Horse has lucky escape after horsebox hits bridge
A horse had a lucky escape after the horsebox it was travelling in struck a low bridge in Buckinghamshire.
The owners were driving the van-style box to a clinic at Milton Keynes Eventing Centre on Sunday (9 August) morning when the accident happened.
Their sat nav took them down Ousebank Street — a narrow lane in Newport Pagnell — where the box became stuck under a bridge.
Firefighters from Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire and Rescue Service and Thames Valley Police were called to the scene just before 8am.
One fire appliance and crew from Newport Pagnell attended along with an officer.
They used blocks, lines and wedges to stabalise the box and used hydraulic rescue equipment to extract the grey mare.
Vet Chris Neal from Towcester Equine Vets also attended.
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“Fortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, the horse didn’t have a mark on it when we arrived, but was obviously shaken up by the ordeal,” read a statement from the practice.
“She was sedated, allowing the team at Bucks Fire and Rescue to cut the broken horse box free using quiet, specially designed, hydraulic equipment.
“The horse was incredibly quiet and calm given the stress of the situation, and after a detailed clinical examination, emerged normal and almost oblivious to what had happened.”
They added the mare trotted up sound.
Photos showed the mare standing calmly in the wreckage of the box while emergency services worked around her.
Almost all of the roof and a large part of the side of the vehicle were completely cut away.
“An incredibly lucky escape, but great teamwork from our vet Chris, Bucks fire brigade, owners, horse and police ensured what could have been an awful situation had a happy outcome,” added the statement.
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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.