Horse Rescued From Icy Mud Hole, Recovering Well

Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor

Nov 22, 2020 10:00 AM EST

On Monday, Fysik, an 11-year-old retired jumping horse, sunk and got stuck up to his neck in a hole of freezing muddy water. "He was shivering and I just knew when I saw him that there was no way I was going to be able to get him out of that myself," his owner, the operator of Adorado Nino Horse Rescue and Sanctuary near Leduc, Alta, Tracy Benkendorf, told CBC news.

Knowing that she couldn't do it alone, she called 911 and posted a picture of the horse on Facebook, asking if anyone knows what to do to help it. "I'm just absolutely beyond grateful for these people that came together in such an incredible, amazing way," she says about the firefighters, the RCMP, her neighbors, her veterinarian and some other people she didn't even know who arrived to help.

Read more and see Fysik standing strong and covered in blankets below!

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via Tracy Benkendorf

For a while, it seemed like the rescue wouldn't be possible, with two tractors getting stuck on their way to the site and hypothermia becoming more and more likely as time went on. At last, it was Vintage Towing who managed to rescue the poor freezing horse, using "a winch with straps wrapped around the horse's body" to lift the horse.
via Tracy Benkendorf

"The veterinarian, Dr. Angel Roberts, administered IV fluids, and the group tried to warm the horse with hotel blankets. Using a tilt trailer," this successful rescue was the result of many caring people working together, and we, as well as the horse's owner of course, are so thankful to them all. There were people who brought heaters, another brought a pizza, and Tracy says that she remembers seeing one of the towing company employees holding the IV fluid bag. "I'm so astounded by it, just how many people took the time out of their day to do that," she said.
via Tracy Benkendorf

Now, after managing to get up onto his legs once and falling, Fysik has stood up again, wrapped up in blankets, and has been standing firm since. Tracy is still worried about Fysik, but on Tuesday afternoon, a veterinarian has said that "things are looking up for Fysik." There's still some swelling on his legs and soft tissue damage, but he is expected to fully recover in 8-10 weeks.
via Tracy Benkendorf

We wish him good luck and send him all the strength we can, because a story as positive as this one is one we feel cannot end badly. He's a survivor, we totally believe that. For more feel-good rescue stories about survivor animals and their amazing rescuers, read about this owl that got its wings singed in a fire.