The owner of a horse whose skull was cracked in an “appalling” and vicious attack said there are “no words” she could use to describe the person or people responsible.
Tracey Alshawi’s gelding Domino was found seriously injured by runners on Saturday evening (6 May).
As he was kept in rented fields and the runners had no way of knowing who owned him, they called the RSPCA and he was taken to a nearby veterinary hospital.
Tracey only found out what had happened when a friend called the next morning, by which time Domino had undergone some four hours of surgery.
“I love all my horses, but Domino’s my soul mate,” she told H&H.
“If I jump fences, he comes and jumps behind me; he comes running up when I call. He’s the most loving, human-trusting horse ever.”
Tracey, who lives in Milton Keynes, said Domino had suffered a wound to his shoulder thought to have been caused by a knife, as well as the injuries caused by a blunt object and “brute force”. *Very graphic image*
But she told H&H vets are pleased with his progress so far.
“He’s doing really well,” she said. “He’s going to be permanently disfigured; there’s nerve damage to his face and one side’s paralysed, and he’ll have an indent under one eye.
“But he’s just started letting his tongue out of the side of his mouth again, like he used to; after six to eight months of intense care, he should be pain-free.
“When he was first attacked, it was a no to riding him again but I asked yesterday and they said he’d got more feeling back in his lips already so there is a chance.”
“He can only eat on one side of his mouth but he is eating – and the vets have fallen in love with him, he still wants humans’ attention.”
Asked what she would say to the attacker if she had a chance, Tracey said there was “nothing I could say”.
“If us normal, sane people try to think of the mind of a psychotic, evil person like this, I don’t think we’ll ever make any sense of it,” she added.
“Domino and I made a deal years ago that we wouldn’t leave each other so I’m holding on to that.”
Thames Valley Police officer David Spencer said: “This was a violent attack on a horse which has sustained appalling injuries.
“The vet who examined the injuries says it is almost impossible that these were caused accidentally as the force used means it is extremely likely the impacts were caused by a human being.
“I would urge anyone who saw the attack, or happened to be in the area at the time, or believes they may know the identity of the offender, to contact me on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”
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A fund of £2,500 has been set up by well-wishers as a reward for information leading to the conviction of the person or people responsible.
“This does restore your faith in people,” Tracey said. “The compassion and generosity of so many people is overwhelming.”
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