Firefighters hoist horse stranded in backyard swimming pool

March 3 (UPI) -- Firefighters in Britain responded to a home to rescue a horse that had fallen into its owner's swimming pool and was unable to get itself out.

The Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said a truck crew from the Oakham Fire Station and a specialist animal rescue team from Southern Fire Station responded to the Knossington, England, home Friday morning on a report of a horse stranded in a backyard swimming pool.

A veterinarian from Oakham Veterinary Hospital Equine was also called to the scene to monitor the horse during the rescue.

Firefighters arrived to find the horse had fallen through the cover of the pool, which the crews removed with assistance of the property owner.

The horse was found standing uninjured in the shallow end of the pool, but the animal was unable to climb the stairs to get out of the water.

The horse was sedated and the rescuers used a harness and a tractor to lift the horse back to solid ground. The animal was examined by the veterinarian before being returned to its stable.