Utah authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding a Thoroughbred horse found dead in a Davis County pasture.

Syracuse Police Public Information Officer Detective Erin Behm said the broodmare’s caretakers reported discovering the horse dead in her pasture on May 14.

“The horse’s owners are out-of-state and the people who own the land are feeding and caring for the animal,” Behm said. “They found the horse dead from a fatal wound on its left side behind its left leg.”

Behm said published reports identifying the mare’s injury as a gunshot or other weapon wound are unsubstantiated