In a heartwarming turn of events, a horse that was trapped after its leg was caught in a pedestrian bridge was safely rescued. Those at the Patuxent River State Park were able to remove the animal after several hours on May 31, with the help of firefighters, rescue technicians, and even a veterinarian.
When Montgomery County Fire and Rescue initially responded to the call, they believed it was a report involving a an injured person on a trail. But when they arrived at a park near the 23200 block of Georgia Avenue, they discovered that a horse was stuck in the pedestrian bridge in the park’s Red Trail.
Not only was it stuck, but responders were unsure whether it sustained a broken leg as a result of the fall. The horse appears not to be wearing a saddle, though it is likely that it escaped from a nearby property.
To help the horse, the rescue team had to sedate it and cut away a portion of the bridge for the it’s leg to come free. After more than two hours of work, the animal’s leg was finally able to be removed.
A Horse Gets the Attention of Local Rescue
According to those who were at the scene, firefighters had to call in additional help to assist with the complex rescue. The department’s Technician Rescue Team and a veterinarian were called to sedate the horse in order to ensure that the leg could be safely removed.
An image of the broken bridge with the horse’s leg trapped can be seen within the video. It looks as though the horse’s leg went completely through the decking to the point where it would have been unable to climb out on its own had it been left unattended.
Fortunately, it was determined that the horse’s leg was not broken, though it appears that it did sustain soft-tissue damage. Shortly after the rescue, the horse was seen walking away with the same responders who helped out, as though nothing had even happened.
Horse Grateful to Those Who Helped Save It
How does a horse say thank you? By brushing it’s head along the body of @mcfrs personnel who saved him. Patuxent River State Park~@mcfrs personnel have been working since 140PM to assist freeing an injured horse who had it’s leg go through pedestrian bridge. Horse freed at 410PM. pic.twitter.com/2C53UsEC8P
— Pazos@mcfrsPIO (@DavidPazos15) May 31, 2026
Fortunately, it was determined that the horse’s leg was not broken, though it appears that it did sustain soft-tissue damage. Once it was officially determined that the horse was able to put weight on the leg that had fallen through the bridge, it was able to be guided away.
The Montgomery County Fire and Rescue even came to help the Howard County Fire and Rescue team with this. In one image featured in the video, it appears that there are six people in the scene.
In an update posted after the events, the horse was grateful to those who helped out. Assistant Chief for Montgomery County Fire and Rescue David Pazos said that it brushed its head against the firefighters who helped rescue it.
What Comes Next
For those curious, there was an injured person nearby, but the discovery of the horse had nothing to do with that person. In fact, that person declined medical transport when asked by those who arrived on the scene.
Beyond that, it seems that everyone on site was attended to in a timely manner. Local authorities did not release any additional identifying information.
When agencies provide limited details, we supplement reporting with local news coverage, public records, and direct outreach whenever possible. In this case, no additional information was available at the time of publication.