A new report of horse theft has mobilized the Cuban equestrian community: the horse Norteño and three mares were stolen in La Piragua, Cienfuegos, and their loved ones are offering a reward and asking for help to find them before they can be sacrificed.
The Facebook page Rodeo Cubano, dedicated to promoting rodeo and other equestrian activities, issued an urgent call on Monday to cowboys, ranchers, farmers, neighbors, and followers to help locate the four animals.
“Don't kill them. Please”, the message begins, identifying the missing horses as Norteño and three mares, and emphasizes that the priority is to recover them “alive, healthy, and safe.”
To aid in identification, the page shared photographs featuring the markings of one of the animals and urged users to examine them closely and share the alert.
The promoters of the search also announced that they will offer an individual reward for each recovered horse, although they did not specify the amount.
According to Rodeo Cubano, these are purebred animals with significant genetic value, which is why the call is also directed specifically to anyone who may own them or know where they can be found.
"Don't kill them. Think it over," insisted the page, warning that sacrificing them would represent "an irreparable loss."
In a second message also circulated this Monday, the page reiterated its request for collaboration and assured that any information might be crucial in locating the four animals.
"Let's share until we find them! Let's bring them home alive!" the post stated.
Rodeo Cubano concluded its appeal with a statement that encapsulates the fear of those searching for Norteño and the three mares: «Enough of horse theft. No more horses should be lost. Do not kill them. Help us bring them back».
Rodeo Cubano subsequently published a clarification after receiving calls related to the reward from Colombia, Mexico, and other places.
The page indicated that any negotiation would be conducted solely through trusted individuals and urged those who truly have information to contact the search coordinators directly.
"With us, it's clear terms and thick chocolate," they warned in a comment, before clarifying that any agreement will be made "with the right people, through trusted individuals and with integrity."
The theft occurs just a few days after two horses trained to perform acrobatics with girls were stolen in Colón, Matanzas.
In that case, the same page mobilized the community and also urged that the animals not be killed.
The search ended with a positive outcome: the two horses were recovered alive a few days later and returned to the girls they belonged to.
Other recent episodes demonstrate that concern is spreading across different provinces.
In June, a family offered a reward of $1,000 following the theft of a mare and a horse in Ciego de Ávila.
The mare had belonged to the owner's late grandfather and held significant sentimental value for the family.
Two months ago, reports of stolen mares in Villa Clara and Sancti Spíritus were made.
In one of those cases, a reward was also offered, and it was specifically requested that the animal not be sacrificed.
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