Horse being hit around the head

[Miss_Millie]

My horses bite each other's heads for a laugh harder than she hit that horse. And yes they throw their heads up with their eyes shut for a second like its the end of the world, then they mess about again and go and eat. What she did was bad horsemanship but it's being blown way out of proportion.

No it isn't being blown out of proportion, she physically punished the horse who did absolutely nothing wrong. Shocking attitude.

 

[IrishMilo]

Anybody doing that to any horses at my yard would be given immediate notice; THEN I'd kick the cr@p out of them and hammer their head with fisticuffs to see how they liked it.

Because the horse is a defenceless animal at the mercy of its handlers and anyone condoning cruelty to it is not worthy of decent treatment, people can choose the poor horse can't .

There's a difference between decent treatment and proactive physical violence and there's a definite irony in some of these comments. It's always strange how one minute people can be so into the Be Kind movement and the next week we're talking about smashing someone's face in. I don't think happy people behave in the way she did. And in a sense that makes me pity her. Do I also pity the horse? Yes. But he's already forgotten about it. I don't condone losing your temper with animals but horses do FAR worse to each other just when they're playing.

How would those who have absolutely obliterated this woman feel to discover she'd taken her life as a result of all this? Which is REALLY not out of the question.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

As a parent, though, I am free to choose who teaches my children. Especially if I am paying private school fees. I would walk from such a culture and take my children with me, leaving the school to sort it out.

Still the big IF it is the widely touted name.

Indeed you are-and good luck in getting your money back for fees paid to a private school if you walk away immediately. However it is not the role of parents to police the way that staff spend their free time, which is subject only to the same laws as everybody else..
TBH, I am not convinced that the treatment, which I am disgusted by, would really amount to 'animal cruelty' in the eyes of the law, the pony did not appear to be seriously harmed/upset. It is debateable (please let's not) whether she would be found guilty even if she were charged.

 

[skinnydipper]

the pony did not appear to be seriously harmed/upset.

Learned helplessness

 

[fetlock]

The Times have now named her.

 

[Miss_Millie]

There's a difference between decent treatment and proactive physical violence and there's a definite irony in some of these comments. It's always strange how one minute people can be so into the Be Kind movement and the next week we're talking about smashing someone's face in. I don't think happy people behave in the way she did. And in a sense that makes me pity her. Do I also pity the horse? Yes. But he's already forgotten about it. I don't condone losing your temper with animals but what horses do FAR worse to each other just when they're playing.

How would those who have absolutely obliterated this woman feel to discover she'd taken her life as a result of all this? Which is REALLY not out of the question.

It's funny how people keep saying he's already forgotten about it. I used to ride a lovely mare who was head shy as anything and would bite you if you would try to touch her face. I was the only one who could get a bridle on her after I spent months gaining her trust by being incredibly gentle with her and talking to her soothingly.

Why was she head shy and aggressive? Because her previous owner used to hit her around the face all of the time. It's a flipping joke that people are suggesting the horse would not have been upset and potentially permanently affected by her violence towards it. Anyone who is happy to hit an animal should be banned from owning them, end of.

 

[Velcrobum]

I think a lot of people in the horse community have just given up reporting things to officials because nothing happens.

This sort of behaviour happens at a show you report it to an official and I can almost guarantee nothing would happen or possibly at best an official saying "that is inappropriate please do not do that again" there would no banning them from competing or removal of qualification. People who been prosecuted are still allowed to complete they change their name, run their horse via family member of another professional but most of time people don't get any ban.
.

I have seen officials taking action. At a BE event some years ago a well known International French rider was witnessed kicking a horse from the ground in the girth area when in the horse box park. This was conveyed to the BE steward who sent out a call for said rider to attend secretaries tent immediately said rider then started effing and jeffing at the BE steward in front of a lot of people when the steward tried to get to rider somewhere more private. Step in the venues owner/organiser who promptly banned the rider from the competition told him to load up and leave. Rider had multiple entries was not happy but had to comply as the police got called after his public outburst. Rider got a total ban from the venue which also had extensive XC schooling facilities. BE stewards are pretty hot on stamping out horse abuse as are the FEI stewards.

 

[Rumtytum]

…. she couldn't control herself which is totally out of order but I bet she is very well aware of how poor her actions were.

I disagree. She could have controlled herself but she chose not to control herself.

 

[Tiddlypom]

The Times would not be naming the woman in the video without a very positive ID. She is indeed a teacher, but is not the other name widely touted on sab pages.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-kicking-and-slapping-horse-in-face-0ctt5wmnm

 

[MotherOfChickens]

My horses bite each other's heads for a laugh harder than she hit that horse. And yes they throw their heads up with their eyes shut for a second like its the end of the world, then they mess about again and go and eat. What she did was bad horsemanship but it's being blown way out of proportion.

