Horse Rescued From Muddy Waters in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA -- Cherokee County's Large Animal Rescue Team has saved another horse from another treacherous situation.

A horse was pulled from a "swamp like area" late Monday morning from property in the 1400 block of Fletcher Drive near Ball Ground, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Service said Monday.

Crews with the rescue unit were dispatched to the call around 10:30 a.m. They arrived on the scene to find the back portion of the horse and its head sticking out of the muddy waters, the fire department said.

Team members placed walking boards around the horse so they could attach a harness around the horse.

“The mud around the horse makes it more difficult for the rescue team to pull him out because of suction," said Special Operations Chief Darrell Mitchell. "Because of this, air was piped in around the horse to help in releasing him from the suction.”

Firefighters grabbed the harness and were able to pull the horse out of the water and onto a large mat. Moments later, the horse was able to stand on all fours and was later checked out by a local veterinarian. The horse was in stable condition.

It took about two hours for the operation to produce successful results, Cherokee County fire said. Mitchell added this was the team's 30th rescue since its inception.

Images via Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services