A North East horse club has appealed for any information about a beloved pony who was allegedly cut with a knife and sexually assaulted as it grazed in a field.
Mitch Wharton, the secretary of the Buchan Riding Club, said everyone in the horse community was “appalled” by the attack on Blaze the mare.
Blaze, who belongs to New Pitsligo woman Zoe Wright, was seriously injured in the attack late on Sunday night and was put down by a vet, given the extent of her suffering.
Ms Wright’s family has put up a £1,000 reward for information about the attack and members of the public stunned by the cruelty have added to the fund, which now stands at around £1,900.
Ms Wharton said: “It’s appalled everyone – it’s affected everyone. How anyone can do something like that is just unbelievable.
“You do get occasional stories of horses being marked, where a horse will come in and the tail has been platted or cut, but nothing as severe as this. Cutting a horse’s tail is very bad because it takes years to grow back, but nothing like this. This was just brutal.”
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed that inquiries were “on-going” but no further information has been given.
Blaze had been grazing on Ms Wright’s land over Sunday night when she was targeted.
Ms Wright, a show jumper who owns six horses, checked on Blaze the following evening and found her lying on her side and bleeding from the rear.
A vet was called who took the decision to put the animal down after she collapsed.
An autopsy was then carried out at the Scottish Agricultural College at Craibstone.
Ms Wright said the results show Blaze suffered from internal haemorrhaging from two stab wounds and internal bruising from what appeared to be blunt force trauma.
Anyone with any information should contact the RSPCA’s animal helpline on 03000 999 999 or Police Scotland on 101.
Charity Crimestoppers can be called on 0800 555 111 to give information anonymously.