Firefighters Get Technical To Free Trapped Horse From 10-Ft Ditch.

No matter how careful we are, sometimes accidents happen.

Hector the pony was minding his own business in his pasture in southern England when he stumbled into a 10-foot crevasse. Unable to move the large animal on her own, Sarah, his owner, rushed to get help.

The 24-year-old Arab gelding had no chance of freeing himself from the ditch, and he was in danger of hurting himself in the process. His vet hurried out and administered a sedative to keep Hector calm as a team of volunteers assembled to form a plan.

By 8 a.m., rescue crews from four different towns were on the scene! They quickly realized they would need more than mere muscle power to help Hector out of his predicament; this job required special equipment.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service was called to bring in their Manitou vehicle, an all-terrain forklift meant to transport heavy objects. Once they deployed the machine, it was just a matter of time and determination before Hector was free!

“With support from the vets at Seadown Equine, we were able to formulate a plan to extricate Hector, the 24-year-old Arab gelding, from a challenging predicament,” said Jim Green, HIWFR’s animal rescue advisor. “This was a particularly technical rescue with a number of obstacles to overcome. It demonstrates the benefit of years of investment in knowledge and skills for these incidents.”

Jim added that Sarah was “extremely grateful” to be reunited with Hector. We’re pretty sure Hector was relieved to get out of there, too!


Hector was checked out by his veterinarian and found to be in surprisingly good health after his ordeal! Thank goodness for all the rescuers who had the tools, talent, and commitment needed to save the day.

Watch the incredible rescue play out in the video below, and don’t forget to share this story to show your appreciation for our courageous firefighters.

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