A water main break near the stables at the Fort Erie race track caused a sinkhole that swallowed Mr. Changue, a four-year-old racehorse.

Audrey Albu trains the horse and said it was alarming to see him so deep in the ground. “It was extremely scary, he was thrashing around trying to jump out he kept banging his knees and stuff,” said Albu.

As the thoroughbred fought to get out of the hole, the deeper he sank. The sinkhole was at least six feet deep and well over the horse’s shoulders.

Race track workers and the Fort Erie Fire Department combined to rescue the horse. Mr. Changue last raced at Fort Erie a couple of weeks ago and finished second.

He’ll be taking it easy for a couple of weeks following the incident.

His trainers bandaged the scrapes on his legs, and say he is expected to make a full recovery.

As for the rescue effort staff at the track are trained for similar horse rescues, though no one there had ever experienced a horse in a sinkhole.