North Carolina law enforcement authorities are seeking those responsible for the shooting death of a horse grazing in a Rockingham County pasture.

Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Deputy Dean Venable said the owner of the property where the horse was boarded discovered the 8-year-old mare in her pasture lying near a hay bale dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the head.

"Upon initial assessment, it would appear the horse was shot with a high-powered gunshot to the head," Venable said.

Investigators believe the shooting was intentional