My opinion, I don’t think he was seen riding out to search for cattle. It’s like the old telephone game, from one media report, then another and the story begins to morph....
This report below is from Jan 29th. It appears to me two different details released at the press conference can be somewhat scrambled together in error. LE says Ben was last seen Saturday afternoon but not as he was heading out to look for cattle. Ben wasn’t reported missing, his disappearance wasn’t perceived as unusual because he often went searching for cattle on his days off in the past.
“......Mounties are searching for a man they're describing as a missing cowboy after a riderless horse was located by loggers near Merritt, B.C.
The horse, which was in full gear, was discovered Monday morning, and local ranchers were able to identify its owner.
The 32-year-old man works on a ranch
but had been on his days off, so his disappearance hadn't been noted. A manager at the ranch identified him to The Canadian Press as Ben Tyner.
Ben Tyner was last seen Saturday, but was not reported missing until his horse was found in full gear without a rider two days later. (Facebook)
He was last seen Saturday afternoon, Merritt RCMP said in a statement. They believe he'd been riding in the backcountry, but his planned route and time of departure are unknown............
.......They're concentrating search efforts on the hills northwest of Merritt
after learning Tyner often used his day off to search that area for cattle belonging to the ranch.......”
Discovery of riderless horse prompts search for missing B.C. 'cowboy'