Horse Saved from Pond After Breaking Through the Ice
Sly’s Daring Rescue
Sly, a 22-year-old horse, spends his retirement on a local family farm in Saratoga Springs, New York. His favorite spot is the quarter-acre pond, where he and his friends graze on the seven acres of land. Despite efforts to keep them out, Sly and his friends find ways to get to the pond, even when it’s frozen.
A Close Call
On a typical winter afternoon, Ali Ernst, Sly’s owner, noticed something was amiss. “I saw his head bobbing in the water and jumped into my plan of phone calls,” she explained. Body camera footage from Saratoga Police shows officers working with Ali and the fire department to rescue the 1,300-pound animal.
A Team Effort
Officer Kyle Clinton pointed out, “Start thrashing around like he did a few times. As you can see in the camera, it gets them all worked up and they can do more harm to themselves than good.” The team of six people struggled to pull Sly out of the water, but were met with resistance. “At one point, we were trying to calm him down while he was doing it and I thought I was going for a swim,” Officer Clinton shared.
A Harrowing 35 Minutes
After what seemed like an eternity, Sly was finally pulled out of the water and stood up on his own, 35 minutes after the initial fall. However, he was hypothermic and had marks on his neck. He was rushed to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, where Ali works as a Licensed Veterinary Technician, to warm up and receive an IV.
Preventing a Repeat
Ali has taken steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. “We used a backhoe to drive in posts in the frozen ground and put up a permanent fence,” she assured.
Conclusion
Sly’s rescue was a testament to the quick thinking and bravery of the responding teams, as well as the dedication of his owner, Ali. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of safety measures, especially when it comes to our beloved animals.
FAQs
* What was the condition of the horse, Sly, after being pulled out of the pond?
He was hypothermic and had marks on his neck.
* How long did it take to rescue Sly from the pond?
About 35 minutes
* What measures is Ali taking to prevent a repeat incident?
She is installing a permanent fence around the pond using a backhoe to drive in posts in the frozen ground.
