‘A good outcome’: owners praise fire crews for rescue of Lincoln the horse, stuck in mud at Hordle

THE owners of a horse that became stuck in mud after a fall at Hordle have praised a team of firefighters who came to the rescue.

Lincoln, a 19-year-old warmblood breed, had got into difficulty at the site last Friday evening, and multiple crews responded to the call-out around 4.10pm.

Working alongside a local vet to ensure the 16-hand animal was safe, they used specialist equipment to free him from the mud.

The operation, which took more than three-and-a-half hours, involved animal rescue teams from Lyndhurst, Lymington, Winchester and Eastleigh.

Having been lifted out of the mud, Lincoln was handed over to his owners, the Boyds and Eastwoods, and safely back in his stable for Christmas.

The owners said afterwards: “A big thank you to all the firefighters and members of the animal rescue unit from Lyndhurst, Lymington and Eastleigh, and Matt from the Barn Equine Vets, in total 17 people, with all their specialist kit who came to our help on the evening of 22nd December in Hordle to rescue Lincoln, our 19-year-old homebred horse, from a fall in the mud.

“Our thoughts and thanks are mirrored by his brother Ludo. Fortunately, a good outcome thanks to all the teams’ collective efforts.

“Once again many thanks and all the best in 2024 for you all and your families.”

A Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Crews worked hard in difficult conditions using specialist equipment to remove Lincoln from the mud and relocate him to a nearby field where he could be fully assessed by the vet.”