Horse thieves hit Boulder; month-old foal missing

The owners of Shindig the Easter colt are hoping for a miracle.

The month-old Belgian draft horse foal was sure enough on his legs to explore a good romp, but young enough that he was still nursing when he was abruptly snatched before dawn Monday.

There are no tire tracks, the gate was closed and there was no sign of struggle or blood.

The only clue that the butter-colored foal was nabbed was his mother’s frantic call. Around 5 a.m., Wesley Swartz woke to the sound of horses loudly neighing outside of his bedroom window. The noise was coming from his neighbor’s farm just across his peach and apple orchards.

If only he would have looked outside right then.

“I’m so mad at myself,” he said.

He thought the ruckus was a group of regular escape artist horses who have been known to get loose and gallop down Jay Road, which runs along his land. “Not a fun sight to see,” Swartz said.

But this was a sinister deed. 

Swartz believes the horse rustle had to have been someone who knew where Shindig was being raised, tucked among the green rolling farms of east Boulder in the shadow of an iconic red barn.

How else could anyone know when it would be safe to make off with the adorable colt that had everyone excited about Spring?

In Colorado, horse theft is a class 4 felony, punishable by up to six years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. Between 40,000 and 50,000 horses are stolen each year according to the Anti-Horse Theft Association, and most of the time the animals are taken by strangers. 

Registered Belgian draft horses can bring anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000, but a champion recently sold for $100,000 in Topeka, Kansas.

Neighbors were in love with the baby gentle giant with the white nose, and often stopped to take photos.

Never in the 65 years that she’s lived on the farm and horse property has Shindig’s owner, Cindy Liscos, seen such an evil act.

“I’m horrified that this happened,” she said. 

Shindig’s mother is full of milk and in pain but Liscos said that the colt could possibly survive without her sustenance.

Even though he’s one of the largest breeds of horse you can find, Shindig was still so young, he could have been lifted by two people and placed in a mini-van.

The Boulder County Sheriffs have checked cameras in the rural area of Jay Road between 63rd and 75th Streets, but according to spokesperson Carrie Haverfield, there are no leads. Haverfield said that this does not happen often in Boulder County. 

On the Boulder County Sheriff Facebook page, Coloradans who never knew Shindig are offering prayers and shares - more than 3,000 people have forwarded the information to sites like Equine Search and Rescue, specialty draft horse groups and a worldwide stolen horse posse organization. They're calling for drones and tracking dogs. 

If anyone spots Shindig, please call 303-441-4444.