She was stranded in a deep, muddy creek bed for five days last August and close to death, but today Lawson resident Rosie Robilliard’s beautiful old mare Kiparra is a picture of good health.
“Kip certainly surprised everyone from the word go and although she still has some healing to do, she’s recovered as well as anyone could have expected,” Mrs Robilliard told the Gazette recently.
Rosie’s husband, Josh, spotted Kiparra collapsed in the creek after a lengthy search for her on the fringes of the couple’s large semi-rural property.
It then took a mammoth seven-hour rescue effort by several teams including Blue Mountains Police Rescue, local NSW Fire and Rescue personnel and specialist vets from the RSPCA and Agnes Banks Equine Clinic to save Kip’s life.
The incident was followed closely on social media sites in the Blue Mountains and even as far as England as it was unfolding.
Too weak to stand and suffering from hypothermia and dehydration, Kip was given water and blankets, sedated, carefully hand-hauled using ropes and straps into an equine rescue glide and pulled out of the creek bed by the power of an electric winch attached to a rescue vehicle.
She was then transported to the Agnes Banks clinic in a horse trailer and given specialist medical treatment.
“There were some deep, raw cuts and a huge pressure wound that covered more than half her rump but they are healing very well,” Mrs Robilliard said.
“I had a ride on her on Thursday [February 27] — her fourth since the rescue — just a short canter up the hill, and she hasn’t shown any signs of pain or discomfort. I’m so happy I can still ride her.
“It’s interesting, some people we’ve spoken to said incidents like that can change an animal’s personality, but she seems her normal self — she’s still top of the paddock and bossing the others [horses] around.
“We got her in 2000 when she was about 10 and although we now have a few horses, Kip was my first so she is extra special.
“We are just very, very thankful to the many people who helped to rescue her.
“It was an amazing effort.”
