Horse
© Ipswich StarA horse in Beck Row had its tail hacked - similar to a recent incident in Hoo, near Wickham Market, when two ponies were targeted.
It is the latest in a number of similar incidents in which animals have been targeted.

The most recent happened at a farm in Hoo, near Wickham Market, between 9pm on Saturday, August 17 and 7am the following day.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said because horses were left in open fields it was sometimes difficult to catch offenders in the act.

However she urged anyone who spotted any suspicious activity to report it immediately.

"It is quite likely that in most cases a vehicle may have been used to get to more rural locations," she said. "In this incident it looks like someone had their headlights on.

"We would urge anyone who sees any suspicious behaviour or spots anything out of the ordinary to alert police and take details of any vehicles involved - particularly a registration number."

In May, hair was shorn from a horse in Wildmere Lane, Beck Row, while five animals were targeted at the same address the month before.

In March, 24 inches of hair was cut from a horse kept in a paddock in Tunstall, near Woodbridge.

A spokeswoman for animal charity the RSPCA said: "Although it doesn't necessarily hurt a horse to have their mane or tail cut, there is the potential for injury depending on the method used and it could cause the horse some distress.

"Whether a malicious act or what some may think of as a 'funny joke', the perpetrators should realise that in taking away the pony's tail they have removed an important communication tool, both physically and emotionally, and that the tail is also practically important in allowing horses to keep biting insects away.

"Why anyone would want to do this is beyond me and we urge anyone with knowledge of the culprits to come forward."

Call police on 101 with information.