Blind horse winched out of Colorado irrigation canal

A 20-year-old blind horse that escaped its pen and fell into a large irrigation canal was pulled from the fast-moving waters at the end of a three-hour operation Saturday north of Fort Collins.

The effort required cooperation of swiftwater rescue personnel, firefighters and veterinarians.

"Seeing her stand up was such a happy moment for everybody," said Poudre Fire Authority's Annie Bierbower.

Clearly, based on how "Lacy" had collapsed on the bank of the canal in exhaustion, the happy ending was not a certainty.

Lacy is normally housed in a safe area. But she escaped through "a series of odd events that led to her corral being compromised," Bierbower explained.

The fire department was called at 9:52 a.m.

A firefighter trained in swiftwater rescue immediately jumped into the chest-high water to get a halter on Lacy and calm her down. She still walked the firefighter across the waterway several times, Bierbower stated. Lacy was given a mild sedative to reduce her panic.

A veterinarian advised against lifting the horse straight out of the water at that time. Lacy was then walked downstream and under a bridge. On the other side, the bank of the canal was less steep and she had a chance to walk out on her own.

But after one try, she was done, Bierbower said. Lacy laid down against the bank and closed her eyes. The sedative may have contributed, but Bierbower believed Lacy was exhausted from the struggle in the cold water, too.

The team went to work securing large straps around her, placing them as guided by the Colorado State University veterinarians. The straps were attached to a winch on one of the fire department's brush trucks. Lacy was placed on a large piece of sheeting and dragged up the bank.

Once back on dry land, veterinarians immediately checked her vital signs and began treatment.

Minutes later, however, Lacy stood and responded to fresh hay and compassionate pats.

Lacy suffered cuts and scrapes to her legs, but is otherwise unhurt.