A FAMILY of horse lovers have appealed for help in catching intruders who injured and scared their animals with a whip.

One thoroughbred horse hurt its leg when the gang ran amok, cracking the whip among the grazing animals .

The five terrified horses panicked and worked themselves up into a crazed gallop, banging into each other and fences.

The thoroughbred Arab horse will recover from its minor injury, but cannot be ridden for a few weeks by its young owner, Samantha Jones, 12.

Samantha has been learning to jump in the past few months at the stables at Drovers' Farm, Redmarshall, near Stockton, and was upset about her horse, Betty. The other horses include the Arab grey's mother, two riding horses and a foal.

Samantha's grandmother, Susan Redmond, of Maria Drive, Fairfield, Stockton, condemned the culprits.

She said: "It's a terribly cruel thing to do. The horses are trusting, because they've known nothing but kindness. They come up to people expecting the same, so they're very vulnerable to cruelty like this.

"We're all very distressed by this. The horses would have bolted. They worked themselves up into a lather and are going to be very nervous with everyone for a while now.

"It was a pointless thing to do, just some malicious form of fun for mindless people. I just hope they can be caught.''

Police are investigating a string of break-ins at Drovers' Farm in the past two years. The latest attack on the horses came after the intruders broke into a paddock caravan and ransacked it, scattering horse medical records in the paddock and spraying antiseptic fluid over the caravan.

The break-in happened over last Thusday night. Any witnesses are asked to contact PC Jim Forster, of Stockton police, on (01642) 302226.