When we shared Simon's story, we mentioned using a technique called a forward assist to help free him from the muddy area where he had become trapped. It's not a term every horse owner is familiar with, but it's one worth learning about before an emergency happens.
We certainly don't consider ourselves experts in technical large animal rescue. However, over the years we've learned that horses can find themselves in situations where simply encouraging them to stand or pulling on a halter isn't enough. Knowing that different rescue techniques exist, and where to find reliable information about them, can be valuable in an emergency.
A forward assist is a technique used in large animal emergency rescue to help move a horse forward when it cannot safely do so on its own.
It may be useful when a horse is trapped in mud, has become stuck on an incline, or is down in a location where it needs help reaching safer ground.
Rather than pulling on the horse's head or neck, rescuers use wide, strong webbing positioned around the horse's body. Depending on the configuration, the webbing is arranged around the chest and shoulder area, with the pulling connection directed forward between the front legs. This allows rescuers to apply controlled forward assistance without relying on the horse's head and neck to bear the pulling force.
The goal isn't necessarily to lift the horse or force it to stand. Sometimes the immediate objective is simply to move the animal out of danger and onto ground where it has a better chance of recovering.
There isn't just one way to configure a forward assist. Technical rescue training describes several variations, including simple, cinch or lark's-foot, and Swiss-seat configurations.
The appropriate method depends on the horse's position, the available equipment, the terrain, and whether the animal can contribute to its own movement. Other rescue techniques, including sideways drags, backward assists, and specialized lifting equipment, may be more appropriate in different circumstances.
One particularly important consideration in mud rescues is suction.
When a horse sinks into deep, saturated mud or clay, the material can form a tight seal around its legs or body. This creates resistance that can make extraction much more difficult and potentially dangerous. Pulling harder isn't necessarily the answer, because the trapped limbs may be subjected to significant force.
Technical rescue teams may use specialized equipment, including mud lances that introduce air or water around trapped limbs, to help release suction. In other situations, carefully removing mud from around the horse may help reduce resistance.
Not every mud rescue involves significant suction. The depth, consistency, and location of the mud all matter. But recognizing when suction may be present is an important part of assessing how to safely move a trapped animal.
Improperly positioned straps, excessive pulling force, or poorly coordinated movement can injure a horse or the people trying to help. This is why technical rescue training emphasizes assessing the entire situation before attempting an extraction.
When Simon became trapped, he was lying in a patch of clay with one hind leg positioned lower than the rest of his body, in a depression filled with sticky clay. His leg remained visible, with only a couple of inches of clay covering parts of it, but the slippery ground and his existing neurological problems prevented him from freeing himself.
Before moving him, we spent time trying to position a tarp beneath and around him to help prevent further sinking and try to reduce surface tension. We gathered help, brought in a tractor, and I reviewed the forward assist procedure to make sure we understood how to position the straps. While waiting for help to arrive, I repeatedly watched a video of Dr. Rebecca Gimenez Husted demonstrating the correct procedure for performing a forward assist. I was familiar with the technique, but wanted to refresh my understanding of the strap placement and procedure before attempting it with Simon.
We were able to move Simon forward slowly and without significant resistance. We didn't encounter obvious suction during the extraction, although it's something we've since been learning more about.
Once he was on firmer ground, we hoped he would be able to stand. Unfortunately, despite our efforts to warm him, support him, and help him rise, he was unable to get up. His existing neurological problems and additional injuries ultimately led us to make the difficult decision to let him go.
The forward assist accomplished our immediate objective of getting him out of the clay It couldn't change the underlying medical problems that made recovery unlikely.
Dr. Rebecca Gimenez Husted is a leading educator in Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue (TLAER). Her educational work has helped veterinarians, first responders, and horse owners better understand the challenges and dangers of rescuing large animals.
The video I reviewed during Simon's rescue demonstrates the forward assist procedure and is a useful starting point for understanding the technique:
Forward Assist demonstration by Dr. Rebecca Gimenez Husted
Additional educational resources include:
We encourage horse owners, rescue organizations, and emergency responders to become familiar with these resources and seek hands-on training whenever possible.
Watching a demonstration isn't the same as being trained to conduct a technical rescue. Horses are large, powerful animals, and even a horse that is exhausted or unable to stand can move suddenly. Rescuers can be seriously injured, and tractors, ropes, and other mechanical equipment introduce additional risks. Whenever possible, an experienced large-animal rescue team and veterinarian should be involved.
We certainly never expected to need a forward assist that morning, but knowing the technique existed gave us another option when Simon couldn't free himself. Having access to reliable training resources helped us make decisions and coordinate the people who came to help.
We hope sharing what happened encourages other horse owners to become familiar with large animal rescue techniques before they're faced with an emergency of their own. It's something we wish we'd never needed to learn firsthand, but we're sharing it because we know how quickly an ordinary morning can turn into an emergency.