CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, his horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019

[Trudie]

It is my own strong personal opinion that photos of BT's horse were definitely taken after being found and prior to being untacked. I agree with those who have commented about and believe the details in the way his horse was tacked up that day being extremely relevant. I believe there is a lot of information that is being withheld by LE.
I think the lack of information being released to MSM is not an indication of the ability or skill level of those involved in this investigation. It can be easy to assume there is a lack of skill when there is a lack of information being released.

Like so many, I desperately want information to come to light so BT's family and all who have felt a connection to BT to find closure or resolution. The weight of this is heartbreaking.

See, I think the first priority was to get the saddle off Gunny with no thought or reason to photograph. Jmo
Hopefully RCMP put their best detectives on this case.

 

[Trudie]

MISSING: BEN TYNER

From an admin of page:

Just to give you all piece of mind I spoke with Jack today and Bens horses and dogs are back on the ranch in Wyoming... this is just a picture not actual animals...

I’m sure having Ben’s animals back on the family ranch is soothing for the Tyner family. Those border collies are pretty evil (in a good way) & Sue can surely keep Uncle Jack occupied. IMO, Ben’s pets are now right where he would want them.

 

[zecats]

See, I think the first priority was to get the saddle off Gunny with no thought or reason to photograph. Jmo
Hopefully RCMP put their best detectives on this case.

How do I want to word this. My thoughts only, my opinion based on some things (no horse tracks, no Ben in search area, no notification of where he was going), about the horse. IF someone wanted to make Ben disappear, it could have happened without involving the horse. Or the horse could have been led off or trailered without tack, never to be seen again. Since the horse was saddled and bridled and found fairly far from the ranch, if Ben did not ride (or trailer him) there himself, then this was most likely a deliberate maneuver to make it seem as if Ben had been dumped by his horse and it was an accident. I feel that if this were intentional, it was meant for the horse to be found. The way Gunny was saddled up etc, could be an important clue and I hope it wasn't missed. Again all jmo

 

[Trudie]

How do I want to word this. My thoughts only, my opinion based on some things (no horse tracks, no Ben in search area, no notification of where he was going), about the horse. IF someone wanted to make Ben disappear, it could have happened without involving the horse. Or the horse could have been led off or trailered without tack, never to be seen again. Since the horse was saddled and bridled and found fairly far from the ranch, if Ben did not ride (or trailer him) there himself, then this was most likely a deliberate maneuver to make it seem as if Ben had been dumped by his horse and it was an accident. I feel that if this were intentional, it was meant for the horse to be found. The way Gunny was saddled up etc, could be an important clue and I hope it wasn't missed. Again all jmo

IMO, there’s three possibilities, 1) accident 2) suicide 3) homicide.

I just don’t think anyone finding a riderless horse pays attention to the way the saddle was cinched. I think human nature is to get the tack off & calm the horse. Moo

 

[zecats]

IMO, there’s three possibilities, 1) accident 2) suicide 3) homicide.

I just don’t think anyone finding a riderless horse pays attention to the way the saddle was cinched. I think human nature is to get the tack off & calm the horse. Moo

True, but If KR claims to have found the horse around 5:30am, plus didn't find out whose horse it was until after noon, was the horse tied to the tree all this time? Still saddled while waiting for info who he belonged to? Would KR unsaddle him? Never heard anything regarding this.

 

[Trudie]

True, but If KR claims to have found the horse around 5:30am, plus didn't find out whose horse it was until after noon, was the horse tied to the tree all this time? Still saddled while waiting for info who he belonged to? Would KR unsaddle him? Never heard anything regarding this.

I think it’d be normal for him (or anyone) to loosen the saddle, for sure.
We don’t know where the horse was kept all the hours in between. I assume a trailer was called in, at some point.

 

[zecats]

I think it’d be normal for him (or anyone) to loosen the saddle, for sure.
We don’t know where the horse was kept all the hours in between. I assume a trailer was called in, at some point.

You're right. Of course the horse would be cared for asap. So if KF maybe loosened it, it may be difficult to tell if was cinched any differently. IMO

 

[Trudie]

You're right. Of course the horse would be cared for asap. So if KF maybe loosened it, it may be difficult to tell if was cinched any differently. IMO

IMO, yes. No one would know Ben’s technique other than his brother, I also think.

