Distraught owner Esther Nash-Smith, whose horses are 'her life', said a substantial reward was now being offered for their return.

She discovered the three mares and two foals missing and the sickening attack on her German Shepherds at her yard at Smiths Meadow the morning after.

She said it appeared that the horse rustlers used a 6ft fencing stake to beat the dogs around their heads and used bolt-cutters to break a chain and padlock on the gate.

They then switched off the electric fencing and lured the horses out of the fields on Sunday July 30.

Her horse box used by the thieves to transport the horses was later found abandoned by police in Haxted in Surrey.

The five horses were: one traditional Blagdon mare, one filly foal, one black thoroughbred mare, one coloured colt foal, one chestnut arab mare.

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