Rescue horses

“She just needs more pets than most horses,” cowboy Morgan Austin, 17, said about Riata, a nervous new horse at the D&F Pack Station in the Sierra National Forest. During the economic bust, many pet horses were left to starve. Some were rescued and are now being trained at the ranch as pack horses. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Aug. 18, 2012 10:55 AM PT

More than 60 horses have been found starving in the Central Valley over the last 12 months. This summer, one, Comanche, is being toughened up to be a High Sierra packhorse. Full story

Morgan Austin, 17, a saddle bronc rider, team roper and steer wrestler, works at the D&F Pack Station leading pack rides and helping to break many of the new horses that come to the ranch. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Cowboy Johnny Benton tries to approach two young colts in order to take their temperature. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Morgan Austin watches as Riata breaks free from her post. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Pack horses carry tourists through the Sierra National Forest. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Morgan Austin shows off a belt buckle he won for his cowboy skills. He says a girl from his high school recently told him, “I’m glad I met you, Morgan, because I didn’t know real cowboys existed.” (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Morgan Austin shows off his skills. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

Morgan Austin approaches Riata to begin training her for her new life as a pack horse. Riata had broken free from her post and crashed through a fence earlier that morning. (Arkasha Stevenson / Los Angeles Times)

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Rescue horses

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