Redlands Firefighters, Local Veterinarians Rescue Injured Horse on Interstate 10

Redlands firefighters and local veterinarians helped rescue an injured horse that kicked out a side of the trailer she was being transported in Monday afternoon on Interstate 10, a city spokesman said Tuesday.

Firefighters on Truck 261 responded about 3:45 p.m. and found "a truck and horse trailer rig parked on the freeway shoulder and could see the horse's back leg jutting between the slats on the side of the trailer," Redlands spokesman Carl Baker said.

The horse owners, from Rancho Santa Margarita, had three horses in the trailer and were returning from Palm Springs when Xena, an 18-year-old polo horse weighing about 1,000 pounds, "became anxious and kicked out the side of the trailer," Baker said.

Xena's right rear leg got caught between slats of the trailer, and she was bleeding severely from a cut just above the hoof when firefighters arrived, Baker said.

Firefighters used hydraulic equipment to spread parts of the trailer and free Xena's leg while the horse owners tried to keep her calm, Baker said.

Bleeding from the horse's leg wound became worse, and firefighters called veterinarians at Family Friend Animal Hospital in Redlands and the Loma Linda Animal Hospital in San Bernardino, who provided first aid, Baker said.

The horse owners then drove to Chino and took Xena to a large animal veterinary service for further treatment, Baker said. An update on the horse's condition Tuesday was not available.