Upside Down Horse Rescued From Ditch

MILPITAS, CA — An upside down horse stuck in a ditch was safely rescued in the hills above Milpitas Sunday night, according to the Santa Clara County Fire Department. The horse suffered minor scrapes and was able to walk away on its own after it was hoisted to safety.

The fire department responded with specialized equipment including rescue glides, or slip sheets. The fire department describes them as specialized sheets of plastic used to slide a large animal along a rough surface.

Just because they had the right equipment doesn't mean it was an easy task. The rescuers reached the animal around 6:15 p.m. and labored long after sunset. The horse was finally on its feet around 10 p.m. and led back to its own stall.

Helping with the rescue were a county fire team, Santa Clara County Animal Care and Control, Santa Clara County Large Animal Evacuation Team, Spring Valley Volunteer Fire Department, and CAL FIRE.

-Photos via Santa Clara County Fire Department