A foal has been left so traumatised after just one week of being stolen away from her mother that she now stares blankly into a corner.
The foal was one of eight miniature ponies, stolen from a field in Stonea, who has now been reunited thanks to an anonymous tip off.
Seven of the stolen animals are now back home, however the owners say they are experiencing mixed emotions.
Police are appealing for information about the eighth missing pony, a palomino.
Daniel Everett said: “We are elated seven of them are back, but they are all clearly upset and traumatised from what they have been through.
“At first the mother did not recognise her foal and we were worried she wouldn’t take to her, but now she is letting her baby drink milk again but the foal just stares into a corner.
“The mum is very subdued and disorientated.
“One horse is being treated for a serious gash on its leg. Another is on heavy medication after the vets came out.
“They are all clearly traumatised. It is horrible to see and of course we wonder what they have been through in just one week.”
The eight horses were stolen from Sixteen Foot Bank in Stonea overnight on Wednesday July 12 when the thieves cut through an electric fence.
Daniel said: “They had clearly come equipped.”
The ponies were taken to shows and were family pets, he added.
Two of the ponies were found locally in a field in Christchurch and five were 23 miles away in the village of Beck Row, near Newmarket.
Daniel added: “The palomino was probably the prettiest and easiest to sell but am still hopeful of getting her back.”
A police spokesman said; “Seven of eight miniature ponies that were stolen from a farm have been found and returned home.
“Only the palomino pony is still missing after two were found on Tuesday (July 18) in a field near Christchurch and five were recovered by the force’s Rural Crime Action Team in a field near Beck Row Travellers’ site in Suffolk following a call by a member of Cambridgeshire Countryside Watch.
“Anyone with information about the remaining missing pony should call police on 101 quoting CF0397610717CF0397610717 or contact Crimestoppers.”
• A lorry stopped on top of the road side and they cut through a load of bramble and hedge row to get in.
“Then they cut through a fence lined with a 12,000 volt surge through it. They definitely knew what they were doing. They left rubber gloves behind and we found bread rolls on the floor, which they must have used to entice the horses.
“There was also some rope left which we think they used to try and catch them.
“Of the eight horses, three are foals including one which will likely die without its mother. The biggest one is only 36 inches tall.
“It means everything to our family to get the horses back. The ones that have been taken are the ones we’ve been breeding.
“They’ve taken what we’ve been building for years.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here