Marrum horse rescue marks 20th anniversary

Twenty years after the spectacular rescue of hundreds of horses in Marrum, Netherlands, participants and artists are reflecting on the event. During the All Saints' Flood in late October and early November 2006, a heavy storm caused water levels to rise against the sea dike, leaving 227 horses stranded on a piece of land.

While military and emergency services were unable to free the animals, a group of six women led by Micky Nijboer successfully guided the herd back to dry land by using decoys. Although 25 horses died from drowning or hypothermia during the incident, the successful rescue of the remaining animals gained international media attention.

To commemorate the anniversary, scent artist Frank Bloem is working on an art project to recreate the sensory experience of the rescue. He noted that while the event was defined by cold winds, the eventual arrival of the horses on land brought the distinct smell of mud and wet horses.