Melfort firefighters, citizens rescue exhausted horse from muddy pit
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MELFORT, Sask. — Melfort firefighters spent about three hours rescuing an exhausted horse from a muddy pit between Melfort and Star City on Sept. 16.
The Melfort Fire Department was paged at 7:34 a.m. following a report of a horse trapped in a pit, fire chief and emergency measures co-ordinator Leonard Whitney told SaskToday.
Firefighters arrived to find the horse standing in a muddy hole approximately five feet deep and 10 feet by 10 feet. The animal was visibly exhausted, according to the MFD.
Whitney said the horse is believed to have slipped into the hole and remained trapped for several hours overnight.
Crews initially assembled a sling and, with the help of a loader, attempted to lift the horse from the pit. However, the animal’s panic and the slippery, muddy conditions caused it to slide out of the sling, said the MFD.
Firefighters then changed tactics and dug a more gradual slope into the pit. Using the new route, crews were able to guide and pull the horse safely out.
Seven firefighters responded to the call. Whitney said it was the department’s first horse or large-animal rescue of this kind.
Neighbours also played an important role in the effort, bringing slings and other equipment to assist firefighters. The horse’s owner and neighbours supplied the loader and additional equipment used during the rescue.
After getting some much-needed rest, the horse was expected to make a full recovery, the MFD said.
» SaskToday.ca