Horse Attack Under Investigation

Horse Attack Under Investigation




Last Edited: Monday, 28 Apr 2008, 7:35 PM EDT
Created: Monday, 28 Apr 2008, 2:19 PM EDT




The Levy County Sheriff's Office is investigating a horse attack at a equine rescue center near Ocala. SideBar


Related Items
Pictures




Links
PHOTO GALLERY: Beauty's Haven Horse Rescue


Videos




MORRISTON, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35, Orlando) -- The Levy County Sheriff's Office is investigating a horse attack at a equine rescue center near Ocala.
The owners of Beauty's Haven Farm and Equine Rescue, Inc. say one the horses in their care, Sunny , was violently injured in the overnight hours of April 25.

The attack was the third time in just one month that the animal had been abused by an unknown assailant. The 15 year old Palomino is one of two horses which were saved from an auction a day before Easter.

Around 7 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, owners found fresh wounds on Sunny which appeared to have been created by a whip or blunt instrument. The horse also received cigarette burns and had a large scrape on his shoulder. Owners believe the shoulder wound may have been self-inflicted, brought on as the horse attempted to escape its attacker.

The horse was treated by a veterinarian and is recovering. Still, anywhere you touch him, he flinches. "He has a lot of sore spots. There was a lot of swelling that came up yesterday," says Theresa Batchelor, owner of Beauty's Haven. "We bring him here to protect them. This isn't suppose to happen," she adds.

According to property owners, Sunny's injuries are very similar to ones that a pony mare sustained a few months earlier. Investigators are trying to determine if the attacks are connected.

The owners, who live on the property, find the attacks very troubling and don't understand why anyone would want to hurt the animals. "I have absolutely no idea, no idea, and its scary," said Batchelor.

Security lights had been installed to deter further attacks. Owners say security cameras are also an option in the future, but are presently cost-prohibitive. In the meantime, plans are in place to put up an electric fence around the perimeter of the property and possibly acquire a guard dog.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• horse
• attacted

[Palominto]

Any "human" (if you could even call them a human) who could DARE inflict injuries on a horse, especially injuries as brutal as this, deserves the same treatment as far as I'm concerned. I'm surprised this poor horse isn't completely afraid of people now. I feel so terrible for him. He appears to be such a sweetheart. This video has made me sick to my stomach. Well, not so much the video, but the attack in itself. I hope to hell they have caught this sick bastard.

[ilovepreciousjim]

what the hell how sick can people be in this world

[ILoveHorses988]

That's is absolutely disgusting! It's just sickens me how someone could do this to a horse, including other animals!

[KaylaAnna1995]

I wanna know how on earth those horses got so much wounds. Just like us they have a fight or flight response. So I wanna know how this person managed to beat a horse without getting his own beating!

[jessicabearluvsu]

@1overthehillsandfaraway I completely agree with you. Honestly, even if I elbow my horse to push her over she will move an respond. You can't possibly keep an animal of that size to stand still while you beat it.

[1overthehillsfaraway]

that look like a big cat attack, those cuts on the hindquarters. A horse is not going to stand around while someone stabs it and beats it that does not seem plausible at all.

[mahonystockebo]

Im soo angry..sick people ... I love horses they are my favorite animal. When animals get attacked by someone, and they do not scream it means they know the perpetrator may be someone who was been fired or who hate the owner or some relative!! man im soo angry

[PooPooOnMyNewShoe]

I live near this rescue farm in Ocala FL. If I see or hear ANYONE on my property or that of my good friends nearby, I WILL SHOOT TO KILL. I hope the person that did this is reading this. And from 200 yards ...you'll never even hear it comming.

[Mtthyman]

security cameras and dogs wont help. but since it is private property put up a no trespassing sign, then if they come on your property shoot them :) that will solve your problem real quick.

[horses6230]

stupid people how could someone do that to that horse!

[H0useMouse]

Get some DOGS! There are so many problems in this world that can be solved with dogs, and this is one of them. Getting one alert dog and two attack dogs will be much cheaper and more effective in the long run than more phail technology.

[westerncavalry29]

If they find the person who did this then I am going to teach him a lesson! This really inspires me to help abused animals but I dont know if emotionally I could handle seeing some of these sights :'(