A woman desperately clung to her horse, Astro, for 3 hours as he became trapped in mud, trying to prevent him from drowning.
Nicole Graham made every effort to keep her horse calm while the mud’s grip intensified and the ocean water crept closer.
Astro, a 400 kg horse, got stuck in the mud following a ride in Melbourne, Australia.
During the incident, Paris, Nicole’s daughter, also had her horse stuck in the mud. While Nicole successfully freed Paris’ horse, Astro remained trapped.
Efforts to free Astro only worsened the situation, leaving Nicole to maintain composure until help arrived.
Paris sought help, Astro was sedated, a harness was attached to him, and a tractor successfully extricated the horse from the mud.
Nicole, who owns 10 horses, recounted the extensive three-hour process to bring Astro to safety.
“It was terrible and heartbreaking to see my horse so exhausted,” Nicole expressed to Daily Mail.
She added, “I’ve been riding horses for 20 years and I’ve never encountered any issues. The path was never this muddy; I didn’t perceive any warning signs.”
Fire Lieutenant Roger Buckle, who led the rescue operation, likened the mud to “quicksand.”
Thankfully, Astro only suffered from dehydration and muscle soreness, with no severe injuries.
“Many horses wouldn’t have survived, and I believe that without Nicole’s deep understanding of her horse and her prompt actions, the chances of survival would have been significantly lower,” commented veterinarian Stacey Sullivan.
I’m relieved that Nicole could keep Astro calm until the rescue. One can only imagine the fear the horse must have experienced in such a situation.
Let’s raise awareness about this remarkable horse and the bravery shown by its owner.
