WESLACO – A Weslaco resident said their horse is recovering after she found an arrow encased through his skin.  

Christina Guerrero said she regularly tends to her sister’s horse, “El Coqueto”.

“I’m the one that’s supposed to show up and feed him and give him water,” she said.

On Friday, she said they found the horse in the back instead of its usual spot near the front entrance.

Guerrero said she then noticed an object on the right side of the animal, and called several family members who advised her to pull out the dart-like object.

She said the horse stayed calm while they removed the 20-inch arrow lodged in his stomach area.

“He wasn’t panicking, he wasn’t moaning,” she said.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS visited the Hidalgo County Cowboy, Teo Martinez, to see what he would recommend if someone is in a similar situation. He said the last thing anyone should do is pull out the object.

Martinez said Guerrero took a gamble because pulling out the arrow may have caused more internal damage.

The Hidalgo County Cowboy added a veterinarian is the only person that can take out the shaft without causing more damage. 

Guerrero said she worries the shooting was intentional.

"There's just so much space all around for it to be some kind of accident, it's almost like impossible,” she said.

Guerrero filed a police report with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. She said she wants the person responsible to be held accountable.