Horse falls into 12-foot deep sinkhole in Montana horse pasture, dramatic photos show
A sinkhole opened up inside a horse pasture in Montana — and swallowed one of the horses, photos show.
It took a team of firefighters, veterinarians, tow truck drivers and even excavators to dig the horse out, Central Valley Fire District said on Facebook.
Dispatchers received the call for help in an area outside Bozeman just before 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, the district said in the post.
“Initial information from Gallatin County 911 provided that a 1,200 pound horse had fallen into a hole that (had) opened up in their pasture,” the district said. “The horse was reported to be in good condition, but trapped in a hole that was reported to be 10 to 12 feet deep.”
Nine rescuers, including a battalion chief, two fire engines and an ambulance, joined forces with a tow truck driver and excavation contractor to dig the horse out, the district said.
The homeowner called a large animal veterinarian and they got to work.
Dramatic photos show how excavators dug a new hole nearby and opened a trench between the holes so the horse could climb out on its own.
No one was injured during the rescue, and the horse appeared to be mostly unscathed, according to reports.
Photos show the horse standing outside the hole with its owners, completely caked in dirt and mud but otherwise unharmed.
“It’s pretty — really unbelievable that the horse came out of this without any major injuries,” owner Randy McDowell told KRTV. “He’s at the vet right now, but doing OK, I think.”
He told the station how he made the shocking discovery that the horse named Ziggy was literally inside a hole in the horse pasture. He noticed the horse was missing when he was feeding the rest of the herd.
“I stumbled across a hole in the ground that had some steam coming out of it, and by that time it was getting pretty dark. So I went and got a flashlight and I could see the horse in the hole,” he told the station. “It was a complete shock.”
This story was originally published February 2, 2024 at 2:22 PM with the headline "Horse falls into 12-foot deep sinkhole in Montana horse pasture, dramatic photos show."
