WATCH: Horses pull semi-truck up icy driveway
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MABEL, Minn. – An incredible display of power turns two southeastern Minnesota horses into internet sensations.
Belgian horses Prince and Molly helped pull a semi-truck up an icy driveway in Mabel after it got stuck at the bottom more than a week ago.
“That’s the real horse power,” said Jacob Hershberger. He bought the pair of 13-year-olds nearly six months ago. “That’s where a lot of their power comes is the front legs.”
A typical work day for Molly and Prince consists of hauling logs or pulling sleighs, but it’s what these two accomplished more than a week ago that truly amazed Hershberger.
A truck driver was returning an empty semi-trailer to the Hershberger’s residence Dec. 5. A terrible storm came through a few days earlier, leaving roads in Mabel covered in ice. When the truck driver tried turning up the hill into the Hershberger’s ranch, he got stuck.
“(The) truck driver called me. He said he was stuck in the driveway. (I was) driving home from Mabel and thinking to myself, ‘I don’t know how I’ll get him out of there.’ Because I figured my tractor wouldn’t be doing much in this ice,” he added.
That’s when he thought of Molly and Prince, seeing them as his only option to get the big rig up the icy hill.
“The truck driver questioned me the whole time I was harnessing them up. He said, ‘I don’t see this working, but I said we’re gonna give it a try.”
After a couple heaves, the horses made their way uphill with the truck driver hitting the accelerator to give them an extra push.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Hershberger.
Once they reached the apex, a tractor gave an additional boost from behind. After about five minutes of wondering whether they’d make it, the horses successfully accomplished their mission.
“He (the truck driver) was lost for words. He said, ‘I cannot believe that team of horses pulled my truck up that hill.”
Hershberger’s wife, Lizzie, uploaded the video to Facebook for her friends to see. More than a week later, the video has garnered nearly one million views, thousands of shares, and hundreds of comments, but those are just numbers to Jacob. “Somebody asked me the other day how much I want for this team, and I said there’s no dollar sign on them. So, yeah. I’m pretty proud of them.”
Neither the truck driver nor horses were hurt during this ordeal. Belgians are used as working animals, meaning they’re able to pull tremendous weights, including semi-trucks.
This story first appeared on fellow CNN affiliate KTTC. It is used here with permission.