Hawkesbury SES rescues horses from septic tanks

Hawkesbury SES rescued not one but two horses out of septic tanks on Thursday night.

A five year old, 850kg Clydesdale gelding crashed through into a plastic septic tank just before dusk at a property on Bells Road. He was literally up to his neck in number two. 

“On our arrival the young horse gave a major struggle and was able to get his two front legs over the edge of the tank,” the SES reported. “Rescuers then held the horse down in that position until the vet from Hawkesbury Equine Veterinary Clinic arrived.

“Once the horse was sedated our rescuers dragged him carefully up and out of the tank.” He only suffered a couple of scratches – and probably a dent to his dignity.

Incredibly, less than an hour later another call came through, from Oakville. This time it was a three year old stock horse, whom rescuers kept quiet until a vet from Agnes Banks Equine Clinic could sedate her.

“Rescuers used a front-end loader tractor to lift the horse up as a hauling team pulled her over the side of the tank,” the SES said.

The owner reported today her horse was still at the vet hospital and though nothing was broken she was still sore and needed lots of antibiotics and care.

But the animal hi-jinx weren’t over for the SES after the two horses – the third rescue was of a cheeky cockatoo which had escaped at Wilberforce.

Hawkesbury SES deputy controller David King said they enlisted the help of the local Rural Fire Brigade and hosed the cocky where he sat in a tree until his wings were very wet and the feathers stuck together. When he tried to fly, he flapped and flopped to the ground where they grabbed him and returned him to his owner.