A sizable 17-year-old Clydesdale draught horse fell into a muddy quagmire in a Kansas ravine on Tuesday, May 2, and required rescuing from Butler County Animal Response Team (BuCART) members.
Amid drought conditions throughout large parts of the state, lakes and waterways have become soupy mud hazards for livestock seeking reprieve from the dryness and heat.
That would include Chrome, the 17-year-old Clydesdale who lives on a property in Sedgwick County, discovered in a predicament by his owner at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The impressive, 2,300-pound draught horse fell into a dried-up lake and became trapped. With two-thirds of Chrome’s body sunken into thick mud, his owner, Matt Menges, called for help.
A veterinarian arrived and found Chrome in stable condition while BuCART rescuers set out at around 4 p.m. to free the enormous equine.
Despite the area’s inaccessibility, they managed to get their gear onsite, where they found Chrome immobile and began rescue efforts.
Cooperating with fire department Chief Hensley and veterinarian Dr. Hodes, they set a plan into motion:
A rescue glide was deployed and, using fore-mounted rescue straps and protective headgear on Chrome, they heaved the huge horse onto the glide. Then securing it with ropes connected to a pulley system, the animal was pulled safely to dry ground.
The entire response and rescue lasted about eight hours.
Sedatives and IV fluids were administered, allowing Chrome time to recover. Dr. Hodes recommended they turn the horse over onto his right and then left sides using straps.
As the sedation wore off, the animal made one unsuccessful attempt to stand. The second try was the charm, though. Crowds cheered as Chrome got back on his feet again.
“Dr. Hodes suggested he be offered a snack, which he happily ate,” BuCART co-coordinator Jenell Jessup told The Epoch Times.
Offering an update, she added, “Chrome is at home and doing well.”
He suffered an abrasion under his tail where rescuers initially tried to get hold of him. He also sustained a laceration on his leg from a stick lodged in the mud under him.
In light of the incident, Jessup offers a few words of advice.
“Livestock owners should be aware of hazards on their property—especially in pond areas due to the extreme drought in the state of Kansas,” she said.
“Muddy and boggy areas exist in ponds and lakes that are drying up. If possible these areas should be fenced off. The lake area on this property was fenced off. But Chrome decided to go through the fence.”
