WAYLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Emergency responders rescued a horse from an pond near Wayland Friday, cutting out the ice that had trapped it before it could succumb to the freezing temperatures.

The Allegan County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to Mary’s Country Critters farm in Wayland Township just after 7 a.m. on a report of a horse stuck in the pond. It was unknown how long the horse, named Misty, had been in the water. 

“It had ice all the way around it and then just broke through the center, so the challenge was it couldn’t get back up on the ice to get out of the pond,” Wayland Fire Department Lt. Jim Stoddard, who was part of the team that responded, explained.

The crew moved quickly to find a way to get Misty out before hypothermia set in. Animal Control Deputy James Kimber, who was the first on scene, said he knew they needed to manage it while she was still alert and moving.

“The legs were starting to buckle and she was confused,” Kimber said. “Her whole body was shaking.” 

“We had a couple guys cutting the ice with the chain saw so we could pull the horse to the edge of the pond,” Stoddard said.

It took them less than half an hour to get Misty out of the water.

“We took the horse back to the loafing shed and put blankets on it so we could get it warmed up,” Stoddard said. 

Kimber credited the fast work of firefighters for saving Misty.

“They were heroes in my book… they all jumped in. Those guys had their dry suits on and they jumped right in the water with the horse,” Kimber said. 

Kimber said the horse has recovered and as of Tuesday was back out in the pastures with the other animals.