A rare cremello stallion named Polo, stolen from a farm in Morayshire, Scotland, eight years ago, has been reunited with his owner after being discovered in Shipley, West Yorkshire. The horse, now 13 years old, vanished in 2018 during a break-in.
CCTV footage at the time showed the foal being loaded onto a trailer behind a pick-up truck, with farm equipment also reported missing. Owner Zoe Urquhart had largely given up hope of ever seeing Polo again.
"I’d given up on the idea that he would ever be located a number of years ago, so it was a massive shock," Urquhart told BBC Scotland. She received an unexpected call from the police last week, leading to Polo's recovery within three hours.
Upon his return, Polo was found to be in a significantly neglected condition, suffering from a tumor and eye issues. Urquhart stated that his veterinary and rehabilitation care is expected to cost thousands of pounds, highlighting a stark contrast to the potential earnings from a rare stallion intended for stud.
Urquhart suspects Polo was stolen due to his rare genetic coloring. Perlino and cremello horses are characterized by their pale coats, pink skin, and blue eyes, which were uncommon at the time of the theft.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson confirmed that following community intelligence in Shipley, inquiries were made with Police Scotland. The horse's microchip was checked, confirming it was the animal stolen in 2018. The horse was seized and investigations into the original theft are ongoing. Annually, around 100 private horses are stolen in the UK, a crime that was once punishable by death in Scotland until the early 19th century.