Two horses were struck by a vehicle on Jacob Miller Road on Christmas evening, and the animals were euthanized due to their injuries.

The driver was not injured in the incident, which occurred about 6:30 p.m. between Lupine and Gun Club roads, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.  

The horses were two of four who had escaped from their pasture.

“It was a freak accident,” said Dayna Killam, a neighbor of the horses’ owner. “Four horses got out, and two were on the road between Lupine and Gun Club Road. They were hit in the northbound lane. A mare had a compound fracture on the left front leg, and a gelding had a broken knee.”

Killam, who owns 3 Arrows Horsemanship, heard from a friend the horses had been hit and went out to the road to see if she could help.

With the assistance of other neighbors and deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and East Jefferson Fire & Rescue, they located the other two horses in a neighboring pasture and secured them there.

Then they got harnesses, blankets and food for the injured horses in the road.

“The owner was there at the time, but she really couldn’t make any decisions,” Killam said. “I personally knew the owner and the horses, though they were relatively new horses, so I stepped in, saw her, talked with her, then evaluated the horses and started to make decisions.”

Killam said the horses were relatively calm despite their injuries.

That allowed time for East Jefferson Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief Ted Krysinksi to call a veterinarian for an evaluation.

“On Christmas night, these are the kinds of things you really don’t want to have to do,” Krysinski said. “My job was difficult because I had to make the calls on what to do with the horses, but at the same time, having everyone be calm and respectful was helpful as to making those difficult decisions and asking who do we contact, how do we make those arrangements.”

In the hour it took Eric Splawn from Happy Valley Veterinary Service in Sequim to arrive, the neighbors and deputies worked together to comfort both the humans and the horses.  

“We got some blankets and hay and made them as comfortable as possible,” Killam said. “When he got there, he made a pretty quick evaluation. Everyone kind of knew there was no saving them. He donated his time and services to come out there.”

The two injured horses were euthanized that night.

The owner could not be reached for comment.

“It was a beautiful thing how everyone came together to support the owner,” Killam said. “I donated some property here to bury the horses. And the county public works donated equipment and time and moved the horses.

“They were buried at my place Wednesday morning. … When the time comes, (the family will) have a place to come and pay their respects.”

For Krysinski, the tragedy was made easier by the kindness shown by the community.

“Between the vet techs and people from Center Valley Animal Rescue, the veterinarian who came all the way from Sequim, the county sheriff’s department, city police, highway patrol, county public works and citizens at large, it was a real community effort,” Krysinski said. “For many people, horses are as close to them as their family members are.”

Killam added that, since the event, there has been an outpouring of support from the community to the owner, from donating time and services to offering to help buy new horses when she is ready.

“There’s the heartache of going out to the pasture and there being two less,” Killam said. “It wasn’t expected and came totally out of nowhere. But it was quite a blessing to have so many of the community come together.”