AN EXMOOR pony foal died and another was left seriously injured after a gunman fired what is believed to be a high velocity rifle at the animals in a night-time attack.

The sickening incident at the Exmoor Pony Centre at Ashwick near Dulverton - which has sparked a police investigation - happened on Boxing Day and the most seriously injured foal had to be put down five days later.

Staff arriving to check the stock the morning after Boxing Day found one of the foals - seven-month-old Champ - on the ground in a field close to the centre.

Standing next to him was nine-month-old Bear, who also appeared injured.

Val Sherwin, founder of the Moorland Mousie Trust which runs the centre, said at first it was thought the two foals - who had come off the moor last autumn and had yet to be handled - had been bullied by some of the larger ponies in the field.

"We thought they had puncture wounds and initially just treated them for their injuries ourselves," she said.

"But then we started to get suspicious and called in the vet."

The foal, unused to human contact, had to be sedated to allow an examination to take place, which revealed that his shoulder blade had been shattered by a bullet.

"He had to be put down there and then - there was nothing we could do for him," said Mrs Sherwin.

Bear had also suffered a bullet wound to the shoulder but the injury was not so serious and is responding to treatment.

However, the attack has shocked and appalled staff at the centre.

"You don't expect to find ponies being shot on your land," said Mrs Sherwin.

"And the field is right next to our home, which is even more worrying.

"We are all absolutely gutted by this. The best we can hope is that it was someone out shooting deer who fired at the ponies by mistake.

"It could have been someone very inexperienced but they would have been an awful shot and it does raise the question of how they even had a licence.

"We don't want to think about the alternative of someone deliberately shooting the ponies.

"The most desperate thing is that if we had known what we were dealing with from the start, we could have put Champ out of his misery sooner.

"We will be trying to find the bullet in Bear but if it was just an accident, we really would like to know.

"What is so awful is that neither of these ponies had been in our care very long and didn't have time to learn that humans can be kind.

"They had come to what should have been a safe haven for them, where they eventually would have been handled and in time re-homed."

Mrs Sherwin said although Bear was expected to recover fully from his injuries, it was not clear what the long-term psychological effect might be.

The centre has also been left counting the cost of the incident, with vets bills likely to run into hundreds of pounds.

"We are a small charity and we certainly haven't budgeted for something like this," said Mrs Sherwin.

The centre, which opened in 2006, is dedicated to the promotion and conservation of the Exmoor pony, which is a rare breed and one of the oldest breeds in the world..

Champ's body was sent to the Dulverton Farmers Hunt kennels at East Anstey where huntsman Anthony Allibone saw the full extent of the pony's injuries.

"I've never seen anything quite like it in a pony," he told the Free Press.

"I've seen injuries like that in deer. Whoever did it would have had to have a high velocity rifle.

"The bullet had gone right through the shoulder blade, shattering it and leaving a big hole.

"It must have been pretty horrible for the pony."

Police have launched an appeal for information in the hope of tracking down the culprit.

Sergeant Andy Whysall, the officer dealing with the case, said: "This is a particularly cruel crime, which is especially sad as these animals have been harmed while being cared for at a rescue centre.

"I would urge anyone with information to get in touch - either to me directly on 0845 456 7000 or via the rescue centre or alternatively through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

Anyone wanting to make a donation to the centre to help cover vet bills can download a standing order or gift aid form from the charity's website at http://www.moorlandmousietrust.org.uk">www.moorlandmousietrust.org.uk or send a cheque payable to The Moorland Mousie Trust to the Exmoor Pony Centre, Ashwick, Dulverton, Somerset TA22 9QE.