Clydesdale horses are known for being some of the most majestic creatures on Earth, which is why a farmer was both devastated and horrified when he came upon two of them trapped in a frozen lake. A massive rescue operation to save the horses was quickly launched, and their story has since gone viral.

The horses are named Gunther and Wilhelm, and they had escaped from at the Quiet Valley Living Historical Farm. They then ran out onto the thin ice at Pine Grove lake, falling right through it. First responders rushed to the scene and realized right away that they had an uphill battle ahead of them, but they were determined to save the horses. They knew that time was of the essence, as the horses could not survive much longer.

“I saw two horse heads sticking up out of the ice,” said Fire Chief Leon Clapper. “That was the only thing you saw.”

He went on to say that rescue workers used a boat to make a path through the ice before using rescue ropes to pull the horses back to shore. Milton Mosier, the farm manager, said that it was incredibly hard for him to watch the majestic horses struggle to stay alive.

“Most men are tough, but it was very emotional when I saw them out there and just felt a little helpless,” he said.

Over an hour after the horses fell in, rescue workers managed to get them out of the icy waters. One onlooker said that “there were tears because we were worried. They are beautiful, beautiful animals. Everybody worked together and got these horses out safely.”

Watch the amazing rescue for yourself below!