Colorado fire officials worked tirelessly to free a horse that was stuck in the mud on Friday night through to Saturday morning, Fox News reported.
The Castle Rock Fire Department responded to a call about a horse that needed rescuing in a Denver suburb but when they arrived at the scene they realized it was not going to be an easy job.
For starters, the distressed horse was buried up to its torso in a pit of mud that was located about 5 miles away from the main road, the department said in a post to Facebook.
Further complicating matters, first responders had to dig through falling mud to reach the horse, rope a sling around it and set up a rope system before pulling the animal out of the mud.
Once free, fire officials had to guide the horse up a 10-foot embankment.
The rescue operation took 12 people, including eight firefighters, CBS 4 noted.
"We would try to remove the mud and the water from him but he was just stuck in there, that vacuum that was created from it," said Lt. Jay Allen, a firefighter with the Castle Rock Police Department. "And so it took finally breaking that vacuum, that seal that was there for us to pop him up and out."
After two hours of hard work, they managed to get the animal to freedom, but firefighters decided to hang around until 4 a.m. to help the veterinarian administer fluids and medication to the horse, according to the Castle Rock Fire Department.
The act of kindness received widespread praise across social media, including from the horse's owner.
"We can't thank you all enough for your courage, innovative thinking, and long strenuous hours working in the dark and mud to bring our baby back to us!!!," said Tiffany Reid Flynn in a post to Facebook. "I have a new found admiration for all you do for humans, and animals!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you, we are eternally grateful for each and every one of you!!!"
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.