Martha, the 15-year-old bay mule that wandered off while trail riding in the Croom Wildlife Management Area, has been found.
Martha went missing on March 24 when her rider, Taylor Leigh of Spring Hill and Brooksville resident Andrea Love, went trail riding in the Croom area.
Around 1 p.m., the pair stopped and dismounted to take a break and use the restroom. When they returned to their mounts, Martha had freed herself and left the area.
In the following days, Leigh, Love, and others searched for the animal on foot, horseback, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), hiking with dogs, and with drones provided by the Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC).
Finally, on March 28, Martha was found.
“Leigh and James Higgs were setting up trail cameras because she had not been seen and there she was, right at the side of the trail,” Love said.
Aside from being hungry and thirsty, Martha was largely uninjured by her 96-hour adventure.
“Of course, she was hungry and thirsty and she had a small sore in the side of her mouth from the bit, but she’s good,” Love said. “We’re just happy to have found her.”
