Brazo County, Texas, is rural horse country and it's often a wellspring of unusual horsey news stories. A case in point is the recent shooting of a Miniature Horse that had gotten loose from his own pasture and invaded a neighboring herd of full-sized equines. The randy little stallion then began attacking the horses. At least that's the story from the horses' owner, an off-duty cop who was tired of the scenario. This was the second time that the wayward, aggressive Miniature stallion had come calling at his ranch. The Mini, which stood just over 30 inches tall, was shot and killed by local police officer Damian Anderson. He claimed that he was simply protecting his livestock, and was prompted to take the action after his horses had been injured by the Mini, named Santi, eight months ago. Back then, Santi's owner had offered to make amends by paying Anderson's vet bills. The type of injuries Santi had inflicted, if any, were not revealed in news reports.
Brandi Hamlin, Santi's distraught owner, told news sources that the Miniature stallion was a pet that ate carrots and treats out of her hand and was easily subdued. Law enforcement officials are investigating to see if Anderson violated animal cruelty laws. However, under Texas state law a citizen does have the right to protect their livestock from harm.