It is thought that the pony, an 11.2hh palomino called Caemoss Aubrey,
was stabbed in the eye with a pair of scissors, possibly accidentally
as another horse had its mane and tail cut in the same incident.
Stan and Heather Strelley called the police at 10.30pm on Sunday 8
June when they found their 11-year-old champion M&M bleeding and
distressed in their field in Kidwelly, having broken out of his stable.
Heather told H&H: "It's hard to think who could be so vicious. I
was physically sick when I saw it, there was blood everywhere, I
couldn't believe it , it was so horrific. "
"There was just so much blood in the stable, I couldn't stand to look."
The day before the attack Caemoss Aubrey, otherwise known as Frank or
Frankenstein since he is "a little monster", had won the reserve
champion at the Spring Valley Show in Carmarthen.
"He really is a little monkey. He's naughty but we know his little
ways. He goes everywhere with us, we've had him since he was three
months old. I don't have children so he's like my little boy," said
Heather.
'Frank' was taken straight to Dyffryn Tywi Equine Clinic to be
operated on and is healing slowly, although he has lost his eye and is
still frightened by the incident.
But Heather is hopeful for a recovery."He's still not eating, but he
bit my husband the other day, so he's obviously feeling a bit better,"
she said.
This is most likely the end of a successful showing career for the stallion, and possibly the Strelleys.
Heather added: "I can't believe his career is over. He's such a
pleasure to show, I've already sold five ponies since it happened, I
don't know whether I'll ever show again. "
A second palomino had its mane and tail cut earlier that day. The
couple have 11 ponies but only the two palominos were targeted.
Heather told H&H: "We think whoever did this broke in and was
trying to cut his mane and tail " but he's a feisty little thing and
they got him in the eye."
The Strelleys are offering a ONE THOUSAND POUND REWARD for anyone who can secure a conviction for the attacker.
A spokesman for Kidwelly police told H&H: "As yet no one has been arrested and we are investigating the incident.
We urge anyone who might know anything to contact us on 0845 3302000." Incident Number ATK
1093/09/06/2008/01/C
TO DOWNLOAD AND PRINT A REWARD POSTER FOR FRANK CLICK HERE
| Police
are investigating an allegation of horse cruelty - less than 24 hours
after a pony was stabbed in the eye.Officers won't be drawn on whether
there's a link between the two incidents. However, the animal's owner, Karen Archer, is deeply worried. She said: "I was shocked to see two people manhandling my horse. "I'm really concerned about this, especially after a pony in Kidwelly was stabbed in the eye the night before." Mum-of-one Mrs Archer, of Rhydyfro, went to check on her horses at a stable near Alltwen Quarry on Tuesday night. "I went to make sure they had plenty of food and hay, as well as settle them down for the night," she said. However, when she pulled up to the site with her daughter, Georgia, she claims they witnessed two men assaulting her 28-year-old thoroughbred, Deri. "I screamed and shouted at them immediately. "They were being really rough and manhandling the horse," she added. "One of them was wearing a black T-shirt with some kind of monster on it. The other had wavy blonde hair. "I didn't get a proper look at them, though, the whole thing happened so fast." Mrs Archer immediately dialled 999, but the duo ran off. She added: "I'm sickened by the thought of anyone being cruel to my horses. I'm just grateful we got there when we did." The incident follows two attacks on horses this month. On Monday, a rescue pony at Penybont Farm, Kidwelly, was stabbed in the eye. And, less a mile away, an 11-year-old champion show horse lost an eye after being attacked with a pair of scissors. A police spokesman said of the latest incident: "We are investigating an alleged incident of animal cruelty in the Swansea Valley following a call from a horse owner on Tuesday." | ||||
by Matthew Aplin, South Wales Echo
TWO prize-winning horses have been stabbed to death in a vicious attack.
The horses were found laying dead in a field in Llancaiach House Farm, Nelson, early this morning.
The horses' owner Aron Beck, 26, said: "We are absolutely devastated."
