On Sunday night, about half past midnight our dogs started barking like mad. Seconds later, now wide awake thinking something must be wrong (we live in the outside of the nearest town on a small stable yard) I heard the sounds of galloping hooves in the yard. I rushed outside in time to see a horse's black and white backside disappearing out of view behind the stable block.
Shit was my immediate response, if one of them is out what about the rest (there are four at livery in the yard, all in field about a hundred yards down the road). Ran outside only to see five horses - none of which I recognised milling about in a panic at the top of the yard. My husband and I managed to herd them through a gateway into our top field and off I trotted to phone the police. I tried to get the point across that we were seconds from the slip road to a major dual carriageway and it was pure luck these horses had come to us and that there may be more out there...
It turns out that some twat had used bolt cutters to take the chain off their field gate, then took the gate off its hinges and laid the gate flat and presumably chased them out of the field. Apparently someone arranged for this to happen because of an issue about their owners right to be on the land.
Great, not only could they have been horribly injured (the group included a mare with a two month foal at foot) but they could have caused an absolutely horrific car crash - even without reaching the dual carriageway.
Madness, utter f**king madness. If anyone's DP or DH was out with bolt cutters near exeter on sunday night - you're married to a moronic bastard!