HORSE DIES OF RATTLESNAKE BITE

March 8, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Despite recent cold weather, rattlesnakes are active—and a bite proved deadly this week on a local trail, the Blossom Valley network reports.

“A couple of days ago, some riders in the Flinn Springs area did encounter a snake and one of the horses was bit, Carlynne Allbee posted. “He was treated by a vet, then they got a trailer and took the horse home. The horse died during the night. The vet said the horse was bit just above the hoof on a front leg and apparently the snake hit a spot that put the venom immediately into the blood system.”

If you’re hiking, jogging or riding in the backcountry, it’s wise to take precautions. Take a companion, carry a cell phone (ideally with GPS tracking) and be watchful for snakes while enjoying our sunny winter weather.