Firefighters rescue upside-down horse from creek bed

Feb. 8 (UPI) -- California firefighters teamed with animal control officers to rescue a horse that fell into a creek bed and was stuck upside-down.

The Orange County Fire Authority said firefighters assisted Orange County Animal Control with the rescue Tuesday in San Juan Capistrano after the 13-year-old horse, named Honor, wandered away during a cleaning and slipped down a steep hill behind his owner's property.

Capt. Marty Driscoll of the Orange County Fire Authority told KABC-TV he and other firefighters "made our way down to the horse who was initially upside down, so he was kind of belly-up and in a tough position."

The creek bed was "about waist-deep at the deepest point, so that could have been a lot more challenging if there was water flowing," Driscoll said. "But this is something we train for with the [Urban Search and Rescue] program."

Honor was sedated and firefighters used chainsaws to clear bushes holding the horse in place.

The horse was eventually able to stand up and walk away.

"He walked out. He wasn't limping," Driscoll said. "So as far as I can tell, those are good signs."