Happy ending: Horse rescued after swimming 2 miles into the ocean

[dragonfly]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/17/us/california-horse-sea-rescue/index.html?iref=obinsite

(CNN) -- It was a sea rescue made for Hollywood: A horse in a photo shoot on a Southern California beach gets spooked and runs into the water, only to be rescued after swimming more than two miles offshore.


That's what happened to a 7-year-old white Arabian named William, said Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol Officer Ryan Kelly.


The drama unfolded Tuesday about 6:30 p.m. when the horse bolted from the beach in Summerland, just south of Santa Barbara, and ran into the ocean.


"The initial call came in as a missing horse," Kelly said.


Several more calls followed about a horse swimming out to sea.


Rescue personnel from the nearby Carpenteria Fire Department, along with state lifeguards, took to the water to search for the horse, and a helicopter was launched by Santa Barbara County's search and rescue team.


William was spotted more than two miles offshore in the Santa Barbara Channel, swimming toward oil rigs, according to an incident report.


"Firefighters were able to hook the animal's reins with a boat hook and bring it alongside a paddleboat," the report said. Floats were put under its neck to help keep its head above water.


Photos and video taken of the rescue show Kelly and others placing a tow line under the horse's saddle and securing it to the boat. Harbor patrol personnel and lifeguards appeared to take turns holding the horse's head up.


"It took about two-and-a-half hours to escort the horse back to dry land and into the hands of a vet," Kelly said.


The horse was taken to an animal clinic in the area and released back to the owner.

[Eviecorn]

WOW.  That horse swam two miles?  That's unbelievable!  I'm glad he's okay too, but dang, put him in the Iron Man triathalon!

[kaoskat]

Wow! I'm glad they were able to save him! Poor thing must have been really spooked!

[TornadoLovesMelody]

Wonder what spooked the horse into doing that =/

Glad the pony is ok

[lovesbabysquirmy]

What WAS that horse thinking?!  Geez... glad they were able to save him.

[invaderhorizongreen]

I saw this and am glad that horse is going to be ok , who knows what spooked them.

[Kiwi]

So glad it had a happy ending. Poor scared horse.

[Dyzarktarzk]

2 miles?!  That's a long way!  But I'm so glad they were able to rescue it =)

I wonder what scared it so much it think it was safer in the sea =S

[kittybethy]

Wow!! What a story!

[Beldarna]

That is some story! 2 miles? I wonder what it was that spooked him into that? Poor thing.

[lemontwist]

Yay horsie! I'm glad it's okay! That must have been some serious spooking going on or it to swim that far. I can't even picture a horse knowing ho to swim, lol.

[melodys_angel]

Thats amazing!

Im glad the horse is ok

[ZennaBug]

Oh my goodness, that is INCREDIBLE!  That poor horse must have been terrified to bolt and swim so far, I bet he was exhausted.  I can't believe he made it so far.  I'm glad they were able to rescue him, what a story 

[kiwimlp]

I bet it was exhausted!  Swimming is a lot of work for horses.  Glad everything turned out okay