It probably started out a fairly ordinary day in Mororo for "Russell" the senior rescue horse. At around 30 years of age he was the equivalent of a fit and healthy 85 year-old man.
No one was around to see it happen last week, but moving along the edge of a steep gully Russell stepped on a weak section of the rim, ground collapsed underneath his feet and he fell.
He dropped 4 metres ending up on his side unable to move.
When he didn't come when called for his morning feed his owner began calling louder and heard his faint reply.
On discovering the situation she quickly phoned Triple 0, where police control contacted the SES and wheels were set in motion to raise poor Russell up the steep incline.
It took four SES members, a neighbour with an excavator, a man working in nearby paddocks and the mobile vet from Grafton four difficult hours to bring him up.
The story had the happiest of endings.
Russell sustained no serious injuries, was quickly on his feet and reunited with his owner.
IMAGES: The Daily Telegraph. Original story in The Daily Telegraph, 5 September 2021.
