WARNING: You may find some of the images and the video in this article distressing.

A WOMAN from Cardiff has revealed one of her horses has been killed in the Gwent Levels, after it was dragged through a rhine with its hooves tied together with barbed wire.

Julie Jackson arrived at the fields where she keeps her horses, just off Ty Mawr Lane in Marshfield in the Gwent Levels on the morning of November 19, and noticed her 30-year-old horse Skye, and her two ponies Red and Oak, were missing. 

She noticed the gate had been cut, and that her three animals had been let out deliberately.

The neighbouring farmer, from Hawse Lane, told Julie he had found the horse and two ponies inside a deep drainage channel, with their legs bloody and tied in barbed wire.

Julie had owned Skye for 30 years, meaning she had been in Julie's life as long as Julie's children. When Skye was located it was found she had died in the water.

Julie said: Skye, after almost 30 years together, you have been brutally taken away from us.Julie said: Skye, after almost 30 years together, you have been brutally taken away from us. (Image: Julie Jackson) The ponies, Oak and Red, who were found in the same circumstances managed to survive and are being cared for.

Oak had water-filled lungs and barbed wire deep in his flesh, they both have been traumatised, and Julie has had to rehome them as a result.

Julie said: "Early morning on Tuesday 19th November 2024, some vile excuse of humans broke into my yard.

"It appears they made 'make shift' halters out of barbed wire, cut through fences/gateways, and forced my three ponies to walk through 40 acres of farm land to a secluded area.

"They have then tightly TIED barbed wire around the legs of all three ponies, two were forced into the ditch my old girl Skye, who is in her 30s, didn't make it out alive.

"I can only hope the third pony that wasn't in the ditch put up a good fight and pray he had kicked and hurt them.

"Unfortunately he has been left quite traumatised and physically hurt with cuts all over his body.

"We believe all we're beaten in their fight to resist.

"The fields they were walked across run alongside the main intercity railway line between Newport and Cardiff.

"I only hope someone on those trains saw some suspicious activity that morning, and will report it to police."

Julie told the Argus that this incident has "absolutely ripped her soul out."

"I am heartbroken," she said.

A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: “We received a report on Tuesday, November 19, that a horse had been killed and two others injured in a field near Wentlooge.

"Enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact us, via 101 or online, quoting log reference 2400385175.”