SANDY SPRINGS | Horse okay after swimming pool rescue | News

SANDY SPRINGS, GA - The owner of a horse that was rescued after falling into a Sandy Springs swimming pool Sunday afternoon agreed to let us do the story only if we did not identify which horse is hers -- out of embarrassment.

It's one of four horses being boarded on the Northland Drive property.

Apparently the horse wandered out of the pasture and through a gate in the pool fence that had been left open accidentally by a landscape maintenance worker.

The horse walked into the swimming pool area and tried to walk across a canvas tarp covering the pool.

It fell through the cover, setting off a major rescue effort.

As the owner, the property owner and others tried to keep the horse's head above water, Sandy Springs firefighters from nearby Station Four arrived to help.

Property owner Celia Gilner, who has raised horses on the property since 1975, told 11Alive News she'd never been through anything like this.

"I've had my share of, you know, some things that have occurred, but nothing like this and nothing, I hope, ever happens like this again," she said.

Firefighters cut the pool cover from around the horse and lead it into the shallow end of the pool where they coaxed it out by climbing up some steps.

"I can say a lot for the fire department; as soon as they were there, they did exactly what they needed to do for the horse," Gilner said.

She said they dried off the shivering animal which, except for a few minor bruises, is safely back in her pasture.

The firefighters involved in the rescue were off on Monday, but Gilner says when they return to Station Four in a few days she plans to treat them all to a nice lunch to express her thanks.