Colorado firefighters rescued an aging blind horse from a canal near Fort Collins over the July 4 weekend. According to a social media post, the Poudre Fire Authority (PFA) responded to a call about a horse in her late 20s named "Lacy" on July 6 around 9:52 a.m.
In the video, it looks like one of the first responders just guides Lacy through the water and then a group of them hoist her out of the water, but as PFA explains, it is way more complicated. It involved a team of highly trained firefighters and veterinarians from Colorado State University.
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The Horse Rescue
In the video, a firefighter trained in swift water and animal rescue entered the canal to guide the horse to a safe location to exit the water. Also, you can see that the water reaches a little above the horse's neck and sits chest level on the firefighter.
"He put a harness on Lacy to ensure they would not be separated and to help guide her to safety," PFA said. "Responders considered using a boom truck to hoist her out, but access was difficult plus, the horse began to move and swim."
As they walk along the river, the banks on either side of them are flat, making it difficult to ascend without support. So rescuers guided Lacy downstream and under a bridge to an area with less steep banks in the hopes that she could climb out.
Along the way, CSU Veterinarian staff provided recommendations and answered questions about how to keep Lacy calm and safe. However, by the end, an exhausted Lacy did not have the strength to exit the water on her own even with assistance. After a short attempt, Lacy laid down.
To make things easier, the rescue team gave Lacy a mild sedative, wrapped ropes and straps around her body and then hoisted her out of the water. PFA said their plan "worked perfectly" as they pulled "Lacy safely on shore."
Out of the water, the CSU medical team immediately checked Lacy's vital and gave her additional care. "Lacy was able to stand once the mild sedation wore off," PFA said. "She suffered several cuts and scrapes on her legs but seemed to quickly put the rescue behind her with the help of some fresh hay and loving strokes."
