Horses ‘traumatized’ after gunshot attacks

Three horses have been left traumatised after being shot in a Surrey field – with one suffering three stab wounds.

Chon Donnelly said the horses have been attacked four times in the past two weeks.

She said she had been forced to install cameras around fields near Bletchingley and the stables and that staff also kept watch at night.

Divine, a black mare, was hit by a bullet between the eyes in the first incident.

“His skin had been ripped off,” Chon said.

Another horse, a chestnut mare, was shot in the neck.

Chon said she found the horses “frozen” in their field and had to restore their confidence.

“Their behaviour changed completely over the next few days and they grouped together in the far corner of the field,” she said.

“They stood still and didn’t move.

“It was painful to see because all our horses before coming here suffered some kind of trauma.

“Now that they are all relaxed and in a safe environment, it is just cruel.”

In the next incident, an older horse was hit in the nose “at quite close range.”

Divine was also shot again, in the shoulder and below the jaw.

“Criminal damage”

Chon urged people who attacked horses to “think about the trauma.”

“What happened is really cruel because horses are not able to rationalize what is happening,” she said.

“We would really like them to think about what they are doing and stop.”

She reached out to other horse owners to urge them to be on their guard and increase their safety.

A Surrey Police spokesperson said: “We received four reports of criminal damage between August 18 and 29 regarding horses suffering minor injuries from what the owner believes to be an airsoft weapon in Bletchingley.

“Our local team has been informed and will conduct follow-up inquiries with the owner.”

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