One lucky horse nearly met its end last week after the old tree it was tied to blew over and landed on it.
The mare, Susie Wong, was tied under its shade while its owners, Colin and Louise Parkinson, Rosebrook Stock Horses, Muswellbrook, took the rest of the mob, mainly mares with foals, into the stables out of the heat. They were waiting for their vet to arrive, who was booked to do the regular health checks of their mares.
“We were about to tie another mare to the tree. I looked around and a big whirlwind hit,” Mr Parkinson said. The tree came down with a crash. “I thought ‘I’ve got a horse under that tree’.”
He cut the mare’s lead rope so she could stand up. They then chainsawed a track to back the mare out. She escaped with minimal scratches and some bruising, but otherwise unharmed, having fitted between a fork in the trunk.
She is a favourite at the stud, having had a successful show and polocrosse career.
“It was a little bit chaotic there for 20 minutes,” Mr Parkinson remarked.