Firefighters came to the aid of a frightened horse who got into difficulty when he fell into a swimming pool and became entangled in the cover.
A crew from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service came to the rescue of the horse, who had escaped from his field, on 20 March and fallen into the pool of a nearby property in May Hill, in the Forest of Dean area in Gloucestershire. A vet was also at the scene.
The fire crew was able to successfully free the horse from the swimming pool cover, and using a harness, firefighters managed to lift the horse to safety, and it was reunited with its owner.
Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service station manager Jo Singh said: “A horse had roamed from a field on May Hill and fallen into the swimming pool of a nearby property.
“When we arrived we found the horse had become entangled by the pool cover which had been ripped when the horse fell in.
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“Our priority was to reassure the frightened horse, release it from the pool cover, and attach a harness.”
The horse was sedated by the vet and was “safely and successfully” rescued by the crew while its owner was tracked down.
“The police helped us to reunite the horse with the owner,” said Ms Singh.
For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday. the current edition (21 March) is our eventing special, including an interview with British event rider Gemma Tattersall, how to get the best out of your cross-country schooling and much more. In this week’s vet clinic, we explore why rest days are vital for horses, plus we speak to top showjumper William Whitaker, and check out our full 12-page report from the Cheltenham Festival, including expert analysis, comments and pictures.
