A horse who swam 800 metres out to sea off a beach in Kent, in England, had to be rescued by a lifeboat crew.



The Walmer lifeboat brings Shallimah back to shore from the sea off Sandwich Bay. © RNLI/Adam Cowell The Walmer lifeboat brings Shallimah back to shore from the sea off Sandwich Bay. © RNLI/Adam Cowell

Coincidentally, one of the beach onlookers, who happened to be cycling by, was Admiral the Lord Boyce, chairman of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The horse, named Shallimah, had been spooked by a wave and headed seaward after unseating his female rider.

She swam after him and tried to get him to shore but abandoned her efforts because of the risk.

The Walmer Inshore Lifeboat was put to sea shortly after 3.50pm on Tuesday after reports came in of the drama unfolding off the Sandwich Bay Sailing Club.

The service scrambled after numerous 999 calls were made to Dover Coastguard reporting a rider and a horse in difficulties.

Helped by good conditions, the crew in the D-class lifeboat reached the scene in 15 minutes.

When the lifeboat crew arrived on the scene, Shallimah was about 800 metres offshore and was starting to tire.

The crew managed to attach a line to his bridle. Then, with careful coaxing and excellent boat-handling, the crew persuaded and assisted Shallimah back towards the shore.

Once in shallow water the lifeboat crew, with help from Coastguard rescue officers, were able to walk him ashore to be reunited with his very grateful owner.

The crew was surprised to learn hat Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and chairman of the Royal Navy Lifeboat Institute, Admiral the Lord Boyce, was among the onlookers watching and photographing the incident from the beach.

He had been enjoying a cycling trip out from his official residence at Walmer Castle when he came across his local crew in action.

Walmer lifeboat helmsman Andrew Howland said: "This was one of the most unusual and most satisfying rescues I've carried out whilst a lifeboat crew member.

"Leading a horse to water is one thing but persuading it to come out again is a completely different issue."