Sabotage leaves horse with facial burns

A showjumping horse is disfigured after being attacked twice in two weeks in an apparent sabotage attempt.

Police are investigating after the 13-year-old gelding, Squirt, suffered burns to his face at the Showjumping Series Final Show at the Egmont A and P Showgrounds in Hawera, the Stuff website reported.

Somebody allegedly smeared creosote on Squirt's face on either Friday night or Saturday morning.

Police were speaking with a woman in connection with the incident but wanted to hear from any witnesses.

Squirt's owner, Kathryn Corry, said it was the second attack in as many weeks.

At a show in Foxton the weekend before someone had rubbed a chemical near Squirt's girth area, causing the skin to blister.

At the time, Corry did not realise it was an attack and thought Squirt had accidentally got sheep dip on him.

But when Corry went to get her horse from his yard at the Hawera show on Saturday morning, he looked like someone had "belted him over the eye with a hammer", she said.

Equestrian Sports New Zealand said it condemned the attack and there would be repercussions if the attacker was a member.

- NZPA