A generous crew of firemen came to the aid of a group of thirsty horses when they discovered their new equine friends had run out of water during the recent heatwave.
The firefighters, who had been working in the Horwich area of Bolton battling a devastating moorland fire, found empty water troughs on 30 June and did not hesitate to help the horses as temperatures soared across the country.
A spokesman for Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service told H&H: “The fire crews had been working in the Horwich area for a whole month, battling the moorland fires morning and night. The firefighters had got to know the local area very well having been there working every day and the crew had previously met the horses.
“The fire engines couldn’t get access to some of the moorland hills and therefore the crew had been travelling in a soft-track off-road vehicle that carries water units, when they came across the horses again and noticed that their water troughs were empty.”
The red, white and green watches from Preston, which was one of a staggering 39 fire stations involved in fighting the moorland fires, filled up the horses’ water troughs using buckets, which they had filled using the fire hoses.
“The fire was covering 18 square kilometers of the moorland and the horses had been moved to safety by their owners further down the hill. It was so hot that the firefighters themselves were thirsty.
Article continues below…
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
The rider wants to raise awareness of the condition
“It had not rained in a very long time and the crew wanted to show some compassion and having worked in the area for the past month, they wanted to give something back by helping the horses.”
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
