What started as a lovely afternoon shoreline ride nearly ended in disaster for Nicole Graham.
A potentially deadly coastal accident, at the lips of a rising tide, led to a three-hour horse rescue that was captured on video.
Horse Falls into Hidden Mud Hazard
While riding with her daughter along the coast near Geelong, just south of Melbourne, the pair didn’t see the trouble that lay ahead until it was too late.
The low flowing sea tides left plenty of beach exposed for Nicole and her daughter Paris, but the women couldn’t see that the ground beneath their feet was not as firm as it looked.
Every trail rider is always on the lookout for ditches, holes or hazards.
On their frequently travelled coastal path, the two riders saw nothing out of place.
Appearances can be deceiving, as Nicole discovered in an instant, and the firm beach they were enjoying suddenly changed to a pit of liquified mud.
Her 18 year old show-horse, Astro, fell entirely into the boggy trap. Her daughter, on a smaller mount, fell at Nicole’s side.
Woman Attempts to Rescue Her Horse
Nicole struggled to free herself, crawling to Paris. The two of them were able to pull Paris’ horse out of the mire without help, but Astro had sunk to his chest in the unstable ground.
Desperate to help him however she could, Nicole tried to free him. The 1,100 pound horse continued to sink even farther as they struggled. Nicole refused to quit.
Paris raced back to their car to get help, and the local horse rescue effort began.
With the tide flow rising towards them, Nicole and Astro were both completely trapped. Keeping her wits about her, she used all of her effort to keep his head out of the mire.
The precarious situation grew more dangerous with each minute, as the ocean water rose closer and closer with every passing minute.
Fire Fighters Attempt to Rescue the Horse Stuck in the Mud
Veterinarian Stacey Sullivan arrived on scene to help, and sedated Astro to help keep him calm.
The fire brigade, with their strength in numbers, attempted many things to try to free Astro. They tried placing netting over the mud, fire hoses beneath him, but nothing was working.
Nicole, resolute in her care, remained steadfast in her attention to Astro throughout it all.
With a helicopter on standby, a local farmer volunteered his equipment to save the now exhausted horse.
No one was sure if they would be able to pull the horse out in time.
Fire lieutenant Roger Buckle, who was among a team of helpers, said: “It was like a quicksand.”
Rising Threat of the Sea
With Nicole, Stacey and the firemen helping, the farmer was able to finally pull a weary Astro from the pit, just as the tide was washing in.
After a check-over from Stacey, Astro was declared fit and uninjured. Signs of dehydration being the only ill-effects from the accident, the rescued horse was cleared to return home.
Nicole afterwards told reporters from the Daily Mail, “I’ve been riding here for 20 years and never had a drama. I’ve never seen any signs and didn’t realise it was so boggy.”
‘When I saw the dust from the rescue trucks I was so relieved. I was starting to get overwhelmed.”
Here is a video of the dramatic rescue:
Thanks to her grit, compassion, and good horse sense Nicole stuck by her companion and got everyone home safe and sound.
This kind of story does not always have a happy ending. Nicole Graham’s courage, in the face of deadly consequence, saved Astro’s life that day.
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