The more time Astro spent in the mud, the more desperate the situation got. During this time, Nicole had to keep her 1,000-pound (450 kg) horse calm to stop him from sinking deeper into the mud. After three hours, Astro was close to suffocating and faced the possibility of dying of thirst and fatigue. In addition, the tide was on its way in.

Fortunately, Nicole’s daughter was able to get safety and call for help. Eventually, a rescue team and a veterinarian arrived at the scene. To stop Astro panicking, the veterinarian injected him with a sedative. Nicole stayed with Astro throughout his ordeal, talking to him to keep him calm. A helicopter was also called but couldn’t assist as Astro was stuck so deep in the mud that it was impossible to tie a rope around him to lift him to safety.

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