Horse survives daring dip in pool
| Horse survives daring dip in pool - 13th Aug 2012 | |
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| The owner of a racehorse that became stuck in a swimming pool on the Mornington Peninsula believes the animal managed to open a safety fence before falling in the water. A crane and sling were used to haul the bay horse from the pool, which was drained during the rescue operation at a Moorooduc Highway stud farm in Mount Eliza. CFA Moorooduc Captain Nev Jones said the horse's owner tried unsuccessfully for a couple of hours to get the animal out before the CFA and SES arrived about 12.30pm. Mr Jones said the owner had been having a cup of tea in her kitchen when she looked out the window and saw the horse swimming. The woman suspected the horse must have unlatched the gate on the pool's safety fence, which Mr Jones said the horse could not have jumped. Advertisement A pump was used to drain the water from the pool before the horse was sedated by a vet. SES workers then attached a sling to the horse and lifted it out of the pool with a crane. The horse, about two years old, survived its daring dip with just a gash to its right eye and small cut to the leg. Mr Jones said the horse's owner had given it feed throughout the rescue but as time passed the animal had become distressed and cold. "It was a good outcome. When it was in the pool the poor thing was starting to get stressed but as the water receded it became more comfortable," he said. "It's probably going to feel like it's been on a night out on the town with the drugs the vet gave it." Mr Jones said the owner had been grateful for the emergency services' efforts. "It was very stressful for the owner," he said. "The horse tried to get out and started to panic and horses are incredibly smart. I think it decided it was better to stand there and let someone else think this through before it bashed itself on slippery tiles trying to get out." Courtesy Fairfax Digital, www.theage.com.au & Mex Cooper | |
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