A seven-year-old white horse has died of illness, days after it completed a heroic rescue mission to save a drowning man in China, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. The horse, nicknamed Bailong, which means "White Dragon", rescued the man, despite not having stepped foot in water previously, as per its owner, Yilibai, but paid the ultimate price for it.
"Bailong and I have experienced many things together. Please do not talk about it in front of me. Any mention of it will make me cry," said Yilibai.
Six days after the rescue, Bailong suddenly stopped eating and did not defecate. It soon caught a fever which lasted several hours. Despite local authorities sending vets to treat the animal, Bailong could not survive and perished for a higher abode on Tuesday (Feb 11).
"When it received my order, it implemented it firmly and was very cooperative, Bailong played a leading role in the rescue effort," Yilibai said.
The man who was saved by Bailong and Yilibai said he felt guilty about the death of the horse.
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The daring rescue
On February 4, both Yilibai and Bailong were training when a man fell into the river from a bridge in Xiantao, a city in central China's Hubei province. As the unidentified man's daughter anxiously stood on the riverbank and called for help, Yilibai, riding Bailong, ventured into the water body, one of the viral video clips showed.
Bailong reportedly swam more than 40 metres with Yilibai holding the reins in one hand and pulling the man with another. Yilibai said that Bailong had never been in the water before, so there was a risk to the horse too.
"I did not think twice about it. To save a life, I had to act," said Yilibai at the time.
"Bailong is smart. When I gave it a whip, he knew to go into the water. After seeing me pull the drowning man, he turned around and swam back. My horse and I are like family. I trust him, and he trusts me," he added.
The Xiantao City government announced they were processing applications for bravery awards for Yilibai and others involved in the rescue operation, with an expected reward of Rs 35600 (3,000 yuan). Meanwhile, a statue of the horse near the river will be erected by the local government.
