When Christina Bequette found her beloved horse, Jack, in a neighbor’s pasture last week, the normally energetic animal was standing unusually still.
His mouth was full of uneaten grass.
“He was just totally dazed. There was no life in his eyes,” said Bequette, who lives in Elbert County.
Bequette took Jack and her other horse, Walker, back to their pasture, where she treated Jack for what she thought was colic until 1:30 a.m.
It wasn’t until after the sun came up that Bequette noticed blood and a bullet hole in Jack’s side. Two more bullets had hit Walker, one in the side and one in the chest.
Nine-year-old Jack died Saturday despite the frantic efforts of a veterinarian and Bequette, who uses homeopathic remedies. No one can tell Bequette whether Walker will survive his wounds because no one is sure where the bullets are lodged.
“I have a hole the size of a golf ball in my heart,” Bequette said of losing Jack. She worries that the two bullets in Walker will lead to an infection, and she’s not sure what the long-term effects could be.
The Elbert County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the shooting Wednesday. “We have a possible suspect,” said Elbert County Sheriff Bill Frangis “But there’s very little evidence, and I cannot comment.”
Frangis said that anyone responsible for shooting the horses could face cruelty-to-animal charges and may have to pay restitution for the cost of the horse and veterinarian bills. If convicted, the culprit could face jail time.
Bequette and her partner, Michael Kemp, believe that whoever shot their horses may have used a .22-caliber gun.
The couple live on 8 acres in the Chapparal subdivision in northern Elbert County. They said they’ve never been harassed by anyone and can’t understand why anyone would hurt their horses.
Their other animals include a cat, three dogs, chickens and another horse named Sid, who was with the other two horses at the time of the shooting but wasn’t hurt.
The horses are friendly and lovable, Bequette and Kemp said. “We’re really in disbelief that someone would come out and shoot the horses,” Kemp said. “Why would they shoot such gentle animals?”
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the Elbert County Sheriff’s Office at 303-621-2027.
Staff writer Annette Espinoza can be reached at 303-820-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com.
