We know too well that mother nature can be quite unpredictable. For Nicole Graham, a seemingly peaceful ride on her horse Astro, with her daughter, turned into a living nightmare.
While riding on the beach in Melbourne, Australia, the tide changed and the sheer weight of Astro caused him to sink into the quagmire. The soft, boggy area of the sand threatened to swallow Astro whole.
Nicole acted swiftly and got off of Astro. She ran to her daughter and got her and her horse out of harm’s way but it took a lot of effort and a lot of time.
Nicole’s daughter was exhausted and crawled onto the beach, breathless. She was then able to call for help as her mom raced back to Astro. The 1100 pound horse only sunk deeper with each passing moment.
Source: Today
It wouldn’t be long before Astro was completely submerged in the quagmire that acted just like quicksand. Astro’s brave mother did the only thing she knew how…
…she held his head above the sand so he could breathe. She spoke to him and tried to calm him as best as she could. Their bond may just save his life.
Source: Today
By the time help arrived, Nicole began sinking too. Rescuers were at a loss when it came to the best approach. If they maneuvered Astro’s body incorrectly, they could seriously injure him.
They could also cause him to sink faster. Astro naturally panicked and each time he did, he sunk further down.
Thankfully a veterinarian showed up to help as well. He injected Astro with a sedative so he would stop moving as much.
Source: Today
Soon after, a helicopter arrived to pull Astro out of the mud but rescuers couldn’t get the rope around his body. He had sunk too deep.
Rescue workers, and Nicole, were racing against the clock because the tide was due to come in at any moment. If they didn’t get Astro out in time, he would surely drown.
Source: Today
The rescue workers then began to dig. But the sand was more like clay and again acted like quicksand. They were running out of ideas.
Then, by the grace of God, a hero showed up on four wheels.
The farmer was about to try to save Astro’s life. If he could pull the horse out before the tide came in, Astro would make it. But pulling him out had its risks too.
Source: Today
What happens next is too amazing to miss! To say Nicole is a loving mama is a vast understatement. The rescuers never gave up on Astro either. Every life is precious and this rescue is proof of that.
To see the nail-biting story, you have to check out the video below. Don’t forget to breathe!
Thank you to all who were involved in Astro’s happy ending!
