Mud-Mired Horse Airlifted to Safety

SYLMAR —  A 6-year-old horse stuck chest-deep in mud in Wilson Canyon Park was rescued Wednesday, thanks to the work of about 60 police officers, sheriff’s deputies, firefighters, a Los Angeles city Animal Services team and a helicopter crew.

After the four-hour ordeal, the only place the mud-coated horse--named Destined--was destined for was a bath.

Lil Judd of Sylmar was riding Destined about 11 a.m. in what she thought was a dry, solid creek bed in the park, part of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, when Destined stepped into a soft spot. Moments later, the horse was chest-deep in mud and sinking.

“I thought, ‘My God, he’s in quicksand,’ ” she said. “I got off him, but I couldn’t help him out--he’s 1,600 pounds and I’m just not strong enough.”

Judd said she placed branches beneath the horse to keep him from sinking farther and began screaming for help, but no one heard her. She ran to a nearby trail and found several trainers from Sylmar-based Guide Dogs of America, who were schooling their dogs.

“She said, ‘My horse is sinking,’ ” said Thom Brumley, an apprentice trainer for Guide Dogs of America. “It’s the last thing you expect to hear.”

Several members of the guide dog group were joined by police officers and firefighters who tried to pull the horse out with ropes. At one point Destined was on his side in the mud as people tried to comfort him and hold his head out of the mud.

Veterinarian David Ramey sedated the horse and animal control officers tied a sling around him as a helicopter hoisted Destined out of the muck. It took two tries, but finally the horse was carried about 100 yards to safety and walked to higher ground.

Ramey treated Destined for scrapes on his right rear leg and medicated the horse’s eyes to clean out mud and bacteria.

Relieved the ordeal was over, a disheveled and mud-splattered Judd stroked her horse.

“Give Momma a kiss,” she said, adding that she planned to walk Destined home, where he was expected to relax in his barn for most of the day, eating hay.

After that, a bath.

Judd said she has ridden in the area many times and that there were no signs warning of deep mud. “I’m amazed at all the people who showed up and helped,” Judd said.

Lt. Tim Goffa of the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services said a team of rescuers performs practice drills once a month in which it rescues a plastic horse using a harness and sling.

The practice has been put to good use: Wednesday’s rescue marked the second time in less than three weeks that city officials have rescued a horse in distress. On Feb. 24, a 7-year-old horse was rescued by helicopter from an island in Tujunga Wash in Shadow Hills.

A Fire Department official estimated the price tag of that rescue at $10,000 in wages for members of the department’s Swift Water Rescue Team and 36 firefighters from nearby stations, plus the operational cost of two helicopters.

Officials said they could not estimate the cost of Wednesday’s operation, but said Judd would not be charged for it, courtesy of the taxpayers.

“We just absorb it, I guess,” said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Bob Collis. “We may consider [charging people] as it becomes more common.”