A teenager saved the lives of four horses after a neighbouring barn went up in flames.
Blanka Bodi, 16, and her mother Réka Lestyán, who live in Hungary, were travelling home from a showjumping show when Réka spotted smoke coming from a building near the town of Szarvas.
“We were getting close to our home town, when on the right-hand side I saw huge smoke, very dark smoke, coming from a farm,” said Réka, who was driving while Blanka was asleep in the passenger seat. “I yelled, ‘Fire! Blanka, wake up!’”
They pulled over and Réka called the fire service as she and her daughter ran to help. A hay barn was on fire and there were horses in nearby stables, just a few meters away. The panicked onlookers and Réka started to carry as much water as they could to try and prevent the fire from spreading.
Blanka, who has ridden since she was a young child, told H&H that the fire was burning really fast and people were screaming and shouting.
“I got to the first horse, he was really panicked and didn’t want to come out at first – they were all young horses. So I calmed him down and said, ‘Come with me, let’s go outside!’ He was the closest to the fire, so the hardest to bring out,” she said.
As Blanka brought the first horse out, the roof of the hay barn collapsed. The terrified horse tried to pull away and Blanka received rope burns to her hands, but did not let go. She handed the horse to someone else and went back for the next, rescuing each of the four in turn.
“I didn’t want anything to happen to the horses – I wasn’t thinking about myself. I just wanted to save them and help them get to safety. Someone had to,” said Blanka. “I was a bit scared, but mostly because of the horses. We were feeding off each other’s energy. I was more nervous that they might get loose or run off, so my fear was really about them – not the fire.”
Blanka’s bravery was recognised by Hungary’s Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky, who honoured her courage in a presentation at the Hungarian Derby meeting at Kincsem Park.
From left: Blanka Bodi, her mother Réka Lestyán, and Hungarian Defence Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky.
“I didn’t think it was such a big thing – and I still don’t,” said Blanka. “People congratulating me is nice, but I don’t feel like it was anything extraordinary. I just had to do it.”
Réka said: “As a parent, I saw her from a very new angle. I had no idea she was capable of this, so I think she is capable of doing anything.
“We did what our hearts were telling us to do.”
Blanka Bodi, pictured with one of her own horses.
Fire safety tips
The British Horse Society (BHS) recommends having an evacuation plan that is well rehearsed and known by everyone on the yard.
- Keep firefighting equipment on the yard and keep it regularly maintained
- Ensure all combustible materials such as bedding, hay, and straw are stored away from stables
- Ensure electrics are tested at least once a year by a qualified electrician
- Ensure gangways and escape routes are kept clear
- Have headcollars available outside in case of evacuation
- Signpost or number evacuation paddock gates and recorded which stables need to be evacuated into which paddock. In the case of evacuation, always start with the horses closest to the fire
- If a fire breaks out, call the fire and rescue service immediately.
For more fire safety advice from the BHS, visit: https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-and-welfare/health-care-management/stable-safety/stable-fires/
- To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website
You may also be interested in:
‘Another few minutes and it would have killed the horses’: coach speaks out on why stable yard fire safety plans are essential
Stable fires: prevention and plans of action *H&H VIP*
Coping with a catastrophe calls for a cool head and an understanding of how horses and humans react under stress,
The effects of fire on horses: what are the implications and can they return to health? *H&H Plus*
‘We’re delighted to bring loyal readers this benefit’: H&H magazine subscribers get free website access
