A horse-rider has issued a heartfelt thanks to the rescue team who helped save her beloved horse Phoebe when she became trapped in a metal gate.

The 15 hand piebald horse got two of her hooves stuck in the gate in Shadoxhurst when she was spooked by a passing dog walker.

Charlie Bell, from Arlington, said she was so scared but the rescue team were able to cut Phoebe free in less than 20 minutes.

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She said: "I’m so thankful to the fire crew and Melbourne vets from Ashford who saved my horse so quickly.

"She has cuts and bruises, stitches in her left leg and is now on medication, but I’m just so glad she going to be okay.

"All thanks to the amazing work the emergency services did."

Video: Phoebe the piebald is making a good recovery.

Graham Millen, Charlie’s cousin, said Phoebe, who was tied to the gate, reared up when barking dogs jumped up at the fence on Monday afternoon.

He said she then got her hoof caught in the metal bars and when she tried to shake herself free, she got the other one stuck.

He said: "It was really nasty, quite a scary ordeal. She had to have stitches on her front legs but thankfully she’s going to be okay.

"The fire brigade had to cut the fence in four places to free her after she’d been sedated by the vet. The whole rescue team did so well. They were brilliant, very calm and very professional.

"Phoebe was in a lot of shock, she’d snapped a post trying to break free and my first thought was that she was going to twist her ankles right off.

"It was a horrible ordeal but we’re really grateful to the rescue team. They were unbelievable, I really could not fault them."

Although currently still injured, thankfully Phoebe is expected to make a full recovery.

A fire spokesman said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to an incident involving a large horse whose legs were trapped in a gate.

"Crews worked alongside a vet to support Phoebe the horse.

"Firefighters used hydraulic rescue cutting gear to free Phoebe, who was then checked over by the vet."