Operation in viscous soil near Hansen Dam – rescuers freed an immobilized horse
A massive rescue operation was underway near Hansen Dam on Tuesday after a horse weighing about 1,500 pounds became stuck in deep mud near the intersection of Coal Canyon Road and Wentworth Street.
Los Angeles Fire Department arrived on the scene shortly before 1 p.m. The ground was so unstable that rescuers had to place sheets of plywood under their feet to prevent themselves from falling as they approached the exhausted animal.
The horse was rescued at approximately 2:30 p.m. The service representative reported that after being pulled out of the swamp, the animal was able to stand confidently on all fours. It was to be examined by specialists to assess its physical condition; the circumstances under which the horse fell into the swamp are not yet specified.
Source: Fire Crews Rescue Horse Stuck in Mud Near Hansen Dam - MyNewsLA.com
Context
The recreation area near Hansen Dam and the adjacent Big Tujunga Wash in the northern San Fernando Valley is considered one of the main centers of equestrian tourism in the Los Angeles area. It has an extensive network of dirt horse and hiking trails connecting the ranches of the Lake View Terrace area with floodplains and canyons.
Since this area functions as a floodplain at the confluence of mountain streams, during seasonal rains, dry riverbeds quickly turn into swampy lowlands with deep deposits of sand and silt.