Three horses stabbed during a National Barrel Horse Association event in Las Vegas are recovering — but their owners say the psychological toll on the animals may outlast the physical wounds.
On May 30, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers responded to the equestrian barns at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa, where horses were being housed for the NBHA Supershow. When they arrived, they found three horses with injuries caused by a sharp object. Investigators identified a teenage girl as the suspect, believing she used a knife to inflict multiple wounds on the animals. Though police confirmed the injuries were not life-threatening, the horses were unable to compete. The unnamed suspect was apprehended at a nearby hotel and booked into Clark County Juvenile Hall, facing 12 counts of willful or malicious killing, maiming, or torturing an animal and three felony counts of malicious destruction of private property valued at more than $5,000.
Click below for more information on a teen arrested for injuring three horses. pic.twitter.com/CUdP8iMbTJ
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) May 31, 2026
Owners Speak Out on Their Horses’ Recovery
In the weeks since the attack, the horses’ owners have been sharing updates publicly. Arielle Phillips, who owns a horse named Detail, posted an emotional account on July 3 describing behavioral changes she has observed during rides. “She has new picked up ‘quirks and habits’ clearly based off fear, and seeing that these new habits are happening every single ride really set me off,” Phillips wrote. “That one single night and one evil person could have changed my horse’s entire personality. It seems so unfair and just not ok.” Phillips added that she is holding onto Detail’s progress and hoping the horse will continue to improve over time.
Keira Weisbart offered a more encouraging update on her horse, Rocket, on June 24. “He’s healing so nicely, the wounds are completely closed on the outside but we are just waiting on the muscle to heal,” Weisbart wrote, adding that she anticipated being able to increase his workload soon.
Sully’s Road Ahead
Hailey Krahenbuhl, owner of Sully — the horse described as having been stabbed multiple times — shared a detailed update on July 2. She noted that Sully’s right shoulder has been slower to heal and that he will carry some permanent cosmetic damage, including a dent on his neck from fibrosis. “That’s why they call them battle scars,” Krahenbuhl wrote. “Sully is a survivor and he’s the strongest horse I know.” She said the coming month will involve extensive therapy, and that Sully will receive thorough care throughout his rehabilitation.
With the juvenile case still unresolved and all three horses in various stages of recovery, the barrel racing community continues to watch closely as their owners navigate a recovery process that is as much emotional as it is physical.
