He began repeatedly biting Beatrice’s neck and lifting her head up. (Picture: DonaldMacintire/ BNPS)

A horse was caught on camera reviving his stablemate after she collapsed and was about to be put down.

Beatrice the shire horse as found collapsed in her stable after suffering equine colic or severe abdominal pain.

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Her owners spent six hours trying to get her to her feet, as due to her sheer weight and size, the longer she remained grounded, the more at risk she was of succumbing to fatal organ failure.

Owners Donald MacIntyre and wife Jane Lipington and four farm workers desperately tried to stand the one tonne creature up but she was too heavy.


They even used a strap tied to a tractor to try and pull the limp horse to safety but that didn’t work either.

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They even used a strap tied to a tractor to try and pull the limp horse to safety but that didn’t work either. (Picture: DonaldMacintire/ BNPS)

Due to the severe pain she was in and her heart rate and blood pressure rising to near-fatal levels, the couple were forced to give the 16-year-old horse a deadline of when she would have to be put down.



And with 20 minutes to go, Ms Lipington remembered Beatrice’s companion Beau needed to be let out and opened his stable door for him.

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However, instead of going into the yard the stallion made a bee-line for his stablemate and lowered his head and neck over the partition wall.

He began repeatedly biting Beatrice’s neck and lifting her head up.

To the astonishment of the people watching, the action forced Beatrice to roll over on her other side and then stand up.

She has since made a full recovery.

To the astonishment of the people watching, the action forced Beatrice to roll over on her other side and then stand up. (Picture: PhilYeomans/ BNPS)

Ms Lipington, 60, said: ‘It is absolutely astonishing. We were prepared to lose her and had arranged for her to be put down but Beau knew what to do.

‘We let him out in the yard for a walk about but he marched across the intervening stable and leaned over the partition and started nipping at her, getting hold of her halter with his teeth and shaking it.

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‘He then lifted her head up and lifted her into a more upright position.

‘We all watched with amazement. He lifted her so that her chest and legs came up off the ground, with a little encouragement from us she got shakily to her feet and we quickly walked her out into the yard trying to stop her falling down.

‘As we were walking her we phoned to cancel her being put down. It was that close. Our vet was astounded.

‘We are used to seeing extraordinary interactions between the horses but we have never witnessed a horse saving another’s life.

Beatrice with her foal fathered by Beau (Picture: DonaldMacintyre/ BNPS)

‘Beau achieved what six hours of human endeavour with straps and machinery had failed to – he managed to lift Beatrice up off the floor which has allowed her to live on.’

The couple have 23 shire horses on their farm in Langridge, near Bath, Somerset, and breed the rare species.

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Beatrice and 11-year-old Beau have been mates for four years.

Mr MacIntyre, 68, said: ‘I haven’t seen anything like it before.

‘They are long term companions and Beau was well aware of what was going on in the stable next door.

‘The first chance he had when he was let out he went straight for her to help.’