A prize-winning Welsh Section A stallion has lost an eye after being attacked in his stable in west Wales.
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 £1,000 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.”
