Plucky huntswoman takes plunge in dramatic bid to rescue fallen horse from reservoir

Dec 28 2007 by David Bartlett, Liverpool Daily Post

For one rider and horse taking part in the annual Holcombe Hunt Boxing Day event in Lancashire, the day ended in drama. Both rider and horse ended in Anglezarke Reservoir, near Rivington, Bolton. The horse slipped into the icy waters but the rider was determined not to let go. Both horse and rider made it to dry land and were not injured, after Lancashire Fire Brigade were called out from Chorley.

A YOUNG woman rider believed to be from Merseyside had a lucky escape after she jumped in a reservoir to save her horse that had fallen in during a hunt.

The woman and horse escaped serious injury in the dramatic incident on Boxing Day.

The horse had bolted as they rode through Lead Mines Clough, near Anglezarke reservoir at Rivington, near Chorley, with the Holcombe Hunt.

It crashed through trees, throwing off the rider, before skidding and falling into the water.

The woman then jumped in the icy water to attempt to pull it to safety.

They managed to haul themselves out of the water but had to be rescued from behind a dry-stone wall by firefighters.

Watch manager John Firth, from Chorley Fire Station, said: “The horse and the rider were already out of the water and on the embankment when we arrived.

“We dismantled part of the wall and led the horse and its rider to safety.”