CANAAN (WGME) – A family is devastated and looking for answers Wednesday night.

They say their horse was hit right in front of their home, dragged almost a mile down the road, then left to die when the driver just took off.

Sierra Miner is holding back tears over the violent loss of her horse Lucy.

"They not only hit my horse, they tortured her,” Miner said. “They dragged her almost a mile."

Miner says she tied Lucy up on a cinder block in the front yard Wednesday morning to graze.

"She could go as far as the sunflower plants," Miner said.

But she says just after 9 a.m., an out of control vehicle swerved into the yard, taking Lucy with it.

"How do you drag something that big? She's 1,000 pound animal, they just dragged her like she was trash; left her in the road," Miner said.

Down the road, to the highway, and witnesses say Lucy fought, digging her hoofs into the ground, try to get away.

"Some people actually stopped and stayed with her until they got a hold of me, but they say she was fighting to stay up the entire time," Miner said.

Lucy's body was found lying in the middle of the road, witnesses never getting a good look at the vehicle that hit her.

"I don't understand how you could be that cruel, there's no way that you didn't see that," Miner said.

Miner only got Lucy a year ago, but their bond was much bigger.

"This horse, I could take her off the lead and walk her down the road and she would be right by my side, she was just a big old dog," Miner said.

Now Miner, along with her family and friends, hope to raise awareness about distracted driving.

"I've been riding and almost been hit with my horse,” Miner said. “It's just complete neglect. That's my life; and now my horse's life, it's something I'll never get back."

While Lucy may be gone, Miner says her memory will live on.

"She was just so friendly,” Miner said. “Such a good girl. So I mean I'll always have those memories, I'm just hoping something good comes from this."

A page has been created to help offer a reward for finding the person responsible.