Rescuers guide horse Neal out of an old well using a mini excavator in Hamel, Illinois, USA

On October 22, 2026, in Hamel, Illinois, USA, @rizel36 shared a video showing the rescue of a horse named Neal after he fell into an old well. In the video, rescuers use a mini excavator to dig alongside the well, creating a narrow trench that allows the horse to be led out rather than lifted directly from the opening. Two men secure a halter around Neal's head and guide him toward the sloped path. As they lead him out, Neal cooperates by stepping up the incline until he reaches solid ground. Following the rescue, the horse is seen in an enclosure with medical pressure bandages wrapped around all four legs. According to the author, Neal failed to return with the other horses during the evening feeding around 5:30 p.m. The family searched the pasture and found him at approximately 7:30 p.m., about 10 feet down inside the old well and standing in roughly 3 feet of mud. The author called 911, and local and county volunteers responded. A neighbor brought a backhoe to dig out the side of the well and create a trench for Neal to walk through. The man seen putting the halter on Neal and leading him out was the author's husband, Dennis Reising. Since Dennis had been the first person to see and touch Neal when he was born on their farm, the author believed the horse would trust him during the rescue. As of October 31, 2026, Neal remained hospitalized with multiple cuts, abrasions, and puncture wounds on all four legs, as well as injuries to his back and head. He had also developed aspiration pneumonia after ingesting water from the well.