They were found by a neighbour Denise Murphy, 53, who rang the owners to give them the horrific news.
"Denise rang first thing this morning to say that something had happened," said refrigeration engineer Mr Beck who is married to Heather Baker, 35.
Mr Beck added: "I myself have been crying for two hours and my wife Heather can't come to see them because she is so upset."
"It's a vicious attack and I can't believe someone would do this to our horses."
The horses belongs to Mr Beck's three children, Danielle, 14, Sophie, 12, and Kyan, two.
He said he and Heather had taken Danielle and Sophie out of Afon Taf School in Troedyrhiw early today and they were devastated the by the deaths.
The horses - Murphy, a 14-year-old fell pony, and Jack, a six-year-old cob horse, had won a number of prizes at local showjumping events and gymkhanas.
The family, from Treharris, have owned Murphy for seven years and Jack for two and a half years.
Mr Beck added: "They are completely besides themselves. They can't bring themselves to come and see the horses."
He added: "We bought them especially for the children and they can't believe what happened."
This morning the police were investigating at the scene of the incident.
Gwent Police confirmed they were investigating the incident.
A spokeswoman said: "We can confirm we have had a report that two horses were killed in the Caerphilly area. We are currently investigating the incident."
There was also another horse in the field but that wasn't killed.
THERE IS A FIVE THOUSAND POUND REWARD FOR ANY INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE ATTACKERS. IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION PLEASE PHONE 01633 838 111 OR EMAIL IN CONFIDENCE maggieslaw@googlemail.com
THE deaths of two pet horses inside 48 hours on the same farm have prompted fears that heartless airgun “snipers” may be using them for target practice.
X rays revealed a horse called Kestrel had been hit by pellets at Cwm Isaf Farm in Efail Isaf before he broke his jaw and had to be put down – only two days after another retired race horse Rosie died of a heart attack.
Kestrel’s owner, Karen Jones, who had him for 14 years, described the attack as an “act of cowardice”.
“How could someone be so sick?” she said. “It is disgusting that air rifles can be bought over the counter with no licence and no need to take responsibility for your actions.
“The past few weeks have been the most horrific of my life.
“I have lost the most important thing in my life and my best friend. He will never be replaced and leaves a huge whole in my heart.”
Friends of Mrs Jones have rallied round and are offering a £2,000 reward to catch the culprits.
South Wales Police confirmed the matter is being investigated and invited anyone who saw anything suspicious around the farm between 8pm on Sunday, June 15 and 8am on Monday, June 16 to contact them on 01656 655555.
Pal Debbie Isaac, 41, whose parents own the farm, said: “You could not meet a better loved horse. He was like a member of her family.”
The owners fear youths with air rifles may be taking pot shots at the animals causing them to panic and injure themselves
Mrs Isaac, who owns five of the 20 horses on the farm, added: “We would dearly like to catch who did it, we are in a terrible state.
“I can’t get my head around the fact that someone can be so cruel. There must be some really sick people out there.
“It is the most horrific thing that someone can shoot at an innocent horse. The horses and ponies are terrified when we approach them now.
“Friends have been saying they will put up money for a reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible, which is going to be in excess of £2,000.”
“It’s bad enough having to come to terms with the fact that your horse has had an accident but when it’s malicious it doesn’t bear thinking about.
“We are going to do local posters as well. Someone somewhere must know about this.
“We have found mysterious puncture wounds on two of the other horses on the farm. My son’s pony, Stroley, had one on his backside and another horse had one on his knee. Another horse ran into barbed wire and was badly cut.
“It’s really worrying to think that someone is going around with a gun because a lot of children go down to check on the horses.”
Claire Williams, of Park Vet Group, confirmed that an air gun pellet showed up in Kestrel’s X-ray.
She said: “We cannot say how long it has been there and whether it contributed to the broken jaw. But it’s horrific to think that someone could shoot a horse, absolutely awful.”