Firefighters rescued a dehydrated horse that got stuck after falling 30 feet down a hillside in the Sunland area of Los Angeles Friday, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
The 30-year-old horse named Sunny didn’t appear to be injured but was having trouble getting back up after getting stuck on private property near the 11300 block of North Oro Vista Avenue shortly before 7 a.m., officials said.
LAFD officials said the horse may have possible fallen at about 3 p.m.
After two unsuccessful attempts to get the approximately 1,000 pound horse back up, the department said Sunny would have to be hoisted up with a helicopter.
Video showed firefighters crowding around the brown horse as he lay on his side in the patchy hillside. At one point, the responders were seen attempting to pull the horse up as it struggled and then collapsed.
One of the animal’s hind legs appeared lodged in the dirt.
LAFD said Sunny was medicated and strapped with specialized equipment to prepare for the long rope hoist.
At about 10 a.m., aerial video from Sky5 showed an LAFD helicopter lifting the horse up and carrying him to a nearby corral, where he was lowered on his side.
Officials said the horse was taken back to his corral and was examined by a vet, who said Sunny was not injured and was just dehydrated, according to the fire department.
Sunny was given IV fluids to help with his recovery and was seen been walked around the corral.