Frosty the horse was nearly put down after frozen creek rescue in Canada — now he's thriving

Frosty the horse was pulled from a frozen creek in Saskatchewan after he was found partially submerged and close to death in January.

According to CBC News, what followed was a dramatic rescue, an outpouring of community support, and a second chance that has turned the once-struggling horse into a local success story.

Here's what to know

Frosty was found stuck in Lehman Creek near Cochin. Mayor Mark Pattinson and his friend Ed Scott managed to get him out, but for a moment, it seemed likely he would need to be euthanized because of how badly he was doing.

@cbcsasknews A wandering horse that fell through the ice of a frozen creek is now safe and in recovery. Support for 'Frosty' is pouring in after he was initially left all alone. "His owner passed away and nobody really stepped up to take care of him," Cochin's mayor Mark Pattison told CBC. #Sask #Canada #AnimalRescue #Cold #CBCNews ♬ original sound - CBC Saskatchewan

"We were very close to getting the RCMP officer to take his life, but we gave it a few more seconds, and he scrambled himself to his feet and just started walking," Pattinson recalled.

After Pattinson was unable to find another local horse owner willing to take Frosty, Leslie-Ann Smith, a local farmer, and her husband, Gerry Smith, stepped in. 

Frosty had been left without care after his previous owner died, and the couple took him to Lakeland Veterinary Service for treatment.

More background

After a week at the clinic, Frosty began a lengthy recovery that included repeated veterinary visits and multiple therapies. He developed a hernia while straining to get out of the creek, and it ruptured through his left leg.

When Leslie-Ann first saw Frosty, she said the seriousness of his condition was immediately obvious.

"I didn't know what to expect, and it was worse than I ever expected," she told CBC. "This horse was skinny and covered in ice and looks so dull. You can just see he was in a lot of pain."

Posts on social media about Frosty led people across Canada to ask for updates on his recovery and contribute to the cost of his care.

What's being done?

The Smiths continued the slow, demanding work of rehabilitation, and donations began arriving after Leslie-Ann shared his story publicly.

"Money just started coming in directly to the vet; some was sent to us," she explained. "So that helped cover his bills." 

Frosty has since settled into life with the Smiths' herd, and his personality has become more apparent as his health improved.

"He knows his place with the horse herd," Leslie-Ann said. "But he's a gentle giant … And he'll come up and just put his head over your shoulder. Like to say 'good morning' ... He's just a good boy. And I think he likes living with us."

Frosty has appeared at local events, become something of a celebrity and, as CBC reported, was even given a blanket embroidered with his name.

"You just can't give up," Leslie-Ann observed. "Someone could have easily just said we need to put him down, and he showed 'I'm not ready for that' and got himself up."

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