image via – youtube.com
More than 200 horses were surprised by a heavy storm in the northern part of the Netherlands. Water rose and surrounded a small piece of land leaving the horses stranded. Despite the sustenance provided by firemen and animal rescuers, close to twenty horses drowned or died from sun exposure or exhaustion in the three days that they were stuck on the tiny sliver of land.
Wind and icy rain tortured the horses as they huddled together with their rears against the weather. Boats failed by getting caught in the sand in attempts to reach the horses, but nonetheless 20 horses, including small and vulnerable foals, were relieved in the first rescue. One the third day, after the water had resided somewhat, a new approach became feasible.
A group of women with horses would use their animals to try to lure the helpless horses off of the deathly island. A 1 to 2 meter deep escape route was set in place by local firemen between drainage channels and submerged barbed wire fences. The frightened horses panicked as the women approached, scattering in all directions but with little place to go.
Once they got close enough to provide some guidance, the mass of stranded animals recognized the opportunity and formed into a stampede. People on all sides of the group stood to nudge the horses in the right direction and slowly, few by few, the horses trampled through the deep water to march to their recovery.
Whinnies and neighs filled air, making the feat even more magnificent to witness as they succeeded in reaching dry land.
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