Source: ABC News

A horse that had been put out to pasture had to be rescued when a sinkhole opened up in the Florida pasture, trapping him.

Nate, a 30-year-old horse, was stuck in the hole for about three hours last Friday before personnel from the fire department in Oxford, Florida, arrived to put straps and harnesses around him and hauled him out.

“He was in the ‘retirement pasture,’ and we believe the ground just collapsed underneath him,” Maryann Marsh, co-owner of TMMA Farms told ABC News. “He was lucky enough to almost be in a sitting position in the hole, which is why he didn’t break any legs.”

Marsh said she recruited a handful of neighbors to try to pull Nate free, but the effort failed, partly because the horse’s feet had fallen asleep. Marsh called the 9-1-1, which brought the help of the fire department. With the additional bodies and straps, Nate was yanked free.

Nate is one of three horses on the alpaca farm, including his “best friend” Hershey, a retired party pony, and more than 40 alpacas.

Marsh said Nate is doing “very well,” and just had a back swollen leg.

“[Hershey] was very concerned through the whole process,” Marsh said.