Firefighters Rescue Horse from Snow Covered Swimming Pool

Spider the Horse Falls into Snow Covered Pool

Firefighters were called to rescue an 11 year old horse that had fallen through a snow covered swimming pool cover into a pool in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

The firefighters arrived to find the horse in the deep end of the pool shivering with cold and nervousness. After considering the rescue options the firefighters decided to cut through the ice and pool cover and lead the nervous horse to safety.

The horse had wandered out of his barn while nobody was looking. Unfortunately it had not been possible to shut the gates between the barn and the swimming pool due to the snow which also obscured the inground pool.

Spider the horse walked onto the surface of the pool which was protected with a high strength swimming pool cover. Advertisers of this particular pool cover proudly announce that it can take the weight of a small elephant. Unfortunately the high strength swimming pool cover wasn't strong enough to take the combined weight of both the snow and the horse.

There were fears that Spider would succumb to hypothermia as the pool heaters were no longer in use and the water was covered in a layer of ice. But firefighters were able to successfully return him to his stable in about half an hour. He'd suffered a few minor scratches on his feet and ankles but the biggest concern was hypothermia.

Spider the horse was dried and treated to a vigorous rub down and warmed up with propane heaters. It was clear that he had not suffered any seriously adverse affects from his cold, mid winter dip.

Pool owners are warned that their swimming pool covers may be able take a lot of weight but if there is already snow and ice on the cover and then it is walked on the additional weight can be enough to rip through the cover. Combine this risk with the camouflaging effect of the snow and you have an immediate danger. Pool owners are encouraged to fence off their inground swimming  pool to prevent accidents like this from occurring.

The best washing machines for your horse rugs

Good hygiene is paramount for the wellbeing of horses that are stabled in equestrian schools, and the correct cleaning of the material that comes into contact with the horses is extremely important.Your article has 10 sentences left that can be rewritten. In fact an immaculate horse blanket is a sure sign of a well cared for horse!This is particularly important when it comes to competitions when often great importance is placed on visual appearance. Washing horse blankets in a simple domestic machine will not be good enough. This is a specialist job that requires the right technology plus wash programmes. An onsite laundry within the riding school no doubt have many advantages. Laundry can be done as part of the daily routine thus ensuring equine smells will remain in the stable.
A great large capacity washing machine on the market which fits the bill is Miele. This offers washer-extractors with capacities of 7.5 to 32 kg with special wash programmes for horse blankets and accessories which are just perfect for equestrian schools. The machine has four special programmes for washing and also proofing horse blankets: a 30°C and a 60°C programme, a programme for delicates and one with a proofing phase included for waterproofing. These machines can handle halters, girths, bandages, saddlecloths and similar textile items which are not always readily accepted by commercial laundries.
Laundry is ready for use in less than an hour. These machines have high spin speeds therefore drying times are greatly reduced.
A great machine for equestrian schools would be the Miele PW 6101 washing machine with a PT 7251 tumble dryer. These can cope with 1 winter blanket and 2 summer blankets or even up to 7 saddle cloths per load.
Long term an investment in one of these machines is sure to pay dividends!

Maintenance of your horse blankets and rugs

Anyone who has made the decision to buy a horse will soon find out that there is so much to learn. One thing I had not really considered was the maintenance needed for all the equipment etc and below are some useful points I have discovered that you may like to share.
The purchase of a good quality horse blanket is important and the aftercare, because laundering equestrian blankets needs an industrial washing machine.
Your horse must be checked on a daily basis to make sure that their blanket is not pulling or rubbing. If you should see any patches of broken hairs this is a sure sign.
Folding your fleeces, rugs and blankets correctly makes them so much easier and safer to put back on your horse or pony. The horse is also less likely to spook if you put a folded bundle on his back, slowly unfolding it than he would if you just dumped the blanket over his back and dragged it into position. 
Fold your blanket whilst taking it off the horse or after cleaning in  preparation for the next use. A folded blanket is much easier to carry. 
Start with the blanket, unbuckled on the horse, or if you find it easier take it off and lay it on the ground.  Then lay the blanket so the outside is facing upwards. Spread the straps straight out so they can be folded into the blanket as you go.
Fold the back third of the blanket up towards the middle, then tuck the leg straps in and fold in the tail flap.
Then fold the front third piece of the blanket back towards the folded edge. Straighten the shoulder gussets.
Fold the right side up so the lower edges meets the centre seam.
Then fold the left side up so the lower edge will meet the centre, folding up the belly straps.
Put the two halves together. The bundle can then be folded together another time and packed in a bag for storage. Then just reverse the order of the folds in order to put the blanket back on the horse easily.
If your horse is kept outside a lot it will probably be a good idea to have two outdoor rugs. An extra blanket allows you to swop one blanket to allow the other one to dry out.

Do not try to wash your horse blankets in your own washing machine!
There are heavy duty washing machines that can be bought especially for “equestrian use”. This could be invaluable and if you share livery with other people at your stables it could well be a great investment if the cost is shared.