Firefighters used ropes and an improvised sling to rescue a 32-year-old horse who apparently fell down a steep ravine in south Escondido, authorities said Friday.
The rescue happened around 4:30 p.m. Thursday near Via Conejo, north of Lake Hodges, after the Escondido Fire Department received a call for help, Escondido fire officials said. The animal was on its side at the bottom of a ravine and unable to stand because of the steep terrain and rocks.
“With the assistance of a veterinarian and an officer from San Diego Animal Services, firefighters were able to improvise a sling and hoist the horse to level ground at the top of the ravine,” the officials said. “After a quick check by the veterinarian, the horse was able to walk back to its corral.”
Eight firefighters pitched in to help with the rescue, and nobody was injured. The 32-year-old horse is near the end of a typical horse’s life expectancy of about 25 to 35 years.