 

[Equestrian]

See, I think the first priority was to get the saddle off Gunny with no thought or reason to photograph. Jmo
Hopefully RCMP put their best detectives on this case.

I do not think that was a priority - to remove the saddle. I think the first priority was to identify who the rider/owner was.
In my opinion, the tack would have been left in place, until they (ranchers, loggers) determined where the horse belonged.

I do not believe KR would loosen the cinch on a spooky, jumpy horse in the dark. You wouldn't loosen the cinch on a jumpy horse & risk the saddle moving & adding to the horses stress. I have more thoughts on that but it has not been released on MSM.

The most convenient way to carry that saddle around while trying to figure out who's horse this was, would have been to leave it in place on the horse. We know the saddle was not damaged, and his horse was not injured (there are MSM reports & quotes from NR stating the saddle was not damaged in any way, & the horse was unharmed, aside from being spooked).

On that Monday, after KR contacted local ranches and ranchers were handling the horse and trying to find the owner, they would assume the owner was searching for his horse, leave as much of his gear as possible in place, and go about locating the owner.

This would start with gathering a detailed description of the horse & gear. Photograph it and start sharing information, asking who's horse it was. They would look for an identifying brand on the horse, and take a photo of any existing brands and markings, and tack. In my opinion, The ranchers would not have separated the saddle from the horse, most likely, until the horse was about to be loaded into the trailer, or even until after the horse was unloaded and returned to NR. Folks who spend a lot of time in the saddle often haul with tack on, so it's very possible the horse returned to NR with the saddle still in place on BT's horse.

I could see the headstall (which holds the bit in place for those who don't know) may have been removed and replaced with a halter, or had a halter placed over it (depending on which bit was in place - BT used a few different bridles/bits) for use while hauling the horse back to NR, but, again, I strongly believe the tack was left as is and documented. This would have been done initially (among other reasons) so that local ranchers who were trying to identify the owner could quickly pass a description of the horse & it's tack around, (brand, type, details, etc.) to locate where the horse should be returned to, or who should be contacted to come pick up the horse.

 

[Tripod]

Bump for Ben. Does anyone know the current weather around Merritt and amount of snow on the ground? I'm hoping there are a few that go out looking for Ben, when they can, but do not want anyone to put themselves in danger.

 

[Trudie]

I do not think that was a priority - to remove the saddle. I think the first priority was to identify who the rider/owner was.
In my opinion, the tack would have been left in place, until they (ranchers, loggers) determined where the horse belonged.

I do not believe KR would loosen the cinch on a spooky, jumpy horse in the dark. You wouldn't loosen the cinch on a jumpy horse & risk the saddle moving & adding to the horses stress. I have more thoughts on that but it has not been released on MSM.

The most convenient way to carry that saddle around while trying to figure out who's horse this was, would have been to leave it in place on the horse. We know the saddle was not damaged, and his horse was not injured (there are MSM reports & quotes from NR stating the saddle was not damaged in any way, & the horse was unharmed, aside from being spooked).

On that Monday, after KR contacted local ranches and ranchers were handling the horse and trying to find the owner, they would assume the owner was searching for his horse, leave as much of his gear as possible in place, and go about locating the owner.

This would start with gathering a detailed description of the horse & gear. Photograph it and start sharing information, asking who's horse it was. They would look for an identifying brand on the horse, and take a photo of any existing brands and markings, and tack. In my opinion, The ranchers would not have separated the saddle from the horse, most likely, until the horse was about to be loaded into the trailer, or even until after the horse was unloaded and returned to NR. Folks who spend a lot of time in the saddle often haul with tack on, so it's very possible the horse returned to NR with the saddle still in place on BT's horse.

I could see the headstall (which holds the bit in place for those who don't know) may have been removed and replaced with a halter, or had a halter placed over it (depending on which bit was in place - BT used a few different bridles/bits) for use while hauling the horse back to NR, but, again, I strongly believe the tack was left as is and documented. This would have been done initially (among other reasons) so that local ranchers who were trying to identify the owner could quickly pass a description of the horse & it's tack around, (brand, type, details, etc.) to locate where the horse should be returned to, or who should be contacted to come pick up the horse.

