ATHOL, MA, September 4, 2012 — Many assorted wild and domestic animals have wandered through Bearsden woods over the years, from Highland cattle and sheep that escaped from a local slaughterhouse to the usual assortment of bears, moose and coyotes.

The latest large mammal running around out there is a horse that a rider had to leave behind when she became lost in the 1,000-acre conservation area overnight.

The woman, whose name was not available yesterday, did not have a flashlight, but was able to call for help and firefighters found her and brought her out of the deep woods, which borders Phillipston and Royalston. But they could not retrieve the horse.

The woman did not tie the horse to a tree when she left it because she was hoping it would follow her.

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Resource: Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp., http://www.telegram.com/article/20120904/NEWS/109049952/-1/NEWS05