Firefighters Rescued a Trapped Horse From A Sinkhole Near Mirfield

Sinkholes can be a hazard to both humans and animals. Even a horse can become helplessly stuck in a sinkhole, which can be fatal in some situations.

However, one horse is safe, due to the efforts of a rescue squad that dug him out just in time.

A 27-year-old horse named Prince was let out of his stable at Calder Farm Equestrian and was enjoying a walk through the field, according to a release from West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS).

A steady hand, on the other hand, quickly discovered that Prince was nowhere to be found. The horse had become trapped in a sinkhole, it was discovered.

WYFRS was called in to assist and had to proceed with caution so as not to injure the horse.

“We’ve had similar occurrences in the past when cows became stuck in sink holes, and we do have the option of putting slings around them and hauling them out,” said Damian Cameron, technical rescue officer and station manager. “However, we feared that this could endanger Prince, so we decided to dig him out instead.”

Vets put a head collar on the horse, covered his eyes, and put cotton wool in his ears to keep him calm. “Once Prince was anesthetized, we began working on getting him out and back to the surface,” Cameron explained.

Chappelow Sports Turf, a local company, lent an excavator and excavated a sloping gradient for the horse to climb out.

“By that point, his legs were numb, and he still had more climbing to do, but he managed to get out quite quickly – the entire rescue took less than an hour,” Cameron explained.

“Prince was examined and, happily, recovered from his trauma without injury – we were overjoyed to be able to reconnect Prince with his owner.”

Sinkholes can be created by rushing water or ancient mines, according to WYFRS. However, this was a first-time occurrence for the owners and Prince.

“Because of his age we just ride him once a week, he is so quiet and has never got in trouble before. We couldn’t believe it when he became stuck in the sink hole; it was in the middle of a field he visits every day with no problems.”

Fortunately, thanks to the rapid efforts of the fire and rescue services, calamity was averted.

“The fire crews were just incredible. I had no idea what to do, so the crew took over, worked fast and effectively, and were wonderful with Prince. I cannot thank them enough. Prince has recovered completely and is back on the field today.”

Thank you to this fire and rescue team for saving Prince! So glad this beautiful horse is safe!

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