Photo of horse being rescued from mud hole. (Marion County Fire District No. 1)

With their tall ladders, firefighters have been known to be called upon to rescue kittens trapped in trees. But what about horses stuck in mud holes?

Firefighters and volunteers helped to rescue a horse that had slid down an embankment and into a mud hole near Salem, Oregon, on Sunday. After three hours, the operation — which involved heavy equipment and the help of a veterinarian — was declared a success.

Missy the horse was rescued on Sunday. (Marion County Fire District No. 1)

The Statesman-Journal reports that the horse, named Missy, fell into heavy mud up to her sides. Missy was unable to move, and the owner called in the fire department for assistance. The team of rescuers worked for two hours before determining that heavy equipment would be needed to free the horse.

Missy was sedated by a veterinarian and pulled out of the mud by a front-end loader that belonged to a friend of her owner. Finally, Missy was safely returned to stable ground, according to the Statesman-Journal.

Missy the horse back on solid ground. (AP Photo/Marion County Fire District No. 1)

A press release provided by the Marion County Fire District says this isn't the first time the horse's owner, Robert Alexander Jr., called on rescue workers for help with a horse. Earlier this year, another horse got tangled in barbed wire. After the most recent rescue, Alexander said, "I knew if I called, the firefighters would be able to help us ... again."

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