The Marrum horses disaster

6 replies

Sat, 02/06/2007 - 2:57am

Location: in a small box, Netherlands

Joined: Jan 1 2007

I live in the Netherlands, and last year something happened to a group over 200 horses..
A farmer had over 200 horses on a piece of land, but after several warnings that the water was coming, he didn't get the horses to safe lands further away from the water. He neglected them..
The water came and the horses got stuck on a small island. 18 horses tried to swim to safety but they didn't make it and drowned. The other horses on the small island had no food and no shelter, and they stood there for more than 2 days. Several people fed them hay and they tried to rescue them, even the army tried with 150 men! but it was too dangerous and it didn't work out. It has been on all channels in several countries! Everyone feared for the lives of many horses..

Then on the third day the water resided a bit, but the horses on the island didn't dare to go to land themself after the 18 horses dying previously, and 4 women and their horses decided they wanted to try to get the horses to safety, and to lure them with their own horses.

They did it and succeeded! The leading mare from the group on the island followed the horses from the 4 women, and after 3 cold and hungry days, all horses made it to the land. Unfortunately the last horse coming to land was too weak and despite the efforts of several vets, it died later on.

The Marrum Horror as it's called, was something that shouldn't have happened, but luckily most horses did make it to safety!

This is the clip of the rescue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6vSvOw-4U4
It's very impressive to see the long line of devastated horses finally coming to dry land, and the music is very well chosen!

In this second clip you will see the last horse being supported through the water by several people. He barely made it and collapsed once he reached the land. People tried to dry him up using hay and a blanket, but he gave up and died later on.. He was just too weak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyPrW_VGudc&mode=related&search=

RIP to the 19 horses who didn't make it to the dry land..

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Sat, 02/06/2007 - 3:24am

Gerda

Location: Belgium

Joined: Feb 18 2006

Thanks Sterre,
when I saw the rescue on tv here last year I was crying and seeing the video again brought tears to my eyes again.

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Sat, 02/06/2007 - 8:56am

Lamika

Location: Warsaw, Poland

Joined: Sep 18 2006

I am far from being sentimental but when watching these clips my eyes went completely wet... So heartwarming... Thank you Sterre :D

Sat, 02/06/2007 - 11:18am

Fani

Location: Greece

Joined: Feb 18 2006

Same here Lamika...Great choice of Vagelis Papathanasiou music :wink:

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Wed, 06/06/2007 - 12:33pm

Johanna

Location: San Francisco, Calif. USA

Joined: Oct 10 2006

Where have I been ?? I just now saw the clip...and yes, that was the most amazing, touching thing I have seen. I don't think anyone can watch this without shedding a tear...and not just for the rescue of the horses, but also for the love and compassion of these women...they are really heroes. Thank you for sharing this with us Sterre.

Johanna :)