France: the mystery of mutilated horses

Text by: Camille Kauffmann

5 mins

Since the beginning of the year nearly fifteen horses have been mutilated in several regions of France. The equines are found dead, with one ear cut off or one eye gouged out. Concern is growing among the owners of the million horses present in France.

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In a small village in the Jura, Manon Calet found on Friday August 14th one of her two mares killed, one eye and one ear less. “  It was a hammer blow. We had heard of these mutilation cases, but never would we have thought that we would attack in such a small village  ! She exclaims. His mare, Aïda, lived in a boarding house with the Guyetants, a couple of breeders who are very worried today.

Most horse owners have no means of surveillance and little means of protection against these attacks. Claude Guyetant feels totally helpless and had never seen this in thirty years. “  We are totally helpless because we keep 40 horses in summer, and up to 80 in winter, but we only have eight boxes. We tried to bring them closer to our property, but we have to leave them outside, it's unmanageable,  ”she laments.

Since the beginning of the year, fourteen cases of mutilation have been identified in France. First in Moselle on February 14, then in Vendée, Aisne and even Jura. Places as diverse as the type of equidae affected. The cases concern both horses, ponies or donkeys - the modus operandi is almost the same: the animal is found, lying on the ground, with the right ear cut out, often one eye torn off, sometimes even other parts of the body.

A multiplication of cases in August

Since the beginning of August, six cases have been reported. The French Equestrian Federation reacted and filed a civil action alongside the victims. Serge Leconte, its president, is shocked by such acts, it is not about stealing meat as we have seen in the past, but according to him, to torture for free. Another hypothesis he evokes, the criminals keep the ear as a trophy, a practice that is also observed in the world of bullfighting. "  In any case, the people at the origin of these acts must know the horses because we do not skip them without knowing how to approach them and put them in confidence,  " he says.

Another point common to killed equines; they were generally not very fearful. Manon Calet, owner of two mares has thus lost “only” one of them, Aïda, the less timid, while Kyrielle, however in the same field at the time of the crime, was spared. “  No one can approach it,  ” says its owner, not without pride. Having very sociable horses is precisely what worries Océane, owner of horses "  who would not panic if a stranger approached the enclosure  ". She is all the more distressed that she can do nothing other than to rely on her two dogs, and her neighbor. Some homeowners are even considering investing in surveillance cameras to protect themselves.

Several investigations opened, few leads

From June 30, the Central Territorial Intelligence Service was concerned, in a press release, about the resurgence of the phenomenon. To date, ten procedures are open. The problem is, business is not centralized. Different gendarmeries are indeed concerned, which does not facilitate the progress of the investigation.

No track is privileged to date. But the hypothesis linked to sectarian practices is not ruled out. The Midiluves, the interministerial mission which monitors sectarian aberrations in France, was requested on the subject. “  Elements brought to our attention remind us of certain sectarian rituals. The first four cases in 2020 could correspond, according to the dates, to festivals like Walpurgis (end of April - beginning of May), neo-pagan festivals tinged with witchcraft, or coincide with the Nordic Celtic festival of Beltaine in connection with the celebration of the nature  ”, explains the secretary general of the mission, Anne Josso.

The small Satanist groups in France have not been talked about for several years, but despite everything, " we must not ignore the potential for violence that can develop within these small, very discreet groups  ", warns Anne Josso. "  These cases have certainly multiplied this year, but are not unprecedented,  " recalls the secretary general of Midiluves. And this, neither in France, nor elsewhere in Europe. Already in 2015 and 2016, Belgium recorded several cases of horses injured with knives. In Germany in recent weeks, nine horses have been stabbed in the Mannheim area. A suspect has been identified, according to local press, but not yet arrested.

In France, more than 4000 owners of killed and mutilated equines can be found on Facebook. Their group “  Justice for our horses  ” was created last July by Pauline Sarrazin, herself in mourning for her mare. Every day, they deliver their testimonies, their advice and their anxieties, while waiting for the investigation to be successful.

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