Firefighters stepped in to save a heavily pregnant mare whose leg had gone through a horsebox wall in their second equine rescue in three days.
Blue Watch from Alfreton Community Fire Station, Derbyshire, were called to the aid of the mare, who was being taken to York to give birth, on 3 June.
“We had a call to say the horse was stuck,” watch crew member Mick Bollands told H&H. “Her leg had gone through the side of the horsebox and was sticking out; it looked a bit horrible when we got there.
“The drivers had pulled over and undid the partition, and the horse had fallen over on to her side, and she was stuck.”
Picture by Alfreton Community Fire Station
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
A vet was called to sedate the mare and the crew made a plan to free her.
“We cut a hole around where her leg was stuck, put a couple of strops around her and pulled her back into the lorry,” Mr Bollands said.
“Because they weren’t far away from home, we blocked the hole up so they could drive back to the farm. The vet sedated the horse again and we pulled her out of the lorry and she went into her field.
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“We had a message later from the owner to say everything was ok.”
Mr Bollands said the mare suffered only grazes and minor cuts where she was stuck.
Picture by Alfreton Community Fire Station
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
Alfreton is the base for the county’s large-animal rescue unit, with a specialist lorry-mounted crane. This had been put to good use on 1 June to save 33-year-old mare Jade, who had gone down in her field and could not get back up.
“We’re trying to get the message out as not everyone knows there’s a crew here that does animal rescues,” Mr Bollands said. “We go to a lot of older horses who can’t get up, and try to give them a chance and get them back on their feet.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
