An “exhausted” Shetland pony has been rescued by firefighters after she became trapped in a fence.
The bay mare’s hind legs had become stuck in a wire fence in a field in South Cumbria on Wednesday (2 November).
A member of the public spotted the pony at around 10.30am and notified emergency services.
A crew from Windermere, led by manager Andrew Millray, came to the field at the rear of the Brown Horse pub in the Winster Valley near Bowness.
The team used bolt cutters to carefully free the animal, who was “well and truly tangled” but had not suffered any serious injuries.
It took around 20 minutes to release the Shetland.
“Some bystanders were trying to comfort the animal while we cut her free but she had become exhausted by the effort and her legs were starting to go,” firefighter Pete Gorman told the North-West Evening Mail.
“Thankfully she appeared to have no serious injuries but a vet was called to check her over.”
Trapped hunter
Earlier this year, a hunter also had a lucky escape after he became stuck on a fence (news, 13 February).
A vet and three fire crews from Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, including an animal rescue team, arrived to help free Henry from his predicament on 8 February.
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“I heard a thunder of hooves and saw he had jumped all the fences around to home,” said his owner, Netia Walker.
She said that she saw him slip, his front legs went up in the air and came down on the wrong side of the five-bar gate — leaving him stuck.
A vet from B&W Equine Vets’ Willesley practice sedated Henry so firefighters could saw through parts of the structure to allow Henry to be freed, unscathed.