We’re not horses,they know we aren’t horses- what horses do to each other is never a reason for training methods or punishment.

as for the pony having already forgotten about it-that’s a fairly crappy attitude, even if that were the case, it’s still not right.

 

[SantaVera]

The person filmed abusing the pony is named in an article in The Times.

 

[palo1]

This whole episode is just grim really and demonstrates so many aspects of the worst that people can be - both in terms of the woman lashing out at the pony (and in front of a child) and the absolute storm of vitriol she is now on the end of She hasn't been charged or prosecuted, nor had the chance to speak for herself but her name is all over SM and the press. Huge impact on her and her family and connections as well as the school she works for and local community. The hate-fest will force people to 'choose' sides and is deeply unpleasant. It's not really covering anyone in glory...Just ghastly.

 

[Winters100]

I have to say that if she was teaching my children I would not be very happy about this display of temper, but I would not be calling for her to lose her livelihood over it. Since she teaches at a primary school I would hope that parents would have the good sense to keep it away from the children, but no doubt some will not.

 

[Flame_]

We’re not horses,they know we aren’t horses- what horses do to each other is never a reason for training methods or punishment.

as for the pony having already forgotten about it-that’s a fairly crappy attitude, even if that were the case, it’s still not right.

I'm saying keep some sense of perspective. People are threatening this lady's livelihood and physical safety over a horse which is absolutely fine. Not right does not mean deserving of public lynching and life ruining consequences.

In response to someone else higher up... If this behavior were repeated regularly one wouldn't expect the horse to trot straight towards the group of humans and ask to be caught, to me this suggests it's out of character for the woman. It doesn't seem a head-shy, damaged horse to me.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Indeed you are-and good luck in getting your money back for fees paid to a private school if you walk away immediately. However it is not the role of parents to police the way that staff spend their free time, which is subject only to the same laws as everybody else..

Oh, I wouldn't have tried to get a private school to refund the fees, why did even you think would be a consideration? I've been through the private system, I know how works ?‍.

Removing a child from a school because you have concerns about a teacher's character is safeguarding your child, not policing a teacher's free time.

I would not have my child anywhere near a teacher who will fly off the handle like that.

She is a director of a preschool, fgs. What example does that set to the tots?

 

[Clodagh]

The Times would not be naming the woman in the video without a very positive ID. She is indeed a teacher, but is not the other name widely touted on sab pages.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-kicking-and-slapping-horse-in-face-0ctt5wmnm

The poor other woman who the sabs have named ?.
Tbh poor both of them, tried and found guilty and then punished in the court of social media.

 

[Otherwise]

The Times would not be naming the woman in the video without a very positive ID. She is indeed a teacher, but is not the other name widely touted on sab pages.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...-kicking-and-slapping-horse-in-face-0ctt5wmnm

I absolutely do not condone animal abuse but the social media witch hunts are just as bad in my eyes, I can't imagine the amount of abuse those wrongly accused have probably already received. It is disgusting that the sab pages have thrown out names to begin with, even worse that they've named innocent people.

 

[Nancykitt]

I've seen that someone on SM has written that the 'wrongly accused' woman deserves hell anyway just because she hunts and is therefore a sadistic animal abuser.
That's just ridiculous. These people have the worst sort of tunnel vision.

 

[fetlock]

The poor other woman who the sabs have named ?.
Tbh poor both of them, tried and found guilty and then punished in the court of social media.

They named two, with the first to be named receiving phone calls yesterday afternoon.

 

[Upthecreek]

But we live in the age of almost everything being shared on social media. Everybody knows that. I’m afraid if you are stupid enough to be caught behaving like that on camera you are likely going to have to face some pretty unpleasant consequences which affect other areas of your life. I’m not saying that is right, but it is a fact that we all run the risk of almost anything we do in public being filmed and shared.

 

[millikins]

I think a lot of people in the horse community have just given up reporting things to officials because nothing happens.

This sort of behaviour happens at a show you report it to an official and I can almost guarantee nothing would happen or possibly at best an official saying "that is inappropriate please do not do that again" there would no banning them from competing or removal of qualification. People who been prosecuted are still allowed to complete they change their name, run their horse via family member of another professional but most of time people don't get any ban.

I reported a competitor who kicked his donkey in the belly at a county show. Donkey was tied to a lorry and had raised a hind leg to him but not actually kicked him, this was in an area with the public walking past. The secretary took the details and said they'd speak to him. I hung around and after 15 mins nothing had happened so I went back. Secretary kept fiddling with her papers and did her very best to ignore me until she was forced to make eye contact so I asked what had been done. Someone must have then spoken to him because the donkey and its companion were moved but I doubt he was subject to any penalty and the society really didn't want to take any action at all.

