A horse that had become hypothermic after becoming stuck in thick mud in Riverside early Friday, Jan. 20, was quickly freed by a responding animal rescue team, according to officials.

The horse, which had become stuck in mud since about midnight, was rescued by HART (Horse and Animal Rescue Team) in the 6700 block of Mitchell Avenue, said Tyler Reynolds, a training captain for the Riverside City Fire Department.

Rescuers think the horse was lying down and once rain began to fall, the dirt turned to mud and the horse was sucked in, Reynolds said.

Members of the rescue team pulled the horse out of the mud shortly before 6:30 a.m. They had arrived only about 20 minutes before that, Reynolds said.

Rescuers tied the horse’s legs together and lifted it onto a sled and set it upright, Reynolds said.

The horse seemed stable when the team was leaving, Reynolds said, and the owner told rescuers she would follow up with a private veterinarian.

HART is a joint agreement between Riverside city police and fire services and the Riverside County Department of Animal Services, according to the release.

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