Lol, I don’t mean KR carried a saddle around.
I don’t believe anyone had the fortitude to photograph how the horse was tacked, either. At that time, the assumption was a rider had fallen from his horse.
Perhaps that assumption changed, after a few days.

 

[Sillybilly]

Bump for Ben. Does anyone know the current weather around Merritt and amount of snow on the ground? I'm hoping there are a few that go out looking for Ben, when they can, but do not want anyone to put themselves in danger.

Current highway cam for south of Merritt looking north

Current highway cam for just north of Nicola

Nicola is pretty much between those 2 cams.

Current weather forecast for Merritt

 

[Trudie]

Current highway cam for south of Merritt looking north

Current highway cam for just north of Nicola

Nicola is pretty much between those 2 cams.

Current weather forecast for Merritt

Thanks! Good info.
Hopefully some type of search is still in progress. Even if local horsemen saddle up & head pitvfor a few hours.

 

[rb63]

Bump for Ben. Does anyone know the current weather around Merritt and amount of snow on the ground? I'm hoping there are a few that go out looking for Ben, when they can, but do not want anyone to put themselves in danger.

Just took this, picture of current weather in merritt and amount of snow

 

[foxbluff]

As a lifetime equestrian, I applaud the suggestion here that the manner in which the saddle was cinched could have provided LE with a useful clue!

If someone unsaddled the horse (without noticing the style of cinching) before LE arrived, though the cinching evidence would be lost, the length of the stirrups wouldn't have changed.

My guess would be that the first investigator who examined the saddle would have checked the length of the stirrups to see if they had been raised or lowered from their usual position.

 

[Trudie]

As a lifetime equestrian, I applaud the suggestion here that the manner in which the saddle was cinched could have provided LE with a useful clue!

If someone unsaddled the horse (without noticing the style of cinching) before LE arrived, though the cinching evidence would be lost, the length of the stirrups wouldn't have changed.

My guess would be that the first investigator who examined the saddle would have checked the length of the stirrups to see if they had been raised or lowered from their usual position.

I don’t think there’s any concern someone else rode the horse. IMO, the concern is did Ben ride his horse & how did Ben/horse get to the area horse was found. Trailered?
Did Ben even ride that day?
Some of the latest info can’t be posted on WS yet, MSM needs to pick it up first.
Moo

 

[zecats]

As a lifetime equestrian, I applaud the suggestion here that the manner in which the saddle was cinched could have provided LE with a useful clue!

If someone unsaddled the horse (without noticing the style of cinching) before LE arrived, though the cinching evidence would be lost, the length of the stirrups wouldn't have changed.

My guess would be that the first investigator who examined the saddle would have checked the length of the stirrups to see if they had been raised or lowered from their usual position.

I’m curious and no reports have mentioned it either way, were the saddle, blanket and reins even Ben’s? Now that would be a clue. Wouldn’t fit with theory that Ben rode out after strays and then fell off. And if it was Ben’s tack, then either it was Ben who saddled up Gunny or someone who had access to Ben’s tack. Is tack normally secured on a ranch? Mine always was because I boarded my horse and kept saddle, etc at home. Jmo

 

[Rangerdr]

Something I find strange, no social media postings to help identify the horse's owner when he was found. I can't see how that would be significant to Ben's disappearance, but still definitely unusual nowadays. Lost and found dogs go up on social media within minutes, why wouldn't a horse found saddled and riderless be posted asap? It would seem very urgent to find out who the rider was and as much information as possible as quickly as possible. Horses don't just show up randomly at 5:00 in the morning without something going very wrong.

 

[zecats]

Something I find strange, no social media postings to help identify the horse's owner when he was found. I can't see how that would be significant to Ben's disappearance, but still definitely unusual nowadays. Lost and found dogs go up on social media within minutes, why wouldn't a horse found saddled and riderless be posted asap? It would seem very urgent to find out who the rider was and as much information as possible as quickly as possible. Horses don't just show up randomly at 5:00 in the morning without something going very wrong.

I'd say with a horse, probably quicker to make a few phone calls to area ranches. Horse may have been branded as well. Who knows how many with long work days on ranches would be looking at SM. JMO

 

[Trudie]

I'd say with a horse, probably quicker to make a few phone calls to area ranches. Horse may have been branded as well. Who knows how many with long work days on ranches would be looking at SM. JMO

The brand expert is the one that determined Gunny belonged to Ben.