If a tree falls in a paddock and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? For one extraordinary lucky mare in England, the answer is yes, and it meant survival.
Storm Eunice, which struck a large swath of Europe in mid-February, killing 16 people and leaving millions without power, was yet another extreme weather event which saw winds roar at speeds as high as 122 mph (196 kph)
(McGonnell & Gillatt Equine Veterinary Practice Facebook photo)
The storm also hit the area of Dorset, where 10-year-old Cintia, a bay mare, was minding her own business in her paddock. As Eunice blew through it tore three trees from the ground, trapping the mare between them. It was miraculous that she didn’t get hit, nor did she spook or try in any way to flee the scene. Such an act would have likely caused severe, if not fatal, injuries. Instead, according to her owner Katie Rossiter, she just stood and patiently waited to be rescued.
A local vet, Dr. Ellen Harris, arrived at the scene and sedated the mare after she received a call from Rossiter. The Dorset and Wilshire Fire and Rescue Service were summoned to extricate the horse.
“Words can’t describe just what a tight pickle this horse was in and how ridiculously lucky it was,” Dr. Harris, from McGonnell and Gillatt Equine Veterinary Practice, told a local news outlet. “If she had been at a slightly different orientation, or slightly further one way or another, she would’ve been dead – no two ways about it.”
According to the report from the scene, the firefighters were able to execute their strategy for removing the trees, which included stabilizing tree trunks with the help of a tractor.
Video from the veterinary practice’s Facebook page below shows Cintia walking away from the debris looking no worse for wear. Apparently after spending the night in her stall, she was turned out the next morning into her paddock and had a good gallop as though nothing had happened.
https://www.facebook.com/280853116100/videos/1655440291455883
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