FIREFIGHTERS battled in vain for more than an hour to rescue a horse after it became stuck in a bog near Mold.
Specialist rescue teams were called to a field on Pinfold Lane, Alltami yesterday afternoon following reports that a distressed horse was trapped.
They managed to free the animal but sadly its condition meant it had to be put down by a vet.
Eyewitness and nearby resident Dr Nigel Mackintosh said: “Nobody is quite sure how long the horse had been stuck.
“Once it had been freed it seemed a bit perkier but its condition quickly deteriorated.
“The vet said it would have died within 10 minutes and had to put it out of its misery.”
Dr Mackintosh, 61, said a passer-by knocked on his door to ask if he owned the horses in the field opposite his home as one was in distress.
“I told them I didn’t but went to see what had happened and there was a young horse trapped in the mud,” he said.
“The fields have got very boggy recently and it was lying on its side and clearly quite distressed.”
Fire crews and RSPCA officers arrived at the field and attempted to rescue the animal.
“There were about 10 firefighters and half were in specialist suits because they were told the horse was in a ditch,” he said.
“The RSPCA covered the horse with straw and blankets because it was very cold.
“The fire service slid a hose under the horse and dragged it off the mud.”
A spokesman for North Wales Fire and Rescue said crews were called to the field shortly before 2pm.
“We sent a water rescue unit and an animal rescue unit, although that was not required,” he said.
“We requested a vet because a foal was stuck in the mud. The animal was released using a hose reel.”
When the RSPCA Inspector arrived firefighters had already managed to remove the piebald yearling pony from a muddy area next to a water trough.
The yearling is thought to have fallen over in the mud and was unable to get up again. The mud was about three to four inches deep.
It would appear it became exhausted and cold as a result of lying in the mud and the pony had to be put to sleep on the advice of a vet. It is not known if it had any underlying health problems.
The RSPCA is trying to trace the owner of the pony and has given advice to owners of other horses in the field to move them off for a few days to allow the muddy area to dry-up or to ensure the owners carry out regular checks.