High Water Horse Rescue Captured on Camera in Denton

Denton’s Swift Water Rescue team north of Dalls is used to saving people caught in bad situations, but this time, they had to add some big animals to their expertise.

On Friday just before 9,a.m., heavy rains caused the pasture next to Roselawn Road and South Bonnie Brae Street to flood and look more like a lake, and right in the middle of that water were two horses named Mia and Bubba.

Kim Caples and Dee Gentry, who own the horses with their families, say the animals were grazing in the field and got stuck behind a fence when the waters quickly took over.

The horses and their families sat frantic looking for a way out of the mess and Caples said she even contemplated riding out into the waters to try and save them herself.

"I was not sure how it was going to turn out,” said Dee’s daughter, Jessie. "I was like, 'God please, please keep them okay.'"

Luckily though, another lifeline was pulling up nearby.

The Denton Fire Department team was responding to a stuck car on the bridge next to the pasture, which was also overtaken by the quickly rising waters.

When the team got the driver and passenger of the car safely to dry land, they offered to turn their attention to Mia and Bubba.

The Gentrys and Caples caught the rescue on cell phone video as the team first tried to wade out to the horses, but then got a boat to go back and free them instead.

"Mia tried to jump in the boat because she was so excited to leave,” said Jessie.

Eventually, they were able to get the horses unstuck and lead them out of the water and to the dry road.

"Bubba was trying to swim to the gate, he didn't want to go back out," said Kim’s daughter, Sarandon.

The families said they couldn’t thank the rescuers enough as they got the horses back into their barn to secure them in their dry stables until the rain threat is over.

"Now I call her my sea horse,” said Jessie as she was kissing Mia on the nose.

The families plan to bake some holiday treats for the firefighters this weekend to say thank you for going above and beyond.

They said both the horses were okay and the people caught in the car also appeared fine, as they were able to walk from the scene and the vehicle was later towed out when the bridge dried up Friday afternoon.
 

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