In an even more absurd twist, the drivers - on their way to Romania when they were stopped at Offenbach, Germany - claimed they'd had no idea they had livestock on board.

The shocked traffic cops were left amazed when the routine search of the van revealed the secret supply of horsepower hidden inside.

The officers had a hunch it just looked wrong

"The van's windows were completely steamed up, we know now because of the ponies' breathing and the officers had a hunch it just looked wrong," said a police spokesman.

Inside they found the ponies crushed in against each other with no food or water.

"They were in appalling conditions and have been confiscated," the spokesman added.

"We think they were probably going to end up on someone's dinner plate in Romania," explained police, speaking to the Austrian Times.

In happier news, the poor ponies are now happily recovering at an animal rescue farm while officers work out what to do with them and investigate whether they were stolen.