Horse stabbed to death with 'rusty fence post' in Surrey

Riding association condemns attack as 'mindless act of cruelty'

Sam, a horse at Epsom Riding for the Disabled Association, died after being stabbed during a break-in (GoFundMe/Kate Tamsin El Bizanti)

A horse has died after it was stabbed during a break-in at an equestrian centre in Surrey.

Sam was being kept in stables at the Epsom Riding for the Disabled riding school, and died last week after being attacked with a metal fence pole during the incident in August, its owner Wing Bo Chan announced on Facebook.

Two ponies belonging to the school called Marigold and Buffy suffered multiple injuries on 14 August, when the attackers were thought to have entered the premises through a fence panel.

At the time the organisation called it a “mindless act of cruelty”, adding that nothing appeared to have been stolen.

According to a GoFundMe page set up to help pay for veterinary bills, Sam was being treated at an equine hospital in Liphook and was suffering from a “deep-rooted septic infection” after being stabbed in the shoulder with the “rusty, spiked end of an electric fence post”.

In a Facebook post, Ms Chan said Sam had died on Thursday last week. She said: “Had to do the hardest thing ever, that was to say bye to my world, my horse, best friend Sam. We lost our fight yesterday.

“All a bit lost now! Thank you everyone that has been supporting us and had been rooting for Sam to get better.”