Hack on the moor turns into terrifying ordeal for horse and rider *PICTURES*
A Shire cross became trapped in a bog in Dartmoor for more than two hours on Monday morning (12 October).
15.2hh gelding Inky was being hacked out in Two Bridges, Princetown, by his owner Sam Poulter when the accident happened.
Ms Poulter noticed the ground had become boggy, but when she went to turn Inky round he lost his footing and slipped into a muddy pool of water.
Ms Poulter was unable to pull the seven-year-old from the neck-high muddy water, and called the emergency services. Firefighters arrived at 9.54am.
“Initially crews attempted to pull the horse clear using a rope winch and strops connected to a tractor a local farmer had brought along to help,” said a spokesman from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.
“The horse remained stranded so once a telehandler [crane/forklift] arrived, again provided by a local land owner, the horse was lifted and pulled to firm ground. Our thanks to the local community for turning out and helping.”
It took over two hours to rescue Inky, who escaped the ordeal without injury.
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“I am so grateful to the rescuers, if it wasn’t for them I would have lost him,” Sam told local press.
“I was frantic but Inky was very calm, he is a sensible horse and when he was freed, he just stood up as if nothing had happened.”
Sam, who suffered some bruising in the accident, regularly rides in the area.
She added that she will be sticking to the roads for the time being.
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Rachael joined Horse & Hound in 2014, initially as a digital sub editor then became part of the news team as a writer in 2015. The philosophy graduate studied journalism at the Press Association before working as a local reporter at the Brentwood Gazette. Rachael is now a mum of two and still loves all things equestrian, including hacking, dressage and jumping with her cob Bert. Rachael left the H&H staff to go freelance in June 2019, but still contributes to our magazine and website, as well as our sister magazine Country Life, among others.