Auction lends helping hand

BONNERS FERRY – The man loved his horses so much he ended up losing them.

But corralling and caring for nearly 60 horses is no picnic.

For years neighbors complained when the animals ran wild. Authorities stepped in last summer and put an end to the problem, and in the process, forced the horse owner into treatment for post-traumatic stress syndrome dating back to his service in the Army in Vietnam.

On Saturday, 42 of the Appaloosas with names like Honey, Timmy and Timmy’s Foal were auctioned in a benefit for the former owner and breeder.

“People love horses, and horses going to good homes is very, very important,” said John Doherty, of Eastport, a friend to horse owner Gerald Hand and an organizer of the auction.

He described Hand as being like someone who collects too many cats. “They were his family,” Doherty said.

The horse man could not attend the auction and was unavailable for comment. Hand, 58, reportedly was undergoing treatment through the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Spokane after a judge agreed to the treatment in lieu of jail.

“He’s doing well,” said Kevin McDonald, a county probation officer.

The horses mostly appeared strong and healthy, if not a little underweight, as they entered a corral at the Selkirk Mountain Elk Ranch along U.S. Highway 95 north of Bonners Ferry.

The stock included untamed geldings, mares and foals.

“They can be worked eventually,” said Sam Worthington, 84, of Sandpoint, who bought several of the horses for his daughter and granddaughter. “They’ll raise them and use them,” he said.

Selling prices ranged from a minimum of $250 to about $375.

The case of the wild horses dates back at least three years. Hand, who is on a disability pension, had been living on rental property in open range land in the Copeland area not far from the Canadian border.

Neighbors complained about horses that were loose and a danger to motorists, said McDonald.

Because the area was designated as open range, authorities had few options for controlling the problem, he said.

Hand eventually was forced to move the horses off the rental property, so he took them to the Paradise Valley area, south of Bonners Ferry, McDonald said.

Again, he had trouble keeping his horses under control, and Paradise Valley is not open range.

Doherty said someone shot two stallions and a mare with foal apparently because they were roaming. Doherty took the orphaned foal.

Two other foals suffered wounds from a .22 caliber firearm in recent months, he said.

A public nuisance charge was filed in magistrate’s court against Hand, and he pleaded guilty in early August, said McDonald, the probation officer who is also a candidate for county sheriff.

Friends said that neighbors had lodged a total of 52 complaints against him to the Sheriff’s Department.

Judge Justin Julian placed Hand on two years’ probation and, in addition, set a strict timetable for him to relinquish his herd, McDonald said.

When Hand couldn’t comply, the judge found him in violation of probation. Julian sentenced Hand to 60 days in jail, but agreed to let him enter VA treatment instead, McDonald said.

Hand agreed to turn over the horses to Brent Glover of Orphan Acres, an equine rescue organization based near Moscow, Idaho.

Hand’s friends as well as other community members pitched in to move the horses to the Selkirk ranch and to hold the auction in conjunction with Orphan Acres.

JoJo Baker provided auction services. Merchants in Bonners Ferry contributed items for door prizes and a raffle.

The auction took in $12,495. Of that, Hand was to receive $4,695, Doherty said.

The rest of the money was going to pay for the costs of adopting and auctioning the horses, including state registration, veterinary treatment and boarding.

Treatments included gelding of some of Hand’s stallions, as well as worm shots and care of any wounds.

Six horses from the herd are being held for Hand.

Another 10 horses went as trade to people who were owed money by Hand, said Glover.

A charitable fund for Hand has been opened at the Panhandle Bank in Bonners Ferry.

“None of us are wearing white hats to save the day, but we love Gerry,” Doherty said.