Horse Rescue 9-1-1, 2025 Edition

It is only February, but there have already been a spate of horse rescues for equines who have found themselves in dire circumstances.

A horse being airlifted by a helicopter.

"I can fly!" Deuce is rescued after falling down an embankment in California. (Orange County Fire Authority Facebook)

By: Kim Izzo | February 26, 2025

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you're listening to an article from horse canada.com. horse rescue 9-1-1, 2025 edition by: kim izzo |. four daring horse rescues in the past week have kept local first responders busy. first up: in north carolina, local emergency crews were called to a home after a horse fell into a swimming pool in the backyard. according to a local news story, the horse had walked across the pool’s plastic cover and fell into the water (clearly this wasn’t an animal spooked by tarps!). it took help from various local agencies and required special rescue equipment for the first responders to gently lift the poor horse out. apparently, the horse was able to stand and be led away, and thankfully it didn’t sustain any injuries. in colorado, another horse fell into water, although this time it was a frozen pond. according to the denver gazette, the incident happened at sylvan dale guest ranch in loveland. the horse, a mare named bella, was trapped in the frigid water for at least 45 minutes. the local fire rescue squad were able to extricate bella by using rescue straps. she, too, was able to walk away from her ordeal and is reportedly doing well. advertisement scroll to continue with content further west in orange county, california, another horse had to be airlifted by helicopter after he slipped down an embankment while on a trail ride. the horse named deuce, who according to the news report is a “strong and confident horse,” was being ridden in unfamiliar territory when he slipped. neither horse nor rider were injured, but deuce couldn’t climb back up the sleep embankment. “our firefighters immediately put their primary plan into action, creating a pathway up the slope to guide the horse out on foot,” fire captain sean doran told the media outlet. “however, deuce didn’t agree with that plan.”. without other options, a veterinarian on scene sedated deuce and the rescue team secured him in a harness designed for this type of incident and he was carried away to safety in rather spectacular style by a helicopter. across the pond in england, a mare was being led across an old wooden footbridge (the owner clearly wasn’t thinking) and her back legs crashed through. rescue teams were mobilized from different counties in dorset and multiple attempts were made to get the horse out safely. according to a facebook post by bridport fire station, one of the rescue teams on the scene, due to the location and type of entrapment, standard lifting equipment wasn’t a viable option, nor was the use of lifting straps under the horse as had been used in two of the rescues mentioned above. instead, the crews set up a platform of hay bales and pallets to give the horse support below. multiple attempts were made including trying to get the horse’s legs in position to lift herself out, but to no avail. eventually the crews dismantled the bridge and lay the bales under the horse, then they lifted the bridge up and over the horse so she could fall all the way down onto the bales. this ordeal lasted four hours, and while at first it appeared as though the mare was going to survive with just a few scrapes and scratches, the latest communication suggests otherwise. “sadly, we have some bad news – we checked in with the owners last night, and the condition of the mare was much worse than it first appeared, as she has sustained some traumatic injuries,” a recent post from bridpont reads. “she’s getting the best possible medical care, but she is struggling from what was a very traumatic experience. we send her and her loving family our very best wishes.”.

Four daring horse rescues in the past week have kept local first responders busy.

A horse being rescued from a swimming pool.

Rescuers extract a horse from a swimming pool in North Carolina. (Midland Fire and Rescue Facebook)

First up: in North Carolina, local emergency crews were called to a home after a horse fell into a swimming pool in the backyard. According to a local news story, the horse had walked across the pool’s plastic cover and fell into the water (clearly this wasn’t an animal spooked by tarps!). It took help from various local agencies and required special rescue equipment for the first responders to gently lift the poor horse out. Apparently, the horse was able to stand and be led away, and thankfully it didn’t sustain any injuries.

In Colorado, another horse fell into water, although this time it was a frozen pond. According to the Denver Gazette, the incident happened at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch in Loveland. The horse, a mare named Bella, was trapped in the frigid water for at least 45 minutes. The local fire rescue squad were able to extricate Bella by using rescue straps. She, too, was able to walk away from her ordeal and is reportedly doing well.

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Further west in Orange County, California, another horse had to be airlifted by helicopter after he slipped down an embankment while on a trail ride. The horse named Deuce, who according to the news report is a “strong and confident horse,” was being ridden in unfamiliar territory when he slipped. Neither horse nor rider were injured, but Deuce couldn’t climb back up the sleep embankment. “Our firefighters immediately put their primary plan into action, creating a pathway up the slope to guide the horse out on foot,” Fire Captain Sean Doran told the media outlet. “However, Deuce didn’t agree with that plan.”

Lucky Bella gets pulled from an icy pond. (Loveland Fire Rescue Authority)

Without other options, a veterinarian on scene sedated Deuce and the rescue team secured him in a harness designed for this type of incident and he was carried away to safety in rather spectacular style by a helicopter.

A horse that has fallen through a bridge.

(Bridport Fire Station Facebook)

Across the pond in England, a mare was being led across an old wooden footbridge (the owner clearly wasn’t thinking) and her back legs crashed through. Rescue teams were mobilized from different counties in Dorset and multiple attempts were made to get the horse out safely.

According to a Facebook post by Bridport Fire Station, one of the rescue teams on the scene, due to the location and type of entrapment, standard lifting equipment wasn’t a viable option, nor was the use of lifting straps under the horse as had been used in two of the rescues mentioned above. Instead, the crews set up a platform of hay bales and pallets to give the horse support below. Multiple attempts were made including trying to get the horse’s legs in position to lift herself out, but to no avail. Eventually the crews dismantled the bridge and lay the bales under the horse, then they lifted the bridge up and over the horse so she could fall all the way down onto the bales.

This ordeal lasted four hours, and while at first it appeared as though the mare was going to survive with just a few scrapes and scratches, the latest communication suggests otherwise.

“Sadly, we have some bad news – we checked in with the owners last night, and the condition of the mare was much worse than it first appeared, as she has sustained some traumatic injuries,” a recent post from Bridpont reads. “She’s getting the best possible medical care, but she is struggling from what was a very traumatic experience. We send her and her loving family our very best wishes.”