Horse rescued from George pool
2012-05-30 17:42
Johannesburg - A horse that fell into a swimming pool in Hoekwil, near George, was rescued by a mechanical digging machine, the NSPCA said on Wednesday.
At 05:00 on Friday, the horse's owner Petra Buse discovered the horse in the swimming pool on her farm, inspector Salome Botha said.
The NSPCA received Buse's call for assistance around 10:30, after she and her farm workers had tried everything they could to rescue the frightened animal.
But the horse was exhausted and weak from the cold, and attempts to lead it up the pool stairs failed. The pool was drained and the fire department arrived to provide assistance.
"It took another two hours, a sedative for the horse and a nearby JCB [mechanical digging] machine, rigged expertly by our vet and [horse expert] Kathryn [van der Mesch], and the horse was hoisted to safety in a harness," Botha said.
- SAPA
