A black 1,800-pound Percheron who's expecting a foal in June, Katie was freed by rescuers from the Johnson Creek Fire and EMS Department. They were unable to drive trucks close to the pond, but chopped through the ice and hauled her out with lines and a lot of pulling.

"She was just so exhausted. I was sure we were going to lose her,'' said Connie Milbrath, who, with her husband, Gary, owns Katie and four other horses at their home on Highway Y in the town of Watertown in Jefferson County.

She learned of Katie's plight about 3 p.m. Tuesday when her 4-year-old grandson looked out the window and announced, "Grandma, the horse is in the pond.''

Milbrath called for help and went outside to tie up another Percheron who had also escaped the pen. "That horse in that pond just kept looking at me, like 'can you help me?' It was just devastating,'' Milbrath said. "The fire department was just awesome. I can't say enough to thank them.''

The rescue took about an hour.

Check for updates at www.madison.com/wsj and read tomorrow's State Journal.