Crossbow horse survives after four fellow ponies spend three hours taking turns licking the wound clean

A horse which was shot twice with a cross-bow survived after four fellow steeds spent three hours taking turns – licking the wound clean. Bay mare Zeta came within a whisker of death after one cross bow bolt bounced off her rib while another lodged just one inch from her lung.

Evil yobs blasted the 20-year-old bay horse in the stomach while she grazed in a field at Telford, Shropshire, on May 7. But four other competition horses which were also in the same field nursed Zeta by nuzzling her for three hours while taking turns to lick the wound clean.



Owner Jo Young, 39, who competes professionally, said the four horses saved Zeta’s life. The mum-of-two said: It was really touching that when she was found the other horses in the field were nuzzling her for comfort and licking the wound.

”They kept the wound clean which would have prevented it from being infected by bacteria. It also helped to stem the blood flow. There was definitely a herd instinct kicking in among the horses. They knew Zeta was in need and they rallied round to save her.”

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