Exhausted horse saved from drowning in dramatic beach rescue
A pair of horses had a lucky escape after they became stuck in sinking sand surrounded by a rapidly-rising tide.
At around 10.30am on Sunday (18 September), the skipper of the Knott End ferry in Lancashire spotted two girls on their horses, who seemed to be in trouble and stuck in mud, at Knott End beach.
The coastguard was alerted, and contacted Fleetwood RNLI for help, however the horses managed to free themselves and the lifeboat crew was stood down.
But minutes later the pair sank again and the volunteer lifeboat crew launched the inshore lifeboat to assist the coastguard.
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service were also called and sent crews from Bispham and Fleetwood.
One horse was quickly freed, but the second — called Eddie — was stuck fast, with the water rising at a rate of nearly a foot every five minutes.
The Knott End ferry was used to bring helpers from Fleetwood Coastguard and further volunteer lifeboat crew members.
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“After struggling with the exhausted horse for nearly an hour and with water around the neck of the animal, he eventually got free from the mud, Clearly exhausted, he took a short time to recover before being led ashore,” said a RNLI spokesman.
Skipper Phil spotted 2 horses and their riders in trouble over at Knott End, trapped in the mud of a gully. He radioed…Posted by Fleetwood – Knott End Ferry on Sunday, September 18, 2016
Captain David Eccles, volunteer lifeboat operations manager for RNLI Fleetwood, said it was a “great example” of a multi-agency rescue.
“We thank our colleagues from the coastguard and fire service for their help and support on the day,” he said. “With the tide rising fast, it was touch and go at one stage, but thankfully, it all ended well.”
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A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue said firefighters went into the water and were able to help rescue the horse using specialist large-animal equipment.
He added one horse was rescued prior to their arrival and crews were there for about an hour.
Eddie’s owner posted a photo of him safely at home in his stable after the dramatic rescue, thanking all those involved.
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Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.