An early morning rescue operation for law enforcement and first responders in Tarrant County involved two departments, several tools, and tangled hooves on Friday.
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office said they received a call from a neighbor around 4 a.m. to the 10000 block of Alta Vista Road in North Fort Worth, where a horse was literally on his last leg-- the other three stuck in a cattle guard.
“It appears that at some point in the night he tried to jump it or did not see it, because it was a dark area, and he stepped into it and when he did, they sat about four to six feet into the ground, so he was stuck," explained Deputy Dalton Warren of TCSO livestock enforcement.
Deputies called the Fort Worth Fire Department to help.
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A deputy sedated the horse to keep him calm before officials tied his legs to prevent thrashing and injuries.
Firefighters then used tools, including the Jaws of Life, to pry the metal open and free the horse before helping to load him into a trailer and trotting him to the veterinarian.
Deputies said he only has minor cuts and scrapes and is receiving painkillers and antiseptic, but are monitoring the horse for the next few days.
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"For this horse to come out of this without a broken leg, or any major injuries, just some minor abrasions on him, this horse is very lucky," Warren said.
Fellow livestock deputy Patrick Starrett said the horse was especially lucky because he was on the side of a well-traveled road in the dark.
"When he laid down, his head’s in the road. So, he’s lucky that a car didn’t come by and just hit him also, just not seeing him," Starrett said.
Even though Starrett and Warren deal with animals daily as part of their job, they said this is the first call they've received of its kind-- and, luckily, an equine operation with a happy ending.
Deputies said they've found the horse's owner and the two should be reunited early next week.
They said they do not plan on citing this horse owner, but they will charge an impound fee.
