Helping get this forum going, here's a related story:
About ten years ago I went on a horseback hunt in eastern Yukon for moose and bear(s). We took an entire packstring about ten miles up-drainage from the permanent basecamp. I ended up killing a bull and a blackie with my recurve in a 4 day span. I took the bear on day one, and we rode into camp at dusk. The next day was given to fleshing and preserving a very gorgeous hide, so we...and the horses were fairly idle. Evening rolled in and the horses (8 of them) didn't show up for their feed. Rod went for a walk to find them and check the portable electric fence. He figured to find them close as they were all hobbled. I stayed behind and worked on gear for the next day. It got dark and Rod didn't return. I recalled he had a Harris tweed jacket, basic Bean boots, no gloves or chaps and a felt hat. He also had no weapon, the only firearm was laying in the tent. I had no way to contact him. I guess it was midnight before I finally gave up the watch and laid down in my bag for a sleep. I figured to get up in the morning and assess things. If no Rod by 10:00 am I would get on the sat phone and notify...somebody. Then I would prep a pack and get ready to hike down to basecamp on the White River. I fell asleep...
I woke to a distant sound and dreaming of Christmas. It turned into a gruff command and the sound of neck bells jingling into camp. It was 3:00 am, and Rod was back with the stock. Turned out they had breached the electric fence sometime the previous day and despite the hobbles had started for basecamp. When he finally found them in the dark he was unable to gather them all and get them turned. After much trying and knowing he was far down from our camp, he simply mounted one and proceeded to drive them...hard...into basecamp. He wore them down, gave them some feed and then gathered a few things from the camp. He saddled one properly and tied them all together then rode them all back up to camp. He had one little Petzl headlamp, some Skoal and I believe 2 cans of beer when he walked in. He covered all that distance and terrain in the night...in big grizzly country...and nary a scratch from a tree branch.
We picketed the horses after that during the day, and had no further problems. It was an interesting ride out several days later. Like an Easter egg hunt....a full Skoal can...couple AA batteries...handkerchief....all found along the trail. Dang horses...always interesting and never boring.