It was a tense and nerve-wracking rescue Wednesday as first responders and community members worked together to save a horse that had fallen into a cistern at the Candido Guadalupe Terrace housing community, near Alfredo Andrews Elementary School on St. Croix.
The horse, named “Get Rich,” was discovered trapped in the cistern early that morning. According to the owner, the horse had been tied far away from the cistern the day before, but someone allegedly retied the animal closer to the hazard while the owner was not home. Upon returning and realizing the horse was missing, he began searching and found it stuck in the concrete pit.
The rescue effort brought together a diverse group of organizations and individuals, including Nicks Scenic Equine Tours, Cruzan Cowgirls, Senhouse Trucking, the V.I. Agriculture Department, Reliable Rentals, the V.I. Fire Department, St. Croix Rescue, Home Depot, and supportive residents from the local community.
Neighbors, volunteers, and bystanders quickly stepped in to help — some brought water and supplies, while others took extraordinary steps to comfort the distressed animal. In a particularly moving moment, Folksy Yovanovich Burgess of Nick’s Scenic Equine Tours climbed into the cistern with the horse to help calm it.
“I have a lot of horses of my own and we deal with situations like this. No one will help unless someone else starts helping,” said Burgess, who was called by a friend and rushed to the scene to assist.
Rescuers used ropes, straps, a body bag, and heavy machinery to safely hoist the horse out of the cistern. The operation required cutting into the cement and rebar to widen the opening, allowing the team to lift the horse with the aid of a backhoe operated by 18-year-old Ricky Senhouse of Senhouse Trucking.
There was a moment of extreme tension as the horse was hoisted out of the cistern and onto a tarp. Visibly in shock from the ordeal, it lay still for several minutes before turning and sitting up. Get Rich appeared to have sustained visible injuries to its head and legs but was able to stand shortly after the rescue. Experts remained on-site to assist the owner in monitoring the horse’s condition.
Jason Henry, acting chief of the St. Croix Rescue Squad, said the team was first alerted to the incident through a Facebook post. “We got a call about it on Facebook. I notified the rescue guys and called 911. Luckily, we have some tools of our own from the squad and our homes. For additional resources, we contacted Reliable Rentals,” Henry explained.
“It took a lot of community effort,” he said, emphasizing that the rescue was made possible by volunteers.
As for St. Croix Rescue, Henry said, “We do many calls. We do anything and everything you probably can and cannot think of. We’re here to support our community and are always looking for new members.”
Residents in the area also contributed by supplying buckets of water to help with the sparks from the power tools, other tools, and materials needed during the hourslong operation. Home Depot also donated plywood and concrete screws to help cover the cistern after the rescue.
“So, what we’re going to do after all this is secure the top of the cistern with plywood and concrete screws so that no one — and nothing — falls into it again,” said Henry.
The incident serves as a reminder for residents to inspect their properties for hidden hazards like uncovered cisterns and wells, especially in areas where livestock or children may be present.
