Horse Found With Head Trapped in Bridge Near Lytton, B.C., by Passing Truck Driver

A local truck driver near Lytton, in British Columbia’s Interior, had an unusual start to his workday after discovering a horse trapped with its head stuck in a bridge.

The strange rescue happened on a quiet gravel road that is not heavily used.

Truck Driver Finds Horse on Bridge

Brian Hart, a local truck driver, was beginning his Tuesday morning shift and driving toward town when he came across the surprising scene.

While travelling down a hill toward his first bridge, Hart spotted a horse lying in the middle of the structure.

He later shared the experience with CBC’s Radio West.

Horse Appeared to Have Slipped

Hart said hoof marks on the bridge and the way the horse was positioned made him believe the animal had slipped while coming down the hill.

He said it appeared the horse hit the concrete on the bridge, lost its footing and somehow got its head stuck beneath the timber.

At first, Hart thought the horse might already be dead.

Horse Was Exhausted but Alive

When Hart looked over the side of the bridge, the horse lifted its head slightly and looked at him.

He said the animal’s tongue was hanging out and it appeared completely exhausted.

Hart described the look on the horse’s face as if it were asking to be rescued immediately.

Rescue Attempt Becomes Difficult

Hart first tried pulling on the horse’s mane to help free it.

However, the horse became upset and started kicking, making the rescue attempt more difficult.

He then began trying to remove part of the bridge beam using the crane attachment on his truck.

Horse Finally Frees Itself

Before Hart could finish removing the beam, the horse managed to free itself.

He said the animal was so tired that it could barely hold up its head.

The horse stood still for about 10 minutes, looking at Hart while it recovered.

After catching its breath, it eventually walked away.

Driver Calls It His Strangest Encounter

Hart said the incident was the strangest thing he had ever experienced.

He joked that helping a trapped horse was not part of his job description and that he had never been trained for a situation like that.

The unusual encounter near Lytton turned an ordinary Tuesday morning shift into a memorable rescue story. Brian Hart’s quick response helped give the exhausted horse a chance to recover after it became trapped in the bridge. Although the animal ultimately freed itself, the incident left Hart with a story he is unlikely to forget.