Two horses were rescued in Connecticut on Saturday, May 11, 2024, after being stuck in the mud in the woods. One of the horses was reportedly stuck for more than seven hours, according to the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department. LVFD received a report at around 2 p.m. about two horses stuck in the woods behind a farm. The horses were found to be in a muddy area about three-quarters of a mile into the woods, according to the LVFD.
It didn't take long for the volunteer fire department to determine that it would need to be involved in the rescue efforts.
The fire department and farm also got help from the Durham Animal Response Team, and a total of almost 40 people worked together on the rescue efforts.
More from LittleThings: Who Is Katherine Asplundh, And Why Are People Talking About Her New Billionaire In-Laws?
The fire department reported that ropes, wood, saws, plywood, rescue equipment, vet supplies, food, and water were shuttled in, and they created a makeshift bridge in order to access the area.
The Durham Animal Response Team set up sled equipment. They hoped that they would be able to roll the horses out of the mud and onto the sled device.
The horses had "wandered" out into the woods, and the mud was about waist deep for the people involved in the rescue efforts, according to the fire department.
The rescue efforts took five hours in total. Both horses were rescued, though the second horse was "considerably more stuck."
Once both horses were removed from the mud, a veterinarian examined them. One of the horses in particular had been stuck for a long time, and both of them were experiencing "mild distress" after the rescue.
However, both horses were okay. After some time, they warmed up, were able to stand, and ate some hay.
None of the people involved in the rescue efforts were injured, the fire department reported. In its Facebook post, they also praised the Durham Animal Response Team, calling it "an incredible asset to have here in the state."