Watch rescue miracle as horse is dragged free from horror 4m ditch fall

Local SES say they’ve never been involved in a rescue like it, and for horse owner Laura Wayshner, she went from thinking her fallen horse was ‘in his grave’ to back getting cuddles in a few hours. Watch the amazing vision here:

It is the story that has left many people who witnessed still astonished there was a good outcome.

But thankfully for Laura Wayshner, the combination of people including neighbours, workers, SES and local vets made what could’ve been a horror story into an amazing outcome.

It all started when her horse Slash came whinnying to Laura Wayshner’s back gate at Mororo around 6.30am Thursday, she thought it unusual his best mate Russell was nowhere to be seen.

After calling him for five minutes for his morning feed, she heard him answer from down a gully.

On seeing him, her heart sank.

Russell – the 30 year old horse stuck in a gully after he slipped at a property in Mororo. Picture: Supplied.

Russell, the 30-year-old rescue horse had fallen into the gully after a piece of ground gave way, and he was on his side helpless, calling meekly for help.

“I thought that was it, I thought that’d be his grave,” she said.

“There was just no way he could get up, or get out.”

What happened next, over the course of four hours, is what she could only describe as a miracle.

She called Triple-000, and was transferred to the police, who sent members of the Maclean SES out.

Next door, there was an excavator, and while the owner of the block couldn’t operate it, he drove it over in preparation for someone to help dig a path to drag the horse out.

Frantically searching for others to help, Ms Wayshner found a man doing timber work who said he could operate the bobcat, and with the SES helping they attached straps around the horse and the rescue mission began.

Their mobile vet Dr Louisa Poutsma cancelled her appointments to come to the property and care for the horse, and over the course of four painstaking hours, they managed to free him.

“We just didn’t know whether he’d broken a leg, or two, and how long he’d been lying down there,” she said.

“But Louisa told us his heart was good and was monitoring his temperature … and bit by bit they dragged him up.”

Finally, Russell made it to the top of the makeshift ramp, kicked himself free a few times and stood up, exhausted but happy to see his rescuers.

“Oh, he gave me a big cuddle. He was there straight away,” Ms Wayshner said.

After the ordeal, the vet said Russell would be very sore for a few days, but should make a full recovery.

Ken Bailey from the Yamba SES team said that when the members of Yamba and Maclean SES arrived they knew it was going to be a challenge.

“It was the first large animal rescue for the four SES team members participating,” he said.

“As a team we came up with some ideas and some worked and some didn’t.”

Mr Bailey said they were fairly confident that the horse didn’t have any major injuries which was confirmed by the vet.

“It was a fantastic feeling when he stood up and seemed to be all good,” Mr Bailey said.

“What a relief for all concerned and to see the happiness of the owner was very rewarding.”

Ms Wayshner is incredibly grateful to all the people who came together to help her.

“I couldn’t hug them because of Covid,” she laughed.

“It was such an effort and it just seemed hopeless, but everything aligned in a perfect way.”

As for Russell, he’s still taking lots of hugs, with his best mate Slash one step away.