A horse has died after a malicious attack saw her stabbed in the stomach as she grazed in her field.
Collapsed and bleeding
Tilly was found, collapsed and bleeding, by an elderly dog walker at around 6.30am on Sunday 29 March. He alerted the police and RSPCA and then knocked on the doors of local houses.
Fortunately one of the locals knew Michelle Steeples, who rides the seven-year-old Connemara, and was able to contact her.
“I got a call at 6.50am saying Tilly had been slashed and I just said ‘what do you mean – slashed?” Michelle told H&C. “I just couldn’t believe it.”
Knife wound
The vet was called to the scene near Barnsley, South Yorkshire but it was too late. Tilly had to be euthanised.
“She has been stabbed in her belly, near her back legs,” said a devastated Michelle. “The vet estimated it happened between 5am and 6am.
“They said there was no possibility of an accident with a fence or branch because the wound was too clean. It must have been an attack with a knife.”
Sweet and loving
There were three other horses in the field, but they weren’t involved in the incident. Michelle said has “no idea” who could have caused the attack.
“I haven’t fallen out with anyone, there’s been no dispute or argument – not one thing,” she said. “I just can’t understand who would do such a thing.”
Michelle had taken Tilly on for a friend, who had been having problems with the mare since she arrived from Ireland.
“She had just turned a corner,” she said. “She was so sweet and loving and gorgeous to ride – really talented. And she was only seven.”
Pattern of attacks
According to Michelle what makes the incident even more worrying is that 12 months to the day of Tilly’s attack, two horses were killed when their stables were set on fire in the same town of Hoyland.
“The year before that, a horse just round corner from here was shot in head with cross bow,” said Michelle. “Luckily it survived, but god knows how. There does seem to pattern of attacks emerging in this area.”
A friend of Michelle’s has started a twitter campaign, offering £1,000 to anyone who comes foward with information about the attack.