Nine horses have been rescued from a shed feet-thick in manure they were trapped in for years.
Their elderly owner had not been able to look after them.
The dung had to be shovelled out so rescuers could get to the horses.
Videos show the shocking scenes.
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And rescuers say they are still trying to come to terms with what they saw.
It happened in East Dorset, south of Burlington, Vermont, US, as reported by Need To Know.
A spokesperson for The Dorset Equine Rescue charity said: “We were urgently called to help with what would become one of the most challenging and emotional rescues of 2025.
“Nine horses needed immediate help.
Four of them had been trapped inside their stalls for years standing in as much as five-feet of manure.
“Their elderly owner became overwhelmed and simply could not keep up with the care they desperately needed.
“When we saw the conditions, we knew we could not walk away.
“Given the size, complexity, and urgency of this rescue, we knew it would require additional manpower on the ground to safely move horses, navigate hazardous conditions, and complete the operation efficiently.
“We reached out to trusted colleagues to bolster our boots on the ground efforts, and our longtime friends Michelle and Amanda from the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stepped in without hesitation, standing shoulder to shoulder with our team in freezing temperatures on icy terrain.
“Because of extraordinary teamwork four stallions, one mare, and her filly were transported to an equine hospital, where they are now receiving top of the line veterinary care.
“Three additional mares were transported to a generous foster home.
“Every horse is safe, warm, and cared for.
“We are still processing the incredible rescue.
“In brutal winter conditions, we faced an unimaginable reality – horses trapped for years in stalls filled with five feet of frozen manure.
“The stall doors and walls were frozen to the walls of manure and embedded in the filth, and could not be opened.
“For Courage, a six-year-old stallion, years of compacted manure had raised the floor of his stall nearly five feet, leaving him standing atop a steep, unstable wall of frozen waste.
“With no heavy equipment available, we had to rely on the resources around us.
“Only the very top layer of manure in his stall was thawed.
“Everything beneath it was solid like concrete.
“Our team improvised a ramp using hay bales and the manure itself. It took hours to carefully build the ramp and to patiently convince Courage that it was safe, creating the only way for him to walk down instead of being forced to jump.
“After years without sunlight, freedom, or movement, Courage trusted us and walked down the ramp to freedom.
“Courage was one of nine horses rescued from this property.
“Four stallions had been confined to stalls for years, standing in filth so deep their heads nearly reached the rafters.
“No turnout.
“No routine care.
“Months turned into years of silent suffering, hidden away and forgotten.”
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