It is an extraordinary accident which took place Tuesday in the middle of the afternoon. A little girl was enjoying a horseback ride in a park on the banks of the Lignon in Poncins. His mother was by his side. Suddenly, while the animal was in the middle of the grass, a hole formed under its hooves. It would seem that an underground pipe gave way to the passage of the animal. It must be said that the mare weighs about 350 kg.
The horse fell almost vertically into the hole about fifty centimeters in diameter. So to speak, he found himself in a “standing” position. His rider was thrown to the ground, but did not suffer any injuries.
Only superficial wounds
Firefighters were called in. About twenty of them arrived on the scene, including the animal team from Montbrison and Saint-Étienne La Terrasse.
Personnel from several surrounding barracks were also present. Thanks to construction equipment lent by an individual, the relief dug all around the animal. They tried to make a slope so that the mare could climb out on her own. Without success.
The decision was made to lift the horse out of this bad posture. This was done without a hitch. According to initial findings, the horse only suffered superficial injuries. Once out of the hole, very nervous, the mare was given an anesthetic to be examined in detail.
It’s a real relief for the owner who followed the whole rescue operation. And for the firefighters who have successfully carried out an extraordinary operation.
