Sarah Moulds

[Boulty]

I’d second the opinions that she’s likely been sacked for bringing her employer / her profession into disrepute through her actions that were caught on video. (& that members of certain professions are held to a higher standard of behaviour even when off duty) Regardless of the verdict she can’t deny that she did what she did. There’s plenty of other jobs in other fields that don’t require such a high standard of professional behaviour at all times that she could pursue a career in.

 

[fetlock]

She can’t go to a tribunal. There is a strict 3 month limit and she’s obviously well past that.

 

[SantaVera]

A problem with this verdict is that it might give carte blanche to others to hit horses around the head or indeed elsewhere. I think I'm right in saying the defence used the fact that racehorses are hit thereby implying that it's ok to hit horses,it what happens and therefore isn't wrong.

 

[skinnydipper]

Using physical punishment is a shitty way to train an animal and in the case of this pony was inflicted too late for him to associate the punishment with the behavior.

 

[Tiddlypom]

A problem with this verdict is that it might give carte blanche to others to hit horses around the head or indeed elsewhere. I think I'm right in saying the defence used the fact that racehorses are hit thereby implying that it's ok to hit horses, it what happens and therefore isn't wrong.

Indeed.

If the jury took the defence statement that it is 'routine and permitted' to hit horses at face value, then no wonder she was found 'Not guilty'.

Likening the blows to the horse being whipped in racing or showjumping, defence barrister Derek Duffy said: "Horses have pain inflicted on them in many other ways in the course of sports.

"We know that punishment to horses is both routine and permitted in certain settings."

The jury deliberated over their verdict for 5 hours, which shows that they took their duties seriously. They have to consider the evidence as presented to them.

 

[tristar]

Using physical punishment is a shitty way to train an animal and in the case of this pony was inflicted too late for him to associate the punishment with the behavior.

but the pony did nothing wrong!

it was the owner leader who did wrong and then punished the pony for her own incompetence

 

[Clodagh]

if the jury watched footage of a showjumping competition, a day at the races or possibly people loading their horses after a sponsored ride they would see as bad a lot of treatment happens every day.
Doesn’t make it right but as they were told… violence to horses happens all the time.

 

[Cortez]

Wouldn’t it be interesting if being a bad horseman/woman was against the law?

 

[Sandstone1]

if the jury watched footage of a showjumping competition, a day at the races or possibly people loading their horses after a sponsored ride they would see as bad a lot of treatment happens every day.
Doesn’t make it right but as they were told… violence to horses happens all the time.

So does domestic violence but its still wrong.

 

[tristar]

A problem with this verdict is that it might give carte blanche to others to hit horses around the head or indeed elsewhere. I think I'm right in saying the defence used the fact that racehorses are hit thereby implying that it's ok to hit horses,it what happens and therefore isn't wrong.

thats why racing is erm...``on the run``

commentators getting nervy about welfare

 

[Cortez]

So does domestic violence but its still wrong.

Domestic violence is against the law. Slapping a pony isn't - entirely inappropriate in this instance (i.e. bad horsemanship), but not always.

 

[ycbm]

but the pony did nothing wrong!

it was the owner leader who did wrong and then punished the pony for her own incompetence

The pony refused to load and pulled away from his child handler.

The punishment for that came far too late for him to even connect it with his behaviour.
.

 

[ycbm]

If the jury took the defence statement that it is 'routine and permitted' to hit horses at face value, then no wonder she was found 'Not guilty'.

How could they not? Any time spent watching racing or jumping competitions would soon show that it's the truth.

 

[Tiddlypom]

How could they not? Any time spent watching racing or jumping competitions would soon show that it's the truth.

Not ever on the head though, even racing or SJ, as long as there is someone there with the integrity to report it.

Certainly in SJ behind the scenes we all know that it happens all too often, but not witnessed in public.

 

[NinjaPony]

I can’t help feeling that this case has done a lot of damage to the horse owning community. Woman caught on camera punching a horse in the head gets off because humans do violent acts to horses all the time? Doesn’t look great does it. Judging from what I’ve seen on social media, plenty of non-horse owners are pretty appalled and believe she got away with it because of who she knew or because she was posh, therefore it’s ok to punch an animal. Obviously that’s not the facts of the case at all, but that’s how it seems to look to the average person.

 

[NinjaPony]

I’m also quite revolted with how it’s been spun by her and her legal team:

"In that moment [Bruce] had done something incredibly dangerous and, in that exact moment, I decided that the right thing to do was discipline him quickly," she said.

Mrs Moulds' barrister, Derek Duffy, told the jury: "Sarah Moulds says 'I was punishing that horse for walking off because it's a child's pony, and if a pony walks off on a road with a child holding it, it is a dangerous activity'.

We all saw the footage, this is very clearly not what happened. I’d actually have a lot more respect if she had owned up to losing her temper and apologised for her behaviour in the heat of the moment.

Instead, they have justified her beating the horse on the grounds that it failed to load and belongs to a child? It’s clearly BS. By that justification, anyone could beat a child’s pony for not behaving.

