Horses are unique in the way they act when they have a limb trapped in an unforgiving structure. Unless horses have been trained otherwise, their response is to struggle violently, sometimes causing great damage to themselves.

I have assisted a number of horses caught in steel fences and other structures. Some escaped with only minor injuries. Several sustained lower limb fractures. Most had severe blunt trauma to the lower limb without fracture or life-threatening injury.

Some sustained large wounds and some had severe damage to the hoof capsule. In cases where horses have been trapped for an extended period of time or have lost significant blood, they may be in shock. In one instance, I sedated a horse while the owner cut the steel cattle guard bars with a cutting torch.