Two young horses have been slashed in a cruel attack which left them with horrific knife wounds.
Colts Rio and Flash, who are just one year old, were found with foot-long open wounds across their backs after being let out.
Flash’s devastated owner Audra Hall has been left wondering how anyone could inflict such malicious injuries on her horses late on Sunday night (21 August).
Ms Hall said: “My daughter was sorting them in the morning when she saw them and phoned us and said, ‘the horses have been slashed’.
“Everything went through my head and when I saw the horses my heart stopped.
“How cruel can someone be?”
Keen horse rider Ms Hall was horrified when she saw the open wound across his back, just above his right leg.
Her daughter Danielle Hall described being in a ‘pure panic’ when she first found the horses at Forest Town stables, Notts.
She said: “Somebody had let them out onto the fields – when I came down I could see he had a gash on his side and I was in a panic to get them back in.”
Leanne Hammond, Rio’s owner lives near the site and described her horse as incredibly friendly.
Both Mrs Hammond and Ms Hall believe someone has abused their good nature and trust to get close and attack them.
Mrs Hammond said: “They’ve got such good temperaments, they’re usually so friendly and they go up to anyone.
“They’ve been so calm throughout this.”
Mrs Hammond’s husband Johnny said the evidence showed someone had avoided a guard dog at the stables and had deliberately opened all the gates to let the horses onto the field.
He added: “I hope the police catch them before I get my hands on them.”
Both Rio and Flash were sedated as they received treatment and vet Laura Sowerbutts, from Home Farm Equine, said the slashes were deep and had cut through multiple layers of skin.
She said: “There could be complications with the healing if the wounds become infected.
“I don’t usually encounter this kind of thing. Animal cruelty isn’t so common because people generally like animals and are aware enough.”
Nottinghamshire Police has been contacted for comment.
