SUFFOLK, Va. — A 33-year-old horse stuck in the mud was rescued by firefighters Monday afternoon, according to the Suffolk Fire & Rescue.
Crews responded to Crittenden Road to find the horse stuck in a swamp about 30 yards from the road, according to Suffolk Fire & Rescue. Using chainsaws, the crew cleared a path for the rescue. A veterinarian sedated the horse, allowing it to be secured and pulled out of the mud with a special sled.
“The fire department was able to get me pretty close to where the horse was so that I could assess the situation. And then they were able to strap on a couple of equipment onto the horse. I fully anesthetized the horse, and we were able to get him on the glide and then glide him off to a safe pasture," Dr. Glorianne Vazquez-Arnal, The Oaks Equine & Farm Services veterinarian who helped rescue the horse said.
After an hour of veterinary care, the horse was able to stand and walk back to the barn, according to Suffolk Fire & Rescue. Dr. Vazquez-Arnal said the horse did suffer a couple bouts of hypothermia due to the snow and freezing temperatures at the time of the rescue. She says he is at home and doing much better.
“So thankfully, the horse is doing really, really well. He didn’t suffer any major injuries, thankfully," Dr. Vazquez-Arnal said.
