Lovelorn horses get stuck in River Avon (From Thisisdorset)

Lovelorn horses get stuck in River Avon

1:00pm Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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FIREFIGHTERS had to put their backs into a double horse rescue after a lovelorn stallion followed a mare into the River Avon at Fordingbridge.

An animal rescue squad made up of firefighters from Fordingbridge and Eastleigh, led by Buster Brown, sped to the recreation ground shortly after 8am on Saturday after the mare was spotted in the river.

The crews were putting on their dry suits ready for the rescue when a splash was heard.

Animal rescue specialist Buster said: “Another horse had joined its companion in the river so we were now confronted with a mare and an amorous stallion in the water.”

Officers waded into the river and put 5m strops around the mare’s body and, using a sideways drag method, hauled her out of the water.

Buster said: “This still left the stallion to recover.

“Fortunately, he wasn’t too pleased being the only one left in the water so after some lengthy coaxing we were able to gain head restraint by floating a line in the river beyond the horse.

“We pulled it up behind its rear, so as to get the horse to walk closer towards the bank to enable head restraint being completed.

“Once this was done, by using techniques gained from water rescue training, crews were able to entice the stallion to the bank and out of the river by using the mare.

“We walked her along the bank, which made the stallion basically self-rescue out of the river by following the mare.”

The cold but uninjured horses were handed to the owner, who took them to a secure field.