Firefighters rescue fallen horse in North Reading

NORTH READING, Mass. -- Firefighters were called in to rescue a horse Tuesday from a barn stall.

An elderly horse named Snapper, who is housed at a barn on Duane Drive in North Reading, had fallen down in his stall and could not get up.

Barn workers called in the fire department because the longer Snapper stayed down, the more of a risk it was to his health.  

Firefighters cut a hole in the ceiling above the horse stall and lowered ropes to wrap around the horse. After four attempts, firefighters were able to stand the horse on his feet.

Snapper remained in the pulley system for a half hour while he got fluids and regained his strength. Firefighters gave Snapper oxygen and Gatorade. He was then walked outside to his owner.

This was the first horse rescue by the North Reading fire department in the last 15 to 20 years. The rescue took two hours.

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