Petrol attack on miniature horse

Kenesha Carlyle's miniature horse Twister had burns on his back when she took his cover off on Saturday morning. Photo / Stuart Munro

A miniature horse has been burnt after someone poured petrol on to its cover while the owners slept.

Wanganui woman Kenesha Carlyle went outside to see 15-year-old Twister and prepare him for a horse show the next day - but when she took off the cover she saw patches of his flesh had been burned off.

"I could see where it's melted," Miss Carlyle said. "With him having a cover on and his body heat we think it's combusted."

A vet confirmed Twister had burns on his back and gave Miss Carlyle antibiotics and a special wash and cream to treat it.

"He was really touchy and just wasn't nice to be around," she said of the horse. "He isn't himself - he used to be really trusting."

Miss Carlyle, who lives at Marybank just off State Highway 3, discovered what had happened on Saturday morning, and said she felt "sick" seeing it. "Why would you do it? Whoever it was is sick and just doesn't have a heart - it's cruel. He didn't deserve it and neither did I."

She expected it would take months before the horse recovered and the hair grew back.

Miss Carlyle has spoken to police, but she has no idea who might have harmed Twister.

"Everybody that has horses loves horses. I don't think a horse-lover would do this to someone, unless they had a lot of hate."

She said she would be moving her other animals to a safer place to avoid any further harm.