What happened
During the landing roll, an aircraft was struck by a horse running at a full gallop. The pilot reported that the runway appeared clear throughout the approach phase of the flight. However, following an uneventful touchdown, the pilot observed a herd of horses galloping toward the aircraft from the left side of the runway.
Due to the limited remaining runway length and width, the pilot was unable to perform effective corrective maneuvers to avoid the animals. Despite an attempt to veer the aircraft away from the path of the herd, the lead horse struck the aircraft, resulting in substantial damage.
The incident occurred at a privately-owned open-range airstrip that is situated partly on a Navajo Indian reservation. Because of tribal restrictions, the portion of the airstrip located on tribal land is not fenced.