‘Lucky’ the horse sinks neck-deep into muddy backyard sinkhole, California rescuers say
As Lucky the horse stepped in her California backyard, she started to sink.
The soil beneath her hooves began to collapse as a sinkhole formed, trapping the 20-year-old horse neck-deep in mud, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a Feb. 21 news release.
Juan Lastre tried to pull Lucky from the mud at the Lake View Terrace home, KTLA 5 News reported.
When he couldn’t, he called in some help, the outlet reported.
Erik Scott, LAFD’s public information officer, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the department would free the “beautiful 1,200 pound horse and help her live up to her name.”
More than 50 firefighters, including a Specialized Mobile Animal Rescue Team, were on scene to help free the Paso Fino, Scott said in a video posted on X.
Scott said the department had helicopters flying overhead in case they were needed to airlift Lucky from the hole.
However, Scott said the team decided the best approach to freeing her would be to “get her out on her own.”
“The name of the game is to not hurt the horse, to keep her calm,” Scott said.
Scott said rescuers placed straps underneath Lucky, which they would use to help pull the horse from the hole, getting her hind legs high enough “so she could come out on her own.”
While doing this, Scott said rescuers also “gingerly” shoveled soil from the hole.
“We feel confident that we’re going to get her free,” Scott said. “It’s just a matter of whether this is going to be minutes or hours to do so.”
And about three hours later, Lucky was freed, according to LAFD.
“I thought she wasn’t going to be able to walk because she was in there, cramped for three hours,” Lastre told KTLA 5 News. “But I just couldn’t believe it. She’s eating which is a good sign and walking. Her legs didn’t get damaged.”
After her rescue, Lucky chowed down on some carrots and was hosed down by firefighters, videos posted by Scott on X show.
It’s unclear what caused the sinkhole, according to LAFD. While there was heavy rain in the area recently, the hole may have formed because of “an old septic system.”
Lake View Terrace is about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.
This story was originally published February 22, 2024 at 1:17 PM with the headline "‘Lucky’ the horse sinks neck-deep into muddy backyard sinkhole, California rescuers say."
