Rescuers Respond To Frantic Cries For Help, See Something In A Deep Well They Can’t Explain

If your pet is a dog or a cat, that’s a pretty big responsibility. If you own a horse, it becomes an even bigger one.

The one bright spot is that horses don’t usually get into the same types of trouble that a dog or cat might get into.

I mean, it’s not like your horse is likely to fall into a well or something. …right?

Amy Badge and her 12-year-old Irish sport horse, Foxy, shared a tremendous bond.

For years, Amy and Foxy would train endlessly so they could ride in country show-jumping competitions.

When Amy left for college at Bath University in England, saying goodbye to Foxy was harder than she ever imagined.

Thankfully, Amy’s parents were able to care for Foxy in their daughter’s absence.

Under their supervision, the horse could now enjoy semi-retirement after years of doing Amy proud in various competitions.

Foxy was enjoying her free time, until one day when disaster struck.

Amy was away at school, looking forward to coming home and riding her best friend. She had no idea the drama that was unfolding back home!

While exploring the grounds with her newfound freedom, Foxy slipped and fell into a three-foot-wide well opening that had only been covered with a thin plank of wood.

Frantic, her parents dialed emergency services.

Two fire teams arrived to try and save Foxy. Said Mark Edwards of Leicestershire Fire and Rescue’s Technical Rescue Team:

“We’d never seen anything like this before. It’s not a situation that we envisage, so you can’t train for it. 

You’d never think a horse could get into that position in the first place.”

The thought utmost in everyone’s mind was that no matter how hard they worked, it might still end tragically.

It seemed impossible that a fall like this could have been managed without breaking a leg. And, for a horse, a broken leg is a death knell.

That thought worried them but didn’t slow down anyone on the rescue team. They scurried about making a plan to try to save Foxy’s life.

“When we got there we could only see her head, neck, and front knees—everything else was submerged,” added Mark.

The two fire teams worked together to secure a belt around Foxy with the hopes that they could slowly lift her out of the well using a winch system.

While the rescuers were hopeful, they also weren’t naive.

No one knew how long Foxy had been in this situation or if shock would set in. For a horse, shock can be more deadly than the accident that caused it.

They believed the winch could work, but they also had a police officer with a gun standing by in case the worst case scenario became necessary…

The fire teams that responded to the Badge family’s call were doing their best to move slowly.

It went against all of their training, but most of these men were also farmers: they understood just how dangerous a horse call could be.

Little by little, inch by inch, minute by minute, Foxy’s head got closer to the surface.

She was a good girl and didn’t struggle. She seemed to understand that they were trying to help her.

Lifting her up to the surface of the well had been a real struggle, but it was nothing compared to the real challenge that lie ahead:

The entire team knew that it would be tough to move her to the ground once they successfully removed her from her narrow trap.

Spinal injuries were a distinct possibility if she flailed about while she was in midair. And of course, there was always the possibility of a broken leg at any point.

The first thing the men saw when Foxy began emerging from the well was a wound on a leg. This could mean bad news.

But their work never faltered. They intended to give her the very best possible chance.

They held their breath as Foxy finally slipped out of the hole…it was a little like watching the ground giving birth to a fully grown horse!

Once Foxy was out of the well and laid on the ground, the rescuers covered her head to keep her from panicking while they injected a sedative.

Foxy’s knee was fractured and infected so she would require a fair amount of treatment.

Worst of all,  Amy’s parents knew that they had to call their daughter and finally tell her about the entire ordeal.

When Amy received the news, she was devastated.

While she was relieved to learn that her beloved friend would survive, she shuddered to think of everything the poor horse had been forced to endure during the accident. And what might lie ahead for her.

Although Foxy was out of the well, she wasn’t out of danger.

As it turned out, the dirty water in the well had set up an infection in the injured leg and it spread quickly, leading to a joint infection.

Foxy had to spend eight weeks being treated at the Rossdales Equine Hospital. It cost a small fortune, but Amy and her parents knew it was well worth every cent!

Amy can’t believe how well her poor horse is progressing since her accident.

“It’s unbelievable how far she’s come in eight months.

She’s still a bit wary around crowds of people but apart from that she’s almost fully recovered.”

While Foxy might never compete again, she can rest assured that she has all of the love and devotion of Amy and of the entire Badge family.

The fact that they didn’t even hesitate to pay for everything the horse needed is proof of just how much they love their special friend!

Despite her run of bad luck, Foxy is a very lucky horse indeed!

Source: Honest To Paws