 

[scats]

I don’t remember quite as much lenience from people for that bloke who punched that police horse.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Nowhere have I advocated a witch hunt nor condoned violence, I am only discussing what I can see. I don’t really have any strong thoughts as to what, if anything should happen to her. Just sad to see that this is thought of as just being one of those things that happens, that’s ok because the horse will forget (which I don’t believe) and poor lamb just lost control and that horses do worse things to each other which somehow justifies it. Sad but not surprised.

 

[Miss_Millie]

I'm saying keep some sense of perspective. People are threatening this lady's livelihood and physical safety over a horse which is absolutely fine. Not right does not mean deserving of public lynching and life ruining consequences.

In response to someone else higher up... If this behavior were repeated regularly one wouldn't expect the horse to trot straight towards the group of humans and ask to be caught, to me this suggests it's out of character for the woman. It doesn't seem a head-shy, damaged horse to me.

If she gets fired it will be because parents call up to say they don't want her teaching their children anymore. Social media may have caused the video to go viral, but this is only because to the majority of people, what she did WAS in fact shocking, violent and completely unnecessary. She only has herself to blame, and honestly if someone is happy to be physically abusive to an animal like that in public, I dread to think what they are like when no-one is looking.

Can you please stop saying that the horse was fine. You do NOT know that. If a woman is beaten at home but she's still conscious, is she fine too? When Is the horse no longer fine, when it is bleeding or has a black eye? I'm so shocked at the amount of people feeling sorry for her as if she is the victim in this scenario.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

But we live in the age of almost everything being shared on social media. Everybody knows that. I’m afraid if you are stupid enough to be caught behaving like that on camera you are likely going to have to face some pretty unpleasant consequences which affect other areas of your life. I’m not saying that is right, but it is a fact that we all run the risk of almost anything we do in public being filmed and shared.

But what about the other woman who had nothing to do with it but was named? How was she meant to avoid getting caught up in it?

I find the faith that the Times has got the name right quite touching tbh. I wouldn't hold my breath.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

If she gets fired it will be because parents call up to say they don't want her teaching their children anymore.

I'm afraid that Employment Law doesn't work like that!

 

[Fellewell]

The problem is that this attitude is exactly what causes problems for hunting. The hunt have not come forward to say that they have identified the person and banned them from hunting, they have not even said that they are investigating and will take appropriate action. Perhaps the woman has been admonished by the hunt, or perhaps there is a lot of sympathy for her being riled up by the "bunch of sabs" referred to above. Either way I would not be congratulating the hunt, and I certainly do not view the incident as simply a woman with some children trying to load ponies. The poor pony did not 'canter into the road' as reported by some media, he was simply not asked correctly to load, the child dropped the lead rope, and he jogged over to the other horse and allowed himself to be caught. Hardly a terrifying situation, and certainly not the fault of the pony. This was a disgraceful display of temper by an adult who should have known better.

Edited to add that it is a real shame that things are like this with hunting. A friend of mine hunts, and has many times offered to give me a horse and take me along when I visit the UK, but I would not want to be associated with this kind of activity. If there was an opportunity to do some genuine activity, trail hunt or similar, which did not involve surreptitiously chasing foxes / trampling people's gardens etc then I would love it, but as things are I would not want to be involved.

Attitude? The Cottesmore are clearly hunting within the law and those who seek to disrupt are reduced to lurking about behind lorries filming unrelated matters.
So I congratulated the hunt for complying with the law in difficult circumstances. If they have information to release I'm sure this will be on a need to know basis only.

 

[FestiveG]

But we live in the age of almost everything being shared on social media. Everybody knows that. I’m afraid if you are stupid enough to be caught behaving like that on camera you are likely going to have to face some pretty unpleasant consequences which affect other areas of your life. I’m not saying that is right, but it is a fact that we all run the risk of almost anything we do in public being filmed and shared.

Do you think that applies to the woman who was wrongly named, or is she just collateral damage?

 

[southerncomfort]

My horses bite each other's heads for a laugh harder than she hit that horse. And yes they throw their heads up with their eyes shut for a second like its the end of the world, then they mess about again and go and eat. What she did was bad horsemanship but it's being blown way out of proportion.

Bad horsemanship??

It was violence inflicted on an animal that was doing nothing wrong.

Genuinely shocked at some of the posts on this thread.

I'm out.

 

[Xmas lucky]

Wow some the replies are appealing at the end of the day this woman is a adult and should be able control her anger. She should face some conquests for her actions and she should loss her job because if she loses her temper on horse then I hate see what would she do to a child. This behavior shouldn’t be normalise like people are trying to do on this fourm.