Dutch horses stranded - in flood. Updated !!

[Monty]

This is sad and scarey! :(

Dutch try to save trapped horses

Dutch rescuers are poised to make a fresh attempt to lead about 100 stranded horses off a tiny patch of land surrounded by flood water.
The horses are reported to be in good condition, despite having spent three nights knee-deep in water.

They were cut off in a meadow after a storm lashed Marrum, a town 145km (90 miles) north-east of Amsterdam.

So far 18 horses have drowned. Dutch media say feed and blankets have been taken to the herd by boat.

Firefighters aboard small boats ferried about 20 horses to safety on Wednesday, the Associated Press reported.


But an attempt to rescue the rest of the herd was later called off when the water level dropped in some places, meaning boats might get stuck.

Although horses can swim and the nearest dry land is only a few hundred metres away there are fears that some horses could get snagged on barbed wire.

The Dutch Party for the Animals has lodged a complaint with the police against the horses' owner in connection with the deaths of 18 horses.

The party says the owner failed to move the horses to safety despite a warning about the storm.

[Terry Wallace]

Well for gosh sakes I hope they are REMOVING the barbwire...

I saw those horses on the news all huddled together this morning.....chances are..they WILL try to swim for it..so I hope wire is being pulled and removed....

[Monty]

They got them off :D

Dutch rescue succeeds in saving horses

By PETER DEJONG
Associated Press Writer

AP Photo/PETER DEJONG

MARRUM, Netherlands (AP) -- Rescuers on horseback lured a stranded herd of about 100 horses off a mud-soaked knoll where they had been stranded for three days and led them through receding floodwaters to safe ground Friday.

Before they could be saved, 19 horses drowned or died of exposure from the days and nights on the earthen mound that was turned into an island during a storm Tuesday night.

The plight of the horses has riveted the country, which followed rescue attempts on television and in newspapers after the storm surge pushed sea water into the wilderness area outside the dikes of Marrum, a town 90 miles northeast of Amsterdam.

Four women on horseback guided the animals back, and the entire herd - except one horse - followed without hesitation.

One of the women fell into the brackish water during the ride back to higher ground about 650 yards away, but she was uninjured and remounted her horse to finish the job.

The remaining horse was led back later, escorted by riders. It collapsed after reaching shore, and was being attended by veterinarians.

Earlier in the day, firefighters and animal welfare officers had carefully mapped out the return route.

The storm lifted the North Sea waters as much as 13 feet above normal. Three days later it was less than 3 feet deep in most flooded fields, but up to 6 feet deep where they are crisscrossed with drainage channels.

Marrum's fire department floated or ferried around 20 horses, including the smallest foals, to safety with the help of small boats Wednesday, but rescue efforts later stalled.

Dutch television and newspapers showed dramatic images of the horses huddled together, their backs to the wind that was whipping up small waves in water surrounding their isolated island.

Marrum's mayor, Wil van den Berg, said helicopters were ruled out, as the noise and lights might have panicked the animals and caused more to drown.

The Netherlands' Party for the Animals said it has filed a complaint against the horses' owner, and the operator of the wilderness area where they were stranded, since the national weather service had put the country on alert for rising floodwaters early Tuesday.

The Agriculture Ministry ordered an investigation.

[Terry Wallace]

Gawd that is FANTASTIC!! Leave it to women to get a job done, that absolutely HAS to be done....

I salute them... Wish I could have been a part of that.....

WELL DONE LADIES! ;-)

[Brigitte]

Allright 4 WOMEN!!

Mentioning the Dutch. The queen is here to visit 8-)