A riderless palomino, which belongs to 45-year-old Gene Roberts, was found tangled in the bottomlands near Dayton, Texas.

Roberts was chasing an errant cow when the Trinity River began overflowing. The horse was tangled in the underbrush and his saddle had slipped.

The cowboy was wearing a black jacket and cap, making the job of the 60 search and rescue team members more difficult. At press time they were continuing the search for Roberts, and the family believed he’d be found alive. 

“We don't know what exactly happened,” Dayton Police Chief Pete Douzat told the Houston Chronicle. “It's pretty treacherous terrain out there. Lots of deep drop-offs and holes.”