Legally, I’m sure it all stacked up. Morally? Pretty disgusting.

 

[AmyMay]

I’d actually have a lot more respect if she had owned up to losing her temper and apologised for her behaviour in the heat of the moment.

I completely agree.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I completely agree.

Yes, so do I. And, of course if she had helped to.load the pony, none of this would have happened. I really think this was overkill for the RSPCA to involve the courts.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Yes, so do I. And, of course if she had helped to.load the pony, none of this would have happened. I really think this was overkill for the RSPCA to involve the courts.

This. She should have been supervising a child loading the pony, not standing a distance away. Particularly with a group of sabs there who are not the most rational round horses and even the calmest pony is likely to be a little fizzy after hunting . I've been dragged off the trailer by a rude horse, and maybe lost my temper a bit and smacked him on the shoulder, but her reaction was totally ott. She should have just held her hands up and said she was wrong, although I suspect given the fact she was hunting would probably still have encouraged the RSPCA to take it further

 

[Pebble101]

Mrs Moulds' barrister, Derek Duffy, told the jury: "Sarah Moulds says 'I was punishing that horse for walking off because it's a child's pony, and if a pony walks off on a road with a child holding it, it is a dangerous activity'.

We all saw the footage, this is very clearly not what happened. I’d actually have a lot more respect if she had owned up to losing her temper and apologised for her behaviour in the heat of the moment.

I assume it was the child that she handed her other horse to so she had her right hand free so she could also hit and punch Bruce as well as kick him. Particularly stupid when it was their incompetence he was free in the first place and she must have noticed she was being filmed.

 

[ycbm]

I’d actually have a lot more respect if she had owned up to losing her temper and apologised for her behaviour in the heat of the moment.

Wel that would have been nice but then she'd have a criminal record which could affect a lot of things she wants to be able to do in the future, so I understand why she didn't.

I don't believe that means that she doesn't realise that she did something stupid and wrong. It should never have got to take up court time and charity funds.

 

[Sleighfarer]

That also says the following


The forum is part of a discussion on public affairs. The papers have been reporting on it too which they can do. None of us have given 'inside information' which may be prosecutable.

We discuss current affairs, not public affairs, which refers to government/official business, so not applicable in this case. A contemporary report of proceedings is just that - a factual account of what went on in court. That's what court reporters do. Proceedings should not be commented on. For the avoidance of doubt, the HHO forums are regarded as publications from a legal point of view and the publisher would be liable, which is why the moderator pulls threads.

 

[palo1]

This. She should have been supervising a child loading the pony, not standing a distance away. Particularly with a group of sabs there who are not the most rational round horses and even the calmest pony is likely to be a little fizzy after hunting . I've been dragged off the trailer by a rude horse, and maybe lost my temper a bit and smacked him on the shoulder, but her reaction was totally ott. She should have just held her hands up and said she was wrong, although I suspect given the fact she was hunting would probably still have encouraged the RSPCA to take it further

That is an interesting view; I completely agree re: the appallingly poor horsemanship and judgement and she should have apologised but wrt to the hunting comment; on this occasion there was no hint of illegal hunting so to suggest the RSPCA would have a reason to pursue a case where someone has been involved in a legal activity is...interesting!

 

[tristar]

The pony refused to load and pulled away from his child handler.

The punishment for that came far too late for him to even connect it with his behaviour.
.

the video i saw was of someone leading the pony onto the ramp and she let it drift off the ramp when not looking at where it was going, what i saw was the pony led in such a way it was not in control of the leader, it was an incompetent attempt and the pony lost confidence, perhaps it ran away cause it knew it would be hit?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Apologies if this has already been posted, playing the victim here and I for one feel she would have been better advised to just go home quietly and hope the dust will settle. And count herself lucky she got away with blatant animal abuse.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1695173062931501226

 

[Tiddlypom]

Silly woman. Such a self indulgent and self pitying diatribe .

Don't go round punching ponies on the head, then.

 

[stangs]

The principles of fairness, huh? She wasn’t thinking about fairness when she punched a horse in the head.

 

[MurphysMinder]

That is an interesting view; I completely agree re: the appallingly poor horsemanship and judgement and she should have apologised but wrt to the hunting comment; on this occasion there was no hint of illegal hunting so to suggest the RSPCA would have a reason to pursue a case where someone has been involved in a legal activity is...interesting!

Think you’ve misunderstood me , I wasn’t saying I thought Rspca had a reason just that they’d grab any opportunity. I hunted all my life and if I wasn’t old and knackered would still be trail hunting now !

 

[ycbm]

Apologies if this has already been posted, playing the victim here and I for one feel she would have been better advised to just go home quietly and hope the dust will settle. And count herself lucky she got away with blatant animal abuse.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1695173062931501226

Stupid woman, she just lost any benefit of the doubt I was inclined to give her.
.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Stupid woman, she just lost any benefit of the doubt I was inclined to give her.
.

Exactly.