Rescuers saved a horse that plunged through the ice of a pond in upstate New York by coming together in a heroic effort to extract the animal from the icy waters.
Footage captured by body cameras of the responding officers documented the dramatic rescue of Sly, a 1,300-pound (590-kilogram) horse, which became stuck in a hole in the ice late Monday afternoon. The video features the Saratoga Springs police and local neighbors straining and coordinating their efforts to pull Sly to safety, with shouts of encouragement echoing around the scene urging, “One, two three, pull!” and “C’mon, baby. We got ya!”
The horse’s owner, Ali Ernst, recounted how she observed her three horses enjoying themselves on the pond upon returning from work, something the animals often did. However, on looking back, she found that her 22-year-old quarter horse had broken through the ice and was trapped.
In a rush for assistance, Ernst contacted emergency services and ran to the struggling horse, holding onto Sly’s halter to keep his head above water until help could arrive.
“I was losing the battle to keep him above water alone,” she shared during a phone interview on Wednesday.
Officer Kyle Clinton was the first to the scene, assisting Ernst in ensuring Sly’s head stayed above the ice to prevent further danger. As time passed, the scene filled with more responders, including additional officers, neighbors, and family members who were eager to help.
The rescuers first attempted to secure a rope around the halter on Sly’s head. Soon, with roughly nine individuals contributing, they managed to attach three ropes to Sly, according to Ernst.
“I threw all the rope in the hole and just started pulling it back in sheer hopes that I caught a hind leg, and I did, and we all just started to pull,” she explained.
Once Sly was free from the icy confines, he spent several moments before managing to stand. He was then taken to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital, where Ernst works as a technician.
After an initial period of hypothermia, Sly showed enough recovery by Wednesday to return home, where the days of playing on the ice are now over.
“There’s an electric fence up around the pond now,” Ernst commented, emphasizing the increased safety measures to prevent future incidents.
