. We all know what is said about assumptions.

Nicola Ranch does not have a bad reputation anywhere. There have been no accusations of cooked books, vengeful former employees, or other issues in any sort of public domain. We have a local here who has had nothing negative to say about the ranch or the area. There may not be much information about Nicola Ranch because it is privately owned, just like my farm is.

Sometimes things just happen. People get hurt, or worse, in day to day life every day.

It’s better to report posts as non factual than to post about them. People never think you’re talking about their posts anyways lol

 

[Deleted member 238131]

From the beginning I’ve akways felt if it wasn’t an accident then it was most likely self-inflicted.

Someone close to me just never got over his former girlfriend. Countless counselling therapy sessions, medication, love & support could not rescue him from himself. He was out having a great social night with his friends but after the investigation was complete it was pretty evident he’d maybe planned it.

He had a stressful important job too, the stress can deepen the depression & bring on a psychosis.

 

[enelram]

Good point. So many possibilities.
I hope he wouldn’t take his own life knowing people could die looking for him, that he would respect other cowboys & their animals.

I so hope I'm wrong. But I think when people are in such
emotional pain, it's difficult to consider all the consequences.
They're not thinking logically. They're reacting emotionally.
That's why S____ is called a "permanent solution to a temporary
problem" or something like that.
I need to go feed some horses and get my thoughts organized.
My stomach is churning. Need a break.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

Well, if he left to “start a new life” , he had to have some help. If he went up a tree via hopping from his horse, as you posted, he had to eventually come down.

I read the controversy with the Cattle Company & Nicola Lake. Quite interesting.

Why would he need help to start a new life?
People choose to disappear fir all sorts of reasons and successfully.
Guy in Surrey, BC disappeared for well over a year....everyone worried sick and missing him (including his son) and then: he’s home, alive but the reasoning has never been published.
Some choose to disappear & not to surface.

FTR I don’t believe this is the case with BT but it’s nicer than picturing him in the more depressing possibilities.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

I so hope I'm wrong. But I think when people are in such
emotional pain, it's difficult to consider all the consequences.
They're not thinking logically. They're reacting emotionally.
That's why S____ is called a "permanent solution to a temporary
problem" or something like that.
I need to go feed some horses and get my thoughts organized.
My stomach is churning. Need a break.

Yes, its a terrible sadness. it’s their thought that it’s better for everyone or their pain is just so great they can not see their way to a brighter spot.
It can also be seen as a way the most severe way to get back at the person/people that they feel failed them.

This could be why we’ve not heard about his social romantic life. His loved ones are protecting him.

 

[chi-mama]

My concern with case is that it seems to me that there is no evidence of Tyner being in the area of search, like hat, glove, any items of clothing, footprints, trailer tracks. His horse was there, but was he with him?
Realizing that LE probably has leads we do not know, I just have a sense of possible foul play here.

 

[Steelslady]

My concern with case is that it seems to me that there is no evidence of Tyner being in the area of search, like hat, glove, any items of clothing, footprints, trailer tracks. His horse was there, but was he with him?
Realizing that LE probably has leads we do not know, I just have a sense of possible foul play here.

I said the same thing- nothing of his has been found- hat, glove, boot, etc. It seems strange that they can't find a trace of him anywhere. Amazingly, the horse found it's way home.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

I said the same thing- nothing of his has been found- hat, glove, boot, etc. It seems strange that they can't find a trace of him anywhere. Amazingly, the horse found it's way home.

~~~But the horse did not find its way home. ~~~

And it’s not strange if BT intentionally left no trace. He left his dogs at home, didn’t let anyone know his itinerary.... to me this could mean he may have not wanted anyone to find him.