Firefighters in Prince William County, Virginia, rescued a 900-pound pony that had fallen into a pool covered with a canvas tarp overnight. The homeowner discovered the horse in the pool’s four-foot-deep section Sunday morning, prompting a response from the local fire department and the Little Fork Volunteer Fire and Rescue team, which specializes in large animal rescues.

The rescue involved constructing a ramp into the pool, sedating the horse to keep it calm, and using heavy-duty straps to lift it out safely. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the firefighters and veterinarians, the horse was successfully removed without injury and was subsequently evaluated by vets in a nearby barn.