I know of a neighbor that got 2 horses because they wondered up on their property. They made a report to the police so there was a date of how long they had the horses. With one of them, a pony that we bought later from them for my daughter, someone did show up and about 2 years after they had it and claimed it. But by then the board bill was to high. I really don't think it was theirs.
I've had several wonder up here. I've always located the owners tho. The last time the horse that showed up was really really nice. I knew someone was freaking. I hung posters and reported it to the police. About 2 days later the police called and asked me to call this man that had just reported a lost horse. She was his. He came and got her the next day. I swear the guy was in tears:), and looked exhausted. I guess they'd been looking for her about non-stop. Turned out she WAS a very expensive brood mare. I knew just from the looks of her she was a nice one. I was very surprised, tho, at the people who told me to "hide" her till whoever gave up. I realized why the guy was so relieved to get her back and why he seemed so surprised that I did report it. I didn't realize there was so many people, people I know, who would hide a lost horse so they could keep it:(
When we first moved here there was a band of wild horses around. The funny thing tho, some of these wild horses were geldings:) I always wondered if they were lost or deliberatly set lose.
Becky