Stuck up to his belly in cold mud, the 28-year-old was unable to rescue himself. He couldn’t move. The ultimate stick in the mud.

Dusty, a Forsyth County horse, was helpless. But only until the Milton Fire Department’s Large Animal Rescue Team arrived this afternoon to pull him to safety.

”One of the biggest concerns during a rescue like this is hypothermia,” Jason Shivers, division chief for the Forsyth County fire department, told The AJC. “He was submerged in chilly mud and water.”

Dusty’s veterinarian was called to the scene to assist with the rescue, which was a success. Once back on his feet, Dusty was back walking on his own in the pasture, Shivers said.

“All indications are today that he’s going to be fine,” Shivers said.

Investigators believe recent heavy rain made a drainage area extra muddy, causing all four of Dusty’s legs to sink.